Page 33 of The Alpha's Shattered Bonds

I could feel energy building deep within, muscles of magic straining and strengthening pleasantly as my magic flowed forth.

For a brief moment, our eyes locked amidst the flurry of blows. He came at me again with an intense swing aimed to catch me off guard, and I countered, exerting a force that sent him stumbling back.

As he regained his balance, he dove toward me. Exhilaration flared through me as it felt freeing to unleash my magic. With every push of my will, Logan answered with skillful strikes and evasions. Then, in one mighty clash, I summoned all the magic I could muster, infusing it into my hands, redirecting it to form a light shield around me—energy coiling in response.

Admiration flickered across Logan’s features. Then, there was something more—heat stoked in his brown eyes. I sensed his desire to breach the barrier between us, not to defeat me but… to get closer.

Awkwardness surged within me. I’d told him I didn’t want a romantic relationship. Why was he looking at me like that? He’d insisted that fighting him would be no different than fighting Tara, but my heart raced at the intensity of his gaze.

I lowered the barrier, quickly uttering, “Timeout.” I leaned over, putting my hands on my thighs as I took in deep breaths, trying to clear my head, the tide of feeling beating through my chest, stirring something.

The exhilaration and attraction pounding in my chest that I felt from Logan, far from making me feel anything toward him, reminded me of another time. I remembered dragging Tyler into the supply closet in the infirmary and how I’d used my magic to prove I could defend myself.“You’ve always been able to handle yourself,”he’d said. The mixture of exhilaration and attraction I felt in my chest reminded me of what I’d felt for Tyler then. His bright blue gaze had held me with such reverence and affection.

My wolf howled at the thought of him. She ached for Tyler. Despite glimpsing him slipping away in the early mornings, I still hadn’t seen him since he’d learned of the bond between Logan and me.

Desperation beat through me, raw and aching. My breaths grew more ragged as frustration and longing quivered through me. Logan touched my back. “Are you all right?”

We’d both worked up a sweat, and his spicy scent was overpowering as he stood so close. Far from comforting me, I longed for a different aroma. My nerves felt frayed as my wolf yearned for the fragrance of cedar—Tyler’s scent.

“You were right,” I said, trying to quash the need in my voice. “That was a lot. Can you take me home?”

Suddenly looking worried, Logan took my arm, tucking it into his side. “Of course. You were amazing, Seraphina,” he said, his tone imbued with that warmth that made my skin prickle uncomfortably.

“Thanks,” I said, trying to avoid the shining look of admiration I felt sure was still suffusing his face. I grabbed my hoody and focused on the stillness of the snow-dusted landscape, catching my breath as we strolled back.

I had to fight to prevent Logan from following me in.

“I just need to lie down,” I insisted. I promised I’d call if I needed him. He’d given me his mobile number while visiting me in the infirmary. Finally, as I closed the door, I was free to be by myself. But as the emptiness of the house lapped at me, it only deepened the yearning in my heart.

In a moment, my wolf dominated me. I let Tyler’s scent wash over me, trailing to where it was most potent: his bedroom. As if our bond still existed, urgency rushed through me. I remembered the raw, intense look Tyler had given me in the infirmary when I’d asked him to give Logan and me space. That same feeling was consuming me now. I felt as if it would devour me entirely if Tyler stayed away any longer. I couldn’t bear it anymore.

The startling realization hit me: I still loved him. My heart grappled with the powerful scent of him as I allowed myself to settle on his bed, breathing him deep into my lungs as if it were as essential to me as the air itself.

With a fierce determination igniting my veins, I raced back down the stairs. I threw open the door, stripped off my clothes, and shifted into my wolf. As if she were on the hunt, she raced outinto the snow-dappled land. Following the faint echo of intuition—magic guiding our strides—we made our way toward Tyler.

My paws seemed like an echo of the hope pounding in my chest. It wasn’t too late. Every fiber of my being seemed to resound with that thought.

I skipped around the back of the packmates’ houses, keeping close to the treeline—eager to avoid being seen by anyone. I didn’t want to get waylaid. I needed Tyler. My instincts guided me to the house beside Justin and Harry’s. I peered through the large picture window of the neighboring house, my heart sensing Tyler’s presence before my eyes did.

He was there.

But my heart sank as I caught sight of him on a cream sofa, remembering belatedly who this house belonged to as I saw Linda beside him. Despite the darkness, I stole down in the snow, every muscle in my body screaming in protest as I watched her lean closer to him, her arm running along his. Jealousy burned through me, a fierce wildfire amidst the bitter cold.

A tide of memories engulfed me—of Tyler and Linda standing together during their mate ceremony, of their futures entwining as I was pushed farther away, eternally separated from the one I loved. Numbness crept through me, as cold as the snow beneath my paws.

Had Tyler decided to give up on me?

The sharp ache deepened, gnawing at my fragile heart. I forced myself to turn around—my ears and tail drooping as I slunk backalong the treeline, feeling like the cruel hand of fate was toying with me yet again.

As I stalked back, questions whispered in the dark corners of my mind. Had I angered the Moon goddess by daring to rebuff her plans? Was it she who had cursed me to live a life forever shadowed by unfulfilled love? The weight of despair pressed down on me, and the hope thrumming in my heart felt like a cruel joke. Was there still a path forward, or had I lost Tyler forever?

Chapter Fifteen

Tyler

As I hefted another sun-bleached block onto the wall surrounding the Council Chamber, I felt the satisfying strain in my muscles. It was a welcome distraction. Packmates moved around me, their spirits lifted as they repaired the damage done during a recent storm.

“Not many more now,” said Justin, a younger packmate, as he picked up another rock.

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