Page 11 of The Alpha’s Forced Plus-Size Mate (Silverfang Creek Wolves #3)

The ritual loomed closer, and my hands tightened on the edges of the robe as if holding onto it could steady the storm brewing inside me. The loose fabric hung off my shoulders, the earthy tones meant to blend into the woods where I’d chase her, where I’d claim her. The thought sent a charge through my blood. But beneath the excitement was something darker.

Fear.

I wasn’t afraid of the ritual or not catching Naomi. There was no way in hell that I wasn’t going to catch her. I was afraid of the curse that I felt had hovered over me my entire life, afraid that just when I finally found my mate, she would be torn away from me. I hated that the fear was tainting the feral joy that comes with the mating ritual, but it was better to get it out of my system before the chase began.

Julian stood by the door, arms crossed, his brow furrowed in that way that said he had words I wouldn’t want to hear. He let out a sigh. “Danny, you sure about this?”

I didn’t meet his eyes, adjusting the fall of the robe in the mirror. “Of course I’m sure.”

“That right?” Julian pushed off the doorframe and came closer, his boots scuffing against the floor. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re moving too fast. It’s been, what, a week? Not even. I know that makes me sound like a hypocrite since I’ve been on you to settle down, but I never expected you’d jump in neck deep so quickly. If you lock her into this mating and she hates it—”

My reflection stiffened, my jaw tightening as his words hit a nerve. “She’s not being locked into anything. She’s my mate. This is what’s supposed to happen.”

He let out a low laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Oh yeah? Then why has she tried to run already? Have you considered that she’d be free to escape when she’s supposed to be running from you during the ritual?” He pointed at me, frustration lining his features. “This isn’t about her. This is about you trying to stop fate from screwing you over again.”

I spun on him, my voice sharp. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Julian’s shoulders dropped, the fight in him softening as he rubbed a hand over his face. “It means you’re scared, M an. Scared she’ll leave. Scared fate’s gonna take her away like it took your mom.”

The words hit me like a runaway train, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. The thought of Naomi being ripped from me, of waking up one day and finding her gone—it was a hollow ache I couldn’t afford to feel. He wasn’t wrong about one thing—I was terrified to lose Naomi, and I had no intention of that ever happening. But if I wanted to keep her as safe as possible, I needed to mate her.

“It won’t bring your mother back,” Julian added, empathy thick in his voice as if that would soften the blow of what he was telling me.

My fists clenched at my sides, but I forced myself to keep calm, to shove down the anger and the pain that threatened to rise. “I don’t need my mother. I need my mate.”

Julian studied me for a long moment, his lips pressed into a thin line. Finally, he sighed and clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Just—don’t screw it up, okay? I don’t want to see you hurt—either of you. Naomi is a good woman, but you and I can both see that she doesn’t exactly fit the mold of what people expect from the Red Canine’s Alpha. I mean, we’re bikers, and something tells me that she’s not prepared for that sort of life.”

“It’s not just because she’s my mate. The demons—”

Julian held up a hand to stop me. “You might be able to make Saul and whoever else believe that, but I know good and well that you jumped on the opportunity to have the mating ritual the second it presented itself. Sure, it will help with the demon problem, but don’t lie and say this isn’t what you wanted all along.”

I was quiet for a long moment, considering everything. Would Naomi be able to fit into our pack? It would be a learning curve, considering how uppity the Silverfangs were, but I was confident she’d be a biker queen in no time. Naomi was smart and adaptable. “This is the right path, Julian. As your Alpha, I’m asking for you to drop this shit now. We’re on our way to the damn ceremony, there’s no backing out now.”

“Fine.” He opened the door, but not without some annoyance behind the movement. “After you, Alpha.”

Julian didn’t say anything else as we headed to the edge of the woods. The evening air was heavy, thick with Georgia heat and the hum of crickets. Saul stood waiting, his hands weaving through the air as he murmured an incantation. The shimmer of a protective barrier rippled through the trees, warding off the demons that had dared to cross into my territory and interrupt the ritual. Having him maintain a shield for long periods of time would be too draining, but I sure as hell didn’t want any demonic interruptions during this all-important moment. Saul could at least give us this.

There were a few pack members gathered around a fire, just bullshitting and drinking beer, all of them in leather vests or jackets with our insignia on them. There hadn’t been enough time to arrange for a big pre-ritual celebration, but I was glad that at least a few of my wolves showed up to witness it. I gave them all nods of appreciation before walking alone to the point from where I would be released. There were a million different emotions thrumming beneath my skin—before the night was up, Naomi would be all mine. It didn’t even seem real. I was determined to make it good for her. I hadn’t even kissed her yet, and I was on the precipice of fucking her and biting her. It didn’t feel real.

But damn, did it feel right.

If I had been given the time, I would have done exactly what Naomi wanted—dates, getting to know each other, and, hell, even getting married before the mating ritual. But with the demons on the doorstep, we had to skip to the end. I swore to myself that I would give her all those things once we were safe.

