When Elaine looked around, her breath caught in her throat.
Just a few feet away stood a massive black wolf, its fur glistening under the faint rays of sunlight that filtered through the canopy of trees. Its eyes—dark and intense—locked with hers, and in that moment she knew without a doubt: this was no ordinary wolf. This was an alpha. His size, the power radiating off him, the quiet authority in his gaze. It was undeniable.
Her mind raced. What is he doing here? No one is supposed to be here. This is my place. My escape.
A flicker of panic surged through her chest, and instinct told her to run, to hide herself before he got too close. But something in his stare stopped her. It wasn’t threatening, not the way she expected from an alpha who stumbled upon someone trespassing.
Instead, h
