Page 15 of When Two Worlds Collide (Fated Mates, Stubborn Hearts #1)

EMBER

I huddle in the secluded Shifter Traditions alcove of Haven’s Heart library, seeking refuge from the chaos unleashed by Councilor Fletcher’s betrayal.

The revelation that he orchestrated the settler attack on the wolf camp should occupy my thoughts entirely, but another question demands my attention.

I turn pages of ancient leather-bound texts documenting mating practices across different species. The oak table before me disappears beneath stacks of research materials as I search for answers about the mate bond.

Modern shifter societies treat the connection as largely symbolic—biological recognition followed by chosen commitment. But Zane’s words from the previous night echo in my mind.

“You don’t understand what being my mate would mean,” he had whispered before pulling away from our almost-kiss, his expression intense. “Wild bonds aren’t like your civilized partnerships.”

After three hours of fruitless research, frustration overwhelms me. These academic texts offer only clinical descriptions of a profound experience. Not one explains the electrical jolt I experience whenever Zane touches me, or why my panther recognized him as my mate before my conscious mind did.

“I thought I’d find you here.”

I startle at Kade’s voice, hastily closing a volume titled Mating Customs of Northern Packs . My brother stands in the alcove entrance, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised.

“Research for the negotiations,” I explain hastily.

“Really?” He approaches, scanning the titles scattered across the table. “ Ancient Bonding Rituals. Wild Shifter Claims. The Primal Call. ” He picks up a particularly worn tome. “Interesting diplomatic material.”

I snatch the book from his hands. “Shadow Wolf traditions factor into our territorial discussions.”

“Ember.” Kade sits across from me, his expression softening. “This extends beyond professional curiosity. I noticed how you look at Blackthorn—and how he regards you.”

“We have it under control.”

“Do you?” He leans forward. “You defended his pack. You arrived at the council meeting sharing scents. The entire diplomatic corps whispers about it.”

“Let them whisper.” I straighten the books, avoiding his gaze. “My focus remains on the negotiations.”

“And how successfully?” Kade asks with concern rather than judgment. “The Mountain Bear attacks have changed everything. Council opinion has split—half want immediate peace with Blackthorn’s pack, half demand military action against all wild clans.”

“I’m aware.” I rub my temples. “If I could grasp what this bond truly means, perhaps I could manage it better. Prevent interference with my duties.”

“Or perhaps stop fighting it and discover its true meaning.” Kade rises. “Books won’t provide your answers. You need to speak with him directly.”

After Kade leaves, I remain motionless amid the scattered texts. He’s right. Academic study won’t satisfy my questions. I must confront Zane himself.

I locate him at dusk, waiting at our agreed meeting point along the Shadow Wolf territory border. Following the council meeting, our negotiations had progressed—territorial lines drawn, joint patrol proposals drafted—but we’d deliberately avoided personal conversation.

Now Zane stands alone against the deepening twilight, massive and untamed. I feel my heartbeat accelerate as I approach.

“You requested this meeting,” he says without turning.

“I need to ask you something.” I halt several feet away, preserving distance. “About wild shifter mating customs.”

He turns, wariness evident in his expression. “Why?”

“I want clarity about what I’m resisting.” I meet his gaze directly. “You said I don’t know what being your mate means. So tell me.”

Tension emanates from him. “Pack secrets aren’t shared with outsiders.”

“I’m not asking as an ambassador. I’m asking as...” I hesitate. What am I to him? Enemy? Ally? Something indefinable? “I’m asking as someone affected by this bond.”

He examines me thoughtfully, then indicates the forest. “Walk with me.”

We proceed silently deeper into Shadow Wolf territory, maintaining physical distance despite the twilight filling with primal energy around us. I detect Marcus following discreetly—Zane’s loyal beta keeping watch.

“Wild shifter mating differs from your conventional version,” Zane finally explains. “It’s not a partnership where separate identities remain intact. It represents complete fusion—two becoming one entity.”

“That sounds...” I search for words. “Impractical, terrifying, and exhilarating all at once.”

A hint of amusement flickers across his face. “Practicality isn’t our priority.”

“Then what is?”

“Truth.” He stops, turning to face me fully. “Removing the masks civilization forces us to wear. Becoming our authentic selves—apex predators, wild spirits, creatures of instinct and power.”

I notice sudden dryness in my mouth. “How exactly does that work?”

