The Mating Bond

watchers, their branches clawing at the sky. Elysia Thorn pressed deeper into her coat, the wind biting t

nd her stories of ancient lore always fascinated Elysia more than they should have. She wasn't su

napped b

ainst her ribs, the sound almost lou

th

the t

head. "Get a

light flickered again before it gave ou

he light. Nothing. The silence around her see

ap. Closer

Still nothing. But now she felt it-somet

ke into

gging in the air. Her lungs burned. The trail twisted, and she stumble

ate footfalls. And the low, gutt

a scr

ell hard, pain flaring in her knees and palms. The grou

dow lunged fr

p teeth. Saliva dripping from

ver her-wolf-like, but

ng her arms over her face

g. A violent growl echoed through the forest as the two wol

re. Claw

e other down with ease, biting deep into its ne

didn'

olf turned its glowin

run-but she couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Somethi

stepped

shif

reature collapsed to its knees, its f

an knelt

eding. Bre

is face in damp strands. Silver eyes burned into hers. Scars crossed his chest, his

" he said, voice

ked. "You..

ldn't be

orked, but n

gaze. Then, with slow steps, he approached her. She should have backed aw

ghtest graze of his fingertips

wasn'

like li

ugh her veins, her breath catching in h

widened

it too," h

l wh

e b

hand back, tremb

her. His expression hardened, thoug

he said. "Alpha of

repeated, v

w, dangerous now. "And

ok a step back. "No. That's not possi

ned. "Neither of

d cut through the air-howling. Distant, t

ready shifting back into his wolf f

can't

f you stay here, the

choed in t

sn't

asn'

body already tensed to defend. Elysia'

e

into the forest. The trees blurred. The air

opped. He turned

ysia start

he saw

es emerging fr

oodied fur. Sn

the rest. Gray and savage, with a twist

wled a

Her.

ia g

could

flinch. "S

through the pa

lun

rge. Claws clashed. Fur flew. Bl

f the wolves broke through the

fa

cl

eamed-t

ashed toward

world we