2. Fenris
TWO
The forestaround me was alive with the symphony of nature—the rustle of leaves, the gentle sway of branches, the chirping of birds. But amidst this tranquil serenity, a storm raged within me.
As I passed by the quaint cottage, a scent assaulted my senses, sending shockwaves through my entire being. It was unlike anything I’d ever encountered—a heady mixture of sweetness and warmth that seemed to seep into my very soul. My heart thundered in my chest, and my instincts surged to the forefront, demanding attention.
I froze in my tracks, my senses ablaze with the presence of my fated mate. It was a sensation I’d never experienced before—a primal, undeniable pull that threatened to consume me whole. My wolf roared to life within me, its hunger for her overwhelming every rational thought.
“No,” I muttered through gritted teeth, clenching my fists in a futile attempt to regain control. “Not now. Not like this.”
But the scent was too potent, too irresistible. It wrapped around me like a vice, rendering me powerless to resist its call. My wolf howled inside me, its instincts urging me to claim her, to protect her at all costs.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my fraying nerves. “Focus, Fenris. You can do this.”
Closing my eyes, I forced myself to block out everything except the sound of my own heartbeat and the scent of my mate. Slowly, agonizingly, I regained a semblance of control, pushing the wolf back into its cage. But it was a fragile truce, one that threatened to shatter at any moment.
I opened my eyes and stared at the cottage, my heart still racing with the intensity of the encounter. Through the window, I caught a glimpse of her—blonde hair cascading over her shoulders, blue eyes wide with curiosity and a hint of worry. She was beautiful, vulnerable, and in need of protection.
My protective instincts surged to the forefront, overriding any doubts or hesitations. I could sense the presence of another werewolf inside, a male with a scent that made my hackles rise. Ben. I knew him—a coward who would force a mate to save himself from Red-Scarlett’s purge.
Anger simmered beneath the surface as I clenched my fists, my resolve hardening with each passing second. She was mine, my mate, and I would not let anyone harm her.
My fist hovered in the air, trembling with the effort to hold back the primal urge raging within me. The scent of my mate enveloped me, its intoxicating sweetness a siren”s call, threatening to break through the fragile barrier of my control.
I could feel the change stirring within me, the wolf surging to the forefront, hungry and restless. Fur sprouted along my arms, and my muscles tensed as they prepared for the inevitable transformation.
“No,” I growled, my voice a low, guttural sound. “Not now. Not yet.”
But the wolf cared nothing for my protests. It roared within me, demanding release, its hunger for my mate consuming every rational thought.
I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms as I fought to hold on. Sweat beaded on my brow, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggled against the tide of my own instincts.
“Control,” I whispered, my voice a desperate plea. “I need to control it.”
But even as I spoke the words, I knew it was a losing battle. The scent of my mate was too powerful, too alluring. It wrapped around me like a vice, pulling me inexorably closer to the edge of madness.
With a primal howl of frustration, I raised my fist to knock on the door, the sound echoing through the cottage like a thunderclap. But before I could make contact, I forced myself to stop.
With a primal howl of frustration, I raised my fist to knock on the door, the sound echoing through the cottage like a thunderclap. But before I could make contact, a sudden realization struck me like a bolt of lightning.
I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t let my wolf out, not here, not now. Not when my mate was so close, so vulnerable.
The new bounty had put a price on my head, and a relentless huntress was on my tail. Red-Scarlett Hood, they called her—a merciless predator with a knack for sniffing out unmated male werewolves.
I couldn’t risk exposing myself, not with the threat of discovery looming over me like a shadow. For my own safety, and for hers, I had to keep my wolf in check. I knocked.
The door opened.
And then, there she was.
Beautiful. Perfect.
“Goldie Harper?” My voice, deep and steady, broke the silence.
She could only nod, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of apprehension.
“My name is Fenris,” I continued, my gaze flicking past her to the figure standing rigidly behind her—Ben, a werewolf whose presence set my instincts on edge. His father was my least favorite of the Council of Others. “We need to talk.”
The air crackled with tension, the weight of my words hanging heavily in the space between us. I could feel Ben’s gaze boring into me, his hostility palpable.
This was not how I had envisioned my day unfolding.
