"No. I will go to her." He needed some fresh air from Naturiah, after breathing human air for a long time. Plus, there is this need to go to her.

Alphose and Degar shared a look of worry—and wonder. Wolfaraine looks positively exhausted and stressed, yet he was driven by the impulse to go find his woman himself.

Impulse only mated people feel, but he is still unmated to her.

"As you wish, Alpha King." Both males answered at the same time.

"I will go speak to the council," Alphose concluded.

"This camping is not fun. Not when Ismena is being such a grump again!" Sandra complained in a loud voice. "God, I wanna cry."

Ismena paid her friend no attention. Staring at the beautiful trees surrounding them, she lost herself in the thoughts of Wolfaraine. God, she has it so bad for him, she admitted to herself.

"Come on, Sandra. Let's go down to the beach." Eline suggested.

Sandra's sullen mood disappeared instantly. "There's a beach nearby?"

"Yes. We can walk around the beach while I tell you about the werewolf clan and the leopard clan. I did promise to tell you about them today."

Sandra jumped up from the camping tent. "Yaaayyy!!! Let's go, let's go." Throwing her best friend a glare, she added, "Some fun at last."

Eline waited for Sandra to go far away before she turned to her friend, "He will soon be back. Hang in there, dear friend, he will soon be back."

The soft-spoken words drew Ismena out of her own mind. She cleared her throat uneasily, "I have no idea w-what you're talking about."

Eline only smiled, "I am not your clueless, human friend, Ismena. I can practically smell how much you long for the Alpha King, your desire is so strong that It's affecting my cougar."

Shit. Of course.

She lowered her head in defeat, "I miss him badly, Eline."

"I know. He is your mate, Ismena. Of course, your mind and body will never allow you not to miss him. I completely understand, that is why I'm telling you not to worry because he will soon be back."

Eline rose and patted her friend's back, "When you're able to, you can come and join us at the beach. We'll be waiting." With that, she rose and followed the path Sandra walked through.

Alone, Ismena looked out to the trees, allowing the cool evening breeze to wash over her.

She had no idea how long she stayed there, lost in nature, her environment, and her memories. Then, she heard the sound of leaves ruffling like someone was walking on them.

Sandra and Eline are back?

Standing up, she came out of the tent and looked ahead of her. The breath left her body. The world around her stood still.

Wolfaraine?

Has she missed him so much that she is started to hallucinate about him?

"Hello, Ismena." Came the deep voice that never fails to send shivers down her spine.

CHAPTER 20. THE INFERNO OF BURNING PASSION.

Ismena's heart skittered to a stop, stalled, and ran away from her chest. Is this a dream?

She blinked, hard. Her heart pounded in her chest as she opened her eyes again, half expecting the man standing a few miles away from her to disappear.

He didn't. "W-Wolfaraine...?" She called breathlessly, uncertainly.

"You look like you have seen a ghost, Ismena." He drawled, his eyes running lazily over her body.