Page 75 of Wolf Bonded (Rejected Moons 2)

Better that it come to a fight quickly, while I’ve still got my arms around Emlyn. If she breaks free of me, everything will be so much worse.

Victor nods. “If that’s how you want it,” he says.

A cloud drifts clear of the moon overhead, and the light shines down on us.

Emlyn goes still in my arms.

Then, as if on an invisible signal, the wolves break into a run right for us.

45

Atfirst,theonlything that matters is that Victor is coming closer to me.

My body screams for him.

Wilder lets go of me and holds out his hands. He’s trying to block them, but I know he can’t block this many. He needed my help when we were facing a bunch of Ravagers, and wolves are going to be harder to hold back than Ravagers are because they’re not a mindless swarm. They’re determined. They’re motivated.

And I’m eager for Wilder to fail because when he does, Victor will reach me at last.

But the heat in my body is growing, and it’s painful. It’s like my blood is boiling. It’s like lava is scorching through my veins.

And I can’t take it anymore.

He’s coming to help me, to heal me, but as the moon shines down overhead, I feel like a cool, cascading waterfall, and I open myself to its power. I take it in.

Heal me.

That was the first thing I learned. Healing magic. I learned from Milo, back in the days when it was just the two of us feeling our way forward together. I learned how to let the light of the moon shine through me and make me whole.

The moment I let the moon in, I feel something start to change within me.

The desire isn’t gone. Nothing can break an alpha mate bond. But it’s muted. The power of the moon is bigger, and my desire to live is bigger. My rational side is awake again under the aching need for Victor’s body.

He isn’t going to fuck me. He doesn’t want me. He’s told me that a million times. He’s calling me to him because he wants to kill me.

I pull myself free of Milo’s arms.

Milo lets out a cry and grabs for me—

“Let her go!” Wilder yells. “It’s all right! Focus on the fight!”

I’m glad he said it, and I’m glad that Milo knows to trust Wilder when it comes to my state of mind, because the wolves are rushing us, and fast. I want to help Wilder with his defensive spell, but I’m not sure I can—I need every bit of my magic to hold Victor off.

He’s running toward me now. He’s among the wolves, but not one of them—he’s left himself human. Why would he do that?

“Emlyn!” he says. “This is our chance. Come with me, and we’ll leave all of them behind. We’ll leave the pack, we’ll leave your fake mates, we’ll have the life weshouldhave had. Just the two of us! I don’t care what you are. You know how badly I need you!”

I do know. I also know that, no matter what he feels, it’s not going to be enough to keep him from hurting me. I would kill him if I had the chance. Of course he would do the same.

Still, it is so hard to resist him.

I grab a rock off the ground and hurl it at him, but I don’t dare divert any of my magic away from keeping my mind right. If I lapse into my physical need for him again, he’ll take advantage of me in an instant.

Victor shows his teeth, an expression that’s half grin and half snarl—and shifts.

And then he’s charging at me, and there’s no choice anymore.

I fling up my hands, putting all my faith in my ability to hold a shield while my alpha mate is on the other side of it. I can’t afford to waver. If he gets through…

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