The wind howled through the trees as Xavier's boots crunched across the forest floor. The pack had just finished their ritual for the night, but Xavier had no desire to join them. His thoughts were elsewhere—on the woman who had unknowingly stepped into his world.
Raine was no ordinary human. She had no idea of the danger she was in, or how close she had come to the Nightshade Pack's territory. Werewolves were not known for their mercy, and human trespassers were rarely given a second chance.
But Raine had begged for mercy.
Xavier's mind wandered back to the first time he'd seen her—lost, frightened, and unaware of the pack's proximity. Her hair had been windswept, her eyes wide with fear, yet there had been a quiet strength in her that made Xavier pause.
She had looked like someone who had seen the world's darkness but refused to let it break her. He admired that. He had felt something stir inside him, an unfamiliar longing.
"I'll take her back to the border," Xavier had told his Beta, Dorian, the moment he had found her.
But Dorian had shaken his head. "You know the laws, Xavier. The human will be a threat to the pack. We cannot allow her to stay."
"I won't hurt her," Xavier had insisted, his voice rough with a mix of frustration and something else he refused to acknowledge.
And so, they had spared her life, but it came at a price. Raine had agreed to leave the pack's lands. She had no memory of the encounter, no understanding of what she had nearly walked into.
Or so Xavier had thought.
Now, as Xavier made his way through the trees, he heard a rustling ahead. He froze, his sharp senses picking up the scent of something familiar—the sweet, floral fragrance of Raine.
What was she doing here?
He moved silently, his feet barely making a sound as he approached. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting an ethereal glow over the scene. There she was—standing at the edge of the clearing, staring out into the night as if she could feel his presence.
Raine.
Xavier's heart pounded in his chest. The pull was overwhelming now. The bond had always been there, subtle, tugging at him in his dreams, but now, standing before him, it was undeniable.
His wolf growled inside him, the instinct to claim her roaring to life.
"Mate," he murmured, his voice low, breathless. The word felt strange, powerful, as if saying it aloud was a declaration of everything he had been fighting against.
Raine spun around, her wide eyes locking onto his, confusion clouding her face. She could feel it too, the connection, the bond.
"Mate?" she whispered, the word barely escaping her lips.
Xavier stepped forward, his gaze fixed on her with an intensity that felt foreign and natural at once. His wolf howled inside him, urging him to claim what was his.
"I told you to stay away," Xavier growled, but his voice was laced with something more—a desire he couldn't control.
Raine narrowed her eyes, her posture defiantly straight. "You don't get to tell me what to do, werewolf."
The tension crackled between them, thick and undeniable. Xavier took a step forward, the animal inside him urging him to pull her close, to make her his.
But he couldn't.
Not yet.
"You need to leave," Xavier said, his voice softer now, betraying the battle raging inside him. "This isn't a place for humans."
Raine lifted her chin, defiant. "I'm not afraid of you."
The words stung, but they only made Xavier's pulse quicken. One thing was certain—this was no ordinary night. This was the beginning of something neither of them could escape.