Page 13 of Falling for My Shifter Boss

I stop.

Because the only thing I can think about is Maya.

The hunters are growing bolder. More organized. More dangerous. If they're planning an attack, she's at risk. The thought sends a wave of primal rage through me, my wolf clawing at the surface. The mate bond, new and raw as it is, amplifies every protective instinct until I can barely think straight.

And I realize, with crushing clarity, that pushing her away won't protect either of us. It won't stop me from feeling what I feel, won't change what she is to me. Won't keep her safe.

"Adrian?" Sawyer's voice cuts through my thoughts. "You still there?"

"Yes." I force the word out past the growl building in my chest. "Get me everything you have on True Humanity. And Sawyer?"

"Yeah?"

"No one touches what's mine."

Because there's no way in hell I'm letting them get anywhere near her.

Not now.

Not ever.

Chapter 7

Maya

The forest hums with life as the Howling Pines Pack gathers beneath the full moon. Moonlit Ridge stretches before us, the towering trees casting long shadows over the clearing. The scent of pine, damp earth, and wolves fills the crisp night air. The energy is electric, running through me like a current, urging me to shed my human skin and embrace the wild.

But I'm distracted.

I told myself I wouldn't be. I told myself I wasn't waiting for him.

Yet, here I am, standing at the edge of the pack, scanning the treeline for any sign of him.

"Maya." Olivia appears beside me, her knowing smile too perceptive. "You're going to get whiplash if you keep looking around like that."

"I'm just being vigilant," I mutter. "You know, with the hunters and everything."

She snorts. "Right. The hunters. Nothing to do with a certain brooding CEO?"

Before I can respond, Theo's voice rumbles through the gathering. "Listen up!" His commanding tone draws every eye. "With hunters in the area, we're keeping tonight's run tight. Two hours max. Enforcers will maintain the perimeter." His dark gaze sweeps over us. "No lone wolves tonight. Stay with your assigned groups."

The pack shifts restlessly, their excitement tempered by the weight of danger pressing against our borders. I should be focused. I should be grounding myself in the moment.

But then I catch it—the scent of pine and storm on the wind.

My stomach clenches, my pulse kicking up as I turn toward the trees. And there he is.

Adrian Blackwell stands at the edge of the clearing, his imposing figure drawing every eye to him. He isn't dressed in his usual sharp suits—tonight, he's in a simple black t-shirt and dark sweatpants, his presence just as commanding as ever. The pack quiets, shifting uneasily at the sight of him. A lone wolf. An outsider.

"Blackwell." Theo's voice carries a hint of challenge. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Maya extended an invitation," Adrian replies, his tone measured and controlled. His storm-gray eyes find mine for a fraction of a second before returning to Theo. "I hope that won't be a problem."

"Oh, did she now?" Ethan's teasing voice carries across the clearing as he shoots me a playful wink. "Getting cozy with the corporate wolf, Maya?"

I feel heat rise to my cheeks, but before I can respond, Theo cuts in. "Stand down," he orders, though his stance remains tense. He studies Adrian for a long moment before nodding. "Your help is... appreciated. But you run with us, you follow pack rules."

"Understood." Adrian's gaze drifts to me again, longer this time, and something hot and electric sparks in my chest.

---