Chapter 4
4
TALIA
I needed to get out of this house now.
Sionn pushed to the surface.
My vision sharpening as she continued to force a shift.
I could only hold off for so long.
I needed to get to the forest so I could shift and get far away from this house.
He could never know that I was here.
“Talia, what’s wrong?”
Celeste shook me by the shoulders, trying to get my attention.
“Your wolf is coming out! Tal, you need to focus on me, now!”
Normally, she could pull me out of a panic attack, but the sounds muffled around me, Celeste’s body became a blurry silhouette as the room continued spinning around me.
Was I going into shock? “I...
I need to leave. NOW.”
I spun around, ripping my arm from Lucas’ grip and stumbled towards the exit.
I kept tripping over my feet as I kept glancing backwards.
I didn’t want to cause another scene, or alert “him”
to my presence.
By the time I made it out of the front door, Celeste and Lucas were hot on my heels.
I paused only long enough to shout, “Don’t follow me!”
before I broke into a sprint, needing to be alone.”
I didn’t know if I could hold Sionn back any longer.
She recognized that man’s scent and was ready to break free of the chains I held on to so tightly to keep her at bay.
She was a bite first ask questions later type of wolf.
I ran for what seemed to be a mile or two before Sionn took over.
My muscles stretched, bones snapped, and fur sprouted over my body as I shifted into my wolf form.
My paws hit the forest floor causing a feeling of freedom to wash over me.
The smell of the brisk night air hit my nose as I pushed off my hind legs and sprinted further into the woods behind the pack houses.
I ran for miles, trying to get my thoughts straight.
How could he be here? What if he was here looking for me? Was I a danger to my pack? This couldn’t be a coincidence, could it? Were the others here with him? I was running past a Corsican pine when a branch snapped to my left.
I stopped, ears twitching and eyes darting around assessing my surroundings.
My body stiffened, eyes widening as I turned my body to the left.
Just beyond the tree line, an insanely large black wolf stared back at me with bright blue eyes.
My whole body seized up.
I didn’t recognize this wolf, but that was a small relief at least.
It wasn’t the man from my past.
I would recognize his wolf, even if I couldn't remember his name.
His wolf haunted my memories.
Did he follow me here from the house? I stared back at him, hoping that he would turn around and head back to wherever he came from.
But instead, he shifted, and a rugged dark-haired man was standing in front of me.
Well damn...
This man was built like a masterpiece.
A very ruggedly handsome masterpiece.
Drool began to slide out of my mouth as my wolf whined.
My gaze travelled down the length of his lightly darkened body, defined muscles adorned every inch of him.
He had a tattoo that stretched over his left shoulder and travelled down the length of his arm.
Mm I’d like to run my tongue over those muscular ridges.
Wait what? This man could be dangerous.
What was I thinking…My gaze continued to travel down despite my best efforts to stop.
Oh,
Fuck me.
How would that fit in anyone?? It’s so thick and the length.
“Are you done looking at my dick?”
a gravelly voice growled.
My eyes snapped up to face.
His lips were tilted into a smirk as he stared at me.
It’s a good thing you are in control right now girl, because I would be flushed head to toe with that gaze on me… Sionn didn’t respond.
She just whimpered and took a step towards him.
Before I could even take a step backwards, he continued to speak.
“What’s a female shifter doing out here unaccompanied? Where’s your mate, or your guard?”
He should’ve kept his pretty mouth shut.
I scoffed, which came out more like a low growl in my wolf form.
“Shift now.
I will escort you back to wherever you belong or whomever you belong to.
You shouldn’t be out here by yourself.”
He growled.
I glanced around, debating whether I could outrun this guy or if I should shift back to my human form and show him who the hell he was speaking to.
“You can try,”
he laughed.
“Just know my wolf enjoys a good hunt.”
He smirked.
Of course, he had a smirk on his face while telling me what to do.
He even had dimples.
This asshole may like a good hunt, but I was not a normal shifter, nor was my wolf submissive.
He wanted to tell me what to do? I’d make him eat his words.
My wolf agreed.
I took off like my ass was on fire.
A loud snarl echoed off the forest floor as bones snapped behind me.
The trees were blurred as I ran past them, but I could hear the river up ahead.
I ran for a couple more miles until I was sure that he was no longer following me and had decided I wasn't worth the effort.
I stopped, focusing on the sounds around me.
All I could hear was the water hitting the rocks on the riverbank.
My mistake was not giving him enough credit.
As I was standing near the river, I was tackled from the side.
My body slammed into the hard ground, the impact stealing my breath as I rolled through the leaves on the forest floor and landed near the base of a tree.
Fucking Asshole!
I stood quickly, shaking the leaves out of my fur.
Baring my teeth I growled and widened my stance.
He didn’t know I was a trained female.
He wouldn’t expect me to take him down.
He was quite large though… His wolf was about twice the size of a normal shifter, with muscles so thick I doubted he was a novice fighter.
He stood on the other side of the clearing.
