Page 28 of The Fated Hunter Wolf

“What’s happening?” Astrid was beside me, hands on my shoulders.

“He’s—” Another surge hit me, carrying his wolf’s primal need to hunt, to pin me down and never let me go. My body arched involuntarily.

The ring on my finger grew hot, silver magic fighting to contain what was happening. It wasn’t enough. The bond pulsed between us like a heartbeat, growing stronger.

“I can feel him,” I gasped. “He’s coming.”

Somewhere across town, Rhys had stopped whatever he was doing. I could taste his determination like copper.

“Who’s coming?” Astrid’s voice sharpened.

“Rhys.” The name fell like a curse. “The bond—it’s getting stronger.”

Another wave crashed over me, focused and predatory. His wolf had caught my scent.

“This is bad.” I stumbled toward the window, legs shaking. Through the glass, the enforcers looked bored, unaware their charge was being flayed alive by invisible strings of fate.

“Why?”

“Once it gets too strong, there’s no breaking it.” Another pulse made me bite back a moan. “If I don’t get him to reject me soon, we’ll be tied together forever.”

I’d spent my life avoiding exactly this scenario. Now it was happening beyond any of my control.

Unless I could get him to reject me.

“What do we do?”

Another surge—soon his wolf would demand he come to me, whether he wanted it or not.

“We prepare.” My hands shook as I pulled my hair back. “Because Rhys is going to show up here really soon, and when he sees what this bond is doing to me…”

I knew what would happen when an unmated wolf of alpha descent found his supposed mate writhing in pain. He would do everything in his power to make it stop. He’d do something thatcouldn’t be undone and be bound to me forever. Bile grew in my gut at the thought.

I cannot be bound to that soulless wolf.

12

RHYS

Iwore a track into the wooden floor that was probably going to piss off whoever cleaned this place. Not that I cared right now.

Logan was talking—continuing our interrupted meeting like a proper alpha, trying to make sense of Eve’s vision, of her pregnancy that wasn’t, of the curse that had wrapped itself around Orion’s throat for generations. And we had the topic of our new arrival to discuss.

Correction, arrivals.

All very important pack business that required my full attention.

Too bad my brain had other ideas.

She’s not secure.

The thought hammered against my skull on repeat, drowning out every word coming out of Logan’s mouth. The restless energy that had been clawing at me since I’d tackled her in the woods had sharpened into a sword. A sound inside me grated with each passing second. Thoughts of her grew urgent.

Like she was calling to me.

Sable was on the other side of the town, guarded by Blair and Killian, probably plotting seventeen different ways to escapewhile they stood there thinking they had everything under control.

Idiots.