Page 72 of The Wolf Professor

His cousins lolloped alongside him, tired now. They’d hunted, and rested, eaten, and even at one stage followed the scent of an ogre group, chasing them with their howls further away from camp. It had been an incredible journey.

But now Max was being pulled by a stronger need.

Perdita came out to greet them as they approached the cave. Her eyes met his with understanding as he hovered at the entrance, too restless to enter.

The other wolves went and flopped down inside the cave.

But no, Max could not go in there. Every sinew and fiber in his body was pulling him in another direction.

Perdita prowled over, her golden eyes full of understanding.

“Your mate is calling you.” The message was telepathic. He was getting used to communicating that way. “Go, now.”

He let his head drop, went over, and nuzzled the thick pelt at her neck.

“Thank you, Alpha.” His wolf bowed down to her.

Then he turned and padded away.

Standing on the mountain ledge, Max’s head tipped back, his nostrils scenting his mate on the wind. He let out a long howl of triumph. And then he bounded down the mountainside, toward the distant lights of Motham City.

CHAPTER 27

The heavy panting breaths were gaining on her. Charlie threw off her shoes and ran into a thicket, not sure where she was headed, a blinding fear grabbing her senses, her breath catching in her throat on little gasps and whimpers.

She hid behind a tree, hearing the big beast’s heavy paws prowling closer. Suddenly a wet snout touched her foot, then came the lick of a rasping tongue along the back of her calf. It sent tingles of fear up her spine, and a slug of heat to her core.

With a scream, Charlie took off again, running deeper into the trees.

All the time a part of her kept saying, “What if it’s not him, what if it’s not Max?”

Which only put the fear of all the gods into her as she sped along a winding path that seemed to be leading nowhere.

She stopped, disoriented, and glanced around, biting her lip. And then she heard a howl to her left, and she dashed off to the right, sensing the beast was gaining on her as heavy footprints thudded on the hard earth, snapping twigs and crackling dry leaves behind her.

Veering off the path completely, she zigzagged through bushes, catching her dress on briars and twigs. The cold airburned in her throat, and she stopped to try and regain her breath. Glancing behind her, she suddenly caught sight of two yellow eyes, barely a few feet away, a snarling mouth drawn tight to display sharp fangs.

Charlie screamed again, and in her haste to escape, tripped over a twisted root and fell headfirst into a pile of damp leaves. The next thing she knew, the beast was upon her, its breath hot on the back her neck. It pinned her to the earth, and then, with one swipe of its paw, it flipped her face-up, and she found herself staring into the visage of pure, unadulterated wolf.

This time, the scream didn’t make it to her lips. Charlie just stared in open-mouthed terror.

The strength of the creature that straddled her was mind-blowing. She could see the muscles in its forelegs braced under its thick silver pelt, feel the heat of its body, the oil from its skin musky scented. Its eyes glowed bright red, like burning coals. Its incisors were huge, curved and sharp-tipped, its tongue lolling and its mouth salivating, a drop falling hot onto her neck, then cooling in the night air.

Oh goddess, this couldn’t be Max.

This wolf looked bigger, stronger than the one who had rescued her that night.

“Max…” she whimpered.

The wolf stared at her, and try as she might, she couldn’t get a sense of the man within.Herman.

This beast was truly the wildest thing she had ever encountered.

Charlie stared at the wolf. The wolf stared at Charlie.

What now?

Charlie had no idea. Her thoughts chattered wildly inside her skull. If this was Max, would he remain in his wolf form? Would he, would they…do it… like this? Could they even? Gods, she had no idea what happened in a primal chase.

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