Chapter Thirty-Nine
Thirty-Nine
Tegan
I watched with bated breath as the full moon rose above the tree line that surrounded my cottage. I could have sworn I heard the low sound of rustling leaves coming from outside, but it was probably just the wind. Either that, or my anxiety getting the better of me.
I was just a little bit on edge. Even though Atlas had done a good job of explaining what to expect, tonight was a big deal. My first full moon with Atlas and the night he’d claim me as his mate.
That was the reason why I’d chosen to dress up a bit instead of wearing something more fitting for running around the woods at night.
The black pinafore dress clung tight to my breasts and waist and flared out over my hips.
Underneath, I wore a simple white long-sleeve shirt to provide me some relief from the chill of the evening air.
A pair of black lace high-waisted underwear hugged my ass, and black thigh-highs covered my legs, completing the look.
When the time came to head out, I’d put on a pair of combat boots to ensure my feet were protected.
I checked the time on my phone and blew out a breath as I threw myself onto the living room couch.
While I waited for Atlas to text me, my mind wandered, thinking about the wolven of my dreams watching me under the cover of darkness, his sharp claws and teeth waiting for me.
I imagined him chasing me through the woods, pinning me to the ground, rutting me with that thick cock of his, and forcing me to take his knot while he claimed me as his mate.
My hand started to drift down my thigh and underneath the hem of my dress, but I caught myself.
Fuck. I needed to chill out and wait for Atlas. It would be worth it. My phone vibrated, making me jump.
Atlas: It’s time baby. Are you hydrated? Did you stretch?
I snorted. Thankfully, he’d been training me for this moment.
Tegan: Yes, I am well stretched and hydrated.
Atlas: And what’s your safe word?
I chose something that was easy to remember. Something that played a big role in my life and our relationship.
Tegan: Cake
Atlas: That’s my good girl. Don’t be afraid to use it. See you soon
Tegan: I won’t. I promise. I’ll see you soon.
When my boots were tied tightly to my feet, I stepped off the porch and walked straight into the dark woods, alarmed by the overwhelming quiet. It was as if all the animals in the forest had fled for the night—even the crickets and frogs were silent—which was unusual for a mild spring evening.
Something stirred in the trees off in front of me and a chill ran down my spine.
I knew it was Atlas.
My heart pounded loudly in my chest with anticipation.
Prey animals have certain instincts. They can tell when they’re being watched.
When they’re being hunted. The primal part of my brain was screaming.
Screaming at me to turn back, that I was in danger, but another part of my brain, the part that was truly wild and lived for the thrill—that part demanded I keep moving farther into the black depths of the woods.
Leaves crunched under my feet and streaks of white moonlight slipped through the tree branches. Every so often I’d see a shadow that didn’t belong. A large lumbering form moving from out of the corner of my eye.
A twig snapped behind me and I whipped around.
I could hear my pulse racing in my ears, and my chest was tight. A low growl sounded from the opposite direction, and I spun around again.
“Atlas?” I said under my breath, knowing he’d be able to hear me.
Dark laughter broke the silence of the woods, and a pair of golden eyes gleamed through the dark. They were wider and more predatory than I had ever seen them.
Atlas stalked closer. When he paused under a ray of moonlight, I managed to get a better look at him.
He was naked, and his enormous frame was even larger, with his muscles bulging more prominently than they normally did.
The clawed tips of his fingers were longer, as well as the sharp points of his canines.
His fur was a wild mane of gray and black whorls that gleamed silver under the light of the moon.
And his cock—his cock was thick and erect, the red tip leaking a thick stream of precum down onto his shaft and his already-swollen knot.
“Tegan,” Atlas growled in a raspy, inhuman voice. He focused those wide yellow orbs on me, cocked his head to the side, and smiled, showing a full mouth of dangerous teeth. “Run.”
I sucked in a breath and whirled around, the loose strands of my hair whipping into my face and eyes as I scrambled to put distance between us.
Faster.
Faster, my instincts screamed as my boots pounded against the forest floor.
I raced through the trees, bobbing and weaving, splashing through a creek and up a muddy embankment.
Thorns and brambles reached for me with their spindly branches, snagging my thigh-highs and my dress, slicing my skin as I fought to get away.
An ear-splitting howl sounded from close behind me, signaling that I was losing ground. Atlas was closing in on me, and there was a part of me that wanted him to. I wanted to feel his muscular weight pinning me down and those sharp teeth and claws grazing my skin.
“Run, run, run, my sweet thing,” Atlas roared as he tore through the trees.
“Come and get me, wolf daddy,” I teased, spurring him on.
Up ahead of us, I could make out a clearing illuminated by the moonlight. My muscles screamed at me, and I fought to pump my legs as fast as I could toward the stretch of open land.
I tripped over a rock and fell to my knees in the middle of the field, my chest burning with each breath I struggled to suck in.
The woods around me were eerily silent. I could no longer hear Atlas’s panting breaths, heavy footfalls, or excited yelps.
There was no sound except for the gentle swaying of tree branches in the breeze.
My body trembled from adrenaline and I wrapped my arms around myself. Sweat streaked down my temples and a nervous laugh slipped out of my mouth. I was completely and utterly afraid—but I loved it.