As I stood there, my gaze locked with Goldie”s, something shifted within me—a primal, instinctual pull that I couldn”t ignore. It was as if the very fabric of my being recognized her as my mate, my other half, the missing piece of my soul.
A surge of emotions washed over me, overwhelming in their intensity. It was like coming home after a lifetime of wandering, finding solace and completeness in her presence. I felt a connection—a bond that transcended time and space, tying us together in ways I couldn”t fully comprehend.
She was beautiful, more so than I could ever put into words. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders like a cascade of sunlight, framing a face that radiated warmth and kindness. Her blue eyes held a spark of curiosity and resilience, a glimpse into the depths of her soul.
But it was more than just her physical appearance that drew me to her. It was the way she carried herself—with a quiet strength and determination, despite the uncertainty swirling around her. It was the way she met my gaze with a mixture of curiosity and vulnerability, as if she sensed the weight of the moment but refused to back down.
In that moment, I knew that she was meant to be mine, just as I was meant to be hers. It was a truth that resonated deep within me, echoing in the depths of my soul.
But even as the realization settled over me like a warm embrace, a voice in the back of my mind whispered words of caution. Red-Scarlett Hood, the werewolf bounty hunter, was still out there, relentless in her pursuit of unmated males like me.
I couldn”t afford to let my guard down, not with Goldie”s safety hanging in the balance. And yet, even as I grappled with the weight of my responsibilities, I couldn”t shake the overwhelming sense of rightness that washed over me in her presence.
She was my mate, my destiny, and I would do whatever it took to protect her. With a silent vow, I reached out to her, my hand trembling with a mixture of apprehension and reverence.
”Goldie,” I whispered, my voice barely a breath. ”You”re... you”re my mate.” As I uttered those words, a tremor of vulnerability ran through me, unsure of how Goldie would react to the revelation.
But instead of the expected awe or acceptance, she laughed weakly, brushing it off as if it were some kind of joke. ”Come on, Fenris,” she said, her voice tinged with disbelief. ”You can”t be serious.”
Her reaction sent a pang of hurt through me, but I pushed it aside, reminding myself that imprinting was a concept foreign to humans, something difficult for them to comprehend.
But before I could respond, Ben”s voice cut through the tension like a knife, his anger palpable as he accused me of lying to avoid the new bounty and the relentless Huntress. ”You”re lying, Fenris,” he spat, his eyes blazing with fury. ”You know damn well what this is about. You”re just trying to protect yourself, to save your own skin.”
His words hit me like a physical blow, the weight of his accusations bearing down on me. I knew he was right—Red-Scarlett Hood was still out there, a constant threat looming over us like a dark cloud. But I couldn”t let him harm Goldie, not when she was so vulnerable, so utterly unaware of the dangers lurking in the shadows. She was only human, after all.
”I”m not lying, Ben,” I said, my voice firm despite the tremor of uncertainty beneath the surface. ”Goldie is my mate. I would never put her in harm”s way.”
But Ben was relentless, his hostility unabated as he continued to glare at me with barely concealed animosity. I could see the doubt flickering in Goldie”s eyes, the uncertainty clouding her features as she glanced between us.
As Ben”s accusations echoed in the air, a tension thick enough to suffocate settled over us. My words hung suspended, caught between the disbelief in Goldie”s eyes and the simmering fury in Ben”s gaze.
Before I could even attempt to diffuse the escalating situation, Ben lunged forward, his fist connecting with my jaw with a sickening thud. Pain exploded through me, but I barely had time to register it before he was on me again, his claws extended, his fangs bared in a silent threat.
Instinct took over, and I stumbled backward, my own defenses rising to meet the threat. But I couldn”t let him harm Goldie, not when she stood there, her eyes wide with fear as she clutched her basket to her chest.
”Stop!” she cried out, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and desperation. ”I want no part of whatever is happening here.”
Her words cut through the chaos like a knife, and for a moment, the air seemed to still around us. But Ben”s fury was unrelenting, his eyes blazing with a primal rage as he advanced on me once more.
I could feel the wolf within me stirring, its own fury rising to meet the threat. But I couldn”t let it take over, not here, not now. Goldie”s safety was my priority, and I would do whatever it took to protect her.
