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The green-eyed monster was close by, she could feel it. She could hear its breath, putrid and heavy behind her.

Cathy couldn’t understand why she was running from the beast, the only thought chasing itself in her head was that she had to run even faster. But how fast could she go before the beast caught up with her? She couldn’t remember the beginning of the chase all she remembered was stumbling into the woods, her feet pressing into moss and wet soil.

Where are my sandals? She wondered.

Her chest burned, she was losing her breath and that didn’t make any sense to her. She was a wolf! Why was she running when she could have easily transformed into her wolf and fiercely attacked whatever it was behind her? And she was not a small wolf. Cathy knew that among the members of the Dark Storm pack, both new and old, she was one of the strongest.

So, why was she running from the monster?

A small voice told her she was right to run, that switching forms would only make things harder.

Behind her, the monster was beginning to get closer. Cathy’s heart pounded in her chest but the beast’s heart pounded harder and the bass boom of its beating heart and feet against the forest floor shook the ground.

“You can run but you can’t hide!” it was a growl.

What the fuck? Where did that come from? It sounded like it came from all directions in the woods yet she knew it had to be from behind her.

She was tempted to look back and see but some strong force held her neck stiff, forcing her to put one foot in front of the other, one hand in front to cut the thick air before her.

“You can’t hide, Cathy!”

Of course, he knew her name! Now the temptation to look back was far greater than before, overpowering her initial survival instincts.

Don’t look back! Her mind warned.

Oh, what was the harm in seeing what it was that was so relentlessly chasing her through the dark forest?

Sweat poured down her face, running down the sides of her face to drop into the flimsy cotton shirt that clung to her chest, soaked with her sweat, Cathy took the risk and looked back over her shoulder.

And right at that moment she ran hard into a tree and the impact knocked the breath out of her. She stumbled and dropped to the ground and when she opened her eyes she was shocked to see that there was no one behind her.

“What the fuck?” she whispered. Her jaw hung open causing salty sweat to run past the top of her lip into her mouth. Her chest was still beating heavily but was fast slowing down.

There was no one there and a scan of the floor told her that hers was the only footsteps to be seen around.

But there had been someone – something there. She had seen the flash of green eyes and the claws and scaly skin. He was out for her for whatever reason.

She knew it! She heard him! But…Cathy began to wonder if she was going crazy.

She started to squint her eyes to use her powers when her back suddenly tensed. There was something behind her. Something huge was standing behind her. She felt it close the distance between them only it was only 2 feet away, too close for her to fight and too close for her to run without it reaching out and catching her easily.

Cathy felt it grin and knew. It had known she would be too curious and would not risk a glance over her shoulder at it and even now it was waiting for her to look again.

She would not give it that satisfaction. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

Cathy knew she couldn’t scream, there was no one around to hear her or save her. The beast was huge, if she transformed into her wolf he would rip her apart in the blink of an eye. So while the beast continued to watch her she plotted. What was she going to do? How would she escape? Maybe if she pretended she was dead or insane he would let her go?

No, he knew she wasn’t dead and definitely not insane given how fast she had reacted to him chasing her.

While those thoughts chased through themselves in her head, the beast came even closer, and this time he squatted behind her.

“I told you, you can run but you cannot hide, Cathy.”

She shivered but it was not from the chill in the woods, it was the chill in her bones. The monster was huge but more than that he was hot, he radiated a heat that chilled her rather than warmed her.

She tried to shift, to move away from him but that force held her motionless once again until she couldn’t move.

“Cathy Cathy Cathy,” the monster said, and slowly the growl became less distorted and its voice began to get clearer. “Cathy Dark Storm.”

Her blood ran cold. She recognized that voice.

A hand came up to touch her hair and it slowly traced a line from the back of her head to the side of her face. As it made its slow descent to her neck she looked down, unsurprised to find that the hand touching her belonged to a man and not a monster.

That hand and the bite mark on it.

“Why were you running, my Cathy?”

She drew in a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak and all her words were sucked out in a moan as those masterful hands drifted to the front of her body, making slow traces on her skin until they dug beneath the cotton blouse to cup one breast.

She sucked in another breath and released it in a moan. The dampness of her blouse heightened the sensation those fingers aroused inside her, she ached her back.

“That is my girl,” he whispered and toyed with her nipples. “That is my Cathy.”

He pinched her nipple and she let out a silent cry.

“You are a vixen,” he laughed and she blushed but couldn’t feel ashamed enough to pull away.

She knew it was a dream but she didn’t want the dream to stop. She didn’t want to open her eyes to reality because, in reality, she would never let this man touch her. So let him touch her in the dream and when she woke up she would pretend this never happened.

He laughed behind her, his laughter as deep as she remembered. “Not a chance, Vixen. You want me in your dreams and you want me when you wake up,” he told her and brought his hand up to hold her chin and slowly he led her face, tilting it until she was almost facing him.

She started to open her eyes to his green gaze, those dangerous eyes that hid a violent past and many secrets. Those eyes that made her want to swoon. And as her lashes began to flutter open…

Her alarm went off!

The shrill sound invaded her head and brought her back to life.

Cathy woke up with a start, her hand flying to her left breasts quickly, and realized with relief – and a lot of disappointment that there was no one sensually squeezing her nipples.

That was good, right? So why was she disappointed that Theodore Cyneric was not actually in her room with her in the Dark Storm mansion slowly making love to her after giving her a wild chase through the woods?

Cathy Dark Storm gave her head a violent shake. Christ, what is wrong with me? She thought as she violently threw the bedcovers to the side and swung her legs to the ground. Long, shapely legs tapered down to lean ankles and she walked barefoot across the room to open the windows. The early morning sun accompanied by the pleasant morning breeze swept the remnants of her dream away but the thought of Theodore’s hand on her remained.

She groaned.

That damned Cyneric!

A knock on her door brought her back to her senses. The door opened and a dark head full of curly hair peeped in. It was Maggie Dark Storm, Luna of the pack and the most powerful member.

“Just checking in to make sure you hadn’t disappeared.”

“I wouldn’t dare. I have a club to manage. Now get out of my room and let me get ready.”

Maggie laughed and with a wave, shut the door.

Indeed she had a club and Phoenix’s Claws, her club was her biggest achievement this year. She would not let anything get between her club and her. Not even the gorgeous and dangerous Theodore Cyneric, she vowed and with that thought, Cathy turned away from the window and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day.