C2

"Ebu, you're gripping that seat like you're trying to crush the moon itself. Relax before you accidentally shift and tear the upholstery."

"It’s not the height, Ifu. It’s the confinement. Being trapped in this transport while the Northern winds howl outside... it makes my wolf claw at my ribs."

"Then let him claw. Or better yet, give him something else to focus on."

"Is that your solution for everything? Distraction?"

"Only when the distraction is as captivating as you. Your scent is spiking—it’s sharp, like ozone before a storm. You’re terrified."

"I am not terrified. I am... hyper-aware."

"Of what? The altitude? Or the fact that I haven't moved my hand from your wrist yet?"

"Both. Mostly you. Who are you really, Ifu Okoye? A Dominion wolf doesn't just sit in the common cabin of a Great Beast transport by accident."

"I told you, I have interests in Valemont. And as for my 'occupation'... let's just say I ensure that things stay in their rightful place. I’m a shepherd for those who have lost their way."

"You don't look like a shepherd. You look like the wolf the shepherd was warned about."

"Perhaps I'm both. Now, breathe. The Great Beast is about to take flight. Follow my lead."

"Fuck, that drop—"

"Focus on me, Ebu. Don't look out the port. Look at my eyes."

"I can't... the pressure, it feels like the pack bond is snapping."

"Nothing is snapping. I have you. Feel the weight of my hand. I am the earth, and you are grounded to me."

"Why are you doing this? You don't even know me."

"I know the sound of a heart that beats in sync with the old laws. I know the look of a male who is carrying the weight of a bloodline he doesn't understand yet."

"You're talking in riddles. Just... just keep talking. Your voice is the only thing keeping my claws in."

"Then listen. When we land at Ravenfall, the air will change. It will smell of damp earth and ancient silver. You’re going there to find your history, aren't you? The Adeyemi name carries a scent that hasn't been smelled in Valemont for twenty years."

"How do you know that name? I haven't mentioned my father."

"I told you, I pay attention to details. Your pulse just jumped. Why? Does the name Xavier Adeyemi frighten you?"

"He’s dead. My past is a graveyard. I’m just going to Valemont to claim a legacy I never asked for."

"A legacy is never asked for, Little Wolf. It is inherited. Sometimes through blood, sometimes through fire."

"Is that what this is? Fire? Because every time you look at me, I feel like I'm burning alive."

"That isn't the burn of the coffee, Ebu. That’s the pull of the moon. You’ve been suppressed in Blackthorn City for too long. Your wolf is recognizing a peer."

"A peer? Or a Master?"

"Would you like to find out?"

"Where are you going? The transport hasn't leveled out yet."

"I need air. Real air. Not this recycled cabin scent."

"The refreshing chambers are at the front. Go. I'll be right behind you."

"You’re following me? This is a public transport, Ifu."

"And you are a male in distress. It’s my duty to assist. Besides, we have unfinished business regarding that 'distraction' you mentioned."

"This is insane. We're thirty thousand feet in the air, on our way to a city of monsters, and I'm letting a stranger hunt me."

"I’m not hunting you, Ebu. I’m claiming the space you’re offering."

"I’m not offering anything."

"Your eyes say otherwise. They’ve turned amber since the turbulence started. Your wolf isn't scared anymore. He's hungry."

"Stop talking. Just... get in here and lock the door."

"As you wish. But remember, once that bolt slides home, there is no 'first class' or 'Dominion' between us. There is only the Pack. Do you understand what you're asking for?"

"I'm asking you to make me forget the sky. Make me feel the ground again."

"Then hold onto the sink, Little Wolf. I’m going to show you exactly how a Northern wolf marks what belongs to him."