LOGIN~ Harvey ~
Zev howls angrily, digging his claws into my mind, demanding we go and take care of Maya. And honestly, I want to go to her too.But she has no injuries, and a vampire just attacked her — so an interrogation now is what will get me to the bottom of the vampire threat and protect Maya and the whole pack. Zev is still unsettled, though even he knows I'm being reasonable.The vampire is in the dungeon, and I head there with the vampire prince, a few of his c~ Harvey ~"I have an emergency," I mumble, and sprint toward the pack house, leaving Maya alone in the garden — though part of me stays behind with her.My heart drums as I get the location from Troy and, taking Nico and a dozen warriors, shift and vanish into the night. Brian stays behind, on standby in case the pack is attacked too, and to alert the Vampire Council and Lazar about the ambush.As afraid as I am for Gina and my crew, one thought still crosses my mind: at least now we might catch Dorian's trail and move closer to ending these vampire attacks for good.The moment we reach the location, I shift back — and Gina, still shaking, tears streaming down her cheeks, lunges into my arms."Thank the Goddess you came. I was so terrified," she sobs, pressing closer to my naked body, and it feels deeply uncomfortable. I pat her back awkwardly, trying to ease back and put some distance between us, but she only clings tighter, like chewed
~ Harvey ~Stony silence."Okay," Maya's sweet voice confirms.Zev is prancing about in my head, thrilled to see his mate. All day, he's been pressing me to invite Maya for a run so he could see Kitty — and, frankly, I wanted to share the run with Maya, too.Running together under the moonlight is a special, deeply intimate gesture for werewolves, and somehow, I feel an urge to experience it with her.Outside, I strip and shift since Zev is desperate to meet Maya. The beast — nearly the size of a small horse — is genuinely just looking forward to being petted by her, like the lovesick puppy he is."Hey — don't think that just because you arranged a run with our mate, I'll tolerate your insults," he growls, but his fury dies the instant he spots Maya stepping onto the path.He pricks his ears, and for a while, we both simply admire her — she looks like an angel under the moonlight. Her porcelain skin glows, her hair loose
~ Maya ~Rowana wasn't wrong. Elder Kit practises with me for a few hours — how to keep my powers from flaring at every flicker of emotion — and we don't make a single attempt to actually summon them. It's not that the training is useless, but it only really works as a complement to what Rowana teaches me."How was your training?" Harvey asks the moment I slide into the car."Amazing," I reply, then add, to be polite, "How's your day going?"He shrugs. "Could be better. My intelligence team is working day and night, and we still can't find where Dorian is hiding. And Maya—" He inhales sharply. "About Georgina. She's staying in the pack only because Dorian is targeting her. I know that isn't easy for you, but it's the least I owe her — for putting a psycho bent on revenge against me on her tail.""I understand," I whisper back. I honestly hadn't expected any explanation from him — least of all one that sounds like an apology. And honestly,
~ Maya ~"Princess, are you all right?" I hear Harvey's voice, and my eyes flutter open, darting around the room. No one's there. Maybe it was just a dream. But as I rub my eyes and stretch lazily, I hear his voice again, loud and clear."Maya?"I blink nervously, searching my room again."What the hell is going on? Am I losing my mind?" I curse silently.And I hear him laugh."You're just not used to mind-linking yet," he says softly, and I blush with embarrassment. How did I not realize that, with my wolf awakened, I can now mind-link with pack members?"Where were you last night? I came to check on you, and your room was empty," he asks.I bite my lip and mumble, "I was in the garden."Technically, I was in the garden last night. I'll just skip mentioning what I was doing there. Hmm — so, technically, I did lie, didn't I? Shit. I hope I didn't just mind-link all of that to him. I suck in a breath.
~ Harvey ~I still can't fully process that Maya is an elemental wolf. I'd bet even the wildest imagination couldn't have seen this coming."I always said our mate is special," Zev says affectionately.True. Even as a wolfless girl, Maya was one of a kind — beautiful, intelligent, graceful. Just thinking of her makes my heart race, and, unbidden, the Elder's words echo in my mind: "Zev sensed the strength of Maya's wolf and claimed her as his own." So was it nothing but instinct?"No. That wasn't the reason," Zev objects."How would you know? You don't remember anything.""I just know," he snaps, losing his patience. "I have a feeling — and that explanation sounds far too far-fetched.""Do you have a better one? You said yourself you don't feel the mate bond," I sigh deeply — because somewhere along the way, I secretly began to dream of being Maya's fated, of slipping free of an engagement-for-alliance that stopped bring
~ Maya ~ Without waiting for an invitation, Rowana breezes past me, sets the tray on the table, and just smiles, watching me. "Don't be afraid, little girl. I mean no harm," she says, as if speaking to a child, and Kitty bares her teeth. I don't care for her patronizing tone either. "I'm grown, and the Luna of this pack," I hiss. I'm no child, and no weakling — I'll make sure this arrogant witch treats me with respect. Her smile widens as she teases me. "Oh, of course, Luna. Don't mind an old hag. I'm about the age of your great-great — I've lost count of how many greats — grandmother. One thousand seven hundred and sixty-five, to be exact. So forgive me for acting like an elder — I only thought I might teach you a few tricks." I narrow my eyes and fold my arms across my chest. "You're not really here to protect me from vampires." "Bingo. And I'm not here to chat and braid each other's hair, ei







