I laugh, some of my nervousness easing. “Says the woman who was claimed by an alpha who literally fought three wolves to keep her.”
“Point taken.” She smiles. “I guess I can’t complain.”
The pack has gathered in the ceremonial clearing, the ancient stones forming a perfect circle. Wolves of all ages line the perimeter, their eyes bright with anticipation. This will be the first claiming ceremony that isn’t overseen by Thaddeus. That in itself is a celebration not just of our bond, but of the pack’s continued strength and growth.
Ryker steps forward, his commanding presence silencing the gentle murmur of conversation. In the firelight, he looks every inch the Alpha.
“Tonight we witness the claiming,” he begins, his voicecarrying easily across the clearing. “Any who wish to try for a mate may step forward.”
There’s three females who do so, along with me.
“The ancient ways demand the hunt,” Ryker continues. “The female runs, testing her mate’s worthiness. The male pursues, proving his dedication. When caught, the claiming is complete, and both become part of the eternal pack.”
This isn’t just about Kier and me—it’s about him becoming part of something larger, finding the home he’s searched for his entire life.
“Would-be mates, step forward.”
I spot Kier across the circle, and my breath catches. He’s stripped to the waist, ceremonial paint marking his chest and arms in swirling patterns. His copper hair gleams in the firelight, and his golden eyes are fixed on me with an intensity that makes my pulse race.
Mine,my wolf whispers, pressing against my consciousness.Hunt. Claim. Complete the bond.
Heat licks over my skin, a restless shimmer under the surface. My breath shortens, thighs pressing together as something low and primal begins to stir. Not yet, I tell myself, but my body has other ideas—scent thickening, pulse hammering, skin prickling with need. The first threads of heat, unwelcome and unstoppable, unfurl through me.
Kier’s giving me the kind of look that strips away clothes, distance, and reason. My wolf claws at my insides, snarling for him, and, from the tension rolling off Kier, I know he’s barely holding back from tearing through the crowd just to get to me.
Come claim me.
“Lithia of Shadowmist,” Ryker’s voice pulls my attention back to the ceremony. “Do you accept this hunt? Do you offer yourself to be claimed by the wolf who proves worthy?”
“I do,” I reply, my voice carrying clearly in the night air.
Ryker goes round the circle, asking the three other femalesand four other males the same questions before he gets to Kier.
“Kier of the wandering path,” Ryker turns to my mate. “Do you accept the challenge? Will you pursue what is yours by right of love and dedication knowing that to do so will bind you to the Shadowmist pack?”
“I will,” Kier responds, his voice rough with barely contained hunger.
“Levi of Shadowmist,” Ryker says, and my head lifts. I turn, seeing Levi standing in the circle.
He ignores me, his gaze locked on Ryker.
“Do you accept the challenge? Will you pursue what is yours by right of love and dedication?”
“I do.”
I relax when he turns to look over the three females, not even sparing a glance my way.
“Then let the hunt begin.”
The pack erupts in howls and cheers as I step forward, my hands moving to the ties of my dress. The white fabric falls away, pooling at my feet, leaving me bare to the moonlight and my mate’s burning gaze.
I shift, my wolf emerging with a joy bark. I feel free, powerful, and ready to run. I throw back my head releasing a howl, the sound echoing off the surrounding mountains, then bolt for the tree line.
Behind me, I hear Kier’s answering call as he shifts and gives chase.
The forest welcomes me like an old friend, pine needles soft under my paws, the scent of earth and growing things filling my nostrils.
I run, but this isn’t about escape. We both know how this hunt ends. It’s about the chase itself, the primal dance of pursuit and surrender that awakens something ancient in our wolves.
