When I left the lodge to track Lyla down, I knew it might come to this.

Our passion for each other frequently ignites in anger, in fighting, in plays for dominance.

But it usually ends in carnal pleasure.

Still, my eyes widen as she kneels before me, her hand wrapping around my cock. I can’t believe the boldness of this woman, the way she is taking control and turning the tables on me.

Maybe she’s ready to end the stand off between us and perform the ritual. Be my mate.

I can’t deny how much it turns me on, how much I want her to take what she wants from me. I groan as her hand moves up and down my shaft, her thumb rubbing against the sensitive head of my cock. My hands grip fistfuls of grass beneath me as she continues to pleasure me. I can feel myself getting closer and closer to the edge, but I want to prolong this moment for as long as possible.

Instead of focusing solely on my cock, she leans forward and begins kissing and nipping at my thighs. Her tongue darts out to swirl around the sensitive skin, making me shiver with pleasure.

I can’t hold back any longer. With a growl, I flip her over so that she is beneath me once again. I kiss and nip at her neck while my fingers trail down her body until they reach their destination between her legs.

She is already wet and ready for me, but I want to tease her a bit more. My fingers trace lazy circles around her clit while my mouth travels down her body, leaving a trail of kisses along the way.

She bucks against me, wanting more. I pull away from her grasp.

“You’re not finished yet,” I whisper huskily in her ear as I trail kisses down her neck. She growls and tries to reach for me, but I pull away, just out of her reach.

I want to drive her wild with desire, make her beg for release. I can’t wait to feel her nails digging into my back as she loses control.

I grab the edge of her tank top and yank it down her shoulder, revealing her perky breast. I take it in my mouth, teasing her nipple with my tongue. She moans and arches into my touch.

She’s ready, and I’m ready. I’m electric with anticipation, already imagining how it will feel to slide my cock into her body. I position myself above her once again.

All at once, the mood shifts. She sits up and scoots back, putting her hand out to keep me from following.

“Ethan, no.”

I stare at her, breathing hard. Every time. She stops me every time. I furrow my brow. “When?”

Her mouth flaps open and closed, and the unpleasant aroma of fear drifts between us.

“You denounced me,” she says, and she lowers her eyes.

“I didn’t denounce my claim on you!” I say, and my body is so hot, so desperate for release that I’m tempted to force myself on her.

Her eyes fly back to my face, and I take a calming breath.

If I want her body, I must claim her heart.

“Come back with me,” I say.

She pulls away, and in spite of the pleasure I just gave her, I feel her shutting me out. Like she always does. The fire grows in my veins again, but this time it’s the flipside of our relationship: anger, not passion.

“You have no claim on me.”

My chest heaves with a concoction of desire and frustration as I watch Lyla stagger to her feet amidst the tangled underbrush. She yanks her pants on and adjust her shirt, not meeting my eyes. The moonlight filters through the canopy, casting an ethereal glow on her flushed cheeks and disheveled hair. I reach out, my hand hovering just shy of touching her arm, the air charged with the remnants of our raw encounter.

“Come back with me,” I urge again, my voice roughened by emotion.

Lyla turns to face me, her amber eyes defiant even as her breath still comes in short, heated pants. “No, Ethan. I won’t.”

My brows furrow, a growl building deep within my chest. I straighten up, every inch the imposing Alpha I was born to be. The weight of my responsibility bears down on me, compelling me to take control of the situation. “Lyla, I command you to return to the pack with me. As your Alpha, it is my right to demand this of you.”

The forest seems to hold its breath, as if the very creatures that dwell within Luna’s Veil sense the significance of my command. Lyla’s jaw clenches, a muscle ticking in her cheek as she faces off against me.

“I refuse,” she states, her voice carrying the resonance of her new strength.

My heart lurches.

She shouldn’t be able to refuse me. I’m her Alpha. If I command, she must obey.

But as the command hangs futilely between us, I realize the truth—a truth that cuts deeper than any physical wound could.

I’m not her Alpha. I banished her from the pack.

The bond that tied her obedience to my will has frayed.

I don’t command her.

And she isn’t mine.

A distant, ominous howl slices through the night, sending shivers down my spine.

“Whatever comes next,” Lyla whispers, “I will stand against it, not as a submissive member of the pack, but as Lyla Blackwood—free and unbound.”

She turns away from me, stepping into the shadows and then breaking into a run.

Don’t let her go. I still want her. If I don’t act now, I’ll lose her.

