Serephina's POV
When he finished, his eyes found mine again, and I felt my heart skip a beat. There was something in his gaze—something intense and searching that made me feel like he could see straight through to my soul.
He stepped closer, and my heart began to beat louder with each step he took. The rational part of my brain was screaming at me to be afraid, to remember that this was the man who had killed my father, and probably would kill me next, but my traitorous body seemed to have other ideas.
He was right in front of me now, so close I could feel the heat radiating from his massive form. His scent—woodsy and masculine with an undertone of something uniquely him—filled my nostrils, and I hated that I found it comforting.
Suddenly, his nose approached my neck, and I felt his warm breath against my skin. The sensation made me shiver, and when his soft fur tickled my throat, I had to bite my lip to keep from giggling.
The absurdity of the situation wasn't lost on me—here I was, trapped and bleeding, trying not to laugh while my mate-slash-mortal-enemy sniffed me like some kind of curious puppy.
But then the pain in my leg flared up again, and I couldn't suppress the wince that escaped me.
Adrian stiffened immediately, his head pulling back to look at me with what I could only describe as concern. His eyes traveled down to my trapped leg, and I saw something that looked suspiciously like anger and hurt flash across his wolfish features.
He looked back up at me, those brown eyes studying my face with an intensity that made me feel exposed and vulnerable. And then, before I could process what was happening, he did something that left me completely speechless.
He licked my face. Not a little, tentative lick, but a full, warm swipe of his tongue across my cheek.
I stared at him in shock, my mouth hanging open as my brain tried to process what had just happened. Should I be grossed out? Shocked? Flattered? All of the above?
"Did you just...?" I started to ask, but the words died in my throat.
The combination of blood loss, shock, and the sheer surreal nature of the situation finally caught up with me. The world tilted sideways, and darkness crept in from the edges of my vision.
The last thing I saw before everything went black was those mesmerizing brown eyes watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read.
And then, nothing.
Adrian's POV
Mine.
Blake's possessive growl reverberated through my mind as he stared down at the unconscious woman. I felt myself being shoved to the back of my own mind as he took complete control.
My wolf was drunk on her scent, on the proximity to our mate, and any rational thought had completely abandoned him.
She was even more beautiful up close. Her long brown hair fanned out around her like silk, and those forest green eyes that had captivated me at the ball were now hidden behind delicate lashes.
Blake's senses were going crazy. He was picking up on every little detail—the way her chest rose and fell with each breath, the flutter of her pulse at her throat, the intoxicating scent that seemed to wrap around us like a drug.
Mate, Blake rumbled in satisfaction, lowering his massive head to nuzzle against her neck.
She smelled incredible—like fresh cherries and something sweet, something that made Blake's instincts go wild. There was another scent layered underneath, something that seemed familiar, but Blake didn't care about analyzing anything.
All he cared about was the woman lying beneath him, unconscious and vulnerable and completely his. He continued to lick her face and neck, his rough tongue gentle against her pale skin.
She tasted as good as she smelled, and Blake wanted more. He wanted to taste every inch of her, to mark her as his own, to claim what was rightfully his.
Mine, he thought again, more fiercely this time.
The mate bond was singing in his blood, calling to him, demanding that he claim what was rightfully his. His canines began to elongate as primal instinct took over. Just one bite.
One mark on that delicate neck, and she would be his forever. No one would ever be able to take her away from him.
Blake positioned himself above her throat, right where her pulse fluttered beneath the skin. His mouth opened wider, fangs fully extended, ready to—
"NO!"
My own voice exploded through my mind as I wrestled control back from Blake with every ounce of willpower I possessed. The shift back to human form was violent and immediate, my body convulsing as bones reformed and muscles realigned.
My body convulsed in pain as I forced the transformation. I found myself kneeling beside her, breathing hard, my upper body bare and covered in sweat from the effort. My pants had miraculously survived the shift, though they hung low on my hips.
Blake whined pitifully in my head, confused and frustrated at being denied his mate.
Why? he demanded, his voice a growl of displeasure. She's ours. Mark her. Claim her.
"Shut up," I snarled aloud, severing the connection between us.
Blake's protests faded to an angry rumble. I could feel him pacing restlessly in the back of my mind, but I ignored him. Instead, I focused on the woman lying unconscious before me, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
She was... stunning.
Even in her current state—dress torn, hair disheveled, face pale from blood loss—she was easily the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. The moonlight seemed to love her, caressing her skin and making it glow like porcelain.
Her body was perfectly proportioned, slender but with curves that made my mouth go dry. Even unconscious, she radiated a sensual energy that made my blood heat and my body respond in ways I hadn't felt in years.
She looked like a vixen, like temptation personified, like she was specifically designed to make me lose my mind and commit sins I'd never dreamed of.
As I watched her, I felt a familiar stirring in my lower body and cursed under my breath. "Stop reacting, you animal," I muttered, though I wasn't sure if I was talking to Blake or to myself.
Blake's growl of response was immediate. She's our mate! Of course, we react. Mate her!
"I said shut up," I snapped, cutting off the connection again.
But his words brought up questions I didn't want to deal with. Why was she my mate? How was that even possible? Did the moon goddess make a mistake?
But more importantly, why had she run the moment she saw me?
The memory of her face when our eyes met came flooding back—the initial wonder and attraction, followed by what looked like pure terror. She'd looked at me like I was a monster, like I was her worst nightmare come to life.
Was it because of the rumors about me? The stories people told about the cold, heartless Alpha who destroyed the previous kingdom and had gone crazy? Or was there something else, something I was missing?