جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 4

YEARS AGO.“No, Mama,” the little girl wails, clinging to her mother. Her tiny fists knot into the folds of Adeline’s cloak, her voice trembling with terror. “I don't want to stay here.” Adeline’s heart shatters, but she swallows the sob clawing its way up her throat. She crouches low, pressing her forehead to her daughter's. “You must, my love,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “They’ll find you if you stay with me.” The girl wonders if the 'they' means the man with claw-like hands that ripped out her father's heart while she hid trembling in the attic or the strange figure her mother once worked for, the one who died in the fire she accidentally caused when she scrambled from under the bed and knocked over a candle. Her tiny fists tighten around her mother's cloak, tears streaking down her chubby cheeks. “ I'm sorry , Mama. I’ll be quiet, Mama! I’ll hide!” Adeline grips her daughter’s face with trembling hands, forcing her to meet her eyes. “Listen to me, Freya. You are

*LEONIDAS* Drogo, my wolf growls relentlessly in my head as my fists slam into the punching bag. He wants nothing more but to be with his mate. The thought alone sends me into another fit of rage. A human mate? The moon goddess got to be kidding me. My knuckles throb as the bag jerks violently with each strike. But I don't stop. I hiss when the bag burst , swallowing my fist. My chest heaves, sweat dripping down my temples as I draw my hand out , glaring at the ruined bag. ‘Let’s go to mate.’ Drogo’s voice echoes in my mind, eager, impatient. I curse under my breath. The damn wolf seems to have forgotten— she’s human. That alone should be enough to reject her and end her like the others. But I can't seem to do that. It's the mate bond, I tell myself. But that human smells different. I grab a towel and wipe the sweat from my face, but it does nothing to cool the heat burning beneath my skin. Drogo paces restlessly inside me, claws scraping