Isla POV
I grab the nearest weapon—a rock the size of my fist—and throw it at the monster's face.
It bounces off his skull like a pebble.
The enemy Alpha laughs, a sound like grinding bones. He's massive in his half-shifted form—part man, part bear, all nightmare. Brown fur covers his arms, claws extend from his fingers, and his teeth are yellow daggers.
"Feisty," he rumbles, stepping into the cave. "I like feisty. You'll give me strong cubs."
"Touch me and die," I snarl, backing up until my spine hits the cave wall.
He grins wider. "Your wolf is busy with my hunters. By the time he realizes I'm not with them, I'll be miles away with you over my shoulder."
The system flashes desperately.
[EMERGENCY OPTIONS:]
Option 1: SCREAM for help
Option 2: FIGHT (Success Rate: 0.001%)
Option 3: NEGOTIATE
Option 4: ACCEPT BONDING with Enemy Alpha (NOT RECOMMENDED)
Negotiate. I can work with that.
"Wait!" I hold up my hands. "You're an Alpha, right? You deserve better than kidnapping. Let me choose you properly."
He pauses, head tilting. "Choose me?"
"I'm from another world. Where I come from, females choose their mates." I force my voice steady even though I'm shaking. "You're clearly strong. Powerful. But I need to know you can provide for me, protect me. Prove you're worthy."
His eyes narrow with suspicion and interest. "How?"
"A test. Give me three days. If you can bring me the best kills, show me your territory, prove you're stronger than Caius—then I'll come with you willingly. No fighting. No drama."
"And if I just take you now?"
"Then I'll fight you every day for the rest of my life. I'll refuse to eat. I'll make myself sick. I'll never give you cubs." I meet his yellow eyes. "Is that what you want? A broken mate? Or one who respects you?"
For a long moment, he just stares at me.
Then he throws back his head and laughs. "Smart little female! Fine. Three days. But if your wolf tries to hide you—" His claws extend longer. "I'll rip out his throat and take you anyway."
He turns and disappears into the darkness.
I collapse against the wall, gasping. My hands won't stop shaking.
DING!
[CRISIS AVERTED!]
[+200 BONDING POINTS for successful negotiation]
[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: Silver Tongue - Increased persuasion abilities]
[WARNING: You now have 3 DAYS before Enemy Alpha returns]
[Suggestion: Complete bond with Caius OR find stronger allies IMMEDIATELY]
Seconds later, Caius storms back into the cave, covered in blood that isn't his. His amber eyes are wild, his chest heaving. He scans the cave frantically until he sees me.
"Isla!" He's human again, crossing the space in two strides. His hands cup my face, checking for injuries. "I smelled him. Brutus was here. Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?"
"I'm fine." My voice cracks. "I talked him into leaving."
Caius goes very still. "You... talked to Brutus? And he left?"
"I bought us three days. But he's coming back." I grip Caius's wrists. "He wants me. He thinks I'll make strong cubs. And if you fight him—"
"I'll kill him."
"He's bigger than you!"
"I don't care." Caius's voice drops to something deadly. "He threatened you. He came into MY den, smelled MY mate, and thinks he can take you. I'll rip his spine out through his throat."
Despite the situation, warmth floods through me. MY mate. The way he says it—like it's the most important fact in the world.
The system chimes again.
[EMOTIONAL BOND STRENGTHENING!]
[Caius's Protection Instinct: 100%]
[Your Trust in Caius: 45%]
[RECOMMENDATION: Complete physical bond to unlock Wolf abilities before Enemy Alpha returns]
[Physical bonding will increase Caius's strength by 30% through mate connection]
I read the last line twice. "The system says if we complete our bond, you'll get stronger."
Caius frowns. "Your spirit guide speaks again?"
"It's not—never mind." I take a shaky breath. "It says bonding with me will make you more powerful. Strong enough to beat Brutus."
