Page 26 of Brutal Alpha's Forced Mate

I think I might let him.

But then he pulls back abruptly and practically jumps to his feet. “Let’s go for a run.”

The words are so unexpected, so out of place, that I blink at him in confusion. “What?”

“A run,” he repeats, already standing and heading toward the door. “You need fresh air. Movement. Something to take your mind off… everything.”

I narrow my eyes at his back, suspicious of his sudden change in demeanor. “You’re serious?”

“Dead serious,” he says over his shoulder, flashing me a small, crooked smile. “Come on, Kismet. I’ll race you.”

I scowl, but there’s no heat behind it. Begrudgingly, I push the blanket aside and stand, following him to the door. Whatever this is, whatever he’s trying to do, I’ll play along.

For now.

Chapter 9 - Gray

Jaslyn trails a few steps behind me as we move deeper into the forest. She hasn’t asked where we’re going. Her silence isn’t biting like it usually is. It’s more reserved, almost like she’s trying to decide if this detour is worth her time.

“You always this quiet during a walk?” I ask, glancing back at her.

“Didn’t realize I was supposed to fill the silence.”

“Not fill it, but a little commentary wouldn’t hurt. What do you think? Trees tall enough? Moon bright enough?”

Her lips twitch, just slightly, but I don’t miss it. “Yeah, great job on the ambiance. A solid seven out of ten.”

“Seven?” I mock offense. “Come on, I thought I was leading us through prime forest real estate.”

“Don’t push your luck,” she grumbles, but the corner of her mouth curves upward despite herself.

We walk in quiet for a bit longer before I finally bring it up. “When’s the last time you shifted?”

That stops her cold. She doesn’t look at me, doesn’t move, but I can feel the way her energy shifts and tightens like a spring coiling too hard. “Why?”

“It’s a fair question,” I reply, turning to face her. “You’re part wolf, Jaslyn. But given the circumstances you’ve been in the last few years, I figured maybe it’s been a while.”

She tugs at the cuff of her sleeve. “I don’t see how that’s your business.”

“Maybe it isn’t,” I admit. “But if it’s been a while, I thought it might help. You and I both know this isn’t like riding a bike.”

“What’s the point of this, anyway?” she deflects. “Running around on all fours isn’t the answer to my problems.”

“Not all of them,” I concede. “But like I said, it might take the edge off.”

She hesitates, glancing at the trees like they might offer her a way out. When she finally looks back at me, I see the fear there. “I haven’t shifted in years,” she admits. “Not since Malcolm bought me.”

“Why?”

Her gaze flits away, and for a moment, I think she’s not going to answer. Then she lets out a sharp exhale. “Malcolm didn’t just control where I went or what I did. He used magic to stop me from shifting altogether.”

All the blood rushes to my toes, and I can’t do much more than blink. “He what?”

“He said it was for his own safety. A wolf is harder to control. Stronger. Faster. He couldn’t risk me shifting and trying to fight back—or run. So he bound that part of me. Suppressed it. I couldn’t shift, not even if I wanted to.”

“Jaslyn…” The words catch in my throat. The thought of her being cut off from such a fundamental part of herself makes my chest ache. She may be half witch, but she’s also half wolf, and that means something.

She shakes her head, brushing off my sympathy before it can take root. “It doesn’t matter now. It’s over. But after so many years of being forced to suppress it, I don’t even know if I can shift anymore.”

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