Page 19 of Mated By Midnight

“No,” she repeated, her voice firmer now. She swallowed hard, her heart breaking as she forced herself to continue. “I need you to want to stay. I need you to tell me you're going to stay because it's your choice.”

She had always feared this—that she was just another duty to him. That he’d stayed because of the bond, because fatedemanded it, not because he wanted her for who she was. And now, standing here, her worst fears felt confirmed.

He didn’t say anything right away. The silence stretched between them, thick with everything unsaid, everything they were too afraid to admit.

Celine felt the urge to run building in her chest. She was desperate to escape the crushing weight of it all. She couldn’t stay here, couldn’t bear the thought of being with someone who didn’t truly want her, not in the way she needed.

“I can’t do this, Elijah. I won’t stay here and wonder if I’m just another duty to you.” She reached for the handle.

Elijah moved, stepping into her path, blocking her way. His presence filled the space, commanding and intense. She was forced to stop, to look at him, to really see the storm brewing in his eyes.

“What I want,” he said, his voice rough, “is for you to be your best, your highest potential. I want to be my best, too.”

There was something desperate in his words, something she hadn’t expected.

“We bring out the best in each other,” he continued, his gaze locked on to hers, unwavering. “But we also bring out the worst. I’m not rejecting you, Celine. I’m trying to give you what you want. But I don’t know what that is. You don’t even know what it is.”

His words hit her like a wave, crashing over her, pulling her under. Every wall she had built up over the years crumbled in the face of his honesty. He was right—she didn’t know what she wanted, not fully. But she knew what she needed.

"I need you to want me. I want you to need me. Like you can't breathe without me. Because that's how I feel about you."

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Yeah," she breathed.

"Prove it."

Elijah took a step back, his eyes flicking to the door. Without another word, he opened it and bolted out of the cabin, the door slamming shut behind him. The sudden movement startled her. For a moment, all she could do was stare at the door, her heart racing while her fated mate got away.

Then she felt it.

The primal pull deep in her core, the call of her inner wolf awakening. Elijah’s wolf was running, and her wolf wanted to follow. Her body thrummed with the instinct, the bond between them pulling tighter, stronger. Her wolf pawed at her belly, restless and eager, the urge to chase building inside her until she couldn’t hold it back any longer.

With a sharp inhale, Celine bolted out of the cabin, her feet hitting the ground as she took off after him. The cool night air rushed past her, the scent of the forest filling her senses as she ran, her heart pounding in her ears. She saw him ahead, his form shifting into his wolf, powerful and sleek as he moved through the trees with fluid grace.

Her body reacted without thought, the change rippling through her as she shifted into her wolf form, her senses sharpening, her muscles surging with strength. The ground flew beneath her paws, the wind whipping through her fur as she chased after him, the bond pulling her closer, guiding her.

Elijah’s wolf glanced back at her, his eyes bright in the moonlight, and something in that look—something raw—spurred her on. This wasn’t just about the bond anymore. This was about them.

She ran faster, her body moving in sync with his, their steps falling into rhythm as they weaved through the trees. The forest blurred around them, the sounds of the night fading into the background, as the only thing that mattered was the chase. The pull of the bond, the thrill of the hunt, the unspoken connectionbetween them—it all came together in that moment, wild and unstoppable.

Her wolf’s instincts drove her forward. But this time, it wasn’t about running away. This time, it was about chasing after what she wanted—after who she wanted.

Elijah.

This time, she wasn’t letting him get away, and she wasn't letting him go when she caught him.

15

Elijah tore through the woods, his wolf form moving with the grace and power of a creature born for this wild freedom. The air was crisp in the middle of the night. The cool wind whipped through his fur. Every muscle in his body thrummed with energy, each stride pushing him farther, faster, away from the cabin and the tangled mess of emotions that had been threatening to pull him under. But no matter how fast he ran, the bond between him and Celine remained, pulling taut, humming in the air like a silent promise.

And then he heard it—the unmistakable sound of her paws hitting the ground, close behind him. She was chasing him.

His wolf snarled with a mix of pride and exhilaration. A thrill ran down his spine. He wasn’t going to make it easy for her. If she wanted him, if they were going to figure this out together, then she’d have to catch him.

Elijah pushed harder, weaving between the trees, the forest a blur of shadows and moonlight. His thoughts raced alongside him, his mind spinning with everything he’d been trying to avoid for days. He had been prepared to leave—to take the job, to give her space, to make himself better for her. To become the manshe needed. But now, with her chasing him, the reality of it hit him like a punch to the gut.

If he left, if he pushed her away any further, he would lose the best thing that had ever happened to him.

---