Page 4 of Wolf Mate’s Forbidden Fire (Esoterra Shifters World #1)

Chapter Four

Omer

I slipped through the Esoterra forest at dawn, my boots silent on the damp earth, heading for the grove where Mara kept her vigil.

The air was cool, heavy with mist, and the trees loomed like silent guards.

I needed answers, and Mara, our pack’s elder, was the only one who might have them.

Her scent, sage and old leather, hit me before I saw her.

She sat cross-legged in the grove’s center, silver braids woven with small bones glinting in the early light.

Her eyes, sharp despite her age, flicked up as I approached.

I stopped a few feet away, my hands shoved in my pockets, the weight of last night’s kiss still burning in my chest.

“You look troubled, Omer,” Mara said, her voice like dry leaves. She didn’t stand, just gestured to a flat rock across from her. “Sit. Tell me what’s got your wolf pacing.”

I sat, the rock cold under me. “It’s the human,” I said, keeping my voice low. “The researcher, Aurora. I met her last night. My wolf… it says she’s my mate.”

Mara’s eyes narrowed, and she leaned forward, the bones in her braids clicking softly. “A human mate? That’s no small thing. You know the laws, alpha. No unions with outsiders. The bloodlines must stay pure.”

I nodded, my jaw tight. “I know. But this bond, it’s strong. I can’t shake her scent, her face. It’s like she’s part of me already. What does it mean, Mara? Why her?”

She sighed, her fingers tracing a rune carved into the rock beside her. “The spirits don’t choose lightly. A fated mate is rare, even among our kind. But a human? That’s dangerous. It could awaken the Forbidden Fire.”

I frowned, leaning closer. “The Fire? That’s just a story, isn’t it? A myth to scare pups.”

Mara’s eyes darkened. “No myth. The Forbidden Fire is real, a force tied to our bloodlines. If a shifter and human join, it risks unleashing a power that could burn Esoterra to ash. Entire packs have been lost to it in the old days. You feel the bond, but you must resist it, Omer. For the pack’s sake. ”

I stood, pacing a tight circle, my boots scuffing the dirt. “Resist it? You think I haven’t tried? Her scent’s in my head, Mara. I can’t focus. Last night, I…” I stopped, my face heating, and she raised an eyebrow.

“You met her,” she said, not a question. “And you didn’t send her away.”

“I tried,” I said, my voice rough. “She’s stubborn. She’s not leaving without answers, and she’s getting too close. She’s got cameras, traps, everything. What do I do?”

Mara stood, her robes rustling, and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re alpha. You protect the pack, no matter the cost. Keep her at a distance. If she learns our secret, the Fire isn’t the only threat. The pack will turn on you.”

I nodded, but her words sat heavy, like stones in my gut.

I left the grove, the mist clinging to my jacket, and headed for the pack’s ritual grounds.

Tonight was the full moon, and the pack would gather to honor the spirits.

I couldn’t afford to look weak, not with Lukas sniffing around for any crack in my authority.

By nightfall, the ritual grounds were alive with firelight and the low hum of the pack’s chants.

The full moon hung heavy above, casting silver light over the clearing.

I stood on a raised stone, my pack spread out before me, their eyes glinting in the torchlight.

Lukas stood near the front, his lean frame tense, his green eyes watching me like a hawk.

I raised my hands, and the chants quieted.

“Moonridge Pack,” I said, my voice carrying over the crackle of the fires. “We gather under the moon to honor our ancestors, to renew our bond with the spirits. But we also face a threat. A human’s in our territory, too close to our secrets. We stay hidden, as always. No contact. No mistakes.”

Lukas stepped forward, his smirk sharp. “No mistakes, huh? That’s rich, Omer. You’ve been out there every night, sniffing around that human’s cabin. Don’t think we haven’t noticed.”

A murmur rippled through the pack, and my temper flared. I jumped down from the stone, landing in front of him, my voice low. “You got something to say, Lukas? Say it plain.”

