My entire body begins to shake uncontrollably, and I pray no one notices my out-of-character reaction. I lower my head and try to breathe through the sharp sensation that covers my lungs, but it’s nearly impossible.
We’re not meant to fight the bond; we’re supposed to welcome it. But I’d rather take the agony of denying it than the forced sensations of accepting it.
“You okay?” Leon whispers.
I force an awkward smile. “Yeah.”
The pack immediately grows silent as Jaxon steps forward.
“Everyone!” he shouts. “I’ve got important news to share with you all.”
I suck in a breath as my eyes rest on the tattooed man beside him, but he doesn’t look in my direction. Not for a second. Why would he?
I’m a nobody.
“Cole will be standing down as Alpha of the Rainewood Pack due to unforeseen circumstances,” he bellows, and I freeze. “Stepping up into his place as their new Alpha is Caleb Vella, whom I have known since we were kids.”
Jaxon gestures to the guy beside him.
Caleb.
He nods once, but his expression doesn’t change. There’s no flicker of emotion. His face is blank. Completely cold, and ruthless.
“Since Caleb will be their new Alpha, and with how close we have been to Rainewood Pack, I thought it would be beneficial for you all to meet him officially. Especially with the district integration, we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other.”
My skin crawls as Caleb glances over the crowd but misses me as if I don’t exist. I must be imagining this. There’s no waythis man is my mate. But my wolf is telling me everything I don’t want to believe.
Jaxon keeps on talking, but I can’t hear a single thing. I feel like I’ve been knocked over by the earthquake going on inside me.
After twenty minutes, Jaxon calls the meeting, and I can’t get out of the hall fast enough. I need fresh air. I need to be away from his intoxicating scent that claws up my throat and rests in my soul.
I shed my clothes, suddenly feeling like they’re suffocating me. Then I shift. My paws hit the ground, and I run faster than I ever have in my entire life.
Even with my wolf's desire to hang around, I have the mental capacity to know I need to get the hell out of there.
There is rustling of the bushes behind me, and I turn sharply, but see nothing. I weave through the trees, the breeze flowing through my fur, my blood humming. My paws barely make a sound because of my wolf's size, which has its benefits. But I’m a little too good at hiding when I should be fighting.
Invisible.
And that’s the way I wish to stay.
When my lungs feel like they’re about to explode, I halt in the dirt and rest behind a large tree. All I can hear is the pounding of my own heart until the sound of rustling alerts me once more.
My ears turn rigid as I listen, raising my snout to the air.
Something makes the hairs on my back stand up, and without hesitation, I dart off into the trees again. There’s someone behind me, and I twist my head over my shoulder to look, but my legs tangle in panic, sending me to the ground as I trip.
A large body collides with mine a second later, and a low yelp escapes my muzzle. My skin scrapes against the rocks and branches covering the ground.
My ribs throb as I finally come to a stop. It’s nothing compared to the injuries I’ve sustained from training, but it’s still not pleasant.
Then I’m surrounded by the scent of gasoline again. I groan internally and twist my head to find a wolf as dark as midnight staring down at me with glowing yellow eyes. I’m shuddering at the way I can feel its breath over my face, and when it bares its teeth at me, I’m sure it’s game over.
The black wolf shifts, and Caleb stands in front of me, stark naked. I immediately glance away as he looms over me, making my wolf look pathetic in comparison. But when he stands directly in my eyeline, I have no choice but to see every inch of his inked body.
Okay, not every inch—but near enough.
There’s so much intricate detail that I can hardly take it all in, including his pierced nipples that both have bars through. I’m not surprised by this man’s cold exterior and how much pain he’s inflicted on himself. He probably enjoys pain just as much as he enjoys giving it.
