Page 27 of Tempting the Wolf (Rebellious Mates #1)

TWENTY-TWO

KIERAN

T he morning sunlight filtered through the cave entrance, casting a golden glow over their naked bodies.

Kieran stirred first, his eyes blinking open to find Maya curled against his chest, her copper-red hair spilling across his muscular torso like living flame.

The silver poisoning still coursed through his veins, but something felt different—stronger and more vital.

He knew immediately it was her. Their mate bond.

"Maya," he murmured, brushing her soft hair from her pale face. "We need to move."

Her green eyes fluttered open, sleepy confusion giving way to sharp awareness as she took in their situation. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than I should be." He sat up, wincing slightly as the movement pulled at his wound. "But not out of danger. We need to find a safe house and get this silver treated."

Maya nodded, rising to her feet in one fluid motion that made Kieran's breath catch. Her naked form was magnificent—all lean muscle and pale skin dotted with freckles. The claw marks on her back had already begun to heal, the edges knitting together faster than any new shifter's should.

"We'll have to travel as we are," he said, forcing his eyes back to her face. "Our clothes are gone."

"I think nudity is the least of our concerns right now." A smirk played on her lips. "Though I have to say, being naked in the wilderness feels surprisingly... right."

Kieran chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in his chest as he stood. "Your wolf is embracing her freedom." He paused for a moment as he steadied himself. "There's a safe house about five miles northeast—one the rebellion uses."

They set out through the forest, Kieran setting a pace that respected his wounded state while still maintaining urgency.

The morning dew clung to the underbrush, cool against their bare skin.

As they walked, Kieran became increasingly aware of a new intense sensation within him.

Maya's thoughts and emotions now flowed into his consciousness and body like a gentle stream, strong and steady.

Not the distant and muted sensations from the past few days, but clearer and more powerful.

"Can you feel that?" he asked suddenly, pausing to look at her.

Maya's brow furrowed. "Feel what? Your pain? Yes, strangely I can... it's like a strong pulsating feeling in my chest."

"Not just that." He stepped closer, placing his hand over her heart. "Last night, when we joined... when I released inside you... it wasn't just physical. I claimed you as my mate."

"I thought as much. I felt a strong burning sensation coming from my small bite mark—your partial mate mark." Her voice was steady, but her heart raced beneath his palm.

"The mate bond has almost been solidified," he continued, his voice softening to a husky timbre. "True fated mates can develop a telepathic connection after this claiming—in both human and wolf form. That's what you're feeling. Plus, a heightened physical awareness of my state."

Maya closed her eyes, concentrating. Like this? Her voice echoed in his mind, tentative but clear.

Kieran's eyes widened. "Exactly like that," he whispered aloud. "Most fated mate pairs take weeks to achieve that clarity."

A smile lit up her face, sending an unexpected surge of joy through him. "This is..." She shook her head, searching for words.

"Incredible," he finished for her, unable to stop his eyes from trailing down her body. The sunlight dappled across her skin, highlighting the curve of her breasts and the gentle slope of her hips. His wolf stirred, possessive and hungry despite their dire circumstances.

You're staring, her amused voice filled his mind.

"Can you blame me?" he growled, his eyes flashing silver. "You're breathtaking."

"And you're distracted," she countered, but her cheeks flushed with pleasure. "We need to get that silver poison neutralized. I can feel it fighting against your natural healing."

Kieran nodded grimly, forcing himself back to their mission. "The safe house might have a healer. But we should call Lena and have her come there. She'll help us."

They continued through the forest, Kieran's thoughts darkening as they walked.

The long-term effects of silver poisoning could be devastating—weakened shifting ability, compromised strength, even permanent damage to his wolf.

And beyond his physical concerns, there were the political ramifications of his recent actions.

"Malcolm..." he muttered, worry for his brother creasing his brow.

"You're concerned about him," Maya observed, catching the thought through their bond. "And about what your father will do."

"He'll disown me," Kieran stated flatly. "Declare me traitor to the pack for rescuing a human—even one with dormant shifter genes. Malcolm too, if he suspects his involvement."

The heavy weight of responsibility pressed down on Kieran's shoulders.

His mind raced through calculations of what might have happened to Malcolm and the strike teams after they'd split up during the chaos of their escape.

