A Fearful Revelation

I stood there, paralyzed by fear, dreading that any wrong move might lead to a snapped neck or a wolf's jaws clamped around a vital artery. Then, Ray's fingers grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his intense gaze. His eyes felt like they were probing my very soul. "You are my mate."

It couldn't be true. The fates couldn't possibly be this cruel, pairing me with someone like him. It had to be a sick joke. In our pack, mating bonds were sacred and held deep significance. If a wolf was fortunate enough to form one, it usually came with increased strength and other benefits, possibly even the power to break curses.

Ray must have known about that myth; he was likely trying to get in one last dig at me. "That's a messed-up thing to joke about, even for you."

"I wish it were a joke," he admitted, his expression serious. "I wasn't certain until recently. As we got closer to the time you should have shifted, my wolf made it abundantly clear that we're meant to be together."

My emotions ch