All Chapters of Mating The Half She-Wolf: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The forest was colder than I remembered. Or maybe it was just the stillness, the way the trees didn’t move even when the wind passed through. My boots crunched softly on the cold dry earth as I followed Julian, deeper into the woods than we’d ever gone before.He didn’t speak much. Just moved with purpose, like the trees parted for him because they knew better than to stand in his way. I kept up, but I could feel the nerves building in my chest. Today wasn’t just about training, it was about the thing I had been avoiding.“Here,” Julian said, finally stopping in a wide clearing with fallen leaves and tangled roots. His breath misted in the cold morning air. “This is far enough. No one will hear you if you scream.”I swallowed hard. “That’s...comforting.”A hint of a smile curved his lips, but it was gone before I could confirm it. He turned to face me fully, arms crossed.“I brought you out here because I know you’re ready,” he said. “You can handle it. You just need to want it enough.

“You were in there a while,” Valerie said. She’d been waiting for me by the bike racks, typing away at her phone.I shrugged, swinging my bag over my shoulder. “Ruby had a moment.”Valerie raised her brows. “A violent moment or an emotional breakdown moment?”“Somewhere weirdly in the middle.”She made a face. “Creepy. Don’t let her mess with your head.”“I won’t.”But I wasn’t so sure. Something about what Ruby said clung to me, hard to shake off no matter how hard I wanted to push any thoughts of her. It wasn’t just about me. There was more to her fire than just spite.We walked to my car, and just as we were climbing in, a familiar figure approached. Levi was walking toward us, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. His dark hair was damp with sweat, curling slightly at the ends. He wore the school's black football jersey over a sleeveless compression shirt, and his cleats clacked against the pavement with each step. He looked exhausted, but there was a confident, easy grin on his f

ASTRA?I sighted Levi’s text the moment I picked up my phone the next morning. Still snuggled under my blanket, my fingers hovered over the keyboard before I hit send.MORNING. SLEEP GOOD?I stared at the message for exactly three seconds before sighing and tossing the phone onto the pillow beside me.I hadn’t slept.Not really.After Levi left last night—quietly, through the window like some kind of hormone riddled Romeo or shaolin ninja—I lay awake for hours, reliving every second of what happened. Every kiss. Every breath. Every word. Every touch.He’d kissed me again.And this time, I wasn’t confused. I’d never been more sure of anything in my life. I made a choice at that moment, to embrace it instead of running like I’d been so used to. The reality of it sat heavy and warm in my chest, equal parts terrifying and thrilling.The buzz of my phone startled me.BARELY. YOU WRECKED MY SLEEP SCHEDULE, HALF BREED.I grinned, chewing the inside of my cheek.SAYS THE BOY WHO SHOWED UP TO M

Somewhere in the woods, something howled—louder, angrier, in pain. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.Twigs snapped under our feet, leaves whipped against my skin. The wind screamed in our ears as we darted through the trees, the children huddled between us like invaluable treasure we couldn’t afford to lose.Monica led the way with, ever focused and calculative, while Ruby flanked the side, her hands held high just incase we needed a little fire power to help in our aid.My lungs burned, but I didn’t dare slow down.The training cabin came into view—small, stone-built, crouched beneath a canopy of weeping willows. It looked almost insignificant from the outside, a forgotten cottage—but we all knew what it was. Reinforced walls. Escape tunnels. A lock that could hold back gods, if need be.“Go!” Monica shouted, ushering the kids forward. “Inside, all of you—don’t be scared!”Claire was already there, waiting with Sierra. She and Valerie helped the younger ones climb the small porch

The air tightened like a noose around my throat.Vrael stood in the shadows, a grotesque specter made real, and every inch of me screamed to run. Not for my own sake, but for the children huddled behind us, for Valerie still clutching the little boy, for Monica who would rather die than let any harm come to any one of us, for Jerry who now stood at Levi's side, tense and ready to fight."I came for her," Vrael said again, voice dark and syrupy, as though he savored the words on his tongue.Levi moved to shield me fully, his shoulders square, muscles taut. "You came to die."The smirk on Vrael's face never wavered. He seemed entertained.Jerry stepped forward, his jaw locked. "We need to get the children out. Now."Levi didn’t take his eyes off Vrael. "Take them. You and Monica. Take everyone. Get them to the pack house.""And leave you here with him?" Jerry snapped. "You can’t take on three vampires alone. That’s suicide.""You worried about me?" Levi said, amidst the visible smirk, h