Page 41 of Marked For A Bite
God, he's magnificent,she thought, positioning herself to give Lena clear access to the scroll's protective chamber.He's deadly and he's mine.
Lena descended gracefully, her violet eyes already glowing with the magical energy she'd need to counter centuries of protective wards. "The magical signature is stronger than I expected," she murmured, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. "These spells have been feeding off the scroll's power for generations."
The ancient chamber hummed with mystical energy as Lena worked, her delicate features tightening with concentration. Zoe positioned herself for optimal defensive coverage, her throwing knives ready in case additional threats materialized.
"Almost there," Lena breathed, sweat beading on her forehead as she unraveled the final protective layer. "Just need to?—"
The stone floor erupted without warning, a hidden passage revealing three additional guards who emerged with weapons raised and murder in their eyes. Zoe's enhanced reflexes kicked in before conscious thought could interfere, her throwing knife leaving her hand to bury itself in the throat of the nearest attacker.
Logan moved like liquid violence, his tactical awareness allowing him to engage two opponents simultaneously while Zoe handled the third. They fought together with an instinctive synchronicity that transcended their brief training sessions, their movements complementing each other as if they'd been partners over lifetimes.
Zoe ducked beneath a guard's wild swing, her primary combat knife sliding between his ribs with a wet sound that should have made her sick. Instead, the successful kill sent triumphant satisfaction coursing through her veins. This was what she was meant for—standing beside Logan as an equal, protecting what mattered most.
The last guard fell to Logan's hunting knife, his father's blade opening the man's throat in a crimson arc that painted the chamber walls. Silence settled over the underground space, broken only by their controlled breathing.
"Clear," Logan announced, his eyes already scanning for additional threats.
"Got it," Lena gasped, the ancient scroll materializing in her hands as the final protective ward dissolved. "The Lunar Prophecy, in its original form."
Zoe stared at the artifact that held the key to her destiny, her heart hammering with anticipation and terror in equal measure. Whatever secrets lay within those ancient markings would change everything—her life, her future with Logan, and the fate of both their worlds.
But as they left the underground chamber, Zoe felt nothing but fierce satisfaction. She'd proven herself in combat, fought beside her mate as an equal, and taken the first step toward fulfilling a prophecy three centuries in the making.
The hardest part was just beginning—deciphering the scroll's mysteries and learning exactly what price destiny would demand from them both.
EIGHTEEN
LOGAN
Logan's mind refused to quiet during the ten-mile trek back to Kieran's cabin. The tactical part of him still cataloged every shadow, every potential ambush point, and every alternate route—but underneath that surface vigilance, his thoughts churned with self-recrimination.
How the hell did I miss that hidden compartment?
In ten years of missions, he'd never made such a fundamental assessment error. The very moment those first two guards had fallen to his blades, he should have swept the entire underground chamber methodically. Instead, his attention had been split between securing the immediate area and monitoring Zoe's positioning—a distraction that could have gotten all three of them killed.
She had to fight because you screwed up,his inner voice snarled with brutal honesty.Your mate had to spill more blood because you couldn't focus on the mission properly.
But even as self-condemnation flooded his system, another part of him—the part that belonged entirely to Zoe—swelled with fierce pride at how she'd moved in perfect synchronicity with him. They'd fought like partners who'd shared a thousandbattles, their movements complementing each other with an instinctive flow that transcended logic and training.
She was magnificent,he admitted grudgingly.Deadly and graceful and absolutely fearless.
The contradiction tore at him. Every protective instinct demanded he shield her from violence, yet watching her fight beside him had awakened something primal and possessive that went beyond the mate bond. She wasn't just his to protect—she was his equal in battle, his partner in the deadly dance he'd been performing alone for too many years.
By the time Kieran's cabin came into view through the autumn trees, Logan's nerves felt stretched to their breaking point. The ancient scroll in Lena's hands seemed to pulse with otherworldly energy that made his skin crawl with anticipation and dread in equal measure.
"Whatever that thing says," Malcolm muttered, echoing Logan's thoughts, "it's going to change our lives."
"That's rather the point," Maya replied dryly, though Logan sensed the tension beneath her scientific composure.
Inside the cabin, Lena placed the scroll on the coffee table with reverent care, as if handling a live explosive. The parchment radiated an ancient power that made Logan's wolf pace anxiously, sensing forces beyond comprehension.
"Zoe," Lena's eyes glowed with residual magic from the bunker. "You need to center yourself before attempting to read this. It has been waiting three centuries for the right interpreter."
Zoe settled onto the couch, her hands hovering inches above the scroll without actually touching it. "I've been preparing for this moment without knowing it—seven years of studying Pacific Northwest artifacts and texts, becoming increasingly obsessed with this region's cultural history."
Logan positioned himself near her, close enough to provide support but far enough to avoid crowding. The urge to pace the room like a caged animal grew stronger with each passing second.
"The energy signature is... intense," Zoe murmured, finally making contact with the ancient parchment. "It's like the scroll recognizes me somehow."
