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“You can’t ignore the itch forever, Aurora. You need to run; run.”
I pressed my lips together.
It wasn’t the running I was most excited about; it was being chased. Him biting me, and beginning our bond again, too.
“What if your mate run never starts again? Or what if it takes you to someone else the next time it ignites?” I tossed a hand toward the rest of the pack. “There aren’t many women now, but in a few more months? A few more years? There will be plenty to choose from. I don’t want to—”
His hands landed on my face, cutting me off. His eyes and voice were steady as he said, “We are fated, Aurora. Fate doesn’t change its mind. I’m almost positive your run will trigger my frenzy, and if it doesn’t, I will force my magic to restart the run as many times as it takes. I don’t give a damn how long I have to wait before I claim you again; you are mine.”
The certainty in his words relaxed me more than anything else could.
“Now, run for me.” His lips brushed mine, the kiss soft and sweet.
Excitement slipped back in as I stepped away from him, turning so my back faced him. “Give me a head start, in case it takes a few minutes?” I called over my shoulder.
“Unless the frenzy takes control,” he confirmed. “I won’t be myself, if that happens. You’ll see it in my eyes.”
I could still remember the gold that had filled his dark irises the first day we met, so I was sure I would be able to tell if he wasn’t in the driver’s seat.
And even if he wasn’t, I had seen enough on that day to know he wouldn’t hurt me, regardless.
After one last, long breath, I ran.
The motions were uncertain at first, my feet slow and stumbling, but I quickly adjusted. The itch on my skin intensified as I moved, until finally, I lost control.
My body began to change, and I felt the ground give out beneath me before I crashed forward. My hands hit the dirt before my face could—but they weren’t hands at all.
They were paws.
Furry, pink paws.
Holy shit, I reallywasa wolf.
I heard Amarok’s howl behind me, and a shiver rolled down my spine.
It was a warning.
The frenzy was setting in, like he had expected.
He was coming for me.
I pushed myself harder, and moved faster than I had ever dreamed I would be capable of. Trees and bushes flew past me as I ran, their dark trunks and vibrant leaves contrasting powerfully as I sprinted. My lungs burned and my chest heaved with the effort, but still, I kept going.
My mate may not have said it aloud, but he wanted a chase, and I was going to do my damnedest to give him one.
I couldn’t hear him behind me, but I knew that meant nothing. He was there; he was just a much better hunter than I was.
Weaving over massive rocks and around thick, dark bushes, I threw everything I had into the run…
Until a huge, dark wolf’s side brushed mine just before he lunged in front of me.
I tried to stop myself, but failed miserably. My front paws scraped the dirt before my back ones lifted into the air, and my back slammed against his side.
My body shifted as soon as the pain registered, and thick, warm arms caught me before I could hit the ground.
Amarok righted me smoothly, his fingers digging into my bare hips as he stared me down with bright eyes that glowed gold. He walked me backward until my shoulder blades hit the smooth bark of a tree. “Mate.”
“Hey,” I breathed, my hands pressing against his chest. The frenzy’s light blazed off his entire body, pulsing with the beat I could feel of his heart against my chest.
