Chapter 102
Axel
Elvira is my fucking mate. Of course, she is. I knew it from the start since I’ve had weird dreams about her, but to have it confirmed? It hits differently, like a violent kick to the head telling me to wake up.
And now I’m awake in ways I wish I weren’t.
Could I get any worse?
I think not.
I keep staring down at her, at the girl who betrayed her best friend. Her blonde hair is dirty and sticking to her bloodied cheeks. Her doe–eyes look as confused as I feel and I know it is because the mate bond has snapped into place.”
We are both wondering why the hell the moon goddess decided that we should be fated mates. Especially me. I mean, she isn’t a good person and…what the hell is that stank? Is it her?
I sniff her with my head between my legs and almost pass out. My old pack definitely hasn’t taken care of her. She smells like the pack dungeons and… dung, which pisses me off.
A growl rises behind me.
Logan.
The second I look up, my former Alpha lunges for her again.
He is large and powerful, but so am I and I don’t fear him anymore.
I shove my shoulder into the white wolf’s head, making him yelp. Then I bite his neck, sinking my teeth so deep that I taste blood.
Logan doesn’t stand a chance.
He is the Alpha of his pack and the largest wolf around, but he has a clear weakness.
He isn’t used to fighting someone his own size.
I bite and I tackle him, fight while the other pack members watch us. It is considered rude to help or interrupt your Alpha’s fight unless he explicitly ask for it. And Logan?
He is too proud and that will be his downfall.
He snarls after I’ve bit him, neck fluff covered in red blood while his claws sink into the dirt to gain traction. He looks conflicted, like he doesn’t know if Elvira is worth the risk of losing against me in this duel.
I would become the Alpha if I won.
But Logan is a coward.
He looks at the other wolves, hesitating and that’s when I lower my head to nudge Elvira, who is sitting frozen on the ground.
My eyes meet hers.
We need to leave.
She stares at me, clearly not getting it.
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Chapter 102
I growl softly, flicking my ears and lowering my front legs while keeping my hind legs straight. A stance every shifter recognizes: get on. Her eyes widen. She scrambles up, sliding her arms around my neck and gripping my fur like it’s the only thing tethering her to this world.
The moment she’s on, Logan makes a final, desperate move.
He lunges again, teeth aiming for her thigh.
But I move first.
Itwist hard, shoulder–slamming him mid–air. He crashes to the ground with a snarl of rage and pain, and I don’t wait.
Irun.
Through the clearing. Through the trees. Through every voice yelling behind me to stop. I don’t.
Elvira clings to me, her heart pounding against my spine. I can hear it. Feel it. She’s light, weak, but determined. I respect that, even if I don’t understand her.
The forest blurs past. Branches scratch at my flanks. Mud splashes against my legs. My paws dig deep into the dirt, driving us forward.
And then I hear it. The one voice that can still get under my fur.
Joakim.
He howls and breaks from the pack, chasing after us with the speed of someone who knows exactly how I move. Because he does. He’s my twin, after all. Same build. Same instincts. But he chose Logan. Chose the pack over his own fucking brother.
And now he’s chasing me like I’m the traitor.
I push harder, claws digging deeper into the forest floor, muscles burning. I jump over a fallen log and veer sharp to the right.
Joakim snarls behind me. He’s gaining.
Elvira shifts on my back, her hands gripping tighter. Her breath hitches, and something inside me snaps.
No. He’s not getting near her.
I change direction again, this time sprinting down a slope and into the ravine. It buys me seconds. Seconds are all I need.
She trembles against me. Her skin is so warm. I can feel it through the fur. The scent of her clings to me like smoke. My wolf is going mad.
He wants to turn. Wants to press her down and mark her. He doesn’t care what she’s done. He only sees one truth: she’s ours.
Not now.
She’s not safe yet.
We break through the trees and into the edge of a stream. I crash into the water, paws slipping, Elvira gasping as the cold hits her skin.
I cross fast, leap up the bank, and dive into a patch of thick ferns.
Finally, I stop.
The forest is still. Joakim didn’t follow across the river. Not yet.
I lower myself so she can slide off.
She doesn’t move at first. Her arms stay wrapped around my neck. Her face buried against me.
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Chapter 102
I shift.
The change ripples through me, bones grinding, fur retreating. My skin is raw. I crouch there naked in the leaves, breathing hard.
“Elvira,” I say.
She lifts her head. Her tips part. Eyes wide. She doesn’t speak.
I shrug off the flannel I had tied to my leg and hand it to her.
“You’re shaking.”
She takes it without a word… then whispers, “You came back to the pack.”
I freeze.
For a second, I forget how to breathe.
I sit beside her, elbows on my knees. I can feel her eyes on me, but I don’t look.
“Don’t get used to this,” I mutter. “This wasn’t for you. This was survival. To see…what called for me.”
“So you are only here for the mate bond?”
For some reason, my chest feels tight. Still I mutter, “Yes.”
Her eyebrows furrow. She doesn’t believe me. I don’t believe me.
I glance at her from the corner of my eye. Her legs are scraped. Her arms wrapped tight around herself. Her lips pale.
And still… she smells like mine.
Fuck, what do I do with her? Bring her with me?
Eden acted like she didn’t care when I told her I’d been dreaming about Elvira. But what happens if I bring her home? Will Eden mind?
What if I’m making a mistake?
What if saving Elvira costs me more than I can pay?
We can’t stay here long. Someone will come. Maybe Joakim. Maybe Logan.
But for now… I just breathe.
And try not to want her.
But fuck me is it hard to fight.
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AD
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