Chapter 5
576words
He leaned closer, inhaling deeply near my neck. "There's something different about your scent... something hidden."
I stiffened. The herbs Eirina had given me to mask my true nature—had they begun to fade?
"It's you," he whispered, his voice filled with wonder. "All this time..."
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused by the intensity in his gaze.
"I need to be sure," he said. "Show me your wolf form. Tonight, in the forest."
The request shocked me. I hadn't shifted in front of anyone since my father died.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because I need to see all of you," he answered, his eyes never leaving mine. "Please, Lena."
How could I refuse when he looked at me like that? Like I was something precious.
"Okay," I whispered. "Tonight."
---
Moonlight bathed the forest clearing as I stood facing Derek. We were alone, miles from the mansion.
"Are you nervous?" he asked.
"Yes," I admitted. "I haven't shifted in front of anyone in years."
He smiled gently. "I'll go first."
Without another word, he began to change. His transformation was fluid and powerful—the mark of an Alpha. Where the man had stood, a massive black wolf now watched me with familiar amber eyes.
My turn. I closed my eyes, calling to Silver. The shift rippled through me—bones realigning, senses sharpening. When I opened my eyes, I was on four paws.
Derek's wolf stared at me, completely still. I knew what he saw—a silver wolf with fur that glowed in the moonlight. My eyes, now shining bright gold, were nothing like their usual hazel.
He approached slowly, circling me. His eyes filled with surprise and tenderness, like he'd finally found someone he'd been searching for. When his nose touched mine, a warm current flowed between us, heating my entire body. His gaze was full of affection, making my heart race.
Then he darted away, looking back as if to say, "Follow me."
We ran under the moonlight, one black and one silver, a perfect match. For the first time in years, I didn't feel alone. We chased and played, and he stayed close to me, each touch making my heart skip a beat. In this forest, I had found someone who belonged to me.
Hours later, exhausted and exhilarated, we shifted back to human form. Derek stood before me, his eyes still glowing with the wolf's energy.
"The herbs," he said suddenly. "The ones you've been using to mask your scent—they washed away when you shifted."
I touched my neck instinctively. Eirina's herbal mixture that had protected me for years—gone.
"Your true scent," he continued, stepping closer. "I've been searching for it my whole life."
"What do you mean?" I whispered.
"It is you," he said softly, his voice filled with certainty now. "You're my Mate."
"What?" I whispered, though deep down, I'd felt it too—that pull, that connection.
"The electric feeling when we touch," he explained, stepping closer. "The way my wolf responds to yours. The silver light that connects us." He took my hand, and the familiar current flowed between us. "This is a Mate bond, Lena. The Moon Goddess has chosen you for me."
"But I'm just an Omega," I said, unable to believe what he was saying.
