Page 3 of Wolf Mate's Forbidden Fire
My breath caught, and I couldn’t look away from those stormy eyes. They pulled me in, like a tide I didn’t want to fight. My flashlight slipped from my hand, hitting the ground with a soft thud, and I reached out, my fingers grazing his bare chest. His skin was warm, the scars rough under my touch, and a spark shot through me, electric and alive. “Then tell me,” I said, my voice barely audible, my fingers lingering on his skin. “What’s out here? What are you hiding?”
He didn’t answer, just stared at me, his chest heaving, his eyes dark and intense. Then his hands were on me, one gripping my waist, the other sliding to the small of my back, pulling me flush against him. His lips crashed into mine, fierce and demanding, and I kissed him back, hard, my hands roaming up his chest, fingers digging into the taut muscle. The kiss was raw, hungry, all heat and need, his tongue teasing mine, sending shivers down my spine. His fingers slipped under my jacket, tugging it open, his calloused hand brushing the bare skin of my lower back, igniting a fire that spread low and deep. I gasped into his mouth, my hands sliding down, tracing the hard lines of his abs, dipping just below the waistband of his jeans. My body pressed closer, craving more, the cool air forgotten as his heat enveloped me.
We stumbled back, my spine hitting a mossy boulder, the stone cold against my back but doing nothing to cool the fever in my blood. His lips moved to my jaw, then lower, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down my neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin just above my collarbone. I tilted my head back, asoft moan escaping as his hand slid lower, cupping my hip, his fingers teasing the edge of my jeans. My shirt was half-undone, his was nonexistent, and I could feel every inch of his bare chest pressed against me, his heart pounding as fast as mine. My hands roamed his sides, nails grazing his skin, pulling a low growl from his throat that vibrated against my neck. I tugged at his hair, bringing his lips back to mine, and the kiss deepened, slower now but no less intense, his tongue exploring mine like he was memorizing me.
“What are we doing?” I whispered against his lips, my voice shaky, my body still pressed tight against his. “This is insane.”
He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes, his hand still on my hip, his thumb brushing a slow circle that made my breath hitch. “You feel it, don’t you?” he said, his voice rough, like he was fighting to keep control. “This isn’t just us. It’s bigger. And it’s dangerous.”
I swallowed, my hands still on his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart under my palms. “What does that even mean? You’re talking in riddles.”
He leaned his forehead against mine, his breath hot and uneven. “I can’t explain it,” he said, his voice tight, his fingers tightening on my hip. “Not now. But you need to stay away from this place, Aurora. There are things here that’ll hurt you, things you can’t understand.”
I pulled back, zipping up my jacket with shaky hands, my cheeks flushed. “You don’t get to kiss me like that and then tell me to run,” I said, my voice sharper now, though my body was still humming from his touch. “If there’s something out here, I’m going to find it. With or without you.”
He growled, low and frustrated, running a hand through his hair. “You’re impossible,” he said, but there was a flicker in his eyes, something like respect mixed with hunger. “Just watch yourself. You’re not as safe as you think.”
Before I could snap back, he turned and vanished into the trees, his footsteps silent, leaving me alone in the clearing. My lips burned, my skin still tingling where his hands had been, and my heart was pounding so hard I could hear it. I grabbed my flashlight, the beam trembling in my hand, and started back toward the cabin. The forest felt alive now, every shadow and rustle making my nerves jump, but it wasn’t fear driving me. It was him, the way he’d felt, the way he’d looked at me, like I was the only thing that mattered. I touched my lips, still tasting him, and shook my head. “Get it together, Aurora,” I muttered, picking up my pace.
Back at the cabin, I locked the door and leaned against it, my breath coming in short bursts. My jacket was still half-open, my shirt askew, and I could still feel the ghost of his hands on my skin, low and possessive. I sank into the chair by my laptop, the camera feeds flickering on the screen, but I couldn’t focus. His face, those gray eyes, the way his touch had set me on fire, it was all I could think about. I grabbed my journal and flipped it open, my pencil moving fast, sketching his face next to the wolf I’d drawn before. The sharp jaw, the intense gaze, they were too similar, the man and the wolf, and it made my stomach twist. “Who are you?” I whispered, staring at the sketch.
