Page 16 of Mated By Moonlight

Maize's instincts kicked in. She ducked and dodged, her mind racing with the realization that she was fighting for her life.She grabbed a lamp from the side table and swung it at Rob. The heavy base connected with his shoulder. He growled in pain but barely flinched, his eyes glowing with predatory rage.

Rob reached out, his fingers like iron claws as they closed around her wrist. Maize cried out, twisting and turning, trying to free herself. She kicked at him, her foot connecting with his shin, but it only seemed to anger him further. He yanked her closer, and she felt the heat of his breath, saw the wild glint in his eyes.

With a desperate burst of strength, Maize wrenched herself free and stumbled backward. Her hand brushed against the kitchen counter. She grabbed the first thing she could find—a heavy cast-iron skillet. She swung it with all her might, aiming for Rob's head. The impact was solid, a dull thud that reverberated through her arm.

Rob staggered, momentarily dazed, but his recovery was swift. He snarled, his wolfish features contorting with fury. He tackled Maize, slamming her into the wall. The impact knocked the breath from her lungs. She gasped, struggling to stay conscious as spots danced before her eyes.

All she saw was red, red, red.

Her last thought was that she wanted another night with Gideon. But the last words she had said to him were harsh. She wanted to take them back. She wanted to tell him that he already had her heart. That she believed in the bond and the beauty he had shown her through it. She wanted her sister to feel what she felt instead of the ugliness that Rob had shown them both.

But everything went black.

13

Gideon feltthe sharp pang of fear in his gut, a sensation that sent his wolf into a frenzy. The connection he had with Maize, even if she didn’t fully accept it yet, was enough for him to sense her distress. His mind raced, trying to pinpoint the source of her fear, but the gnawing anxiety left him with only one option: he had to get to her, and fast.

Without a second thought, Gideon turned from his Alpha. Liza was inside and safe. He wasn't sure about her free will at the moment. He'd sort that out later. He had to focus on her sister.

Gideon hopped off the porch. He left the wooded steps on two feet and landed on four. He shifted into his wolf form, his bones cracking and reshaping, fur sprouting from his skin in a familiar rush of power. The sounds and smells of the forest sharpened instantly, every leaf rustling in the breeze, every distant call of creatures large and small was amplified. His senses were on high alert as he tore through the woods, the underbrush crunching under his paws, the scent of pine and earth filling his nostrils.

The forest blurred past him, a mix of shadows and light as he sprinted toward his cabin. The wind whipped through his fur,but the cold did little to dampen the heat of his panic. He needed to reach Maize to ensure she was safe. The bond between them pulled him forward, a guiding force that quickened his pace.

As he approached the clearing where his cabin stood, the sight that greeted him made his blood run cold. The door was ajar, swinging slightly in the breeze. The scent of distress hung heavy in the air. He cautiously padded forward, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of danger.

Inside the cabin, the scene was chaotic. Furniture was overturned. A pan was scattered across the floor, drops of blood dotting the underside. The once cozy and inviting space now felt violated, letting Gideon know that a struggle had taken place. Fear chased by a shot of rage through him. His wolf growled low in his throat, the sound reverberating through the silent cabin.

His keen eyes caught sight of a broken lamp and a trail of blood leading to the back of the cabin. He followed it, his mind racing with horrible possibilities. The scent of Maize's fear was strong here, mingling with the metallic tang of blood. His gut twisted painfully at the thought of her being hurt.

Gideon’s ears twitched at the slightest sound, his senses on overdrive. The faint rustle of leaves outside made him spin around, ready to pounce on any threat that dared approach. But the forest was eerily quiet, as if holding its breath, waiting for the next move.

A scent caught his nose. It was a wolf, but not one from his pack. It had to be Rob, the dangerous shifter who had been stalking Maize’s sister.

Shifting back to his human form, Gideon stood in the wreckage of his cabin, his fists clenched at his sides. If Rob had her, she could not be safe. His mind flashed back to their moments together, the way she had started to trust him, the way her presence had begun to fill the empty spaces within him. He couldn’t lose her, not now.

The sound of footsteps pounded up the porch, and moments later, Elijah and Caleb burst through the door, their eyes wide with concern.

“What the hell happened here?” Elijah demanded, his voice a growl.

“Rob. He found her.”

Caleb’s eyes darkened, and he bared his teeth in a silent snarl. “Can you track Maize through the bond?”

Gideon shook his head, guilt and fear gnawing at him. “We haven’t formally bonded. We were about to when I got the call about Liza missing.”

Caleb’s hand landed on Gideon’s shoulder, his grip firm. “We can track the other wolf’s scent. We’ll find them, Gideon. We’re not letting that bastard get away.”

Gideon nodded, his resolve hardening. He focused on the scent, letting it guide him. It was faint, almost lost amidst the other smells, but it was there, a trail leading into the depths of the forest.

He took a step, preparing to shift into his wolf form. Before he did, the sound of a faint whimper reached his ears, snapping him out of his thoughts. He turned toward the noise, his heart hammering.

"Maize?" he called out, his voice rough with desperation.

There was no response, only the eerie silence of the forest. Gideon moved through the cabin, his eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. He knew she was close; he could feel it in his bones.

The sound hadn't come to his ears. It had come to his mind. It had come through the bond. At some point—maybe during his run here, maybe as he was scenting Maize's blood—it had snapped into place. Meaning he could track her now, not by scent but by the connection between them.

The fear that had gripped him moments before melted away, replaced by a burning need to reclaim what was his. Maize was out there somewhere, and she needed him. Rob had taken her, but Gideon would find them. He would tear apart anyone who stood in his way, and he would bring her back to where she belonged—by his side.

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