.Chapter 5
Simone
I didn’t know who the hell that massive beast was, but I knew I needed to get the fuck out of there.
My wolf whimpered as I forced her to run, and I could feel her resistance with every step. She’d
enjoyed watching him tear those men apart a little…too much for my comfort.
“Stay, Si,” she told me, her voice almost pleading. “He’s not here to hurt us.”
“No,” I panted, pushing myself harder through the underbrush. “No, I have to run.”
But I could hear him behind me, heavy paws hitting the ground in a steady rhythm that was getting
closer. My heartbeat hammered in my chest, and I couldn’t tell if it was from excitement or fear. Maybe both.
Why was he chasing me? For fuck’s sake, I’d just escaped one psychotic prince, and now I had some giant wolf stalking me through the woods. Goddess, the universe really had it out for me
today.
I leaped over a fallen log and landed wrong. Pain shot through my front paw as it twisted beneath me, and I stumbled. The injury wasn’t bad, but it was enough to slow me down, enough to make
my thoughts scattered and panicked. Each step sent a dull ache up my leg, making it harder to
focus on where I was going.
This was it. What if I died out here? The thought made my chest tight with dread. I’d survived
Kellan’s betrayal, escaped his castle, and for what? To become some feral beast’s midnight snack?
Branches clawed at my fur as I veered left, following what looked clearer through the haze of pain and adrenaline. My wolf kept trying to slow down, to turn around and go back to him, but I ignored
her instincts. It seems I couldn’t trust my wolf when it came to men. She had terrible taste.
That’s when I realized my mistake.
One second I was running on solid ground, and the next there was nothing but empty air beneath
my paws. I had a split second to recognize that I’d run straight off a cliff before gravity took over.
The fall stretched out forever and no time at all. My heart stopped, then raced so fast I thought it
might explode. This was really how I was going to die, splattered on rocks because I was too panicked to watch where I was going.
Then something caught me. Canines clamped down on my scruff, jerking me to a painful stop mid-fall. A snarl rumbled through the chest of whatever had caught me as he hauled me up and
over the edge, setting me down on solid ground with surprising gentleness.
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Chapter 5
He caught me, I thought, breathless and shaking. He actually caught me?
My wolf was practically purring in my mind. “Mmm, Ours,” she said with smug satisfaction.
Claven
Relief flooded through me so fast it made me dizzy. I was alive. I wasn’t going to die alone in these woods after all. My heart was still racing, but now it was from gratitude mixed with confusion
rather than pure terror.
I looked up at the massive black wolf standing over me. He was even more intimidating up close, easily three times my size, with muscles that spoke of pure predatory power and teeth that could rip me apart with just a graze. A wave of arousal hit me like a train, and I cursed inwardly at my wolf’s terrible, absolutely terrible timing. Stop it, I grunted to her.
His red eyes should have terrified me, but instead they seemed almost… protective? He wouldn’t meet my gaze directly, which was probably smart because I was having some very confusing feelings about being rescued by a creature who could have easily let me fall to my death.
We stood there for a long moment, sizing each other up. He was patient, not pushing, just waiting while I tried to figure out what the hell was happening. The silence was like another person in between us, tension crackling but not the bad kind. More the kind that made my wolf restless in ways I didn’t want to examine.
Finally, he made a motion with his head, clearly wanting me to follow him.
Thesitated, my injured paw throbbing as I shifted my weight. I could run again, but where? I had no idea where I was, my paw was hurt, and I’d already proven I was shit at navigating these woods. I needed more time to get familiar with the terrain. Plus, considering I’d almost just splattered myself on some rocks, maybe sticking with the guy who’d saved my life wasn’t the worst idea for
the time being.
My wolf was practically vibrating with eagerness, ready to follow him anywhere. Fine, I thought, limping forward. But if he tries to eat me, I’m going to be really pissed.
With a resigned sigh, I followed him through the trees to what looked like a cave hidden behind a curtain of hanging vines. He disappeared inside, and after a moment’s hesitation, I padded after
him.
That’s when I froze.
There was no giant wolf waiting for me in the cave. Instead, there was a man. A very tall, very handsome, very naked man.
O-Of course he’s naked. I tried not to stare, and failed miserably.
He was absolutely beautiful in the most dangerous way possible, all lean muscle and predatory
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Chapter 5
grace, with long black hair that hung loose and eyes that seemed to glow even in the shadows of
the cave. Scars decorated his chest and arms in intricate patterns, each one telling a story of
violence survived.
My heart hammered against my ribs as I stood there gaping at him, still in my wolf form while he stood there completely unbothered in his nakedness. Heat crept up my neck, and I was suddenly very grateful to be covered in fur so he couldn’t see me blushing.
This was definitely not how I’d expected my escape to go.
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