Page 34 of Fated Alpha Protector

We’ve been spending the past three nights training together in the arena. Walking up to her, I gather her into my arms and press a chaste kiss on her forehead.

“Well done, Mia,” I praise with a huge grin on my face.

Her arms fold around my waist as she places her head on my chest and sighs. “I’ve really been enjoying training. But…” She looks up when her tummy rumbles, a blush creeping on her cheeks.

“You’re hungry,” I make the obvious observation with a chuckle.

Mia nods, pursing her lips. “But not for ordinary food…”

“Oh…” My lips form a pouted circle as it dawns on me. I hadn’t taken into account that she’d been using her wolf for training so much that it would need to hunt.

And what an incredible job she’s been doing with training! Growing stronger day by day, she’s been improving fighting in her wolf form.

“Exactly…” she says as if she can read my mind.

Frowning, I wonder if it’s something she can do now that we’ve become aware of the fated mate bond. The bond allows us to share communication in our wolf forms. As Mia pulls away gently, I reach out, trying to grab her wrist.

But even in human form, she proves to be too quick for me.

Following her back to the main house, I keep my distance from her only for the sake of appearances. Mia isn’t ready to tell anyone about our mate bond. And since I’m still unsure about where I stand with the Blackclaw Pack, we’ve agreed to keep this a secret.

Even from my sister, who adores Mia.

“Hey, wait up,” I call out to Mia when we’ve entered the house. Closing the door behind me, I breathe a momentary sigh of relief.

Checking to make sure that Anastasia isn’t around, I finally manage to grab Mia’s wrist and pull her back to me.

“Why don’t you stay in my bedroom tonight?” I suggest as I smooth my palms over her shoulders.

She looks up at me, batting her eyelids seductively. “Not tonight,” she says, completely contradicting her behavior.

Tucking my bottom lip between my teeth, I shake my head as she slips out of my embrace.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” I ask as I follow her to the staircase.

Mia nods. “I’m fine. I’m just tired, that’s all.”

“We’re gonna hunt tomorrow night,” I promise her. “I think you’re ready.”

She grins excitedly as she steps closer, planting a chaste kiss on my cheek. “I can’t wait! See you tomorrow, Theo.”

Frowning as I watch her climb the stairs, I stay behind to gather my thoughts. Though she’s been joining me for training these past few days, I can’t help but sense that something is off.

Like something is bothering her. As much as this whole alliance debacle is bothering me.

She’s probably sensing my energy and feeding off it, I head upstairs. I always dreamed about discovering my fated mate, but I always thought it would be easier than this. That once I found her, we’d live happily ever after.

I wasn’t counting on an outside threat disrupting our lives. This looming dread of the alliance with Blackclaw hanging over me like a dark cloud, things are not the way they should be.

“Any news on the human hunters?” I ask Liam when I meet him on the porch.

Having spent a night tossing and turning in turmoil of my impending decision, I’d called him early this morning.

He shakes his head. “Nothing,” he says. “The hunters in custody refuse to breathe a word of their motives. We don’t even know how many there are.”

“Great…” I huff in dismay. If we knew where to find the human hunters, we’d be able to stop the war from happening. We know as little about the threat as Cyrus does.

“I have some news, though,” Liam goes on.. “We’ve received word back from Cyrus Savage,” he informs me. “The meeting is scheduled for tomorrow.”

---