Page 13 of Fated to the Lone Shifter
I’m back in the bunkroom before the others, lying on my cot, one arm behind my head, watching shadows ripple across the ceiling from the security lights outside. The station’s quiet now—the kind of quiet that only comes in the eye of a storm.
My thoughts won’t shut up.
Sera Knowles.
There’s something about her I can’t put down. Not just her sharp eyes or the way she held her own in training—thoughboth were impressive. It’s the way she looks at the fire. Like it’s speaking a language only she understands.
Or the way she moves, like she’s always ready to bolt or strike.
She’s hiding something. And I’d know—I’ve spent most of my life hiding who I am—from the crew, from the town, even from myself when it gets too loud in my head. I recognize the weight of secrets. She carries it like a second skin.
And then there’s the spark.
Literally.
The jolt that jumped between us the second I cuffed her—some prank that should’ve been harmless fun. But when her skin met mine, I felt it deep in my chest. Not just attraction. Something primal. Something ancient.
And worse, something familiar.
I roll onto my side, jaw tight. The wolf inside me has been pacing ever since. Watching. Marking. It’s dangerous. I’ve fought tooth and nail to keep my instincts in check, to keep my head down and protect my cover. A fated mate? That’s a complication I can’t afford—not now, not ever.
Sleep doesn’t come easily.
Not when the fires are starting to form a pattern. Not when the captain mentioned the bodies. And definitely not when a woman with secrets like hers is sharing my oxygen.
But tomorrow’s another training day.
And I’ll be watching her just as closely as the flames.
Maybe closer.
I drift off. But the fire follows.
I’m standing in the woods, but everything is alight—trees glowing with heat, the sky smeared in crimson and gold. Sera stands at the center, barefoot in the ash, her hair swirling in an infernal wind. Her eyes burn like embers.
She lifts her hands, and flames slither up her arms, coiling her wrists and shoulders like silk. Her voice—low, seductive,undeniably hers—calls to something deep inside me. Not just the man. The wolf.
“Come closer.”
My body moves without command. Each step toward her stokes the fire higher. I reach for her, and her magic surges like a wave, wrapping around me, tangling with the part of me I keep buried beneath my skin.
We collide. Her lips sear mine. My arms close around her as flames roar around us.
She’s heat and magic and danger incarnate. Our bodies find each other with an urgency that defies thought. My hands grip her hips. Her fingers tangle in my hair. It’s wildfire. Untamed. Consuming.
Her lips are fire against mine, a blaze that ignites every nerve ending in my body. I taste smoke and something sweet, uniquely her, as our mouths move in sync, hungry and desperate. My hands slide down her back, pulling her closer, feeling the heat radiating from her skin. She’s a force of nature, and I’m helpless against her. My wolf growls in approval, its primal instincts taking over as I press her against me, our bodies flush, hearts pounding in rhythm.
The dream feels real—too real. The scent of ash and pine, the crackle of flames, the way her magic hums against my skin like a live wire. I can feel the rough bark of a tree at my back, the heat of the fire licking at my boots.
Sera’s hands claw at my shirt, tearing it open, and I shudder as her nails scrape my chest. I break the caress to trail kisses down her neck, her skin scorching under my lips. She arches into me, baring her throat, and I grin against her flesh, my teeth grazing her pulse point.“You’re playing with fire,”I murmur.
She pushes me back, her eyes blazing with challenge, and I let her take control. Her hands fumble with my belt, her fingers trembling as she undoes my pants. I kick them aside, my breathhitching as her hands wrap around me, firm and sure. I hiss, my head falling back, the sensation overwhelming.“Sera,”I groan, her name a plea and a warning.
She doesn’t stop. Her lips find mine again as she moves, her touch relentless, and I’m drowning in her, in the heat and the magic and the raw need. I grip her hips, pulling her closer, and she gasps as our bodies align, the friction sending sparks through me. The flames around us roar louder, feeding off our desire, and I don’t care. Let it consume me. Let her consume me.
I flip her onto her back on the ground, and I hover above her, my hands roaming her body, mapping every curve, every dip. Her skin is electric, her breath coming in ragged gasps as I kiss my way down her chest, pausing to tease her nipples with my tongue. She arches off the ground, her fingers tangling in my hair, and I smirk against her skin, savoring her reaction.“Tell me to stop,”I challenge, though we both know she won’t.
“Don’t you dare,”she pants, and I chuckle, a dark, hungry sound, before sliding lower. Her legs fall open, and I press a kiss to her core, her scent intoxicating. She’s wet and hot, and I groan, my tongue dipping into her, tasting her fully. Her hands grip my shoulders, her nails digging in as she moans, her head tipping back. I drink her in, my mouth and hands working in tandem, driving her higher, closer.
