Page 10 of Howl For A Kiss (Rebellious Mates #3)

EIGHT

DAMON

T he moonlight carved silver paths through the snow-covered pines as Damon and Elena made their way toward the eastern ridge of Tidewater territory.

Every step brought them closer to the human operatives' main hub, and every breath Damon took filled his lungs with Elena's intoxicating scent—wildflowers and something uniquely hers that made his wolf stir restlessly.

She moved beside him with lethal grace, her tactical gear hugging curves that had been haunting his thoughts since yesterday.

The fitted black cargo pants molded to her curvy hips and the fitted black jacket stretched across her full breasts, making his hands itch to touch her body.

But he forced himself to focus on their surroundings instead.

Control yourself. She may be your mate, but she doesn't know it yet.

The internal reminder did nothing to quiet his wolf's demands though.

The beast wanted to claim her, mark her, and make it clear to every male that she belonged to him.

But Elena was already drowning in emotion.

Not just because of the surprising revelation about her true hybrid nature, but also because of the recent traumatic events that had occurred.

Adding the shocking revelation about their mate bond to that chaos would shatter anything that was building between them.

And he couldn't risk losing her.

"Guard post, two o'clock," Elena whispered, dropping into a crouch behind a fallen log.

Damon settled beside her, close enough that her body heat warmed his side. "I see him. Thermal scope, scanning in a predictable pattern."

"Predictable how?" Her breath misted in the cold air as she turned to face him.

He pointed through the trees. "Twelve-second sweeps, left to right. Pauses for three seconds at each end. We can slip past during his pause if we time it right."

Elena studied the guard's movements with the intensity of a predator sizing up prey. "You're right. How did you—" She stopped, her brow furrowing. "You're either extremely observant or you've done this before."

Too many times to count. "Both."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment he thought she might push for more details. But then the guard began another sweep, and her attention shifted back to the mission.

"On my signal," she murmured.

Damon watched the rhythm, counting silently. When the guard reached the far left of his sweep pattern, Elena's hand touched his shoulder. The contact sent electricity racing through his system, and he had to bite back a growl.

They moved as one, slipping through shadows with synchronized precision that spoke of natural partnership. Elena's instincts meshed perfectly with his tactical training and watching her operate was like observing a deadly dance.

She's magnificent.

They cleared the guard post without detection and pressed deeper into the forest. The operatives' main hub emerged through the trees—a fortified compound with motion sensors, razor wire, and enough firepower to level a small town.

"Christ," Elena breathed. "No wonder they hit us so hard yesterday."

Damon studied the defensive positions with a Beta's eye for strategy. "Guard towers at each corner and overlapping fields of fire. Main entrance is a kill zone, but there—" He pointed to a maintenance shed on the north side. "Blind spot in their coverage."

"You see that weakness from here?" Elena's voice held a note of impressed surprise.

"Experience." The word came out rougher than expected. Fifteen years of being his Alpha's right-hand enforcer had taught him to read fortifications like a book, but he couldn't tell her that without revealing his true Beta position.

Elena shifted closer to get a better view, her shoulder pressing against his arm. The innocent contact made his wolf surge forward, demanding he pull her against him. The scent of her arousal in that moment—faint but unmistakable—nearly shattered his control.

She wants me too. I could sense it ever since the cavern yesterday. The knowledge was both exhilarating and torturous.

"We go in tomorrow night," she whispered, her voice husky. "Hit them quick and deliberate."

"Agreed." He turned to find her face inches from his, her lips parted slightly as she breathed. The gold ring around her pupils seemed to glow in the moonlight, and his gaze dropped to her mouth.

Tell her. Tell her she's yours.

But the words stuck in his throat. Elena was still reeling, still adjusting to having her world turned upside down. Telling her that she was his fated mate would be cruel right now.

Even if keeping that secret was slowly killing him.

"Damon." His name on her lips was barely a whisper.

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to thank you again. For staying with me. For helping us." Her hand brushed his. "I know you didn't have to."

I had no choice. You're mine, and I'll die before I let anything happen to you.

"You don't need to thank me," he said instead, his thumb stroking across her knuckles.

The motion made her breath hitch, and suddenly the space between them felt charged with electricity. Her scent spiked with arousal again, and his wolf clawed at his restraint.

Kiss her. Make her yours.

Elena's eyes darkened as she stared at his mouth, and for a heartbeat he thought she might close the distance herself. But then a twig snapped somewhere in the forest, and they both froze.

The moment shattered as they melted back into the shadows, every sense attuned to potential threats. But even as they made their way back to Cade's compound in careful silence, Damon could feel the heat of Elena's gaze on him.

