Page 84 of Fated to the Lone Shifter
I send a message to Ember to meet me tomorrow.
The only one I don’t text is Noah. I know I should. It’s cruel not to. But I need to keep my distance from him if I’m going to fool Bode.
I lock the door.
I slip my phone under my pillow and sit on the edge of the bed. The silence presses in around me.
My heart is still racing—part adrenaline, part magic wearing off. My mind won’t settle. Not with the claw in my closet. Not with the lies I just told the police.
And worst of all…the lies I will soon have to tell Noah.
I picture his face—the way he looked at me our night together, like I was something precious.
My fingers drift to the spot on my neck. The mark burns faintly beneath the skin. Not just from the bite—but from its symbolism.
He’ll feel it, too. Not the flesh, but the energy. The soul. A mark that shouldn’t exist. A violation I allowed, all for the greater good.
My stomach churns. Why did it have to be this way?
What would Noah say if he knew the truth—that I played Bode, seduced him, let him believe we were bonded?
Will he understand? Will he forgive me?
I don’t know.
All I know is this: the bite, the claw, the lies—they all lead to something bigger.
And I have no choice but to follow the trail.
Straight into the fire.
Chapter twenty-six
Fighting Fire with Fire
NOAH
Istand outside Sera’s door in the dead of night, the corridor quiet except for the low hum of the firehouse heater. This is the first time I feel okay stepping away from Marcus, even for a minute. I place my hand on the doorframe and try the knob.
Locked. A good sign.
I don’t knock. I just stand there, breathing in the silence.
She is in there—I can smell her.
Safe. Alive. Home.
But there is something else riding beneath the familiar scent of lavender and fire ash. A wolf. Male. Dominant.
My jaw tightens, a low growl curling in my throat. Every instinct sharpens, ready to strike.
Bode.
His scent clings to her like smoke on burned timber. Not recent, but strong enough to turn my stomach. My wolf rages under my skin, clawing to get out. Another alpha has dared to leave his mark on what is mine.
I force myself to breathe. He will need to be dealt with.
Not now. Not yet. There is another fire I have to put out first.