With a silent vow, I forced myself to stay calm, to focus on the task at hand. But as Ben”s claws slashed through the air, the temptation to let my own wolf loose grew stronger with each passing second.
I had to find a way to end this, to protect Goldie from harm and to prove to her that I was not the monster Ben believed me to be.
Ben”s taunts cut through the tense air, and a chill settled over me, my muscles tensing in response to the threat in his words. His voice dripped with venom, each syllable a sharp reminder of the danger lurking in the shadows. ”You think you”re so clever, don”t you?” he sneered, his voice laced with malice. ”I”ve heard about the werewolf who won”t wolf out, who hides behind his human form like a coward.”
His words struck a nerve, igniting a spark of anger deep within me. But I forced myself to remain calm, to keep my focus on Goldie and the danger she faced.
”The Huntress won”t stand a chance against me,” Ben continued, his tone mocking. ”It”ll be easy to take her in a fight.”
I clenched my fists, my jaw tight with the effort to contain my rising fury. But I couldn”t let him bait me, not when Goldie”s safety hung in the balance.
”You”ll have to go through me first,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil roiling within me. ”And I won”t let that happen.”
”When she”s mine,” he sneered, his voice dripping with venom, ”I”ll make sure you”re the last thing she thinks of.”
Ben”s words cut through the tense silence like a knife, his taunts dripping with malice as he spoke of making Goldie his mate, of forcing her to submit to his will. The very thought made my blood boil, my fists clenched at my sides as I fought to contain my rising fury
His words hung in the air like a dark cloud, thick with the promise of violence and dominance. But I refused to let him intimidate me, to let him control the narrative.
”That doesn”t sound the way you think it does,” I retorted, my voice laced with sarcasm. ”And trust me, you won”t be getting anywhere near her.”
Goldie”s eyes widened in alarm at the exchange, her fear palpable in the air between us. But I couldn”t let that fear paralyze me, not when her safety hung in the balance.
The tension in the room reached a boiling point as Ben”s threats hung heavy in the air, but before anyone could react, Goldie sprang into action. With a swift movement, she grabbed the nearest object—a lamp—and swung it with all her might, connecting with Ben”s head with a resounding thud.
For a moment, everything seemed to freeze as Ben staggered backward, his eyes rolling back in his head before he slumped to the floor, unconscious and defeated.
Before I could even process what had just happened, Goldie was at my side, her hand clasping mine as she looked at me with wide, determined eyes. ”Run!” she yelled, her voice echoing in the stillness of the room.
Without hesitation, I grabbed her hand tightly in mine, my heart pounding in my chest as we fled the cottage, leaving Ben behind us in a heap on the floor.
As we burst through the door and into the cool night air, a sense of freedom washed over me, mingled with a rush of adrenaline and relief. Goldie”s hand in mine was a lifeline, grounding me in the chaos of the moment.
Together, we raced through the Enchanted Grove, the canopy of trees looming overhead like silent sentinels as we fled from the danger that lurked in the shadows.
As Goldie”s urgency reverberated in the air, her grip tightening on my hand, I felt a surge of determination course through me. This was no time for hesitation or uncertainty. We needed to get to safety, and fast.
”My place,” I growled, my voice low and urgent as I set off through the forest, pulling Goldie along with me.
With each step, I could feel the weight of the danger that lurked in the shadows, the threat of Ben and Red-Scarlett Hood looming over us like a dark cloud. But I refused to let fear paralyze me, not when Goldie”s safety was at stake.
Through the dense foliage and twisting paths of the Enchanted Grove, we raced, the urgency of our escape driving us forward. The branches reached out like gnarled fingers, scratching at our skin as we pushed through, but I paid them no mind, my focus solely on reaching my home and ensuring Goldie”s safety.
As we finally broke through the trees and into the clearing where my cottage stood, a sense of relief washed over me. But there was no time to waste. We needed to get inside, to barricade ourselves against the danger that lurked in the darkness.
With a swift motion, I pulled open the door and ushered Goldie inside, my senses on high alert as I scanned the surrounding forest for any signs of danger.
Inside, the air was heavy with tension, but I refused to let it consume me. Goldie”s safety was my priority, and I would do whatever it took to protect her.