Chapter 1

NADIA.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Katarina’s voice kept ringing in my head. She didn’t like the idea of me running away to an unknown territory. But I have already made up my mind. I needed to get away from here, away from the life that they were pushing me into.

My name is Nadia Morrison. And a few more hours, I would be a free woman.

I am a shifter. At least that I know. All the other things about me or my real family, I had no idea.

I’ve heard things about my father, but I didn’t bother to find out more. It was enough to know that he didn’t want me and had abandoned my mother while she was pregnant. And the man who took care of me when my mother died after giving birth left me in the hands of the couple who were known to me as my uncle and aunt. 

My aunt said she’s my mother’s sister. But it didn’t feel like that.

I was five years old when they took me in. And from then on, they groomed me so that one day, they could make money out of me. But I would never allow them to do that. 

I increased the speed of the motorcycle that I was riding through the forest line and reveled in the feeling of the fresh air on my skin and the wind blowing through my hair.

Freedom. I could almost feel it. 

I was soon approaching the place where I needed to stop before I could continue with my journey on foot. And as soon as I found the spot, I stopped the engine and jumped off the motorcycle before dragging it behind the bushes. 

This was the place I told Tyson, one of my friends, to pick up the bike tomorrow so he could return it to Katarina, our Alpha's sister and one of my best friends.

From here, I needed to walk for approximately five hours within the neutral forest before I reached a road where I could hitch with someone who could take me to the city. 

And from there, I would take the train and leave this place to start a new life within the human territory. 

I’ve been planning this since I turned eighteen, but I never had the courage to do so. But with my impending marriage to a man thirty years my senior by the next full moon, I couldn’t delay this any longer. 

I needed to save myself because no one would do it for me.

I let out a deep sigh and slung my backpack over my shoulders before I began my journey, threading the ground not usually used for walking. I did my own research for months and found this way that I could use where I would be most unlikely to be seen.

I have to go unnoticed. And if I make it out of the neutral city, it would be easier to transfer from city to city and find a place I like. 

I knew I didn’t have so much money with me, just enough for me to survive for a month or two, but I knew how to work. And Katarina helped me with my fake credentials so I could apply for work under a different name. 

My wolf, Arrow, wasn’t happy with my decision to live with humans, but she didn’t stop me. Being with humans was way better than being married to an old man who smelled of strong tobacco and alcohol.

He had been eyeing me since I was seventeen, and after four years of negotiating for the right amount to buy me, my greedy uncle decided I was only worth $50,000 and sold me to him.

But I knew my worth. I am worth more than that. And besides, I didn’t want my life wasted being used for pleasure by some old, dirty pervert. 

I had to get away from here.

The full moon was already at its peak, and with my aunt going in heat, she and my uncle would be busy pleasing each other, and they would never even realize I was still out. And hopefully, by the time they noticed I wasn’t home, I would be long gone from here.

I stopped and leaned my back on the big tree, panting as I thought of my next move. I knew there was a small cave somewhere, and I could take a rest there for a few minutes before I continued. I didn’t want to summon my wolf yet. I would let her out when my feet could no longer carry me, so I just let her rest in the back of my mind, not letting her share her energy with me.

I was ready to start walking again when I heard twigs snapping and dry leaves rustling as big paws padded the earth. The sound was getting louder, making my heart pound in my chest.

Did somebody find out I was away and was looking for me?

Or worse, did a rogue smell me?

I got up on my feet and started running, not looking back. I prepared Arrow mentally to shift as soon as I gave her full control, but for now, I kept running, trying to focus on where I should be heading.

My heart constricted as the sound of paws thudding on the ground became louder. I could feel the color draining out of my face. Whoever was behind the sound was certainly running after me.

Please, please don’t be a rogue.

My hands balled into tight fists as I sprang faster. I tried to sniff the air, looking for a hint of the wolf running after me. But I knew it was impossible to catch a smell since I was ahead of him and the wind was blowing in the opposite direction. 

But then the smell hit me.

Instead of the rotten, disgusting smell that I was expecting, my nose was hit by the most delicious scent I had ever scented.

A musky forest scent mixed with mint and coffee. Intoxicating. Mouthwatering. Exhilarating.

