Book 3 -26-

[A Chosen Mate?]

ARIELLA

When everything was said and done, I shifted and took flight to the woods, leaving Malik to deal with whatever came next. Had he asked me to stay, I would have. Be that as it may, I understood he would prefer I not be present when his people arrived.

For as long as I could remember, I had been raised to fear and avoid hunters at all costs. They were often seen as the enemy, a bloodthirsty force who would stop at nothing to annihilate my kind.

That was before I met Malik. Although he might seem rough around the edges, I could ascertain that somewhere underneath his raw exterior, he had a kind, good-natured heart. He also seemed like a man capable of turning just about anybody into an ally. I hoped his people would prove no different.

Once I was far enough; hidden behind a tree from prying eyes, I stopped. My chest heaving with strained breaths, I leaned my body against the rough bark and tried to calm my racing heart. It was as if I had run a marathon. Whe