He didn’t back down, his eyes locked on mine. “I’m saying you’re distracted. An alpha doesn’t sneak off to watch a human. You’re putting us all at risk. Maybe it’s time we stick to the old ways, no exceptions.”

A few shifters nodded, their faces hard, and my chest tightened. “You think I’m not protecting the pack?” I said, stepping closer, my voice a growl. “I’ve kept us safe for years. That human’s a problem, and I’m handling it. You want to challenge me, do it properly.”

Lukas held my gaze for a moment, then raised his hands, his smirk fading. “No challenge. Just saying what everyone’s thinking. We trust you, Omer, but don’t let her make you forget who you are.”

The pack went silent, waiting for my response. I straightened, forcing my voice to stay calm. “I know who I am. I’m your alpha, and I’ll keep this pack safe. Now, let’s finish the ritual. We’ve got bigger things to worry about than rumors.”

The chants started again, but the air felt tense, like a bowstring pulled too tight.

I led the ritual, my voice steady, but Lukas’s words stung.

He wasn’t wrong, I was distracted, and the pack could smell it.

When the ritual ended, the shifters scattered into the night, and I caught Lukas’s eye as he left.

He gave me a nod, but it wasn’t friendly. I’d have to watch him.

I couldn’t stay still, not with her scent pulling at me.

I slipped away from the grounds, moving through the forest until I reached Aurora’s cabin.

The windows glowed with lamplight, and I crouched in the shadows, my heart pounding.

She was at her table, a microscope in front of her, her eyes focused as she examined something, wolf fur, I realized, my stomach twisting.

She muttered to herself, her voice clear through the open window.

“This doesn’t add up,” she said, adjusting the microscope. “The DNA’s off, like it’s not fully canine. What are you, big guy?” She leaned back, rubbing her eyes, then jotted something in her notebook. “If I can get a fresh sample, maybe I can crack this.”

I cursed under my breath. She was too close, way too close to figuring out what we were.

Her determination was maddening, but it also drew me in, the way her eyes lit up, the way she bit her lip when she was thinking.

My wolf growled, urging me to go to her, to feel her against me again, but I shoved it down.

I couldn’t let this happen, not after Mara’s warning.

I pulled the carved wolf totem from my pocket, the wood smooth in my hand.

I’d made it to scare her off, a silent message to leave Esoterra before she dug too deep.

I crept to her porch, setting the totem by the door, my fingers lingering on it.

Part of me wanted her to find it and run, but another part, the part I didn’t want to admit to, wanted her to keep it, to hold something I’d made.

I stepped back, my chest aching, and turned to leave.

A howl cut through the night, Lukas’s signal, too close to the cabin. I froze, my blood running cold. He stepped out from the trees, still in human form, his green eyes glinting in the moonlight. “Fancy seeing you here, alpha,” he said, his voice low, mocking. “Dropping off gifts for your human?”

I straightened, my fists clenching. “What are you doing here, Lukas? I told you to patrol the north ridge.”

He shrugged, stepping closer. “Thought I’d check on our problem. Looks like you’re handling it real well, leaving trinkets on her doorstep. You’re slipping, Omer. The pack’s starting to talk.”

“Then shut them up,” I said, my voice hard. “You’re my beta, not my keeper. Lead the patrol, and keep your nose out of my business.”

He smirked, but there was no warmth in it. “Just looking out for the pack. Someone’s gotta keep things in line.” He turned, shifting into his wolf form, and loped off, his howl fading into the night.

I stood there, my heart pounding, the totem still sitting on her porch.

I wanted to go back, to knock on her door, to tell her everything, but Mara’s words echoed in my head, the Forbidden Fire, the pack’s laws, my duty.

I turned and slipped into the forest, my wolf howling inside me, torn between the woman I couldn’t have and the pack I’d sworn to protect.