I should have felt relief and joy, but all I could focus on was the torchlit path stretching into the woods. The place where Naomi would run, where I’d have to catch her—or lose her forever. Natalia and Penny would be masked and running, too, but that was more for tradition than anything else. Their scents were familiar to me—pack members, uninteresting and simply a distraction. I hoped they wouldn’t be too disappointed that there was no chance of actually tricking me. I’d know Naomi’s spiced cherry scent anywhere and would be able to track her to the end of the earth if needed.

She and I had done this once before, only a few days ago. The memory of her bolting from the boarding house hit me like a flash. Her wild eyes, her bare feet pounding the dirt. She’d fought me then, desperate to escape, and I’d chased her down. It had been a thrill—a wild, animalistic satisfaction in catching her, in pulling her back to me. Then I thought Naomi actually wanted to escape, but this time was different. It had to be—but the end should be a lot more fun.

Sweet Naomi wasn’t just running from me now. She was running from fate, and I couldn’t shake the thought that fate might still win. I shook my head hard to make the thought leave. The next hour was something I was going to want to be seared into my memory forever. I couldn’t let those old doubts ruin it for me.

Julian’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You look like you’re ready to tear through those woods right now.”

I turned to him, forcing a smirk. “I am.”

He gave me a look, half amusement, half worry. But I couldn’t deal with his doubt, either. Not now.

Saul straightened, his ritual complete. He turned to us, his face calm, his tone steady. “It’s time.”

The words sent a surge of adrenaline through me, my wolf clawing to the surface. I rolled my shoulders, letting the tension melt into determination. She wasn’t going to get away. Not tonight. Not ever. Naomi wasn’t just my mate—she was my anchor, my chance at something real. A chance at a change for my pack, to be more than the Alpha of a group of wolves with a bad reputation. A chance to find the love that I didn’t think I deserved but still wanted a whole hell of a lot.

Somewhere in the near distance, my sweet Naomi was waiting, masked and wearing nothing but a cloak to protect her delicate skin as she fled through the forest. And I wasn’t letting fate—or anyone else—take her from me.

Saul handed Julian a ramshorn, and my friend put it to his lips. The horn sounded, its deep, resonant call cutting through the quiet woods like a drumbeat straight to my chest. I didn’t wait, didn’t hesitate. My wolf surged forward, taking control, and I shifted mid-stride, muscles stretching and reforming in a familiar burst of pain and power.

The ground blurred beneath my paws as I leaped forward, the scent of pine and damp earth filling my nostrils. The night was alive, every sound sharper, every scent clearer. But I didn’t care about the rustling leaves or the scattering of small creatures. My focus was singular.

Her. Naomi. Mate.

The first scent I caught was chemically sweet and totally wrong—Penny, having soaked herself in her favorite body spray. I sneezed, pausing to paw at my nose. I wouldn’t mistake her for Naomi, but she had managed to slow me down nonetheless.

I caught Natalia’s scent second, which told me they had a head start on Naomi. This time, there was the smell of cherries, but like before, there was a chemical edge to it. Another perfume. Too bad both of the other she-wolves' true scents were right there beneath the chemicals. I knew instantly that they weren’t Naomi.

When I finally caught her scent, it was intoxicating enough to make a lesser man dizzy. Naomi’s scent hit me like a jolt of electricity—wild, familiar. My paws dug into the soft ground as I raced forward, weaving between trees with ease, the light of the torch in the distance a faint guide. She wasn’t far ahead; I could hear her footsteps, quick and uneven, as she darted through the underbrush.

I caught sight of her—a flash of sandy brown hair, the flutter of the loose robe she wore. She was fast, her bare feet barely making a sound against the forest floor. My wolf growled with satisfaction. She was putting up a fight, and it thrilled me in a way I hadn’t expected.

For a moment, I let her stay ahead, her figure weaving through the trees like a ghost. Her breathing was quick, shallow, the adrenaline in her scent thick and enticing. My wolf wanted her, needed to claim her. But I held back, pacing myself, letting her run.

She glanced over her shoulder, and our eyes met through the eyeholes of her doe mask. Even in the dim light, I could see the fire in her gaze—determination, panic, arousal. My wolf rumbled with approval. This wasn’t just instinct—she was fighting this, but she also wanted it. Badly.

I sped up, closing the distance between us. The sound of her heartbeat was a drumbeat in my ears, quick and frantic. She stumbled, catching herself against a tree, but kept moving. I veered left, cutting through a cluster of bushes to flank her.

She darted to the right, her movements agile despite her panic. Clever girl. But I was faster.

Her breathing grew heavier, and I knew she was tiring. My wolf surged forward, unwilling to wait any longer. With a burst of speed, I closed the gap between us.

She didn’t even have time to react before I leaped, my weight slamming into her back. We hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from her lungs. Her body tensed beneath me, her hands clawing at the dirt as she tried to twist away.

I pinned her easily, my paws on either side of her shoulders. Her robe had slipped, exposing the curve of her neck, the rapid rise and fall of her chest. She was trembling, her body taut with resistance. Her scent wrapped around me, and my wolf growled low in satisfaction. She was mine, and nothing—not her doubts, not her fear, not even fate—would take her from me now.