I came to a complete halt from running. My lashes fluttered before my eyes closed as I reveled in the scent swirling around me, putting me in a complete daze, only to be jolted back into reality when a loud growl ripped through the thin air.

My eyes snapped open before I slowly turned around, ready to meet the owner of the intoxicating scent, only to be met by the deep dark black eyes of a big wolf glaring down at me.

Definitely not a rogue.

He was too beautiful, and his aura was strong. Too strong.

My eyes softened as I looked at him, and I could feel my core starting to throb.

But then the wolf snarled, baring its fangs at me.

My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped open as fear coursed through my whole body at the way he was staring at me.

Was he mad at me? What did I do wrong?

I inched backward, only for my foot to be caught in a protruding root, making me fall on my ass.

I gasped as the wolf lowered his head to my level, his eyes still glowing and glaring, his fangs still out for me to see.

I didn’t have time to think. I scrambled on my ass and launched onto my feet before I started running away.

I knew I would never be able to get away from him, but I didn’t want to stay there either.

So I ran, and I was not even a meter away when I felt pain rush from my hipbone before I felt his fangs digging deeper, piercing into my skin.

"Aaahhhh!" A scream escaped my throat as I tumbled and fell face flat on the ground. The big black wolf was still behind me, his fangs still attached to my skin.

"Please, stop..." I begged, my eyes closing, trying to control the excruciating pain coursing through my body. "Please..." 

This wolf was my mate. He was supposed to take care of me, but why was he doing this?

I didn’t want to die yet. My body trembled from too much pain as I asked my wolf to heal me. Arrow was also dumbfounded by our mate’s actions. She did her best to heal me, but the wolf wasn’t letting go of my body. 

Tears started to stream down my face as soft sobs escaped my throat. The pain was too much to bear, it was paralyzing all my senses. "Stop, please..."

I didn’t know when I stopped begging him, but I knew my body was numb already.

"F*ck!" A loud, deep voice came from behind me. His voice was so alluring that for a moment I forgot the pain I was feeling.

Curiosity got the best of me as I tried to tilt my head to see him, but he was on the other side. And I couldn’t move. 

Was he the wolf? Did he shift to his human?

Goddess, that voice I heard was so sexy! Or was I dying and hallucinating?

"Don’t move. I need to heal you." His deep baritone voice came again. 

I heard him loud and clear, but his words didn’t register at all. All I knew was, that despite the pain in my back, I felt tingles spreading in between my thighs, and my desire to have at least a glance at him was growing.

I wanted to see him, but before I could think of anything, sparks ran through my whole body as something wet came into contact with my hip bone. 

"What... are you... doing?" I gasped for air before a wanton moan escaped my lips.

"Goddess!" I cried in pleasure as his tongue continued to lap and s*ck my hipbone. Was he l*cking the area where his wolf bit me?

My senses were starting to cloud as I let myself get lost in the ecstasy of what he was doing. Shivers of pleasure and sparks were everywhere, and I felt a gush of wetness sipping through my underwear.

And then I felt my body being hoisted up and flipped over gently, and by the time I opened my eyes, I was already seated on someone’s lap, straddling him. 

My hands flew to his naked chest as my eyes caught sight of a hard d*ck pointing upward in my direction. Oh, Goddess!

I closed my eyes and tried to control myself, but my stupid heart and my throbbing core were making it hard. And I could hear him breathing hard. 

I slowly opened my eyes and tilted my head up. It was then that my eyes met the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen.

And everything happened at once. I felt a mate bond snap into place and everything else around us vanished.

It was just me and him. And as crazy as it sounds, for the first time, I felt complete. And contented.

"Mate..." His deep baritone voice was so calming. And too sexy.

I could tell that he was trying to read me. And I wish he would smile. 

But his face was showing no emotions, although his hands on my back, under my shirt, were saying otherwise as he gently ran his hard, callous palms down my skin. 

A slow smile crept into my lips, my head tilting backward as I reveled in the sensual way he was caressing my back.

"Mate..." I whimpered back, closing my eyes as the pleasure of sparks ran everywhere in my body, centering in my core.