CHAPTER 1

ASHINA’S POV

The dream wrapped around me like a warm embrace, pulling me into a world that felt more real than waking life.

My bare feet melted into the soft soil as my body shifted, bones stretching, muscles flexing, fur sprouting along my skin. The change was effortless, as natural as breathing.

I was a wolf—wild, wicked and wondrous.

Beside me, another wolf ran, his presence as familiar as my own heartbeat. We moved in sync, making our way through towering trees, our bodies mere shadows against the silver glow of the moon.

The wind carried the scent of pine and damp earth. Every step sent a chill through me. It was pure joy, a deep, wild ecstasy that felt like wildfire.

At that moment, just as seamlessly as before, the shift happened again. Our bodies reshaped, fur melting into skin, claws retracting into fingers. We stood together beneath the night sky, breathless and bare.

I couldn’t see his face—his features blurred like a half-remembered dream—but I knew with firm certainty that he was my husband. My mate. The one meant for me.

The air between us crackled with something unspoken, something deep and magnetic. My pulse quickened, anticipation thrumming through me as if every fibre of my being recognized him.

Now that we had returned to our human forms and stood alone in the depths of the forest, a fiery passion ignited between us, burning hotter with every passing second.

The tingling sensation that suddenly overpowered my body welcomed him into me. We wanted to be lost in each other this very moment.

“Ahh, yeah, I love it just like this,” I moaned.

He was sucking on my neck and collarbone and the feeling was out of this world.

“You know, I want to mark you right now!” his husky voice resonated in my ears.

My man stood tall and confident, with a rugged charm that was both captivating and slightly dangerous.

His hair was tousled, hinting at the wildness within him, and his grey eyes held a mesmerising intensity, almost as if they could see into your soul.

There was an aura of primal allure about him, like he was in tune with instincts that could go beyond human comprehension.

As I lay on the damp flower bed, it aroused me even more. The scent mixing with his, inebriated my senses. I wanted to give him my all and I wanted him to do the same.

His fingers traced slow, tantalising patterns over my skin, adding fuel to a fire that spread through me like a fever. His tongue followed, teasing and exploring, sending shivers down my spine with every contact.

I had experienced a kiss before, but nothing—absolutely nothing—compared to this. This was more than just lips meeting; it was an unspoken language of desire, a collision of heat and hunger that left me breathless.

The way our bodies reacted to each other was indescribable, as if some invisible force had pulled us together, fanning the flames of a passion that neither of us could resist.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered in my ears.

“Mmm… Thanks,” I managed to reply.

The pleasure overpowering me was consuming me and it was the best intoxicant I had ever tasted.

Yes, this time, I licked on his neck, feasting on his skin, inhaling his scent.

It was a deep, rich blend of cedarwood, moist earth, and the raw, feral musk of a predator. It clung to him like the lingering touch of a forest after the rain, wild and untamed.

“I want to mark you too…”

“Breaking your own made rules, huh?” he chuckled.

“I—I.”

Before I could reply, his mouth was at my opening, exploring, savouring and sucking.

“You smell heaven… And taste so good. You’re driving me crazy.”

Every word he spoke sent a tremour through me, his deep, husky voice vibrating against my skin like a whispered command I couldn’t resist.

My body ached with anticipation, every nerve attuned to his touch, his presence, his raw dominance. Then, before I could even reach my peak, I felt him—thick, rigid, and unyielding—pushing inside me, filling me with a slow, deliberate intensity that made my breath hitch.

“Aah! You’re so big!”

“You’re so tight, baby.”

He loomed above me, his body a perfect blend of power and control, while my thighs parted instinctively, a silent invitation to take me however he pleased.

Each thrust sent a new wave of pleasure that spread through me, more intense than the one before.

He moved with a primeval rhythm, each stroke deeper, harder, more intoxicating, unravelling me with every shift of his hips.

My body arched to meet him, craving more, surrendering to the raw, unrelenting passion that built between us.

Every movement was a promise, a claim, a fire that burned hotter with each passing second.

Just as I was about to reach my climax…

“Ashina!”

My eyes snapped open, my breath still ragged from the vivid sensations of my dream. Then there he was—the very man who had been setting my body ablaze in my sleep—standing before me in the flesh.

“Boris!” I gasped, my voice caught somewhere between shock and lingering desire.

The abrupt transition from dream to reality left me disoriented, my body still thrumming with unfulfilled pleasure.

He had unknowingly—or perhaps deliberately—pulled me from the brink of release, leaving frustration simmering beneath my flushed skin. As much as I wanted to be annoyed, embarrassment quickly took over.

Had I made a sound? Had he noticed the way my chest rose and fell, the way my thighs clenched in desperation for the pleasure he had unknowingly denied me?

Heat rushed to my face, but his expression remained unreadable, his piercing gaze making it impossible to tell if he knew exactly what kind of dream he had just interrupted.

“You looked like you were having a nightmare or something. Are you alright?”

“Nightmare? Me?” I echoed, utterly baffled.

I stared at Boris, my mind still tangled in the lingering sensations of my dream, my body betraying me with its heat.

A nightmare?

Was he serious? I must have made some kind of noise in my sleep—maybe a groan, a whimper—but for him to mistake such a toe-curling, delicious dream for something dreadful? That was almost insulting.

I swallowed hard, trying to compose myself, but the embarrassment burned beneath my skin. My pulse quickened as I searched his face, but his expression was unreadable.

If only he knew the kind of torment he had just put me through by waking me at the worst possible moment.

“I’m alright, don’t worry.”

“I was just passing by and I heard you, so I just came to put you out of your misery.”

Misery, he said? I couldn’t cum and he made it more miserable for me.

“Thanks.”

Really Ashina? Thanks?

“You’re welcome, any time.”

“If you don’t mind, can I get some privacy now? I’ll be late for my meeting with—”

“—worry not! I completely understand.”

Boris cut me off. Of course, he wasn’t here to stay, what was I thinking? Or was I expecting him to finish what had started as a dream?

Immediately, he turned his back to me, walked to the door, closed it and vanished. Just like that, Boris was gone.

Never mind, Boris and the dream weren’t that important. What was more important right now was my meeting with Farkas.

Farkas was my husband. It had been a year now since we were separated. He would be here any time. I was excited.

I stood before the mirror, clad in delicate lace pajamas that clung to my curves, accentuating every soft dip and rise of my body.

My fingers trailed over my collarbone, the cool touch sending a shiver down my spine. My mind drifted, lost in the thought of Farkas—his hands on me, his voice thick with desire, whispering sweet, filthy things against my ear.

A sudden knock at the door shattered my fantasy.

“My dear lady,” the maid said softly. “Lord Farkas has returned.”

My heart was racing. He was home. I smoothed my hair, anticipation making my body hum as I turned towards the door. But the moment he stepped in, his expression was unreadable—cold, distant.

“I need to speak with you.”

“Of course, my love.” I smiled, stepping closer, but his next words froze me in place.

“I’m leaving you. I’ve met my true mate—my destined one.”

“What? Are you joking?”

“No, I’m not… We need a divorce.”