Chapter Four
Omer
I slipped through the Esoterra forest at dawn, my boots silent on the damp earth, heading for the grove where Mara kept her vigil. The air was cool, heavy with mist, and the trees loomed like silent guards. I needed answers, and Mara, our pack’s elder, was the only one who might have them. Her scent, sage and old leather, hit me before I saw her. She sat cross-legged in the grove’s center, silver braids woven with small bones glinting in the early light. Her eyes, sharp despite her age, flicked up as I approached. I stopped a few feet away, my hands shoved in my pockets, the weight of last night’s kiss still burning in my chest.
“You look troubled, Omer,” Mara said, her voice like dry leaves. She didn’t stand, just gestured to a flat rock across from her. “Sit. Tell me what’s got your wolf pacing.”
I sat, the rock cold under me. “It’s the human,” I said, keeping my voice low. “The researcher, Aurora. I met her last night. My wolf… it says she’s my mate.”
Mara’s eyes narrowed, and she leaned forward, the bones in her braids clicking softly. “A human mate? That’s no smallthing. You know the laws, alpha. No unions with outsiders. The bloodlines must stay pure.”
I nodded, my jaw tight. “I know. But this bond, it’s strong. I can’t shake her scent, her face. It’s like she’s part of me already. What does it mean, Mara? Why her?”
She sighed, her fingers tracing a rune carved into the rock beside her. “The spirits don’t choose lightly. A fated mate is rare, even among our kind. But a human? That’s dangerous. It could awaken the Forbidden Fire.”
I frowned, leaning closer. “The Fire? That’s just a story, isn’t it? A myth to scare pups.”
Mara’s eyes darkened. “No myth. The Forbidden Fire is real, a force tied to our bloodlines. If a shifter and human join, it risks unleashing a power that could burn Esoterra to ash. Entire packs have been lost to it in the old days. You feel the bond, but you must resist it, Omer. For the pack’s sake.”
I stood, pacing a tight circle, my boots scuffing the dirt. “Resist it? You think I haven’t tried? Her scent’s in my head, Mara. I can’t focus. Last night, I…” I stopped, my face heating, and she raised an eyebrow.
“You met her,” she said, not a question. “And you didn’t send her away.”
“I tried,” I said, my voice rough. “She’s stubborn. She’s not leaving without answers, and she’s getting too close. She’s got cameras, traps, everything. What do I do?”
Mara stood, her robes rustling, and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re alpha. You protect the pack, no matter the cost. Keep her at a distance. If she learns our secret, the Fire isn’t the only threat. The pack will turn on you.”
I nodded, but her words sat heavy, like stones in my gut. I left the grove, the mist clinging to my jacket, and headed for the pack’s ritual grounds. Tonight was the full moon, and the packwould gather to honor the spirits. I couldn’t afford to look weak, not with Lukas sniffing around for any crack in my authority.
By nightfall, the ritual grounds were alive with firelight and the low hum of the pack’s chants. The full moon hung heavy above, casting silver light over the clearing. I stood on a raised stone, my pack spread out before me, their eyes glinting in the torchlight. Lukas stood near the front, his lean frame tense, his green eyes watching me like a hawk. I raised my hands, and the chants quieted.
“Moonridge Pack,” I said, my voice carrying over the crackle of the fires. “We gather under the moon to honor our ancestors, to renew our bond with the spirits. But we also face a threat. A human’s in our territory, too close to our secrets. We stay hidden, as always. No contact. No mistakes.”
Lukas stepped forward, his smirk sharp. “No mistakes, huh? That’s rich, Omer. You’ve been out there every night, sniffing around that human’s cabin. Don’t think we haven’t noticed.”
A murmur rippled through the pack, and my temper flared. I jumped down from the stone, landing in front of him, my voice low. “You got something to say, Lukas? Say it plain.”
