Page 22 of Bonded Beyond Regret

I approach her slowly, not looking away from my prey. She doesn’t move but she starts to pant as her tail wags slightly.

Her wolf is beautiful. Her fur isn’t as black as her hair, but it’s close. Her undercoat is lighter and makes it look like she’s glowing from the inside out. I know it’s a trick of the eye, but it’s also not far off.

She does glow and it’s all because of the amazing female she is.

Just as I’m about to reach her and nuzzle against her, wanting her scent on my coat, she yips and takes off running through the forest. I’m frozen in shock for a moment, but then I take off behind her. When I’m close enough, I nip at her flank which causes her steps to falter.

Nyx’s wolf recovers quickly and turns up her speed. She’s fast, but I already know that after running with her last night. Yes, it was my job to lead the Full Moon Pack Run, but I made sure Nyx was right there at my side.

I’m sure the pack is curious about what is going on between us because of it, but I don’t give a fuck. They can talk. They can speculate. They can even start rumors.

I simply don’t care.

And I care even less the longer I run at Nyx’s flank.

Then I pick up my speed and run shoulder to shoulder with this special female. I’ve found a lot of reasons to give thanks to the Moon Goddess over the last year, but I think this she-wolf isthe best. I send my thanks to our Mother with every bit of my heart and soul.

When Nyx slows down, I lead her back to the clearing where I found her. It’s a special place, one that always looks like it is bathed in purple light and magic. But that’s just nature doing its best work.

We play together, rolling and wrestling, until our wolves are panting. Time slows when I pin her down and my wolf shifts too quickly for me to stop him. One moment I’m my wolf and looking down at the gorgeous she-wolf who has made my life better in such a short period of time, and the next I’m in my skin and she shifts right behind me.

“Samuel,” she breathes.

My control snaps and my lips find hers. Her taste coats my tongue and makes me ravenous. As much as I want to devour her, I keep the kiss slow, soft, and full of sweet affection. I want more, and I think she might as well, but we have time.

Before she can push me away, I shift again, but she doesn’t. Her gold flecked eyes are half massed and lazy with the desire written all over her face before they widen with panic.

Her voice is high, tight and on the edge of being a shriek, “Why did you do that?”

My wolf nuzzles against her, hoping to comfort her and sooth. It might be cowardly, but we take off. Not because her fear scares us, it doesn’t. Everything in me wants to comfort her and tell her that we have nothing to feel guilty about or fear, but I know she won’t hear me right now.

When I’m far enough away, I stalk back to the clearing, keeping myself upwind and watching her as tears stream downher face and she wraps her arms around herself. It kills me, but I know that she needs to work through this on her own and has the right to grieve her mate in whatever way she needs.

It’s not until she shifts and slowly makes her way back to her home that I head back to the packhouse and hope I haven’t ruined the possibility that is just starting to grow between us.

Even if I have, I’ll fight for her. Nyx is worth it and the way my wolf rumbles in agreement tells me that we’re in this together.

CHAPTER 10

NYX

I could feel eyes on me when I left the house and took Aisley to school. It wasn’t difficult to figure out who those eyes belong to. If I was interested in being honest with myself, I knew Samuel spent the entire night outside of my home.

It wouldn’t have been difficult to invite him in. I could have acknowledged him when I was taking my daughter to school.

I didn’t do either of those things.

And I know it’s because I’m a coward.

“Yes,”my wolf agrees,“you are being silly and avoiding the man who clearly wants us.”

I huff out a breath and roll my eyes as I peer out of the blinds. If anyone watching didn’t know I was a shifter already, theywould really be questioning me right now. I’m a predator, but I don’t look like one right now.

I look like a mouse. A scared little mouse.

Maybe if Samuel hadn’t kissed me last night it would be different. Except he did kiss me. And I loved every second of it.

When I first walked into the clearing where Samuel found me, I was in awe. It was an area of the pack I hadn’t been to before. I don’t even know how I found it, but it was like my wolf, and I were being pulled there.

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