CHAPTER 11

Adrian’s POV

"It's mate!" my wolf growled in my mind, too excited, the words coming out with an urgency that took me by surprise.

I had never believed my wolf would react to anyone's presence with such excitement other than Elara. But the way he was almost forcing me to check on this female wolf, I knew he was determined.

And to be honest, I was curious too.

My eyes locked on the mysterious wolf standing before me. I was bewitched by its beauty. How could a wolf be so beautiful? The aura that it was exuding was very powerful. I couldn't believe such a perfect wolf existed, and it was my mate, apparently.

Her body shimmered under the moonlight, her fur almost glowing. Her eyes, deep ocean blue, pierced through me, sending a wave of familiarity. It made me feel as if I knew her. I had always known her. But who was she?

I was certain I had never seen this wolf before. Not in the Black Mountain Pack, not anywhere. Otherwise, I would definitely remember it.

But then, how could my mate be someone I had never laid eyes on? How could a wolf with such a powerful pull on me be a complete stranger? And out of all the places we could have met, she was here... this dilapidated, abandoned cabin that no one visits. Why had she come here?

My heart pounded in confusion, but my wolf knew better. He stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the magnificent creature standing in front of me. “Who are you? Where did you come from?” My wolf reached out to her wolf, his voice low and urgent, mirroring the desperation that clawed at my insides.

I wanted answers. I needed them.

She stood gaping at me, her eyes radiating with confusion. Maybe surprise. I had a feeling she too was stunned to find me here. She wasn't expecting company. The way she looked at me, the way her wolf was reacting, I knew she, too, felt something strong and attractive.

I moved toward her without even realizing it. Every step felt like stepping toward something that was meant to be, like the universe was righting itself, drawing us together. My wolf was practically shaking with the intensity of the bond. He needed to be close to her, to protect her, to claim her. It was suffocating.

But then… she bolted.

She turned, her eyes wide with fear. Before I could even process the shift in her expression, she was gone, disappearing into the trees like a shadow.

For a second, I stood frozen, disbelief coursing through me. Why did she run? My wolf roared in frustration, pushing me to chase her. And I followed without hesitation. I had to. Every fiber of my being was drawn to her; this strange, beautiful wolf who had left me feeling both whole and broken in a heartbeat.

"Wait!" I tried to reach out to her and tell her not to be afraid of me.

She ignored me like I didn't exist. I had never been rejected and abandoned like that. It stirred something primal inside me. My instinct kicked in, and I increased my pace, chasing after her, my wolf growling in frustration.

I ran faster, the wind whipping through my fur, but she was slipping away from my grasp with such ease that it made me growl in anger and frustration. I couldn't believe she was this fast.

Why was she so afraid? Why did she run from me, her mate?

"You can't run forever!" I growled, annoyed and pissed.

With this, as if responding to me, she ran faster, her swift movements leading me deeper into the forest as I followed her. When I couldn't see her wolf, it was her scent; something wild and intoxicating guiding me through the trees.

That's when I realized we were nearing the border. And the next moment, she vanished, slipping into the thicket. I stopped, panting, my chest burning with the effort of running after her and the ache of being torn away. My wolf howled, desperate and furious.

She was my mate. I was sure of it. But I couldn’t shake the certainty that something was wrong. Otherwise, why would she be so terrified to see me and run away like that? I know she felt the pull, too. And why had I never seen her before? Where had she come from?

I couldn't push away the worry and suspicion gnawing at me. What if her sudden appearance and disappearance had something to do with the fire... with Elara? I had to find her.

Isla’s PoV

I froze the moment I saw Adrian’s wolf. His presence, his identity, and our conversations from morning hit me like a wave crashing over me, a force I wasn’t prepared for. I couldn’t think straight; the mate bond pulled at me, tugging at every fiber of my being, urging me to move towards him.

My wolf stirred within me, excitement and longing surging through her. The mate bond was overwhelming. His scent, oaks and cinnamon, intoxicated me, flooding my senses. I felt it like a current running through my veins, tugging me toward him. I wanted to move closer. I wanted to tell him it was me, to tell him I could shift. Every part of me yearned for him, for the connection we were supposed to share.

But fear…, it crushed everything else.

Nothing can ever happen between us. Not with our past and not after Elara's death. Elara was his perfect girlfriend and I doubt we can see eye to eye any longer. In his eyes, she had always been an object of disregard and now a tall tower of hate separates them.

Honestly, we were too different to be mates. He was a far cry from being gentle, kind, and warm. He was as judgemental as everyone, sometimes more, despite being an alpha. I couldn’t believe this arrogant and disdainful man, who was driven by rage and desire for revenge was my mate. It was a cruel joke, a mockery.

"Run!" My mind screamed, dragging my wolf back.

I turned and ran, pushing through the forest as fast as I could. His presence was overwhelming, but I had to escape. My heart pounded in my chest, the mate bond pulling at me even as I fought to run faster.

I felt him behind me, his wolf giving chase, but I didn’t slow. I knew these woods better than anyone. This place was my sanctuary, my escape. I zigzagged through the trees, and just when I felt his presence closing in, I dodged into the thicket near the border and vanished from sight.

As I finally came to a stop, my breath was heavy. I felt my wolf’s longing. She ached for him, for our mate. But we were really cursed. Our mate was Adrian.