Page 14 of Rebel for Claws
He lunged first, moving with surprising speed for something so large. Vivian twisted aside, her smaller frame allowing her to dodge his initial attack with room to spare. But instead of pressing his advantage, he pulled back immediately, reassessing.
Smart. He's not going to underestimate me twice.
The next exchange was more cautious—feints and testing strikes that neither committed fully to. Vivian found herself grudgingly impressed by his tactical approach. Most Alphas she'd encountered relied on brute force and intimidation. Alaric fought like a strategist. Then she decided to show him exactly what he was dealing with.
Mid-dodge, she allowed her wolf form to blur and shift. Her hind legs elongated and gained the explosive power of a panther, propelling her forward with speed that shouldn't have been possible. Her eyes shifted to the golden, piercing vision of an owl, allowing her to track his movements with supernatural precision. Her shoulders and back rippled as bear strength flooded through her muscles.
The collective gasp from their audience was audible even over the sounds of their conflict. Vivian caught Alaric's moment of shock—his wolf form actually stumbling slightly as he processed what he was seeing.
That's right. I'm not like anyone you've ever fought before.
She pressed her advantage, using her hybrid magical abilities to stay one step ahead of his reactions. Her panther-enhanced legs carried her around his defenses while her owl vision tracked every micro-movement he made. When he adapted to her speed, she shifted to bear strength to absorb and redirect his attacks.
But Alaric Silvercrest hadn't become the most feared Alpha in the territory by giving up when surprised. After those first few seconds of adjustment, he regained his composure with ruthless efficiency. His wolf form settled into perfect Alpha control—patient, calculating, and absolutely relentless.
He's not panicking. He's learning.
The realization sent a thrill through Vivian's entire system. It was an intense sensation of rare pleasure knowing she was finally facing an opponent who truly challenged her. Most fights ended within minutes once she revealed her hybrid abilities. This one was just getting more interesting.
They clashed again, and this time Alaric managed to anticipate her panther-speed dodge. His massive frame collided with hers, sending them both rolling through the snow in a tangle of fur and flashing teeth. Vivian twisted beneath him, using her bear strength to throw him off, but he recovered instantly.
Damn. He's good. Really good.
The dance continued, each gaining and losing ground in turn. Vivian's hybrid abilities gave her versatility, but Alaric's experience and raw Alpha power made him a formidable match. Neither could gain a decisive advantage.
Then it happened.
They lunged simultaneously, meeting in the center of the clearing with a force that should have sent them both sprawling. Instead, their bodies collided and held—Vivian's front paws pressed against Alaric's massive chest, his powerful frame braced against her smaller form.
For a heartbeat, they were perfectly balanced, perfectly matched, staring directly into each other's eyes. Then the world exploded.
Every cell in Vivian's body ignited with recognition so profound it felt like coming home and being struck by lightning simultaneously. The mate bond hit her with the force of a freight train—ancient, undeniable, and absolutely terrifying in its intensity.
No. No, this cannot be happening. Not with him.
Alaric's wolf form went rigid against hers, his grey eyes widening with the same shock that was currently short-circuiting her body. The scent of him—pine, lemon, and something indefinably masculine—flooded her senses and made her wolf purr with satisfaction.
They stood frozen, neither moving away from the contact that had triggered the bond. Vivian could feel Alaric's heart hammering against her paws where they pressed against his chest and could see the exact moment he understood what had just happened between them.
This arrogant, traditional, hybrid-hunting Alpha is my fated mate. The universe has a truly twisted sense of humor.
SIX
ALARIC
The mate bond hit Alaric like a sledgehammer to the chest and obliterated his carefully constructed emotional walls in a single devastating moment. Every cell in his body screamed recognition as he stared into Vivian's violet eyes—eyes that now held the same shock and disbelief that was currently short-circuiting his entire nervous system.
No. This cannot be happening. Not now. Not with her.
His massive wolf form went rigid against Vivian's smaller frame, her white paws still pressed against his chest where he could feel her heart hammering with the same frantic rhythm as his own. The scent of her—wildflowers, mountain rain, and something indefinably her—flooded his senses and made his wolf howl with satisfaction despite the chaos in his mind.
My fated mate. After thirteen years of believing I'd never find her, she's been here all along. A hybrid. A rebellion leader. The last descendant of the original ancient shapeshifter bloodline.
The political implications crashed over him like an avalanche. He was the most feared Alpha in the territory, known for his rigid traditionalism and unwavering support of Council laws up to this point. She was everything theHigh Council wanted eliminated—a hybrid with unprecedented magical abilities who threatened the very foundation of their power structure.
What would Thorne do if he discovered this? What would the pack think? What would my sons think?
But underneath the political calculations and the fear, something else stirred—a primal recognition that this woman belonged to him in a way that transcended logic, politics, and three centuries of artificial separation between their kinds.
