Page 18 of Echo Of A Wolf

“Please, stop!” Astrid shouted, her tone pleading.

Was she seriously asking my wolf to stop?

Xander had nearly killed her.

Still, my wolf did as she wanted. He released his hold on Xander and took a step back until he stood near Astrid. Even though he never took his eyes off Xander, my wolf’s attention became zeroed in on Astrid’s presence beside him.

“This isn’t over,” Xander spat, before giving way to his raven and taking flight.

Astrid fell forward, her body limp on the ground. My wolf sniffed at her, trying to understand what was wrong. Her eyes were wide with fear while she clutched her chest and struggled to breathe. While my wolf might not know what the hell was happening to her, I did.

She was having a panic attack.

I nudged my wolf, asking him to step aside so I could help her. Panic attacks sucked, which I knew from personal experience. The way your chest suddenly felt as though there was a vice gripping it tight. The tingling sensation that spreads through your limbs. The breathlessness that made every inhale feel like a battle. The dizziness that made the world spin and tiltaround you. And the overwhelming sense of dread that made you feel like you were drowning in your own fear.

It was crippling to say the least.

“Hey,” I said, kneeling down to make eye contact with her. “He’s gone. You’re good.”

“I can’t breathe,” she gasped.

Sympathy for her situation flickered through me.

“You need to calm down,” I said, which I knew wouldn’t make her feel any better. I frowned and then exhaled a huff. “Come on, let’s get inside. I’ll get you some water.”

I reached out to help her to her feet and the moment we touched, an electric current zapped me. My hand jerked back while her eyes grew wide as they locked with mine. My wolf released a howl that rattled my skull and the world shifted around me for the better.

Aw hell, Astrid was my mate.

9

ASTRID

I’d felt that spark, and from the look on Dean’s face, and the way he quickly jerked away from my touch, so had he. My raven sang a song, and for whatever reason, that paired with the spark I’d felt, was all the confirmation I needed to know that Dean was my mate.

A new level of panic tore through me.

My thoughts spiraled out of control, and any chance of calming myself down flew right out the dang window. I couldn’t breathe, but all I could think about was that I’d found my mate, and it was him.

Of all people, it had to be Dean Voss.

He wasn’t part of my flock. Heck, he wasn’t even a raven shifter. He was a lone wolf shifter who couldn’t like me any less.

In fact, the man seemed to detest me.

Dizziness set in again as the ground around me rippled with each breath I fought to take. It felt like an elephant had sat on my chest.

Good grief, my whole life had exploded in a single night!

A low growl released from Dean as he continued to stare at me. When I lifted my gaze to lock with his, a deep frown had pulled at his lips.

“Come on, let’s get you that glass of water,” he said in a huff before standing to his full height and walking toward his open front door.

I lay where I was for a moment, drawing in one shaky breath after another, wondering if I could walk with the dizziness swaying my vision. Too many questions tumbled through my head and too many emotions tore through me.

Why now? Why hadn’t I known it was him sooner? Like when we were under Lucius’s mind control? Or when I stole his coffee at the coffee shop and made myself look like a raging lunatic?

Heck, what about when I’d eaten at his work that one night and he’d cornered me outside, asking if I was stalking him?

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