My heart pounds as I watch Ember bolt toward the forest, her movements so swift that, in an instant, she vanishes into the trees. There's a wild energy in her, an untamed spirit I've only ever glimpsed—and tonight, it's like she's fully unleashed. I stand rooted, forcing myself to stay put, even as every fiber of my being screams to follow her. My wolf claws at me from within, the bond pulling at my core, straining against my control. But I hold, just barely. he wants to run, to chase the beautiful red wolf into the night, and I respect that not that I'll give in, until this hour is over.
Tristan steps in front of me, crossing his arms as if that could stop me if I really gave in to my instincts.
"You look calm," he says, voice low, almost like he's testing me. He knows I'm anything but.
"I'm not," I manage, my voice rough. Holding my wolf back feels like holding back a storm, a raw force that could break free with the slightest crack in my resolve. In my head, my wolf's voice pulses with a single word—Mate. Mate. Mate. It's a visceral echo, relentless and raw.
Nate, leaning against a nearby tree, gives me a grin, the kind that's both challenging and supportive. "Don't worry. Ember's wolf is...well, she's just like her," he says, a touch of admiration in his tone. "Dare I say it, even you would have a hard time catching her, Kellan."
I want to argue, to claim that no one could outrun me, especially not my mate, but he's right. I picture her wolf—fierce, breathtaking, a flash of red that burns like a living flame through the night. A part of me knows Nate's words hold truth: my mate isn't just fast; she's unstoppable. And it only makes me want her more.
"You're showing more restraint than your father ever did," Kaia chimes in, stepping closer with a knowing smile. "Back in his day, it took half the pack to hold him down when your mother ran the mating run." Her voice holds a hint of nostalgia, as if she's pulling that memory from a distant, cherished place.
I sigh, admitting, "I'm about ready to do the same." The way my blood hums with the pull of the bond, the restraint I'm showing now feels almost unbearable.
Kaia chuckles softly, an amused glint in her eye. "That's your mother's temperament in you, then. She was always the calm to your father's storm." With a nod, she turns back toward the estate, leaving me to battle my own instincts.
The human guests begin filtering out, their slick black cars fading down the drive. As they go, Nate stretches, rolling his shoulders before glancing toward the forest, a mischievous look in his eye.
"Well, the moon's high, and I could use a run too," he says casually, casting a sidelong glance at Tristan. There's a tension in Tristan's gaze as he watches Nate, something unspoken and electric between them, but I'm too lost in my own thoughts to comment.
My focus shifts back to Ember, imagining her somewhere out there in the forest, wild and free, her spirit as fierce as her wolf. I run a hand over my collar, loosening my tie and shrugging off my jacket. The formality of the evening feels stifling now. With each passing moment, my thoughts darken with plans of what I'll do when I finally catch her. She's dared to run, and I'll make sure she understands the full weight of what that means.
Tristan stays nearby, a silent guardian through the hour. He knows the customs, the tradition, and the delicate timing of the run. I mean have to give other wolves a head start because I'm stronger and faster after all. But as the minutes tick by, the pull grows unbearable, thrumming through my veins like an electric current.
Finally, the hour strikes. I don't wait. With a low growl, I give myself over, shifting fully into my wolf, the last shreds of control slipping away as my instincts take over.