Page 9 of Mated By Moonlight

Maize's eyes widened. "I felt it. I didn't know humans could feel it."

Gideon looked at her, his expression gentle. "When the moon is full, humans can feel it if they're open to it. When they accept the bond, they will feel that connection for the rest of their lives."

Maize's breath caught in her throat as she met Gideon's gaze. The intensity of his amber eyes was like a fire, warm and consuming. Once again, she felt something stir deep within her. What she'd felt from the kids had been akin to a contact high. This feeling was a direct hit. It was a sensation unlike anythingshe had ever felt before, a pull that reached into the very core of her being, whispering promises she wasn't ready to believe.

She could see it reflected back at her in Gideon's eyes. It was more than a desire to protect and keep safe. It was a raw depth of emotion she'd never seen before. It was as if he had stripped away every barrier, every defense, leaving only the truth of his feelings between them. A truth she wasn't sure she could face.

Like a shadow creeping over the light, fear moved in. It was cold and relentless, wrapping around her heart and squeezing tight. The memories of her past, of betrayal and pain, surged forward, drowning out the warmth with icy dread. She shook her head, trying to dispel the feelings that threatened to overwhelm her, to protect herself from the hope that was beginning to take root.

There's no way she was his fated mate.

Was there?

"Is that why you're here tonight? Are you looking for your fated mate?"

"I’ve found her."

The way he looked at her, it was as if he could see straight into her soul, as if he was holding the pieces of her heart in his hands. The intensity of his emotions was unmistakable, a force that made her chest tighten with the weight of it. It felt like a green flag being waved in the air.

Maize's mind raced, torn between the fear that gripped her and the warmth that continued to spread, a warmth that whispered of something real, something true.

She wanted to deny it, to push it away and retreat behind the walls she had built so carefully around her heart. But she couldn't ignore the way her body responded to him, the way her heart recognized something in him that her mind refused to accept.

"It's not… I'm not…"

Gideon reached out, gently taking her hand in his. His touch was warm, grounding her in the moment. "You're afraid. But what you felt just now, that connection—it’s real. I could not fake it. And I would never lie to you."

"No." Maize shook her head. It couldn't be real. It just couldn't.

Gideon let her go. "Are you rejecting me?"

"I need…" She looked around, trying to find an escape. But they were outside. "I need to think."

"Okay," he agreed. "Just don't?—"

Maize turned and walked a few steps. Then, feeling the air constrict in her lungs, she ran. Distantly, she heard the last word Gideon said, what he warned her not to do. He’d told her not to run.

7

Standing nextto Maize and breathing in her scent had been the highlight of Gideon's day, of his year, of his life. Until the fear crept in. Her rapid heartbeat was a drumbeat in his ears, syncing with his own accelerating pulse. He saw the moment she made the decision. Inside, his beast licked its chops at the prospect.

"Okay…" he'd started, holding up his hands. If she ran, his control would snap. The wolf inside him would break the leash of his tight control and take over. "Just don't…"

Maize took off running, her curvy form moving surprisingly fast through the crowd. It was nowhere near fast enough.

Gideon had a two-pronged fight on his hand. His feet set into motion as he chased down his fated mate. His fingers clenched as he pumped his fists at his sides, trying to hold on to the animal panting inside of him. He only made it a few steps before the wolf took control.

The crowd around him erupted into cheers. To them, this was all a part of the mating dance. A woman who ran from a shifter was showing her interest. She was testing his prowess. If the wolf caught her, her body, her heart was forfeited.

Gideon was fairly certain Maize didn't know any of this. She didn't look back as she ran for her life. Her figure was a darting shadow among the whispering pines.

The forest erupted in a chorus of primal sounds as Gideon's body contorted and reshaped itself into his wolf form. His bones crackled and shifted with a familiar intensity. Muscles rippled and expanded beneath his skin, stretching and tightening. Fur burst through his pores, a silver coat that gleamed under the moonlight piercing through the dense canopy above. The physical change was always a raw pain, a reminder of the wild power coursing through his veins.

With a final shudder, Gideon steadied on four paws, the ground cool and firm beneath them. His eyes, now the deep gold of the wolf, locked on to the flash of her dark hair disappearing into the thick underbrush. With his transformation complete, the wolf stole his breath and returned his voice in the form of a howl. From the distance, his pack answered. The night sky erupted in howls and yips of encouragement.

Every bound was fluid, a burst of speed that ate up the distance between them. The earthy smell of the forest floor mixed with the sharp tang of the Ironwoods filled his senses. Overhead, branches cracked under the weight of smaller creatures fleeing the thunder of his paws.

The cool night air whipped through his fur, carrying with it the subtle notes of Maize’s scent that drove him wild. His wolf howled again as he gained on her easily.

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