Page 18 of My Fated Mate

The day offered no answers and only deepened the tangled mess in my head.

Elowen's smile keeps flashing before my eyes, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

She's my mate, and I want her with my every breath.

I run my hands through my hair, tossing and turning in bed. Dear goddess.

I need to clear my head—to feel the wind whipping through my fur and the earth pounding beneath my paws.

Reaching the edge of the forest, I find a secluded clearing bathed in moonlight.

Clothes discarded and folded neatly—a habit ingrained from countless transformations—I focus on the raw, primal energy that courses through my veins. The shift is always exhilarating, a rush of power and heightened senses flooding my being.

Within seconds, fur sprouts, bones crunch and reshape, and I am no longer Thorne in human form but a magnificent midnight black wolf, a creature of pure instinct.

The world explodes in a symphony of scents—damp earth, pine needles, the distant musky tang of a deer.

And then, I take off.

The run is a blur, a joyous release as I tear through the undergrowth, the wind a welcome caress against my fur.

Time stretches and compresses, defined only by the rhythm of my powerful strides. The cool night air soothes the simmering turmoil, offering a fleeting sense of peace.

Then, I catch it—the scent of rushing water. My wolf whines, a playful yearning replacing the earlier urgency. A sudden craving for a swim asserts itself. With an easy lope, I follow the scent, arriving at the base of a moonlit creek.

I hesitate, a human yearning interrupting the primal flow. But the call of the water is too strong. With a mental shake, I shift again. The transformation is smoother this time, almost a dance between human and wolf.

Barefoot, I start to pad toward the water, relishing the cold forest floor and how the water will feel on my body.

And it feels so fucking perfect.

I wade deeper into the brisk pool, the sting a welcome distraction from the churning thoughts in my head.

Elowen's smile flashes in my mind.

The moon dips below the horizon, casting long shadows across the water, and a new scent hits me. It's faint at first, carried on the night breeze, but unmistakable—Elowen.

My wolf stirs within, a low growl rumbling deep in my chest.

The next moment, a figure bursts from the water not ten feet away.

My breath catches—Elowen, her skin glistening with moonlight, a vision of breathtaking beauty.

My body reacts instinctively, a surge of heat flooding my brain and going straight into my groin.

"Thorne?" she gasps, eyes wide with shock. A blush creeps up her neck, mirroring the heat rising in my own cheeks. Her voice, usually so confident, trembles slightly.

"Elowen," I manage, my voice rougher than intended. "I... I didn't know you were here."

She opens her mouth to speak and then stops abruptly, turning, likely to flee. A primal urge to keep her close grips me. "Wait," I blurt out, hand hovering awkwardly near her arm. "May I join you for a swim?"

Well, shit.

My voice sounds pathetic even to my ears, but the alternative—letting her disappear back into the night—is even more unbearable.

Hesitation flickers across her face, then a grudging nod. Relief floods me, a warm wave washing away the initial awkwardness.

Slowly, I wade closer, the cool water a barrier between the burning need in my core and the woman I long to know better.

---