Chapter 16
602words
"He's not taking any chances," Derek murmured. "He wants us dead before we can reach the council."
My heart raced, but I wasn't afraid—not like before. With Derek beside me and our bond strengthening us both, I felt capable of facing anything.
"Together?" I asked, already knowing his answer.
Derek's lips curved into a fierce smile. "Always."
We shifted simultaneously, our transformations perfectly synchronized through our bond. Where we had stood, now a massive black wolf and a sleek silver one faced our attackers. The silver light emanating from my fur seemed brighter than ever, casting long shadows across the clearing.
The enemy wolves hesitated, clearly unnerved by the power radiating from us. Through our bond, Derek and I coordinated without words—a perfect understanding that transcended language. *You take the three on the right. I'll handle the left.*
The largest wolf, a scarred gray beast, made the first move. He lunged at Derek with bared fangs, but we had anticipated it. Derek sidestepped with impossible grace, while I circled behind, cutting off the second wolf's attack. We moved as one entity, each aware of the other's position and intentions as if they were our own.
The fight erupted in a chaos of snarls and flashing teeth. Yet amid the frenzy, Derek and I maintained perfect harmony. When one of us faltered, the other was there instantly. When I took a hit to my flank, Derek felt it through our bond and immediately sent me a surge of his strength. When he was cornered by two attackers, I channeled my healing energy to him, refreshing his stamina.
One by one, our attackers fell back, wounded and disoriented by our coordinated assault. They had expected to find two weakened individuals, not a unified force amplified by the Mate bond.
The scarred leader made one final, desperate lunge at me. Derek intercepted him mid-air, the two large wolves colliding with bone-jarring force. I felt Derek's pain through our bond as the enemy's teeth found his shoulder, but I also felt his fierce determination. In one powerful movement, Derek threw the attacker off, sending him crashing into a tree trunk.
The remaining wolves retreated, dragging their injured leader with them. Their howls of frustration echoed through the forest as they disappeared into the darkness.
We shifted back to human form, breathing hard but exhilarated. Derek immediately pulled me into his arms, his hands checking me for injuries despite knowing through our bond that I was largely unharmed.
"That was..." I began.
"Perfect," he finished, his eyes bright with wonder. "I could feel your every move, your every thought."
I nodded, equally amazed. "It was like dancing with someone who knows all your steps before you take them."
Derek's expression grew serious as he cupped my face in his hands. "Lena, what we just did—that level of synchronization—it's not normal, even for Mates. The elders speak of it as something that takes years to develop, if it happens at all."
"The silver wolf," I whispered, understanding dawning. "My father once told me that silver wolves were meant to be protectors, that our power grows when we have something—someone—to protect."
Derek pressed his forehead to mine, our breath mingling in the cool night air. "I can feel everything you're feeling," he said softly. "Your determination, your courage... your love."