“The claiming ritual spans three days and three nights, deep in wild territory.” He speaks more quietly. “In shifter form the entire time. No human speech, no human thoughts. Only primal instinct.”

“Three days completely shifted?” I struggle to imagine it. Even wild shifters primarily maintain human form. “What occurs during those days?”

“The pair hunts together. Fights together. Runs together.” His gaze glints in the fading light. “They demonstrate worthiness through strength and skill.”

My panther stirs within me, unexpectedly intrigued. “And afterward?”

“If both prove worthy, they consummate the bond physically—first in animal form, then human.” He observes my reaction carefully. “The connection becomes permanent, unbreakable even by death. Scents merge permanently. Minds link partially. They transform into extensions of each other.”

I shiver at the intensity of his description. Now I comprehend why he retreated from our near-kiss. This transcends simple mating—it represents fundamental identity transformation.

“That explains your resistance,” I realize. “Mating with me means accepting aspects of the structured world you despise.”

“And for you,” he counters, “it means surrendering your diplomatic identity. Wild mates share territory and purpose. The female doesn’t serve one tribe while the male serves another.”

The full implications become clear. “I would need to leave Haven’s Heart. Join your pack.”

“Not merely join them. Become integral to them.” His expression remains neutral, though I perceive internal conflict. “An alpha’s mate becomes alpha female—respected, obeyed, but bound by pack law above everything else.”

My panther nature thrills unexpectedly at this concept—the raw power, the clarity of pack hierarchy. Yet my human self recoils.

“Impossible,” I state. “People depend on me. I have responsibilities.”

“Now you grasp why we must resist this.” He resumes walking deeper into the forest.

I follow, questions multiplying. “Does it eventually fade if we continue resisting?”

“No.” He navigates beneath a low branch. “It intensifies until becoming physically painful. The longest documented resistance lasted eight months. Both shifters died.”

Dread spreads through my body. “Died?”

“The bond creates biological changes. Fighting those changes gradually damages the body.”

I halt. “So our options include completing a ritual forcing me to abandon my entire life, or slowly dying? ”

“Those represent the Moon Goddess’s choices for us.” He stops but doesn’t turn. “Neither option seems acceptable.”

We’ve entered a clearing bathed in moonlight. An atmosphere of ancient power surrounds us—a place where wild creatures rule. My panther presses closer to consciousness, drawn by primeval energy.

“Show me,” I hear myself request.

Zane turns, questioning.

“Show me the ritual requirements.” I move closer, anxiety mingling with anticipation. “Not the full three days, but... I want to experience what wild claiming feels like.”

“This isn’t for experimentation,” he says. “The ritual initiates a process difficult to halt.”

“I’m not suggesting we begin the actual ritual. Just... explain the sequence. What happens first? Next?” I struggle to articulate my need to comprehend something so alien to my upbringing. “I can’t decide without complete information.”

Marcus emerges from the clearing’s edge, watching suspiciously. Zane acknowledges him with a brief glance.

“Leave us.”

Marcus hesitates. “Alpha?—”

Zane cuts him off firmly. “I said, leave us. Return to camp. I’ll join you later.”

With visible reluctance, Marcus withdraws, though likely remaining nearby.

Once alone, Zane approaches slowly, resembling one predator assessing another. “The ritual begins with scent marking. The male marks the territory where claiming occurs.”

“Then what?”

“The female acknowledges that territory with her own scent markers, demonstrating willingness to join her territory with his.”

I swallow. “What follows?”

“They shift.” His words take on rumbling intensity. “From that moment until completion, they remain in animal form. Human thoughts recede. Instinct dominates.”

“And hunting begins next?”

He nods. “The male leads the first hunt, demonstrating provision abilities. The female proves her hunting skills on the second day. Both demonstrate strength, speed, and endurance.”

“What about nights?” I ask softly.

He watches me in the darkness. “Nights focus on bonding. Running together. Sleeping curled against each other. Building physical familiarity.”

Heat spreads through my body at the image. My panther strains against my control, eager for this primal communion.

“And the final night?”

“Physical claiming occurs.” His gaze holds mine. “First as animals, then humans. The connection forms completely, linking minds and bodies.”

I move another step toward him, drawn by something beyond rational thought. “And afterward?”

“Afterward, no separation exists. Ever.” His expression reveals momentary pain. “That’s why modern shifters rarely complete wild bonding rituals. The sacrifice of individual identity proves too great.”