The silver bullet wound throbbed in his side, a constant reminder of the price he'd willingly paid to protect Maya.

"The teams should have scattered into four different directions according to the extraction plan," he said, scanning the forest for potential threats.

His wolf senses remained partially muted from the silver, but his instincts were sharp as ever.

"Malcolm was leading the western team. If they followed protocol, they should be safe. "

"But you don't know for certain." Maya's voice was steady, analytical even in crisis.

"No." Kieran's jaw tightened. "And my father will be livid. This isn't just about breaking pack law—it's a direct challenge to his authority."

They navigated through a dense thicket, Kieran's hand instinctively reaching back to guide Maya through the narrowest parts. His touch lingered on her skin, drawing strength from the contact.

"I never wanted open rebellion," he confessed. "But I'll burn down the whole damn system before I let anyone hurt you."

Maya's fingers intertwined with his. "For what it's worth, I'd do the same for you."

After an hour of careful navigation, they reached the edge of a clearing.

A rustic two-story cabin stood nestled against the mountainside, smoke curling from its chimney.

Positioned precisely on the border between Silvercrest and Granite Ridge territories, it represented a physical manifestation of rebellion—neither here nor there.

Kieran's nostrils flared. "There are at least seven shifters inside. Young ones." He glanced at Maya. "Stay behind me."

They approached cautiously. Before they reached the door, it swung open revealing a young woman with a streak of blue in her dark hair. Her eyes widened at the sight of the naked pair.

"Holy shit, it's Kieran Silvercrest," she hissed, pulling them inside. "And you must be the human everyone's talking about."

The interior bustled with activity as the young wolf shifters scrambled to attention at Kieran's presence. Despite his nakedness and wounded state, his authority filled the room. Spines straightened, eyes lowered in deference.

"Clothes," he commanded simply, and three different wolf shifters rushed to comply.

Once dressed in borrowed jeans and a tight black t-shirt that strained across his shoulders, Kieran gathered the rebel sympathizers in the main room. Maya stood at his side, now clad in leggings and an oversized flannel shirt.

"What news from the packs?" he demanded.

A lanky male with nervous eyes stepped forward. "Your father called an emergency Council meeting at dawn. He's—" The young wolf swallowed hard. "He's publicly banished you for treason against our shifter kind. Said you chose a human over your blood and pack."

The words hit Kieran like physical blows, though his expression remained stoic. Inside, a storm of emotions raged. He'd known this was coming, had calculated it as the most likely outcome, yet the finality of it—the public severing by his own father—cut deeper than he'd anticipated.

"Was my brother implicated?"

"Not yet," the blue-haired girl answered. "But there are whispers."

Kieran nodded once, absorbing the information.

The rational part of him processed the strategic implications, while something deeper—something primal—mourned the loss of his birthright and family connection.

But when he felt Maya's hand slip into his, he knew with utter certainty he'd make the same choice a thousand times over.

"My father chose politics over blood first," he said, his voice carrying the weight of command. His eyes surveyed the room. "And he's about to discover exactly how much he's underestimated me."

The acrid scent hit Kieran first—a chemical tang that cut through the cabin's woody aroma. His nostrils flared, his body tensing despite the silver still coursing through his veins. There was no mistaking that smell. Wolfsbane oil mixed with gunpowder.

"Everyone down!" He lunged toward Maya as the first window shattered, glass spraying across the wooden floor. "Hunters!"

The blue-haired girl crumpled instantly, a tranquilizer dart lodged in her shoulder. Two more young shifters dropped before they could react.

Kieran's tactical mind assessed their situation in milliseconds. Ten heartbeats outside—all pumping with adrenaline. Ten human hunters with specialized weapons. Against four remaining young shifters, one silver-poisoned Alpha heir, and one newly awakened wolf.

Maya's eyes met his, wide but focused. "How many?"

"Ten," he growled, dragging her behind the heavy oak table as bullets splintered the doorframe. "They shouldn't have been able to track me with this silver dampening my scent."

Understanding dawned on her face. "Unless they knew exactly where to look."

The remaining wolves huddled near them, looking to Kieran for direction despite his compromised state. Their fear scent was sharp, cutting through the chaos.