***

I run through the forest, my boots pounding the earth, the leaves crunching beneath my feet. The night air is cool, and I feel it on my cheeks, in my hair, on my arms. The exhilaration of breaking free from Ethan’s command courses through me, and I want to laugh, to cry, to scream.

But I don’t. I keep running, my breath coming in short gasps, my heart pounding in my chest. I’m not sure what I’m running from or to, but I feel the need to move, to let the energy out of my body. The tension of my confrontation with Ethan still sits in my muscles, and I want to release it, to let it go.

A sound behind me makes me pause, and I turn my head, listening. But there’s nothing, just the rustle of leaves in the wind. I shake my head and keep running, dismissing it as my imagination.

But then I hear it again, louder this time. The snap of a twig, the rustle of underbrush. I slow my pace, my ears straining to catch the sound.

There it is again. Footsteps, following me.

I stop, my breath catching in my throat. I turn around, my eyes scanning the darkness.

I catch the scent of a wolf, the familiar scent of my pack, and my heart skips a beat. Ethan. He’s come after me.

But then I smell something else, something acrid and sharp. Anger. Aggression.

Is Ethan so angry he intends to force me to obey? He’s never coerced me before, but I’ve never pushed back this hard.

My fear spikes, and I take a step back. My body reacts instinctively, and I feel the shift begin. My muscles stretch, my bones reshape, and I drop to all fours as my wolf takes over.

I don’t think. I just run.

I run blindly, my paws pounding the earth, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The forest is a blur around me, shadows and shapes merging into one another. I can’t tell which direction I’m heading, and I don’t care. I just need to get away, to put as much distance between me and whatever is following me.

But the footsteps are getting closer, the sound of them growing louder in my ears. I cast a panicked glance over my shoulder, but I see nothing but darkness.

And then the wolf is upon me, tackling me to the ground. I let out a yelp of surprise and pain as I hit the earth, the breath knocked out of me. I roll over, my claws extended, my teeth bared, ready to fight.

The wolf snarls, its eyes glowing in the darkness, and I catch a glimpse of its sharp canines before it lunges at me. I swipe at it with my claws, feeling them connect with flesh, and the wolf lets out a growl of pain. But it doesn’t back down. It comes at me again, and I feel its teeth sink into my shoulder.

I howl, but I don’t let it stop me. I twist my body, using my hind legs to kick at the wolf, and I manage to dislodge it. I scramble to my feet, my shoulder throbbing. Before I can turn around and get a good look at my attacker, the wolf snarls and throws me face first to the ground again, both paws planting firmly on my shoulder blades.

The wolf is bigger than me, its muscles rippling beneath its fur. His scent is familiar, yet different. If this is Ethan . . . I’ve never smelled him so full of pheromones. I can feel its power, its strength, and I know I’m at a disadvantage.

I try to shake it off me, but the claws dig into my back, pinning me down. It snarls, hot drool dripping on my skin, and then its jaws close around my neck.

I feel the pressure of its teeth, the sharpness of its fangs. It could kill me if it wanted. But it doesn’t. It holds me there, its growl rumbling in its chest, its hot breath on my face.

Why is it attacking me? Why is it so angry?

I roll over, trying to get back to my feet, but its teeth pierce my skin, and I let out a whimper of pain. I struggle against it, my claws raking at its sides, but it’s too strong. Its growl vibrates through my body, and its teeth sink deeper into my flesh.

This wolf is going to kill me.

The jaws tighten around my neck, and I feel the blood seeping from my wounds, mixing with the dirt and leaves beneath me.

I don’t know what it wants from me, but I know I’m not going to survive this encounter. The forest because muddled, hazy, the sound of the wolf growling bubbling in my ears.

Then suddenly it releases me. It lifts its head, ears flicking back, and hesitates, glancing around as if confused.

Another sound rings in the distance, but my senses are leaving me. My breathing is shallow, my life ebbing away.

The wolf snarls, eyes narrowing. It looks down at me, and I see the rage in its gaze, the hatred. But then it turns and leaps away, disappearing into the shadows.

I lie there, my body trembling, my blood soaking into the earth. I can’t move, can’t breathe. I can only stare up at the sky, the stars twinkling above me. My throat is torn, my voice gone, and when I try to make a sound, all that comes out is a gurgle of blood.

The darkness closes in, my vision blurring. I’m going to die here, alone, in the forest.

Regret surges through me at the thought of my life half-lived.

I never did find what I was looking for.