Drool dripping from his jowls as he bared his long and extremely sharp teeth at me.
I couldn’t let him near me with them.
Well, not unless I wanted them against my throat as his wolf claimed mine.
My wolf was whining like a bitch in heat, she was preparing to tackle this wolf to the ground to do something other than sink my teeth into him as we originally planned.
Sionn what are you doing?! She dug our hind legs into the ground and prepared to launch herself at him.
Ignoring me completely.
I looked up and met his gaze head on.
My whole body froze.
My breathing became more rapid.
His eyes glowed as they locked with mine, and I was sure mine glowed just as brightly.
I could feel the pull of the moonlight forcing us closer together, the heat coming from his wolf and the connection that was trying to form between us because- Oh shit… This man, I was just contemplating killing him.
I knew nothing about him except he was a potential threat… And he was my FATED MATE.
Fated mates were so rare, I never imagined I would find mine.
Sionn was fighting me as I pushed her for control.
My heartbeat raced, my body shook as I kept myself in wolf form but pushed her down.
“He is our mate!”
She growled.
“He is a stranger! And we were just contemplating killing him!”
I growled back.
“I need to be in control.
You are thinking with your hormones.”
I whispered as I shut the “Door”
on her.
I was broken from my thoughts as he shifted, returning to his human form.
Once again, I was mesmerized by the sight of him.
My mouth began to water as I thought about what those strong hands were capable of.
“Well, this complicates things,”
he said gruffly, running his hand through his hair- such a dark brown that it was almost black.
The deepness of his growl caused goosebumps to cover my body.
Those vibrations would be pure bliss when pressed up against certain parts of me.
Asshole, I reminded myself.
He was an Asshole.
He wanted to return me to my keeper remember.
As I debated shifting to speak to him properly, I remembered the reason that I was out her is the first place.
Shit, what if the man from my past recognized my scent and followed us out here? Fuck I needed to get away from here.
“Are you going to shift so we can talk about this new development?”
New development? Seriously we were fated mates.
I rolled my eyes and focused on shifting into my human form.
My breathing slowed as I pictured my four legs changing back into two.
My bones snapped and bent, the pain never got easier, leaving me kneeling and panting on the forest floor.
I clenched my jaw tightly as I tried to steady my heartbeat.
Show no weakness, even if he is our mate.
Pushing my fist into the dirt beneath me I forced myself to stand and meet the stare of my fated mate standing in front of me.
I brushed the strands of hair that were in front of my eyes out of my face and cleared my throat saying, “I can’t stay I need to get out of here.”
I had hope to say that with more strength, but a bit of panic laced my voice.
I turned to leave and as I took my first step a strong hand gripped my arm stopping me.
Fuck
“What do you mean you have to leave?”
He growled into my ear.
Shivers ran down my whole body, making my legs weaken and wetness pool between them.
Why was I leaving again? He ran his nose up the side of my neck and whispered, “You are my mate, and you will not go anywhere until we speak.”
It was like a cold bucket of water had been poured over me.
I yanked my arm out of his grasp and turned to face him.
I could feel the heat of his stare as I growled, “Fate may have chosen you for my mate, but I have done no such thing for myself.
I belong to no one.”
He scoffed and pushed himself closer.
My breast pushed up into his bare chest, causing my breathing to quicken.
I bit my lip while Sionn snickered, “ Whose hormones are acting up now?”
“Oh, shut it!”
“You have no idea who I am do you?”
he whispered, pressing his nose up against mine.
He traced my lips with his tongue while pushing my body backwards.
My breath hitched as my back hit a tree, he pushed his knee in between my legs causing a moan to leave my lips.
“Why should I care who you are?”
I said, holding in another moan.
I wasn’t looking for a mate.
I didn’t want a mate.
His pupils dilated as he cocked his head to the side in confusion.
He stepped back creating some distance between us.
His brows furrowed as he looked at me and said, “My name is Declan Blackridge, and I am the Alpha to the Silver crest pack.”
He was an Alpha? Could we use this to our advantage? “ This is normally the part where you would give me your name.”
He said his voice dripping with sarcasm.
I shook my head clearing my thoughts and looked up at him.
“My name is Talia.”
“Talia.”
He said slowly, punctuating each syllable.
The sound of my name rolling off his tongue made my insides twist into a knot.
“That’s a beautiful name, little wolf.”
He spoke.
The sound of a branch snapping behind me had my head snapping in that direction.
My eyes scanned the area looking for “him”.
My lungs seized inside my chest and my heartbeat increased.
I turned looking back at Declan.
His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched, “Are you in danger? Your heart is beating so fast I can hear it.”
He stepped closer and I put a hand up.
“Please don’t.”
I looked around the clearing again looking for the direction back home.
Once I found the narrow path between the two pines, my markings cut deep into their sides I looked back at Declan and whispered, “Until next time.”
And I shifted, pulling from my magic deep within myself to increase my speed to a pace, not even an alpha could match.