3: XAHEN ITHORNO

THEODOSA.

I didn’t hesitate.

I ran like my life depended on it.

Who was that?

How on the realm was it possible that I had another mate? One who came from Kingdom Obsidian.

It made no sense.

And why, oh goddess why, did he tell me to run?

He said I returned again, like he knew me. What the hell was that about?

The trees whipped by me as I ran for my life, but in truth, I had no idea where I was running to.

The ground began to vibrate, heavy thuds coming up from far behind me.

And all the midnight runs I’d participated in at Duskmire made the telltale sound of a running wolf easy to pick apart.

I picked up the pace, heart pounding with adrenaline. The soil was soft and littered with all sorts of fallen branches and obstacles.

Like a fool, I tripped. Landing on my hands and knees in the dirt.

I knew I should have gotten back up and kept going, but I couldn’t stop myself from glancing over my shoulder.

And that’s when I saw bright golden eyes in the darkness. His wolf was massive.

Its steps slowed, its snout lowered to the ground as it bared its teeth. Spittle dripped menacingly from massive fangs.

It was stark black, so dark coloured all I could really see were its bright eyes, and where its massive paw sank into the soil as he studied me.

It was growling, and with every second, the reverberation grew more intense.

And my body wasn’t as scared as I needed it to be. Despite the fear in my chest and mind, my body was... alive.

Thrumming and basking in the presence of this menacing wolf I’d never seen before.

Mate. Mate. Mate.

Did that mean the man...?

If there was a wolf in this forest chasing me. And there was a man, who told me to run. That meant... the man knew I would be chased.

He was the one chasing.

Something clicked in my chest.

In my heart.

Was this... Xahen Ithorno?

No...

Goddess, no.

Because that would mean... Xahen Ithorno... was my mate?

I backed away as my body finally got the message.

We were in danger.

We were about to be ripped apart by this wolf because if I remembered correctly, Xahen couldn’t control his wolf.

That’s why he told me to run.

Common sense slammed into me and I got to my feet and ran again. Weaving through the trees to disorient the wolf. I puffed and heaved as I ran, risking another glance over my shoulder.

When I saw his wolf this time, I faltered.

He wasn’t moving.

He was growling into the ground, repeatedly shaking his head and fur, snapping his teeth at nothing, like he was fighting control.

What the...

The wolf suddenly stiffened, then those golden eyes came back to me.

In the next second, the beast lunged into the air in an attack.

I screamed, running until the path ended.

The darkness didn’t let me see what was at the bottom of the hill.

It was covered in thick fog.

I turned around as his wolf slowed in front of me, pawfalls easing up as he realized he had his prey right where he wanted me.

In the span of one night, my life had spun completely off course.

I was rejected by my mate, then given another that wanted me dead in almost the same breath. Cast away from my home and thrust into the most dangerous Kingdom in the realm.

I was standing face to face with the very myth parents used to scare their children into behaving right.

The simple concept of Xahen Ithorno spoke darkness into your soul.

I was damn near paralyzed.

One more step backward, and I’d fall right off the cliff.

The wolf’s head dropped low, growling as he prepared to lunge.

“Please,” I squeezed my eyes shut as I cried, “Don’t hurt me!”

But it was too late.

His momentum was already set.

I curled into myself and the beast lunged for me.

I felt the attack before I fell into oblivion.