Page 38 of Crossed Fates

But Ifelthim approaching, just like I caught his brooding, aggressive mood.

I inhaled deeply, his woodsy scent enthralling my wolf.

There.

I glanced over my shoulder as a wolf with glistening black fur stepped through the underbrush, his body twice the size of mine.Definitely an alpha.

My wolf perked up, her intrigue piqued by the display of power and impressive strength.One step,I thought.All he needs to do is take one more step, and my wolf will roll over in a flirtatious display of submission.

Which would thoroughly embarrass us both.

Or at least me.

Not. Now,I commanded her. She might be the one people saw, but I was still in charge. Well, I should be, anyway. But she certainly wasn’t making it easy.

Which explained her wolfy little grin—both a taunt at my thoughts and a statement out loud.

Mine, she was saying.That wolf is mine. And I want to play.

I wanted to bang my head against a wall.Have some dignity! Act like an alpha, for fuck’s sake!I shouted at her.

Alaric narrowed his all-black eyes at me, the human blue completely eclipsed by that midnight color. His big head cocked to the side, and he studied my wolf curiously.

My animal didn’t care what I wanted, and since she was in the driver’s seat at the moment, I sidled up to him and leaned close, inhaling deeply because he just smelled so damn good. Blue flashed in his eyes, and heat blasted through me at the desire and possession I glimpsed in both the black and blue irises.

Blood thundered in my ears, my heart raced, and my body throbbed with need. If I didn’t get the hell out of here, our wolves were going to fuck, and I had no idea how that would affect this wholematebusiness.

Lifting my ears, I glanced at the path in front of me, then back at Alaric. He hesitated for a beat, then began to trot in the direction I’d indicated. We ran for a while, enjoying the companionable silence between us.

My wolf wanted to flirt and encourage him to chase, but I held tight to my resolve. Our animals were simple creatures, their needs uncomplicated. However, their emotions were also powerful and wild. They had an innate desire to dominate, and to be dominated, to go hard and fast, and to possess each other in every way because they saw no need to hold back.

If I ran, he would chase. I knew these woods like the back of my hand, and I was fast, so he likely wouldn’t catch me. But it seemed better not to tempt fate since she’d already fucked up our lives. My wolf disagreed adamantly, her desire to play nearly overriding my ability to think.

I need a distraction. Something familiar.

I slowed to a walk and changed course, deciding to search out my secret spot, hoping it existed in this reality. It was secluded and peaceful, a perfect place to think and justbe. Perhaps sharing it with Alaric would be a bit of an olive branch. Or at least help him lose some of the weight pulling him down.

When I neared the watering hole, I broke through the trees and ran to the water, dropping my head to take a drink of the cool liquid. I felt, more than heard, Alaric join me—something that shouldn’t have been possible. Only mates who had completed the second stage could sense each other like this in my realm. The sensory bond grew with each stage and could eventually result in telepathy between the mated pair.

I tried to clear my mind and enjoy the stillness and beauty around me, but my head wouldn’t stay empty.Maybe I just need to stand on my own two feet.

After taking a few steps back, energy hummed through the air as I engaged my shift. Alaric watched me through midnight eyes until I’d completed the transformation.

Then his blue irises began to bleed into the black as his beautiful fur coat disappeared and he righted himself on two legs within what was only seconds. That alone proclaimed him as an alpha—his ability to transition so quickly without even a flinch—but as he stood to his full height and folded his arms across his broad chest, his dominant persona lashed at my senses like a razor-sharp whip.

He was hot as hell.

All hard, toned, masculinealpha.

Naked.

Proud.

Fucking ripped and beautiful and well-endowed, too.

Definitely a prime specimen of a man.

My wolf purred in agreement.