Page 19 of Moon's Call

“I excel at chess.”

“No way.” She turned slightly to face him, tucking her legs underneath her. “I love chess. We should play sometime.”

His eyes darkened with interest. “Careful what you wish for. I never lose.”

“Neither do I.” She popped a grape into her mouth, letting her gaze linger on his face. “Sounds like a challenge.”

“Perhaps.” He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. The casual intimacy of the gesture made her breath hitch. “Though I’m beginning to think you might be my greatest challenge yet.”

“Me?” She affected an innocent expression.

His laugh was rich and deep, sending pleasant shivers down her spine. For all his alpha male intensity, there was something endearing about him when he relaxed like this. Something that made her want to lean in closer.

This was nothing like the awkward first dates she’d suffered through before. Here, surrounded by wildflowers and sunshine, with this fascinating man who could turn into a wolf and packed gourmet picnics... it felt oddly right. As if some part of her had been waiting for exactly this moment.

After they finished their lunch, Lorelei stood, brushing crumbs from her lap. The afternoon sun warmed her face as Draken led her to a cluster of small boulders.

“Let’s try something more complex,” he said. “Instead of just lifting rocks, try reshaping them.”

Lorelei focused on a boulder, picturing the change she wanted. The stone shifted and twisted, morphing into a rough approximation of a chess piece.

“A queen?” Draken’s voice held amusement. “Still thinking about that chess challenge?”

“Maybe.” She grinned, then gasped as he stepped behind her, his chest pressing firmly against her back.

“Try again,” he murmured, his breath tickling her ear. “But this time, feel the structure of the stone. Each grain, each crystal.”

His proximity sent waves of heat through her body, making it hard to concentrate. The earth beneath her feet pulsed in rhythm with her racing heart. When his hands settled on her waist, steadying her, the boulder didn’t just reshape – it transformed into a perfect replica of a chess queen, complete with delicately carved details.

“Beautiful,” he said, and Lorelei wasn’t sure if he meant the sculpture or something else. His thumbs traced small circles on her hips, sending sparks of electricity through her whole body.

“How are you doing that?” she asked, her voice breathier than intended. “Making my powers stronger when you touch me?”

“It’s the mate bond.” His words rumbled through his chest, vibrating against her back. “We’re connected. Your power responds to mine.”

Lorelei tried to focus on creating another sculpture, but her body had other ideas. Every point of contact between them felt electric, charged with an energy that wasn’t due to her earth magic. She turned her head slightly, catching his intense gaze.

“Is it always like this?” she whispered. “This... pull?”

“No.” His grip tightened fractionally. “This is unique to us.”

The boulder she’d been working on suddenly exploded into fine sand, startling them both. Lorelei jumped, bumping back against his solid chest.

“Sorry! I got distracted.”

He stepped back, breaking contact, and Lorelei had to stop herself from swaying toward him like a magnet seeking its pole.

She took a steadying breath, trying to ignore how her body screamed at the loss of his touch. This was ridiculous. She’d known him for barely two days.

NINE

DRAKEN

Draken leaned against an ancient oak tree and watched Lorelei practice her earth manipulation. She lifted her hands, concentrated, and a large boulder rose from the ground. Her face lit up with pride, and something inside him shifted.

His wolf preened at her accomplishment. The beast inside him had known from the start - this woman was meant to be theirs. He’d been the stubborn one, letting prejudice cloud his judgment.

Power surged through his veins, stronger than he’d felt in centuries. His wolf’s strength had returned tenfold since being near her these past two days, and when they touched during her training, the energy between them could have lit up the entire castle.

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