Even as he rationalized the decision, his hands moved with deliberate efficiency. The black henley came off first, revealing the broad expanse of his chest and the rigid muscles of his abdomen. The fabric hit the wooden deck with a whisper. His jeans and boxers followed, pooling at his feet as the night air kissed his skin.
Standing naked under the moonlight, Rune felt the familiar surge of power that preceded the shift. His wolf pressed against his consciousness, eager for freedom.
Control the shift. Control the wolf.
But control felt like a luxury he could no longer afford.
The transformation began with heat—a burning that spread through his bones and muscles as his human form surrendered to something far more primal. His spine elongated, muscles reshaping themselves with practiced efficiency. Dark black fur erupted across his skin as his face elongated into a muzzle filled with razor-sharp teeth.
When the shift completed, Rune stood on four legs instead of two, his massive black wolf form perfectly adapted for the hunt ahead. His steel-gray eyes, unchanged from his human form, fixed on the forest with predatory focus.
The world exploded into sensory detail. Every scent told a story—the deer that had passed through hours ago, the territorial markings of smaller predators, and threading through it all like a golden thread,her. His mate’s scent called to him with an urgency that made his wolf’s heart race.
Rune moved through the forest with the silent precision that had made him legendary among local packs. His massive paws found purchase on moss-covered rocks and fallen logs without disturbing so much as a twig. The moon provided enough light for his enhanced vision to navigate the familiar terrain with ease.
She’s close.
The thought carried both relief and anticipation as her cabin came into view through the trees. Warm light spilled from the windows, creating rectangles of gold against the darkness. The sight of it—hersanctuary—sent a wave of possessive satisfaction through his wolf.
Rune began his patrol with methodical thoroughness, his nose working constantly to catalog every scent within a hundred-yard radius of the cabin. A family of raccoons had investigated her garbage earlier. A fox had marked territory near the tree line. But no threats. No intruders.
No Birch.
The absence of his rival’s scent allowed some of the tension to drain from his massive frame.
As Rune completed his circuit of the cabin’s perimeter, movement in one of the lit windows caught his attention. His wolf froze as a familiar silhouette moved past the glass.
Electra.
Even in wolf form, seeing her sent electricity racing through his nervous system. She moved with unconscious grace, her dark hair loose around her shoulders, wearing what appeared to be an oversized sweatshirt that fell to mid-thigh. The domestic intimacy of the moment—glimpsing her in her private space, unguarded and relaxed—hit him like a physical assault.
She’s beautiful.
The thought carried no surprise. He’d recognized her beauty during their first meeting, but seeing her now, amplified every detail. The fluid movement of her hips as she walked. The gentle curve of her smile as she looked at something outside his field of vision.
Mate. Protect.
His wolf’s thoughts were simple, primal, and absolutely certain.
Rune stepped closer to the window, his massive form still concealed by the shadow of a towering pine.
As if summoned by his gaze, Electra moved closer to the window. Their eyes met across the distance—hers curious and alert, his burning with recognition and barely controlled hunger. For a suspended moment, time stopped. Rune felt the mate bond flare between them like a live wire.
She pressed her palm against the glass, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to speak. The gesture was unconscious, instinctive, and it nearly shattered his control entirely.
She feels it. She doesn’t understand it, but she feels the connection.
Every instinct screamed at him to shift, to stride through her front door, and claim what belonged to him. To explain everything—the supernatural world, the mate bond, the fact that she’d been placed directly in his path.
But not tonight. Not like this.
Rune forced himself to step backward, deeper into the shadows. Electra remained at the window for several more seconds, her hand still pressed against the glass, before finally turning away with obvious reluctance.
The sight of her retreating figure sent a wave of loss through his chest that surprised him with its intensity. His wolf whined softly, protesting the distance between them with every fiber of its being.
Tomorrow. I’ll find a reason to see her tomorrow.
The thought provided enough comfort to force his legs into motion. Rune melted back into the forest with the same silent precision that had brought him here, but every step away from her cabin felt like a betrayal of his most fundamental nature.
