Page 10

"Be careful, Orion. Humans are unpredictable even if they're your destined mate."

"I have to go. She's getting too far ahead." Orion's eyes never left the yellow dress. "I'll call you back."

"Good luck. Try not to terrify the poor woman."

Orion hung up, slipping the phone into his pocket. His wolf pressed against him desperate to claim what belonged to them.The bond, though faint, pulled taut like a fishing line connecting their souls.

After centuries of waiting, he had found her. And yet nothing was as it should be. A human Luna? Impossible. But the mate bond never lied.

One way or another, Seraphina belonged with him.

Orion broke into a quick jog, his muscles coiled with tension as he closed the distance between himself and Seraphina. His instincts screamed at him to move faster, the pull in his chest tightening with each step.

Two blocks had never felt so far.

The yellow material of the dress shone in the sunlight like a lighthouse, guiding him toward Seraphina. Seraphina. Even her name sounded right to his ears, a melody he'd waited centuries to hear. But something wasn't adding up.

"If I could just touch her, I would know instantly that she's my Luna," he muttered under his breath, weaving between pedestrians with predatory grace. His hand flexed at his side, itching to touch her, to confirm what his wolf already knew. One touch. That's all he needed.

Her pace quickened as she approached a small yellow bungalow with blue trim—her home, he presumed. She slowed suddenly, her body language shifting from hurried to alarmed. Orion's senses heightened immediately, scanning for threats. His eyes zeroed in on the broken window, glass shards glittering on the ground.

Then he caught sight of movement inside—a shadowy figure prowling through what appeared to be a living room. Suddenly, she let out a terrified scream that pierced the air.

"Seraphina!" he called out.

But before he could take another step, she crumpled to the sidewalk, her body going limp in an instant.

Orion's heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted the final distance. A growl built within him when he spotted another man approaching from the opposite direction—tall and lean, with eyes fixed on Seraphina's unconscious form. The stranger's body language spoke volumes. Predator stalking prey.

"Mine," Orion snarled under his breath, positioning himself between the approaching threat and his fallen mate. The conflict tore at him—rush inside to neutralize the burglar, or stay and protect Seraphina from this new threat.

His wolf made the decision for him. Kingship had taught him many lessons, but one remained paramount—protect what was yours.

"Step back," Orion commanded, his voice dropping to the alpha register that made lesser wolves submit. The authority in his tone made the approaching man hesitate.

"This doesn't concern you," the stranger replied, his eyes never leaving Seraphina.

Orion's lip curled as he knelt beside her, one hand hovering over her forehead, frantic to touch her but wary of overwhelming his senses at such a critical moment.

The stranger took another step forward. "You really should mind your own business."

"Sheismy business." The words came out as a territorial declaration. Orion's eyes flashed with a hint of gold, indicating his wolf was close to the surface now.

Inside the house, the burglar was moving toward the back rooms. Orion's heightened hearing picked up the sound of drawers being opened and closed. Every instinct demanded he hunt down the intruder, but leaving Seraphina vulnerable wasn't an option.

The approaching man reached inside his jacket, and Orion's patience snapped. In one fluid motion, he scooped Seraphina into his arms, cradling her against his chest.

The moment his skin touched hers, electricity coursed through him, lighting up every nerve ending in his body. The mate bond flared, humming with a resonance that left no doubt in his mind.

She was his. Human or not.

"She's mine," Orion growled, the simple declaration rumbling from deep in his chest.

His decision made, Orion pivoted away from the stranger and took off at a dead sprint. Seraphina weighed almost nothing in his arms, her small frame nestled snugly against his chest. Her scent—jasmine and starlight—filled his nostrils, making his wolf howl with possessive delight.

Footsteps pounded the pavement behind him. The stranger had given chase.

"You have no idea what you're interfering with!" the man shouted.