Chapter 2 Entering an Unknown Situation

Sharp, constant pain shoots through my chest. I felt as if I was pulling a piece of myself that had been ripped apart and let to bleed with each step. The deep aching inside of me persisted even as the moon sank below the trees, its silver light diminishing as daylight approached.

This was the most intense feeling I had ever experienced when a mate link was severed. The threads that bound my heart and soul together seemed to have been torn out, leaving behind open, raw scars. Every pulse served as a harsh reminder that something essential was missing, and every breath pained.

However, I continued to move. I was forced to.

Except for the crunch of my shoes against the underbrush, the forest was strangely still. Even though my limbs were heavy and shaking from fatigue, I continued. I was unable to remain in the vicinity of Moonshadow land. Not after the events that transpired. Not when it seemed like every shadow was observing me.

I tripped and tried to stabilize myself by rubbing my fingertips on the bark of a nearby tree. This time, the weight of everything caused my eyesight to blur rather than tears. The humiliation, the emptiness, the rejection. The only sound that came out of my mouth was a ragged gasp, although I wanted to shout, weep, fight, or do anything else to relieve the pressure that was rising inside of me.

"You are not necessary for me."

I could still hear Kieran's icy, contemptuous voice. Each time the words were played again, they became deeper. I had been rejected by my partner, or rather, my ex-mate. Without hesitation, he ripped us apart while staring me in the eyes.

I snarled and slammed my fist on the tree, saying, "Damn you, Kieran." My skin was pricked by the bark, but the discomfort was a pleasant diversion.

I was really more hateful of myself than I was of him. Despite seeing the warning flags, I had allowed myself to trust in the link and in him. Because I believed the mate link meant something, I had disregarded his ambition, his coldness, and the way he treated me more like a tool than a companion.

It hadn't meant enough, apparently.

My wolf roused, her rage blending with mine, and I felt a low growl vibrate in my breast. Her sorrow and anger pulsed through me like a second heartbeat, yet she was wounded rather than shattered.

In my head, she growled, "We don't need him."

I said, "No, we don't," despite the fact that it sounded false.

My gut twisted when the breeze changed and carried a familiar aroma. Earth and pine, with a hint of something acrid-wolf. There was a person close.

As I studied the woods, I forced my body to comply and straightened. Every sound and shadow was heightened, and my senses were on high alert. My wolf snarled, prepared to defend if necessary, but no one was in view.

My pulse accelerated as the smell intensified. There were no pack wolves here. Their smell was wilder, more wild. An outlaw.

My thoughts were racing. I was in no shape to repel a rogue, and they were erratic and often aggressive. My vitality was depleted by the never-ending flood of emotions, and my body was still weak from the broken relationship.

My pulse thumping, I turned abruptly as I heard a rustling of leaves to my left. A person with eyes that shone in the dim light stepped out of the shadows.

The guy had wild black hair, was wiry and tall, and had a sneer that made my skin crawl. He stepped closer, his motions slow and deliberate, like a predator playing with its prey, and his yellow eyes glinted.

"What do we have here, then?" His voice was low and sarcastic as he drew close. A little wolf, by himself in the forest. How sad.

I tensed my body, ready to shift if needed, but I didn't answer.

He looked at me with a hungry fascination as he cocked his head. He sniffed the air and stated, "You smell... off." Not quite like a pack wolf. Are we rejected?

The phrase struck me harder than I anticipated, and I flinched. He grinned more broadly.

He took a step closer and remarked, "Thought so." "Don't you think rejection leaves a mark? That pain and emptiness are like poison in your veins.

I made myself stand up straight, defiantly looking into his eyes. "What are you looking for?"

The sound of his laughter was piercing and frigid. "What am I looking for? What do you want, tiny wolf? That's a better question. Retaliation? Strength? Or have you been cast aside by your oh-so-perfect pack and are you just searching for a place to call home?

My nails dug into my hands as I clenched my fists. "There is nothing I need from you."

His countenance hardened and his grin wavered. His voice was grim as he said, "Everyone needs something." "Even you. Particularly you.

The tension between us increased, and my inner wolf growled, demanding that I take action. However, his head jerked sideways before I could react, and his face changed to one of astonishment.

"Interesting,"

As he smelt the air, the rogue's head cocked slightly and his nostrils flared. His smile turned into something darker and more cunning as his face darkened.

He said, "Looks like we're not alone," as his eyes darted beyond me and into the forest's darkness.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I tensed up. My feet seemed stuck in place, despite my instincts telling me to flee. The rogue stepped back, his motions smooth yet stiff, as though he were getting ready for combat.

"What's the matter?" I pushed out, speaking more steadily than I really felt.

He didn't respond right away. Instead, he gave me a stern look as his lips twisted into a sneer. "You don't realize what you've gotten yourself into, do you?"

I scowled, dread and uncertainty at odds. "What are you discussing?"

The jungle erupted into anarchy before he could react.

The earth under my feet shook as a loud, resonant roar echoed through the woods. The rogue's eyes widened as a huge, swiftly predatory form sprang out of the darkness.

It was a different kind of wolf from the ones I had previously seen. This one was huge, its black fur shining in the early morning light. With a ferocious intensity, its eyes, which were an unusual shade of electric blue, latched upon the renegade.

The rogue snarled, stepping back a few paces, "Damn it." A glimpse of something unreadable passed over his face as he looked at me. "You'll stay out of this, little wolf, if you're smart."

The rogue changed before I could ask him what he meant, transforming from a human into a snarling, lean wolf. Without hesitation, he sprang for the black wolf, and their bodies hit each other with a gruesome thud.

With my pulse racing, I staggered backwards as the two wolves engaged in a fierce battle. Snarls filled the air, claws ripped into fur, and teeth snapped. The situation was playing out like a nightmare I couldn't wake from, and I was having trouble processing what was occurring.

Then it took place.

With one huge paw, the black wolf pinned the rogue to the ground after overwhelming him. The black wolf was too powerful for the renegade, who struggled, snapping and growling. The rogue froze, his yellow eyes wide with terror, as it bent down and bared its fangs.

I didn't hold out to see what would happen next.

I turned and sprinted into the woods, gasping for air. My body moved instinctively as the jungle flickered around me.

However, I was unable to escape the sound of paws hitting the ground behind me.

I was stopped in my tracks by a strong, authoritative voice that reverberated in my head.

"Celeste, do not flee."

My blood became chilly as I froze. Even though I didn't know the voice, I could tell it was powerful.

As I turned, I saw the black wolf standing directly in front of me, its electric blue eyes penetrating my whole being.