Marked by Fate

Chapter Eight: Claimed

Evan had never experienced anything like this before. The pull had been there, simmering beneath the surface, growing stronger each day, but now, standing in the clearing before Claire, it was undeniable. His heart thundered in his chest, the bond roaring to life within him, urging him closer. He couldn't hold back anymore.

He watched her move through the forest, her fluid motions as she trained, so focused, so determined. But she was unaware of what was happening beneath the surface. She didn’t know what he felt, what was starting to consume him.

When she turned and saw him standing there, his eyes met hers, and in that instant, everything shifted. The pull surged through him, so strong that he couldn’t resist any longer. His body moved on its own accord, stepping forward, closing the space between them in a heartbeat.

“Mate,” he whispered, the word slipping from his lips like a command.

The air between them crackled with the intensity of the bond. Claire’s eyes widened, confusion and surprise flashing across her face, but before she could speak, the scent of her hit him—something sweet and wild, a mixture of rain and pine—and something else.

Desire. Her arousal.

The instant the scent reached him, his body responded. His blood burned, his wolf howled in his mind, urging him to take her, to claim her. His eyes darkened with need, every part of him craving her, but he could see the confusion and hesitation in her eyes. She wasn’t ready for this. She hadn’t chosen this.

That was when the shift in his body became unbearable. The bond was there, undeniable, pulling him toward her with a force he couldn’t fight. But as soon as he caught the scent of her arousal, something inside him snapped. His instincts went wild, the need to claim her overwhelming, and the guilt that followed hit like a tidal wave.

He couldn't do this to her.

The desire thrumming in his chest was too much. He had to get away from her before it consumed him completely.

He stepped back, his breath coming faster as he turned on his heels. The impulse to grab her, to press her against him, was overpowering. But he forced himself to leave, his legs moving quickly, almost running as he pushed through the trees.

His mind raced, but all he could hear was the echo of that one word in his head.

*Mate.*

And just like that, he was gone.