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“You do it. It smells disgusting,” I think to him, bumping him back.
He chuckles in my mind. “What about me?” His teasing voice wraps around my mind, lightening my emotions even more.
And damn it. Now that he mentions it, I can’t get the memory of his scent out of my mind. He’s wild in a good way like flowers in the forest, sunshine on fresh snow, a rain shower. His scent stirs something deep inside me, and I turn my head and press my nose into his fur. I can’t control myself.
“You asshole. Why did you ask me? I did not want to smell you right now.” I shove my body into his, trying to knock him off course.
“Just testing you. I felt your reaction toward one of the scents you picked up. At least I can tell you’re attracted to me. I still have a chance, despite how stubborn you are.” He guides me toward the right and nips at my side, trying to get me to pick up my speed. Slowing down, he bites at the back of my leg next. I dart forward, half-expecting for him to shove his big wolf head between my back legs if I don’t comply. He seems like the type to even try to carry me in my wolf form, and the last thing I want to do is ride on his back.
“It would be easier if you were in your human form, pup. We can try it sometime. But not now. The betaborne is close. Get ready. He’s more vile than Rocco.” Slater growls with his words.
More vile? How is that even possible? Rocco is a piece of trash and a monster. He is responsible for the death of so many humans.
He wants to be the death of me.
I hear something in the vegetation rustle before I catch sight of the brown and gray wolf jumping from the tree. He must’ve been a man when he climbed up, and he’s just that good at transforming that he can do it in the air.
Just as Slater predicted, the betaborne snarls and snaps his teeth, going after Slater. I swerve and jump over a fallen tree and head right. I catch sight of the narrow passageway, almost like a tunnel with the way the low-hanging tree branches and snow have covered this particular area. The branches scratch against my fur, but it doesn’t stop me. I’m small enough to get through as long as I slow my pace enough to focus on everything around me.
Several more howls sound to the air, and my heart picks up pace, listening to Tristan and Davian. I was so focused on Slater that I lost them in the process of running. But I knew they would be close. I never doubted for a second that they would catch up.
“Eliana? I can sense you. Where are you?” Kellan’s voice steals my attention away from the familiar howls.
“We are baiting the betaborne. We have to take care of the Twilight Cove pack. They won’t leave us alone otherwise. Where is Rocco? You were chasing him.” A dozen questions flit through my mind, slowing me down even more.
“I lost him. Please, tell me where you are. I need to go to you to make sure you’re safe. If he finds you—” Kellan’s voice abandons my mind, his words cutting off, leaving heavy silence in my soul.
Fear clenches my chest, and I pick up speed again, letting it push me forward. “Kellan? Kellan, what happened? Where are you?”
A blip of his emotions crash through me, stealing my breath. I spot bright sunshine, lighting up the shadowy path ahead of me. I need to find Kellan, and now. His soul screams for me. He won’t beg for help, but his soul does. The dread washing through me leaves every molecule on my body ice cold. Something is wrong.
I break through the branches and into a brightly lit meadow with the forest still surrounding me. The untouched snow sparkles in the pale light, and I search the area. I inhale a few deep breaths, sniffing around for any signs of other wolves. No one has gone through this part of the forest, so I press on, keeping to the edge and hopping as far as I can, doing my best not to leave an obvious trail in the deep snow. It clings to my fur, dampening my body. It’s nothing compared to the ice traveling through my veins, radiating from Kellan.
“My love, you need to run and hide. Don’t come looking for me. It’s what he wants.” The whisper of Kellan’s voice ignites panic inside me. He doesn’t have to say Rocco’s name for me to know that he’s been attacked. I can feel the pain no matter how hard Kellan tries to keep it from me.
I whimper, my wolf refusing to do as he asks. The urge to run pushes me forward, but I don’t get far. Slater barrels in front of me, blocking my path. Blood stains his snout, and mud covers his once brilliant fur.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Slater pads his way forward and inspects my wolf body, sniffing along my fur and looking at my coat, trying to see what he’s missing.
I growl and snap at him. “It’s not me. It’s my soulmate.” It’s been a while since I’ve said the words to anyone. “He’s injured. Rocco is trying to use him against me.”
Slater’s hackles rise on his back again, and a deep growl reverberates through him, vibrating from him and into me by the noise alone. “Your soulmate? Impossible. You haven’t bonded in the moon with anyone.”
It’s my turn to growl, and I bite at him, getting him to take a step back. “That’s not important. We have to find him. He wants me to run, but if something were to happen to him...” I can’t finish my sentence. The agony that comes with the thought is too much. It’s unbearable.
“If what you say is true, then you can use that. Focus on him. Use your connection to track him. You don’t have to use his scent or anything. Use his very being and let his wolf call to you.” Slater circles me, creating a path in the snow. “It’ll be a true test whether or not your souls are bonded.”
Shit. What if Kellan was mistaken? I’ve kind of accepted the fact that we are somehow bonded. Now I’m afraid that I’ll fail him. I can’t fail him.
“Please, goddess. Give me a sign. Help me.” I whisper the words through my mind, praying to an almighty power I’m so desperate to hear my prayer. I will it to happen. I want it so badly that if there is a celestial being protecting us, I hope she wouldn’t deny me.
A strange pull comes over me, and it feels as if my heart’s going to escape my chest. The only way I can prevent such an occurrence is if I move forward, allowing it to tug me along. The pain that comes with it lessens the faster I move. Slater trots beside me, continuing to circle and sweep our surroundings, making sure no one tries to sneak up on us.
“I caught the alpha’s scent. He’s not far from here. I’m going to hide myself. I want you to continue searching.” Without another word, Slater barrels away deeper into the forest.
I should be afraid of being alone. I should be on guard. But my heart won’t allow it. It wants me to face even the greatest danger in this moment. It doesn’t care about the threat I’ll face if I continue to follow it. All I care about is finding Kellan. Taking care of him. My heart wants me to confront the world on his behalf, and I realize how much I’m willing to do it in this moment. Because even though we’ve had a rocky start, I still feel this deep-seated connection to him. He really is my soulmate and intended to be on my pack. I will not let him down. I bowed to another alpha to save him, and I won’t lose him. Not now. Not like this.
“Eliana, my love. Stop. Don’t come any closer.” Kellan’s words whisper through the air, and I turn my attention to a bloody figure lying in the snow. “I don’t want you to see me like this. Just run. Go find the others.”