His expression shifts to something conflicted. "Isla, I won't force you into—"
"I know." And I do know. This terrifying wolf man has been nothing but gentle with me despite his possessive instincts. "But I'm asking. Help me understand how bonding works here. Because in three days, I either complete our bond, or Brutus takes me. Those are my options."
Caius is quiet for a moment. Then he sits by the fire, patting the furs beside him. "Sit. I'll explain."
I settle next to him, and he wraps a fur around my shoulders.
"Bonding isn't just mating," he says carefully. "It's soul-deep. Permanent. When a male and female bond, they exchange life force. I would feel your pain. You'd feel my emotions. We'd be connected until death."
"Like marriage?"
"Stronger. Marriage can be broken. Bonds can't." His amber eyes find mine. "If we bond, you're mine forever, Isla. Even if you take other mates later—which apparently you need to—I'll always be your first. The bond that shapes all others."
My heart pounds. "And you'd be okay with me having other mates?"
His jaw clenches. "No. My wolf hates the idea. But..." He touches my face gently. "I hate the idea of you dying more. If you need seven bonds to survive, I'll learn to accept six other males. As long as I'm first."
Tears prick my eyes. "You'd do that for me? Even though we just met?"
"Fate doesn't ask permission, little mate. The moment I smelled you, my wolf knew. You're ours to protect, even from our own jealousy."
DING!
[MAJOR EMOTIONAL MILESTONE REACHED!]
[+500 BONDING POINTS]
[CAIUS'S DEVOTION: MAXIMUM]
[READY TO COMPLETE FIRST BOND: YES/NO?]
I'm about to answer when Caius suddenly jerks to his feet, a growl rumbling through his chest.
"What—"
"Smoke." His nostrils flare. "Not from our fire. Something's burning in the forest."
We rush to the cave entrance. In the distance, orange flames lick at the sky. The forest is burning—and the fire is spreading fast, being pushed by strong wind directly toward us.
The system screams warnings.
[EMERGENCY ALERT!]
[FOREST FIRE APPROACHING]
[ESTIMATED TIME UNTIL FIRE REACHES CAVE: 12 MINUTES]
[SURVIVAL OPTIONS: FLEE or DEFEND]
"This isn't natural," Caius snarls. "Someone set this fire."
"Brutus?"
"Maybe. Or someone worse." He turns to me, his expression grave. "We have to run. Now. But the forest is dangerous at night, and you're too weak to run for long."
"Then what do we do?"
He's quiet for just a second too long.
That's when I hear them—howls echoing through the burning forest. Not wolves. Something else. Something that makes Caius's face go pale.
"Shadow Beasts," he whispers. "The fire is driving them toward us."
"Shadow Beasts?"
"Creatures that hunt in packs. They're drawn to fear and blood. And we're covered in blood from the fight with Brutus's hunters."
The system flashes red.
[CRITICAL THREAT DETECTED!]
[SHADOW BEAST PACK: 12 creatures]
[Threat Level: DEADLY]
[They're not here for Caius]
[They're here because they smell YOU]
[Your unique scent from another world is driving them into feeding frenzy]
My blood runs cold. "I'm the bait. I'm drawing them here."
Caius pulls me behind him, his body already starting to shift. "Then we fight."
"You can't fight twelve of them and the fire!"
"I can die trying."
The howls get closer. Through the smoke, I see shapes moving—twisted, wrong, with too many teeth and eyes that glow red.
Caius shoves me back toward the cave. "Hide. No matter what happens, HIDE."
"Caius—"
The first Shadow Beast bursts through the smoke, and Caius meets it as a full wolf, their bodies crashing together in a explosion of snarls and blood.
Two more beasts circle around, ignoring Caius completely.
Their red eyes lock onto me.
The system offers one final message.
[EMERGENCY BONDING PROTOCOL AVAILABLE]
[Accept INCOMPLETE bond to unlock basic Wolf abilities NOW]
[WARNING: Incomplete bonds are unstable and painful]
[Accept anyway? YES/NO]
The Shadow Beasts charge.
I have one second to decide.