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The next town over was a good twenty-minute walk through the woods. The sun was high in the sky, and even with the thick canopy of trees overhead blocking out a lot of the light, there was enough illumination and breaks in the branches that there were no darkened corners to add to my already growing uneasiness.
I took the trail, keeping a steady pace, and the longer I went, the deeper I walked, the more I felt… at ease.
I occupied my mind by thinking about what I needed to get for Mini. Although the shopping list was in Romanian, Andrei told me all I had to do was give it to the grocery store clerk and they’d know what to do.
I tried to think about anything and everything, just enjoying the walk, but I felt that tickling on the back of my neck, that almost sixth sense, an awareness of everything around me.
A twig snapped in the distance, and I didn’t let myself get tense about it.
A flock of birds took flight above me, shadows cast along the ground by their wingspans moving through the broken patches of the canopy. I wouldn’t even contemplate if something frightened them. That’s why birds scattered that way, right? A threat. A predator.
But the longer I walked, the more the seconds turned into minutes.
More twigs snapped behind me, to the left, then to the right. I moved away from them as I heard the noise, this feeling directing me to go this way, that way, keep focused and walking.
And after a while—time seeming to go so fast yet slow down all at the same time—I looked, realizing I had no idea where I was, that I wasn’t on the path any longer.
The trail underneath me started to become less worn, as if it wasn’t taken regularly. I stopped and glanced around, trying to decipher where I was.
Stay on the trail, a voice in my head spoke loudly, and I found myself moving again, staying on the trail that clearly wasn’t worn, hoping it would open up and I’d find myself back in the village, or to my original destination in the next town over.
But the more I walked, the deeper I realized I was going into the forest, where the trees became thicker, the sunlight starting to not pierce through the branches as much. Once again, that flight or fight instinct grew in me fast and hard. My palms started to sweat, my hands shaking slightly. My movements weren’t as sure, and I stumbled over twigs and rocks that I otherwise would have clearly missed.
I didn’t know how long I’d been walking, well over half an hour, plenty of time for me to have reached town. But I was still stuck within the woods, the hardly taken trail still underneath me the only thing making that panic stay below the surface.
Clearly, this led somewhere. But where?
I walked for another five minutes and noticed the thinning of the trees. And then I saw something in the distance. I walked faster, my feet taking me over the terrain effortlessly now.
And as the trees thinned out and the massive stone structure came into view, I actually stumbled, reaching out and placing my hand on a tree trunk.
One thing came to mind.
That’s a fucking castle.
I was mesmerized by the sheer size of it, the detailing, the stonework... everything.
I found myself moving toward it before I could stop myself or before I even realized what I was doing.
12
Ren
I hadn’t wanted to frighten her... but I meant to steer her in the direction of my estate. I ushered her unknowingly left, then right, up a hill, down toward a ravine, then straightened her direction.
I kept her straight after that, leading her closer to my ancestral home—her home by birthright as being my mate.
I needed to accelerate the process of her knowing me, needing me, feeling that Linked connection the Lycan male felt with his female.
I stared up at the morning sky as if I could already see the full moon. I closed my eyes as though I could feel the silvery glow on my flesh, as if I felt the power that came with it as it seeped into the Lycan side of me.
The full moon was coming and it was coming fast.
I moved quietly and slowly toward her, so fucking pleased she was here. Finally. Here. My blood was humming right under my flesh, my Lycan wanting to shift so he had this opportunity with our female.
No. I wouldn’t give up this moment with her. He’d have the full moon.
She was up by the garden, the flowers having been planted by the staff just the night before. I wanted everything perfect, clean and prepared. I had them work around the clock in preparation—and in hope—that she wouldn’t put up any resistance to what we’d have together.
