Page 14 of The Alpha's Chosen Fate

We're being watched, she warned one day.

From the shadows between the trees, a pair of glowing amber eyes met mine.A wolf stepped into view, his brown fur rippling with lean muscle.

The male shifted and I suddenly became very aware of our nudity.Typically shifters thought nothing of it but something about him set off warning bells.

"Easy there, pretty lady," he tried to soothe, his voice a rumble of silk and gravel."I mean you no harm."

I bared my teeth in a warning snarl."Then keep your distance."

He cocked his head, studying me with a mixture of curiosity and hunger."You lost?”

I didn’t answer.

“No pack?”he tried.

I still didn’t reply.

“You must be lonely out here, a beautiful female like you all on your own."

"I prefer it that way."The lie tasted bitter on my tongue.

"Do you, now?"He took a step closer, his scent wafting over me—a heady musk of pine and wild things."I could offer you protection.And maybe some companionship?All you have to do is submit."

I didn’t like the insinuation."Not interested," I spat, echoing Rieka's furious growl.

The rogue's eyes flashed before he quickly masked it with a smile."Pity.We could've had something special, you and I."

He lunged without warning, but I was faster, shifting as I pivoted on my heel and ran.My paws flew over the forest floor.The rogue's frustrated howl echoed in my wake, spurring me onward.

Too close, Rieka panted.We need to be more careful.

I couldn't argue with that.

As the months passed, I focused solely on survival.I grew lean and hard, my senses sharpening.

And yet, in the moments between the running and the hiding, my thoughts inevitably strayed to Darkwood.To Caleb and Emery.

I miss them, I confessed to Rieka one night, huddled in the shelter of an abandoned bear den.

I know.Her presence curled around me, offering what little comfort she could.But we can't go back.Not unless you’re prepared for what will happen if we do.

Assuming we could win, Rieka would kill Ruby and claim her place as Luna.She’d surely do her best to punish Briggs, but ultimately, she would bond with his wolf.

It wasn’t Onyx’s fault, after all.The blame lay with his human.

The temptation was there, always lingering in the recess of my mind.Occasionally, I'd find myself turning in the direction of Darkwood, my paws itching to carry me home.

But then I'd remember the look on Brigg's face, the triumphant gleam in Ruby's eyes.

No.I couldn't risk losing control and challenging Ruby for her place at Brigg's side.It made my stomach churn with revulsion.

And so I wandered, like a ghost in the wilderness, until I finally found a small patch of land where Rieka and I could be safe in the winter months.

This evening, as I patrolled what little borders I’d managed to maintain, the scent of a lone wolf—a real one, not a shifter—lingered in the air.

He’s close, Rieka growled.We can't let him take what's ours.

She was referring to a storage of food and supplies we’d either procured for ourselves or stolen from human campsites.We’d need it to survive the winter if we had trouble finding game.

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