The mate bond pulsed between them, growing stronger with each passing hour. Soon, he wouldn't be able to hide it anymore.

Soon, he would have to choose between his duty as Beta and his devotion to his mate.

Back at their rebel cabin, Damon watched Elena methodically clean her weapons—a ritual he recognized from his own military training. The familiar motions seemed to center her, but he could sense the restless energy thrumming beneath her controlled exterior.

"We should work on your shifting," he said, breaking the comfortable silence. "Tomorrow's mission might require it."

Elena's hands stilled on her knife. "I barely managed a partial shift yesterday. What if I can't control it?"

"Then we practice until you can." He stood up, extending his hand. "Trust me."

Those two words hung between them, weighted with meaning neither acknowledged. Elena studied his face before placing her hand in his, electricity crackling through the simple contact.

"Remove your tactical gear," he instructed once she stood up. "The holsters and jacket. Shifting will destroy them."

Elena's fingers hesitated at her shoulder holster. "I feel naked without my weapons."

"You won't be defenseless. Your wolf is your greatest weapon."

She unbuckled the shoulder holster containing her guns, then the hip holster with her knives.

The tactical jacket followed, leaving her in just her fitted white top and black cargo pants.

He forced himself not to stare at the way the thin fabric hugged her breasts, though his wolf definitely noticed.

Focus. She needs your help, not your hunger.

He led her into the forest behind their cabin, snow crunching beneath their boots. The moonlight filtered through the bare branches, casting intricate shadows across Elena's face. When they reached a small clearing, Damon turned to face her.

"The meditative techniques I learned during my training help warriors center themselves before battle," he said, carefully omitting that his "training" had been preparation for becoming the youngest Beta in pack history. "Close your eyes."

Elena obeyed, her lashes casting delicate shadows on her cheeks.

"Breathe deeply. Feel the connection between human and wolf." His voice dropped to a gentle rumble. "Don't fight for control—work together. Your wolf isn't separate from you. She is you."

"I can feel her," Elena whispered, wonder threading through her tone. "She's been waiting."

"Let her come forward. Trust her instincts."

Damon watched in fascination as Elena's breathing deepened. The air around them shimmered with potential energy, and his own wolf stirred restlessly in response to the power building within his mate.

The transformation began slowly—a ripple beneath her skin, then the elongation of limbs and the sprouting of pure white fur. When it completed, Damon's breath caught in his throat.

Elena's wolf was breathtaking. Smaller than his own but perfectly proportioned, with fur so white it seemed to glow in the moonlight. Her eyes remained that distinctive blue with gold rings, but now they held an ancient wisdom that made his chest tighten.

Mate. His wolf howled the word internally, recognizing what stood before them. White wolves were legendary—symbols of purity and power that appeared once in a generation. And she was his.

Damon thought of his own wolf form, the unusual white patch over his heart that had always marked him as different. Had fate been guiding them toward each other all along?

Elena's wolf padded closer, her movements graceful and sure. She studied him with intelligent eyes, tilting her head as if sensing something important.

She needs guidance. And I need to be close to her.

Without breaking eye contact, Damon began his own shift. Bones realigned and muscles expanded as his human form gave way to his wolf. Dark brown fur rippled across his body, and the distinctive white patch near his heart gleamed like starlight.

When the transformation completed, he stood before Elena as her equal—two wolves beneath the November moon.

Elena's wolf approached cautiously, then pressed her muzzle against his neck in a gesture of trust that made his heart race. Her scent filled his nostrils, now enhanced by the primal undertones of her wolf nature, and his restraint nearly shattered.

Mine, his wolf insisted, and for once, Damon didn't argue.

He guided her deeper into the forest, letting her explore her new form while staying close enough to provide comfort. She moved with natural grace, testing her enhanced senses and reveling in the freedom of four legs.

As they paused beside a frozen stream, Elena's wolf turned to study him again. This time, Damon felt the recognition spark in her eyes—a deep, wordless understanding that transcended their human forms.

She feels it. The mate bond. She knows what we are to each other, at least in wolf form.

Elena stepped closer until they stood nose to nose, her wolf acknowledging what her human mind couldn't yet accept. The mate bond pulsed between them like a living thing, stronger in their wolf forms where instinct ruled over logic.

Tell her, his wolf demanded. Claim what's ours.

But even as the urge to shift back and confess everything nearly overwhelmed him, Damon held firm. Elena was still learning to be a wolf and still grappling with her harsh new reality. Adding any more shock to her already chaotic world would be foolish.

But watching her wolf press against his side, seeking comfort and connection, Damon knew his time was running out. Soon, the truth would demand its due.