Leah's breathing was uneven, her heart hammering in her chest. The word mate echoed in her head, rattling against the storm of confusion and disbelief.
Alric still knelt before her, his grip firm on her chin, molten orange eyes locked onto hers. He was waiting, watching. His expression held no hesitation, no doubt—only certainty.
Leah wrenched her head away.
"Mate?" she scoffed, staggering to her feet. Her legs felt weak, her body still adjusting to the transformation she had just endured. "No. Hell no."
Alric merely rose to his full height, his movements as smooth and controlled as ever. "It is not a matter of choice," he said calmly. "It simply is."
Leah clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms. "Like hell it is. I don't even know you."
"You do."
His words sent a shiver down her spine.
Her body knew. The connection burned in her blood, in the marrow of her bones. It was a silent call, a pull that refused to be ignored.
And that terrified her.
She took a step back, then another, shaking her head. "This is too much. I—I need to go."
Alric let her move, his expression unreadable. "Go where?"
She hesitated. The pack. Her home. Her mother, her brother—everything she knew.
But what would she even tell them?
Hey, guys. Turns out I'm a wolf now. Oh, and this massive, terrifying dude says I'm his mate.
Yeah. That'd go over well.
"I just—" She exhaled sharply, turning on her heel. "I need time."
Alric didn't stop her. He simply watched as she ran.
Not once did she look back.
Leah barely made it home before dawn.
She climbed through her bedroom window, landing silently on the wooden floor, her breath still unsteady. Her body ached, exhaustion weighing her down, but sleep was the last thing on her mind.
She moved to the bathroom, flicking on the light.
Her reflection stared back at her.
Same sharp features. Same deep brown eyes. Same dark hair.
But she felt different.
Her skin tingled, like energy was humming just beneath the surface. Her senses were heightened, her hearing sharper, her instincts clawing at her mind.
She leaned over the sink, gripping the porcelain edges.
What the hell was she supposed to do now?
A knock on her door nearly made her jump out of her skin.
"Leah?" Seth's voice was muffled through the wood. "You up?"
Leah inhaled sharply, forcing herself to sound normal. "Yeah. What do you want?"
There was a pause. "You okay? You left school early yesterday."
Her grip on the sink tightened. "I'm fine."
Another pause. Then, a sigh. "Okay… If you need anything—"
"I'm fine, Seth."
Silence. Then, retreating footsteps.
Leah slumped forward, her forehead resting against the mirror.
She needed answers.
And whether she liked it or not, the only person who had them… was Alric.
Leah didn't go back to school that day. She spent most of it trying to act normal, but the restless energy in her limbs made it impossible. By nightfall, she gave up entirely.
She found herself back in the woods.
Back near him.
She didn't know how, but she could feel him. His presence was like a distant fire, a pulse in the night that called to her even when she tried to ignore it.
She stepped carefully through the trees, her movements eerily quiet despite the thick underbrush. Her body knew how to move now—light, controlled, predatory.
And then, she saw him.
Alric stood in the clearing, bare-chested, his silver hair illuminated by the moonlight. He had been waiting for her.
Leah stopped a few feet away, crossing her arms. "Tell me everything."
A slow smirk curved his lips. "Everything?"
She scowled. "Don't play games with me."
Alric tilted his head, studying her. "Very well. But first—shift."
Leah stiffened. "What?"
"You must learn to control it," he said simply. "And that means shifting at will."
She ground her teeth. "I don't even know how."
"You do," Alric said, stepping closer. "You are just afraid."
Leah's jaw clenched. "I'm not—"
Alric's molten eyes burned into hers. "Then prove it."
Heat flared beneath her skin, anger bubbling up alongside something else—something primal.
She wanted to fight.
Before she could second-guess herself, the shift came.
It wasn't like before. It wasn't agony.
It was power.
One moment, she was standing on two legs. The next, she was dropping onto all fours, her fur bristling as she let out a low growl.
Alric gave a satisfied nod.
"Good."
Leah's instincts flared. She wanted to move.
She shot forward before she could think, her paws barely touching the ground as she bolted past Alric, her body moving faster than it ever had before.
The night air rushed past her, the scent of the forest filling her lungs. She felt alive.
And then—
A massive shadow surged beside her.
Alric had shifted.
His massive black form kept pace easily, his molten eyes gleaming with something close to amusement.
Leah bared her fangs. He was toying with her.
She pushed harder, her muscles stretching, her claws digging into the earth as she tried to outrun him.
But she never stood a chance.
Alric lunged.
In a blur of motion, he knocked into her, sending them both tumbling. They crashed into the dirt, his massive form pinning hers effortlessly.
Leah snarled, struggling against him, but he didn't budge.
His molten gaze locked onto hers.
You are strong, Leah. His voice rumbled through her mind. But you still have much to learn.
Leah panted beneath him, her body burning with frustration.
Get off me.
Alric's lips curled, sharp fangs flashing in the moonlight.
When you make me.
Something in Leah snapped.
She surged upward, twisting her body, using every ounce of strength she had.
And this time—this time—she knocked him off balance.
They rolled, and suddenly she was on top, her fangs bared as she loomed over him.
Alric chuckled, deep and approving. Good.
Leah blinked, her breath heavy.
She had won.
For the first time since this nightmare began, she felt like she had control.
And as she stared down at Alric, a realization settled deep in her bones.
She wanted to learn.
She needed to.
Because whether she liked it or not… this was her new reality.
And she refused to be weak.