Page 23 of The Alpha's Shattered Bonds

“No,” I said, my heart pounding, refusing to step down despite the waves of authority that roiled off Tyler’s tense figure. The last thing I wanted was to be alone with him.

“I won’t allow you to wander into the wilds alone when a traitor is lurking in the shadows,” he pressed, a hard edge creeping into his voice.

I bristled, irritation battling against reason. “If I leave immediately, I’ll be back without anyone noticing—”

“I’m coming with you. That’s final,” he interrupted, his tone making it clear that there was no room for debate.

I inhaled sharply, torn between anger and an inexplicable longing. Tyler’s protective instincts—albeit annoying—were sensible. But that only deepened my frustration.

Just then, the memory of Logan shadowing me in the infirmary, his ever-watchful gaze full of suspicion, filled my mind.

“Okay,” I finally relented, a reluctant accord settling between us. “But let’s take Logan, too.”

Tyler’s brow knitted. “Logan?”

“You and I leaving town will hardly go unnoticed,” I countered. “It’ll be easier to keep watch if we have someone else with us, especially if we run into trouble.”

With someone else present, I hoped to retain control over my emotions. My heart raced as I faced the prospect of an adventure into the mountains. Logan’s instinct to shadow me could at least provide protection from the real danger—my own feelings. I knew the mate bond had disappeared, but my attraction to Tyler was still very real, and I understood that my affection for him was more than just the remnants of that connection.

As the shadows of the night fell, I packed for the unexpected journey ahead. All the while, the pull of the Moon goddess gnawed at the edges of my resolve. She had spoken of fate. Would this be the turning point? Would I find guidance, or would the shadow of my past dictate my future?

Chapter Ten

Seraphina

Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled patterns of warmth on the cool forest floor. Each beam glinted off dew-kissed leaves like liquid gold, igniting the forest in a vibrant palette of greens and browns. Tyler, Logan, and I moved quietly through the ancient trees, our human forms navigating the underbrush with purpose. Anticipation coursed through my veins, and every one of my senses felt heightened by my hunt for the rare pink buds of the jedra herb.

Both Tyler and Logan lugged hefty packs, bulging with camping supplies. I carried a lightweight rucksack with my magic supplies and a box to carry the herb should we be successful on our hunt. We’d broken up camp that morning, leaving the remnants of our fire smoldering against the backdrop of the Nuvuja Mountains. Now, our ascent along the lower slopes became steeper with every passing hour.

The air was filled with the earthy scent of moss and fallen pine needles. We didn’t speak as we scanned the forest floor. Only our footfalls interrupted the forest’s relative peace. Logan had been pretty much silent at camp, too. Both he and Tyler had taken the first watch last night. When I’d awoken to take over, Logan had claimed not to be tired, so only Tyler had rested.

Logan still didn’t trust me. Out here in the wild, Logan had kept the same careful eye on me that he’d seemed to think necessary back in Nahachoh. I glanced over at him, noticing the shadowsbeneath his eyes from his lack of sleep. As we’d shared the warmth of the campfire in silence last night, I’d imagined telling him that it was I who had decided to bring him, amusing myself by imagining the look of surprise that would blanket his face.

But I’d contented myself with the thought that Logan was doing exactly what I’d hoped, acting as a buffer. With his presence, Tyler and I hadn’t had a single moment alone.

As we continued our way, the rugged slope of the mountain ascended more steeply. As my gaze flew up, I felt a sudden draw. My heart raced, intuition deepening in the pit of my stomach as I scanned the gray crags of the mountain. I spotted a delicate tuft of pink flowers nestled in a narrow crevice, glimmering jewel-like against the gray stone.

“That’s it,” I breathed. It must be a good thirty feet above us, but the herb was so rare. I wasn’t going to let that stop me. “Those crevices are so narrow only a female wolf will fit,” I blurted out, my heart racing. With the herb being incredibly difficult to find, I knew I had to collect every specimen we saw, even if it meant taking a risk.

Tyler took off his pack, his serious gaze taking in the height and steepness of the cliff. From the solemn expression on his face, I knew he was about to argue.

Quickly, I shed my clothes, only briefly self-conscious as I unclasped my bra. But in a moment, I’d shifted, the familiar pulse of my wolf bursting forth, her strength coursing through me, thrilling me.

“Seraphina!” Tyler’s shout barely reached me over my pounding heart as I raced up the cliff. Instinct guided me, and the need to retrieve the herb consumed my thoughts. Each foothold feltprecarious as I scampered upward, the rocks scraping against my paws, but I heaved myself up the slope, edging along the mountain’s crevice.

Tyler’s voice faded away. Even the wind’s call and its touch through my fur fell away as I hauled myself up the jagged rockface. It was just me and the mountain. My wolf reveled in the challenge, each movement taking all of her agility and determination as she ground her claws into the stone, heaving her sleek-muscled body up the slope.

I panted with the strain it took me to shift my lupine form along the rocks, but every few minutes, I made progress up the mountain. Finally, I reached the ledge on which the herb bloomed. Triumph shot through me. The herb beckoned beneath a blanket of moss and roots entwined in the shallow soil. With careful precision, I dug my claws into the earth, uprooting the jedra. I couldn’t give it the reverence it deserved but cradled it in my mouth as gently as possible.

Descending, my muscles strained with even more effort as I dug my claws into the treacherous slope, inching down on my forelegs as I eased myself down the peak. My belly scraped the jagged slope, but I forced myself not to ground my teeth, the precious herb in my mouth obliging me to keep my jaw soft.

Back on the forest floor, I carefully dropped the herb, morphing into my human form.

“I told you to wait,” Tyler censured.

“And I told you, I’m more capable than you think,” I argued, tilting my chin up, a mixture of determination and defiance catching me up. Tyler’s nostrils flared with anger, but the glintin his blue eyes had my heart thrumming with something other than anger.

Suddenly, I was very aware of my nakedness. I caught up my clothes, slipping my knickers on, which finally prompted Tyler to turn his back on me. I didn’t miss the way his Adam’s apple bobbed or the flush of heat on his cheeks. My stomach flip-flopped, but I quashed the sensation.

---