CHAPTER TWO

The howl that interrupts my thoughts a second later is enough to jumpstart my legs back into action. The pitch and timbre of a howl can mean a lot of things, and that howl sends a shiver down my spine and a spring into my step, because it means only one thing: I’m being hunted.

I vault forward down the path for a few yards before I realize how completely idiotic it is for me to keep following the path. I mean, that’s like trying to break out of jail by making a run for the front door.

So I veer off the worn path and between two trees. I hear something, a rapid rustling that’s way too close for comfort. My pursuer is gaining on me.

My brain is in overdrive as I keep running, my survival instincts kicking.

Movement, to my right. More rustling. Another pursuer.

My heartbeat doubles. My lungs burn, but I can’t stop. This can’t be how it ends for me.

The next howl is closer, so close it sounds like an alarm blaring in my own head. I crash through the woods, painfully aware that I’m making enough noise to wake the whole forest.

The sound of panting joins my own and I dare to glance behind me. An enormous wolf with sable-colored fur is hot on my heels. In only two paces I feel his hot breath on my calves.

I try to put on a burst of speed but the wolf leaps. In one powerful bound he jumps clear over me, landing gracefully just a few paces ahead of me, blocking my escape.

I freeze in the spot as the wolf stalks me, murder in his eyes.

I make a split-second decision.

Correction: I make a really stupid split-second decision.

Instead of stopping, I bolt forward, and just before I reach the wall of fur and muscle in front of me, I kick out my right leg. My black sneaker connects solidly with the wolf’s chin. He yelps and rolls and I keep on running.

You idiot! I scream at myself in my head. You went and hurt one of them! You’re so dead now!

Any chance I might have had of explaining myself is gone. I can only hope I’ll reach the border before they catch me… and that they stop chasing me.

Aha! My apron!

As I run, I tear at the tied strings around my waist with my free hand. It’s a ridiculous plan, but it just might be ridiculous enough to work. I yank the apron off and I toss it to my right.

Then I cut left.

However, I come to a flying halt when a tall man steps in front of me

He glowers down at me, his hair and features dark. His gaze angry. A lip curled in a snarl.

And I know it’s a weird thought, but at that moment my brain kind of short-circuits and I think, Well, at least I’ll be killed by the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.

He wears dark jeans and a white t-shirt that almost glows in the moonlight. The short sleeves strain against impressive biceps snaked with dark tattoos that I can’t quite make out.

I can feel how angry he is, and I can’t seem to move.

He tilts his head slightly, as if trying to figure something out, and I catch a glimpse of his eyes. They’re blue, but ridiculously blue, and gazing into them is like floating on a crystal-clear lake in the summer.

“Who are you?” His voice is a scratchy growl and I find myself shifting back because he clearly expects an answer.

So maybe he won’t kill me right off the bat.

“I – I didn’t mean to trespass,” I babble, sweating through my clothes right, frightened out of my mind.

“But you did trespass,” He growls, taking a step closer to me. “You are a rogue.”

My heart is beating fast but it’s not just fear. It’s something else that I can’t put my finger on. A strange excitement that has my wolf sitting up.

“I- yes – but it’s not what you think,” I try to explain, backing away. “I didn’t mean to come here.”

“If it was a mistake, you shouldn’t have run,” He narrows his eyes at me.

I swallow, wetting my cracked lips, admitting, “Well, yes. Fair point. But in my defense, I thought you were going to kill me for trespassing so I just-“ I make a flying motion with my hands, “ran.”

He narrows his eyes at me, “Is this amusing to you?”

“No,” I say, slowly. “I’m terrified. But I have this problem of talking a lot when I’m scared and you’re kind of scary and I think you still might kill me and –“

For a moment, I feel like the corner of his lips twitches.

“You’re acting pretty guilty,” He finally says.

“Defense mechanism,” I say, instantly. “I have that face.”

“Fine,” He stops, a few feet away from me. “Give me a good reason not to kill you. Why are you in this territory?”

I blink, some of the fear having faded away and I remember the real reason why I am in this situation. I

hold out the package.

"I had to drop this off,” I’m beginning to feel a bit nervous again. “For your Alpha.”

“What is this?” His voice is hard as he steps closer.

His scent becomes clearer. Intoxicating. And suddenly I'm deeply ashamed of my own grease smell and I’m beginning to feel this strange tightness in my chest.

I try to get the words out but I can’t.

“Well?” He lifts a brow, his eyes flashing.

“D-Diner,” I stammer, feeling very overwhelmed all of a sudden. “From the diner.”

He reaches for the package. As he does, his finger grazes mine.

An electric tingle sizzles down my spine, from the base of my brain all the way to my feet, making my knees weak on the way. I feel dizzy for a moment. The guy yanks his hand back as if I burned him.

Oh my god.

He felt it too.

After all this time. Wondering if it’ll ever happen.

Mate.

I dare to look at his too-blue eyes. While I look astonished, his gaze hardens further, furious, the flash of humor disappearing, as as if I just said the most offensive thing I could possibly say.

I've found him. I've found my mate. And all I can see in his eyes is disgust and fury.