Page 6 of Wolf Heart

He’s gaining on me.

My heart races and the pressure builds in my lungs. He’s going to catch me. He’s going to think I’m a coward and a failure if I don't make this challenge.

My legs ache, but I’m not stopping. I push myself harder, dodging one tree after the other.

He’s just behind me. I can feel his eyes on me. There’s a hunger there, as though he wants to devour me. Only when I see the large trunk of an old tree ahead of me, do I know I can’t escape. I can’t win this race despite both of us staying in human form.

There’s a flash of something ahead of me. It’s another wolf. The dark gray fur gleams in the sunlight as he passes Michael and me. He’s huge. My heart is in my throat as I slow to a stop and meet the amber eyes that has me fearing a wolf for the first time in my life.

And I run. Even though I know I'm not supposed to.

I can hear his deep breaths, the crashing of the brush and the pounding of his footsteps. Then he’s behind me and his hot breath is on my neck.

Then the wolf pivots, darting straight past me and disappearing into the woods.

In one fluid motion, Michael twists me around and pins me to a tree.

"I thought we were running in our human forms—why did you egg on that other wolf?" he glowers.

"I'm not." I pause, my gaze drifting out to where the other wolf vanished before Michael clasps my chin a little too firmly and brings my attention back to him. "I didn't."

“You want to make it more interesting?” His human eyes flash silver.

My back is pressed against a tree and Michael’s grinding his body against mine.

I’m panting from trying to outrun him and realize he must have been holding back to let me win. Sweat drips down to my face and my throat feels like it’s filling with rocks. “What are you doing?”

My wolf shudders behind my heart and I’m afraid to move, to breathe and lose this thread of connection. Afraid it will fray and break free from my grip never to surface again.

His hand slides down my side.

“Come on, honey.” His voice is throaty and husky.

His other hand slides down my throat and his fingers find the bottom of my shirt as he hikes it higher.

And I’m so drunk on the high of my wolf showing signs of emerging because of Michael that I don’t think about how any second we could be discovered.

All I can think about is how I won't have to fear being a rutting bitch used by any and all. Or how not even Casey can get me kicked out of the pack and blocked from joining any other.

When Michael touches my breasts, I let out a gasp.

“That what you want?” His breath against my ear makes my legs weaken.

The wolf that has pinned me is my mate. He’s the one.

I nod my head and I can feel his erection throbbing against my thigh. I want to feel him inside me. Michael’s fingers find the clasp on my bra and he unhooks it.

The lacey texture of the fabric against my nipples sends shivers through my spine.

He glides a hand into my pants and grabs my ass, hauling me closer to his cock.

"You want me, don't you? You and your wolf."

“Y-yes.” I can’t think straight. A riot of emotions is crashing through me. My wolf is clawing to the surface and I'm willing to do anything to shift that I don't care about anything else.

A twig snaps behind us and we both freeze.

I try to turn to see who it is, but Michael’s body is blocking me.

"No sex before the ceremony," one of the elders says in a harsh voice and moves sideways to meet my gaze and frowns at me. His lips are thin and he looks like he was born with a permanent scowl. Irritation flickers in those eyes. He’s probably had a long day keeping others like us from celebrating too early. “You have to wait for your wolves to claim each other during the moonlight. I’ll escort you two back to the main camp.”

Michael leans back with a wolfish smile on his face and he winks. “No worries, there, sir.” Then to me, he whispers, “I’ll see you at the bonfire tonight.”

A thrill shoots through me and I nod, tugging my shirt down. Tonight I will become a wolf and everything in my life will be perfect.

A heaviness settles in my stomach, but I chalk it off to my wolf finally waking and my anticipation.

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