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Chapter 26

Cristián pressed the accelerator of his car as they left the city road behind and entered the grounds of the manda. His heavy breathing blurred his vision and he let his instinct guide him, because not even his wolf could help him as he was also on the edge of the edge, clawing at his insides, begging to get out. Crashing now was not an option.

Beside him his mate stirred uncomfortably but he dared not pay attention to her or he promised not to make it to the house, and at least he wanted their first time together to be as normal as possible, if that could be called normal.

The road seemed extremely long and reminded him of things he didn’t like. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, focusing on the road. In the distance he could see the lights at the entrance to the mansion, and it seemed strange to him. Mikhail and Dakota were the only ones who had stayed in the house, adamantly refusing to leave, odd for their commander who always followed Serguei, but he remembered that Dylan had accompanied them, and those two had little tolerance for each other. By now they must have been out inspecting the grounds. Perhaps a member of the pack had returned, but it was unlikely since he knew their schedules and none of them were due back at the moment. But all his worries flew away when he heard a low growl beside him.

-Stop the car.

Cristián looked at his companion who was touching her fist, as she pushed her hair away from her face.

-Alisha, what’s going on?

-Stop the car,” she shouted and he put his foot on the brake so hard that they had to hold on to the seat to keep from going through the windshield.

-Hey, you can’t tell me…

But the girl just opened the car door and threw herself to the ground with a thud.

-Damn it-

Worry overshadowed the heat in her body and she stepped out of the car and around it in record time to come face to face with the least of what she expected. His mate… or rather, his she-wolf.

-Alisha,” he uttered her name softly, holding on to the carpoch to keep his balance.

The she-wolf looked at him, shook herself and turning around, a little slowly, she made a movement with her head and rushed to the corner.

Christian was shocked, had that been an invitation?

He looked in the direction where the white fur ball that had stopped a few metres ahead had gone. Yes, that was an invitation, and his partner wanted to play, although Christian suspected something was influencing her character because in his five senses she wouldn’t flirt with him if the world ended. Just because her hair was ginger didn’t mean she was hot, that was a myth he would be willing to vote against.

He cleared his mind of useless thoughts and stripped off his clothes throwing them to the floor letting his body assume its wolf form.

He shook himself pleased to stretch his muscles and to feel everything around him more intensely. The soft ground beneath his paws, the sound of the living forest, the intensity of the moonlight on his fur, and the potent scent of his mate inviting him. If it were up to him he could spend years as a wolf, that was nothing compared to anything, but now with a mate and the weight of the pack on his shoulders he had other priorities.

He broke into a run after her and she copied him. She was a few metres ahead of him, although Cristián realised she wasn’t running, just playing at keeping a steady speed and turning her head every few moments to see if he was following her.

He felt himself smile inwardly, that was the feeling he had wanted to have for years.

She rounded two trees and tightened her pace to jump and land as softly as she could on the she-wolf causing them to roll on the dry leaves of the trees.

The brown wolf stood over her looking down at her as she held still and licked his cheek. Christian thought it was a scene copied from the Disney movie, The Lion King if he remembered correctly, but he was never a Disney fan. He was amused and returned the gesture by rubbing his nose against her neck, pressing his fangs against her neck but not biting her.

He felt her snarl beneath him and she wiggled to push him off with her hind legs and reverse the position. His alpha she-wolf would not let him dominate her even then. Her body began to change, giving way to pale fur that merged with the now silver locks of hair that refused to return to their original colour. Cristian followed her, wrapping his thick bare arm around her waist and holding her close, relaxing at having her so close.

Alisha’s eyes were dilated with an indecipherable gleam. Christian shivered before the waves of heat that were reborn again and took her lips in a long k**s, pulling her down by the nape of her neck, that took their breath away.

And there, among the herd grounds, in the moonlight, he would at last be able to bond with his mate.