“I’ve always kept it,” he said, his fingers brushing mine. The touch sent a shiver through me. “Just like I’ve always kept my memories of you.”
The mountain breeze tousled my hair. Alexander reached out and gently tucked a strand behind my ear, his fingertips grazing my cheek. I froze.
He frowned slightly, his hand lingering near my neck. “Summer… I can’t smell your wolf. What happened?”
My breath caught. I hadn’t expected him to notice–at least not so soon.
“I…” I swallowed hard. “My wolf… she’s gone.”
“What?” His voice turned sharp, alarmed. “What do you mean?”
“Since the night of the rogue attack,” I said quietly, “She vanished. I don’t know what Alpha Foster injected me with, but… ever since then, she’s been silent. I can’t feel her anymore.”
Alexander’s hand clenched into a fist, his knuckles whitening. His eyes darkened with barely restrained fury.
“That bastard,” he growled, voice shaking with rage. “I’ll kill him. I swear, I’ll break his neck slowly–make him understand
“Alex-”
“I’ll tear him apart,” he snarled, his voice no longer entirely human. The edge of his Alpha wolf was surfacing–wild, vengeful,
dangerous.
“Don’t.” I grabbed his hand, holding it tightly. “Please. Violence won’t fix this.”
He turned to me, gold flickering in his irises. His wolf was close to the surface, desperate to avenge me.
“Alexander, look at me.” I spoke gently but firmly. “I’m here. Felix is here. We need you. Not your rage.”
Our eyes locked. After a long pause, his breathing began to slow. The gold in his eyes faded.
“You’ve always had a way of calming me,” he murmured, voice raspy. “Even back then.”
The tension eased. He led me to the riverbank where we took off our shoes and dipped our feet into the icy water. Just like we used to when we were teens. He picked up a flat stone and skipped it across the surface.
“Ha! Five skips!” he said triumphantly, grinning as water splashed up.
“Cheater!” I accused, laughing despite myself. I bent down, scooped a handful of water, and splashed him.
He feigned shock and retaliated. Soon, we were laughing like children, soaked and breathless.
I hadn’t laughed like that in years. It felt foreign but right.
At some point, he stepped closer, the space between us shrinking until there was nothing but the sound of our ragged breathing.
Alexander reached out, brushing a tear from my cheek with his thumb. His hand slid to the back of my neck.
I flinched instinctively, trying to step back. His brow furrowed, but then he gently pulled me into his arms. One hand cradled my face, the other wrapped tightly around my waist, drawing me close to his chest.
His scent engulfed me—pine and lavender, wild and grounding. It wasn’t just his Alpha presence. It was something older, deeper. A magnetic pull I couldn’t fight.
“Summer…” he whispered, voice hoarse and thick with desire.
1/2
Chapter 19
Before I could respond, his lips claimed mine.
It was the first time in a month someone had kissed me.
+15 BONUS
A soft whimper escaped my throat. My hands pressed against his chest, unsure whether to push him away or pull him closer. Stars burst behind my eyelids. His kiss was warm, firm, commanding. I gasped as he deepened it, his tongue sliding past my lips with smooth, deliberate force.
A deep growl rumbled from his chest, vibrating through me. His kiss was all–consuming, urgent, and possessive. His grip tightened, pulling me flush against his body. Heat flared between us as I melted into him.
I should’ve stopped it. I knew that. But I didn’t want to. His lips, his hands, his scent–everything overwhelmed my senses.
“Yes…” I moaned softly between kisses.
He kissed me harder, claiming me with every stroke of his tongue. I felt him lift me, my feet no longer on the ground. His arousal pressed hot and hard against my stomach. The way he kissed–hungry, raw–made my head spin and my knees weak.
Why was I reacting like this? Was it because of Foster’s emotional neglect? Was it just pent–up longing?
No.
It was more than that. I had never felt this way–with anyone.
It was too much. Too fast. My heartbeat thundered as I gathered my strength and pushed gently against his chest.
He paused, breathing hard, his eyes glowing with golden fire.
We stared at each other–both shaken, breathless, lips trembling.
“You can’t… do that,” I whispered.
Then–like a whisper in the wind—I heard it.
A voice, soft and wild, deep inside my mind.“I need him.”
I froze. My heart skipped a beat.
No. It couldn’t be.
I looked around, panicked, searching for something unseen.
Was my wolf, Aurora, really back?
“Aurora?” I whispered.
Silence.
Only the wind.
Was my imagination playing tricks on me?
