Don't think about running again

They ran together, six wolves howling as one. The island trembled with ancient magic, something raw, wild, and powerful.

All around them, the trees swayed like they too felt the shift. It was dawn by the time their bond finally loosened, and one by one, the wolves shifted back into their human forms.

Tara stirred first. Her body ached, her head heavy. She blinked into the soft light seeping through the trees, trying to make sense of where she was.

Then she heard it.

A voice—familiar, soft, and inside her head.

"Hi, Tara."

She turned fast, looking around in panic.

"You can't see me… I'm inside your head," the voice said, laughing gently.

Tara froze. Her heart skipped.

Her wolf. She could feel her now.

Everything that happened the night before came rushing back like waves crashing on shore. Her wolf had come. Finally.

She sat up, scanning the clearing with wild eyes until they landed on a figure close by. She scrambled to her feet and ran toward her.

"Taylor! Hey, wake up!" she shook her sister hard.

The blonde girl groaned and blinked, sitting up slowly.

"Tara..."

"Yes, it's me. I'm here. Wake up."

Taylor looked around, eyes widening with memory. "Tara… our wolves. They— they came."

Tara nodded, eyes misty. "She spoke to me... I can feel her."

They hugged tightly, grounding themselves in the warmth of each other's presence. But then a deep growl echoed from somewhere nearby.

They tensed. More growls followed.

They followed the sound carefully, weaving through the trees, until they stumbled upon a tense scene.

Four men. All standing, facing each other like they were about to fight. The pull of the bond slammed into the girls again. Their wolves stirred and howled inside them, clawing for the attention of those men.

Four mates.

The air was thick with tension. Then, like magnets, all four pairs of eyes snapped toward the sisters.

Tara's breath caught in her throat.

Taylor gripped her hand tightly.

They were frozen—until Tara glanced down and felt her stomach drop.

They were both completely naked.

Before she could speak, Amarok was already moving toward them.

"Don't even think about running. Again." he growled, low and sharp.

He reached them in seconds, pulling off his fur-lined coat and wrapping it around Tara. Geri did the same to Taylor.

Tara clutched the coat tightly, her eyes drifting to the two unfamiliar men still standing nearby. One of them had his hand resting gently on the other's back.

"I don't know what this is," the taller one said. "But it needs to stop. There's no way we're mated to you."

Amarok scoffed. "Hell no. You think I want to be mated to a man?"

The other man growled. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You think you're better than us?"

"Don't talk to my brother like that," Geri snapped, storming forward to grab the guy's shirt.

"Touch him again and I'll rip your damn hand off," Salem snapped, shoving Geri back.

Amarok lunged, gripping Salem by the collar. Chaos erupted. The men wrestled like wild dogs, power crashing between them.

"Enough!" Tara's voice sliced through the tension.

Everyone froze.

"Do you really think fighting each other will fix this?"

The men glared, breathing hard, but said nothing.

"We're just as confused as you," Taylor added, her voice softer. "But the bond… it's real. You feel it too."

Salem sighed and pulled Orson closer. "We don't want trouble. But this—this is too much."

"Then stop throwing insults," Geri snapped.

"Geri," Taylor warned, frowning.

Tara stepped forward. "We don't understand any of this either. So instead of fighting, maybe we should head back to camp and find someone who does."

Geri threw his hands in the air. "Only yesterday we found out we're mated to two sisters. Now you're telling me there are two more? What is this, a goddamn soap opera?"

Salem crossed his arms. "Orson and I are already mated. Marked. How the hell are we feeling this bond too?"

"We don't know," Amarok said. "But we need to figure it out before someone gets hurt."

Geri muttered, "I sure as hell won't be bending over for either of them. Or fucking their assholes."

Growls rumbled from Salem and Orson.

"Geri!" both girls snapped at once.

Taylor scowled. "Can you not make this worse?"

Tara sighed. "Look… whatever this is, we all feel it. We can't deny that."

None of them argued that.

The walk back to camp was anything but peaceful.

The Six of them moved in silence, each pair lost in thought. Every now and then, someone would glance sideways, eyes searching for understanding or escape. The weight of the bond pressed on their chests like a secret none of them had the courage to say aloud.

The sisters walked ahead, arms grazing but not holding. Tara's thoughts spun like a storm. Every step closer to camp was a step deeper into a world they didn't ask for. Behind her, she could feel Amarok's gaze burning into her back. Geri's stare never left Taylor either.

And the two others, walked with tension thick between them.

As the camp came into view then came the shout.

"Girls!"

Curtis stood eyes wide with worry. Stone and Vera right behind him.

Tara barely had time to breathe before her father's arms wrapped around her. Taylor followed into the embrace. His chest rose and fell too quickly, his relief obvious.

"You're alright," he whispered, pressing his palm to the back of Taylor's head. "Thank the goddess. We were searching everywhere."

"We're fine," Tara said softly. But her voice didn't match her eyes. She looked over her father's shoulder to where the four men had stopped—just a few paces behind. Watching.

Stone stepped forward next. "Tara," he murmured, his voice filled with something unspoken. His arms wrapped around her, but before she could say anything, a low, dangerous growl rumbled behind them.

Curtis turned sharply just as Amarok took a step forward, jaw clenched. Geri mirrored him.

Stone didn't back down. He turned slowly, shielding his sister just a little. "You got a problem?"

"She's my mate," Amarok snapped. His voice wasn't raised, but the steel in it was louder than any scream. "Don't touch her like that again."

"She's my sister," Stone growled back, not flinching.

Geri laughed, low and cold. "Family or not, you touch what's ours again, and we'll break more than your nose."

Curtis stepped in between them, his tone sharp. "Enough. We're not doing this here."

"Then let's do it somewhere else," Geri muttered under his breath.

"Geri, stop," Taylor warned gently. "Please."

For a beat, silence settled again. The girls stood beside their father, flanked by their brother and Vera. Across from them, the four males stood like mountains. Tense and waiting.

Then Amarok spoke. His voice was gruff, tired. "We need answers."

Salem stepped forward then, calmer than the others. "So do we. Because this? This doesn't make any sense."

Curtis raised a hand to calm everyone. "I understand. We all need answers. But right now, you're dirty, you're all half-naked, and emotions are high. You need to clean up, clear your heads, and then we'll sit and talk."

"We don't have time to clean up," Geri muttered. "What's the point?"

"You watch how you speak to my father," Stone snapped.

"Or what?" Geri snarled, stepping forward.

"Try me and find out," Stone growled back.

"Stop it!" Tara snapped suddenly, her voice sharp and commanding.

Every gaze snapped toward her.

"All of you—go to your tents. Clean up. Cool off. Then we talk."

Taylor nodded, stepping beside her. "And no more threats. No more growling. Just… calm down."

Curtis exhaled, his shoulders sagging with quiet relief. He nodded at the girls, proud.

Without another word, the sisters turned and walked toward the camp. Vera followed silently, glancing once at the Frost brothers, then away.

Behind them, Amarok, Geri, Salem, and Orson stood frozen for a moment, still watching them leave.

Their bond tugged painfully at their chests. It wasn't over.

It was just beginning.