Witch in wolf's clothing - Namaari

Chapter 28: The Hunt

Just as Tazzym seems like he’s about to say something, two girls drape themselves over him, including the Alpha's daughter from the Wavecrest pack. They beg him to dance with them too.

Tazzym looks a bit flustered. "Uh, yeah, of course."

I step away from Tazzym, my face a mask of cold politeness. "Enjoy your evening, Alpha Tazzym."

His eyes meet mine, filled with an apology he can’t voice, but I don’t linger. I need to get away from this chaos. "Noali, let's go for a run. I've had enough."

Noali chimes in, "Finally, but your spell... if the triplets are our mates, they'll be able to smell us."

I storm through the dunes, heading toward the cliffs. "First of all, it's clear they're not my mates. And second, they're so distracted by all the women there, if I'm far enough away, they'll never catch my scent. I never catch their attention anyway," I add quietly, the last part almost a whisper.

The rest of the way, I walk in silence, my thoughts a storm of frustration and sadness. When I reach the cliffs, I gaze out at the sea, letting the cool breeze calm me.

"Here we go," I say softly before I transform into my wolf, Noali.

In wolf form, I feel the power and freedom of my true self. Noali’s coat is thick and deep black, with subtle dark brown and red hues that only reveal themselves in the right light. Her eyes retain my deep green color but glow more intensely, especially in the dark. The golden flecks in her eyes seem even brighter. Her stance is both regal and intimidating, her movements graceful yet powerful. Just like in my human form, Noali bears a small, mysterious half-moon mark on her left flank, an heirloom from my mother. Some might think it is a birthmark.

Noali takes a moment to relish the transformation, feeling the cool earth beneath her paws and the wind ruffling her fur.

"Let's run," I say to Noali, and we take off along the cliff's edge, the worries and frustrations of the evening fading with each powerful stride.

I suddenly hear loud howls from various wolves in the distance. "The hunt must have started," I huff in my mind to Noali.

Noali slows down, lying down in the sand at the base of a cliff, enjoying the sound of the waves. "It's nice to run on the beach and through the dunes. Back home, it's always forests. I like it," she says, making me giggle.

But then Noali jumps to her feet. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"I smell..." Noali begins, but then three wolves appear, howling and growling as they approach. They form a half-circle around Noali.

I recognize the wolves immediately by their shining silver-gray and silver-white coats. Kaino and Zoltan. The third one, with a thick silver-gray coat, must be Talon — Tazzym's wolf.

"Mates," Noali says to me.

"Oh s**t," I respond as the three wolves come closer. "Please, Noali, run away."

"But they are our mates, I want my mates, Namaari," Noali says.

"I feel attracted to them too, but we can't forget how they've often treated us like s**t, and they've been chasing girls all night to find their Luna. They don't deserve us. Besides, Nikolaj would kill them," I argue.

Noali sighs, "Namaari, I'm sure they want us too."

"Please, Noali, I'm just so confused. I don't know what I want. I need some time to figure this out. Please, I beg you," I plead.

Noali sighs again, "Okay. This is hard." She takes off through the sand, heading into the dunes and towards a gorge in the cliff.

The three wolves immediately start chasing her. "Faster, Noali, we need to lose them," I urge.

Kaynim’s POV

We stand together, my brothers and I, ready to shift. The single women have already shifted and bolted in all directions, hoping to be found quickly, especially by Tazzym or me. Zyméo is here just for fun and company.

"Got anyone in mind?" Zyméo asks just before we shift.

I sigh. "Nope. I'll see who proves themselves worthy along the way. This whole thing feels like a waste of time. I need someone who won't demand too much attention. We have enough problems to deal with in the pack."

Zyméo chuckles. "Unbelievable. And you, Tazzym?"

Tazzym shrugs. "No idea yet. Someone fuckable, I guess."

Zyméo laughs. "Wow, this will be interesting."

We begin to shift into our wolf forms, ready to start the search for a partner. "Let's start along the coast," I say.

Our wolves trots leisurely, covering a good distance along the shoreline. Some of the female wolves almost throw themselves in our path, but Kaino growls them away. I mind-link my brothers, "I don't want someone so easy."

Zyméo chuckles through the mind-link. "I'd like to get back to the packhouse by tonight to get some sleep."

"Shut up, little brother," Tazzym snaps. "You already have someone. We have to do the hard work here."

"Yeah, if you spent more time on meaningful relationships, we wouldn't be in this situation," Zyméo retorts.

Then, suddenly, we catch a whiff of a light, floral scent with a hint of something mystical. It drives our wolves wild, and we immediately follow the scent.

"Damn, what is that smell?" Tazzym says.

And then, in our sight, a magnificent black wolf appears. Our wolves growl, and all three of us say in the mind-link, "Mate!"

Our wolves closes in, the scent growing stronger with every step. The black wolf ahead of us seems hesitant, her steps unsure.

"Why doesn't she look excited? Doesn't she know we're the Alphas?" Tazzym asks through the mind-link.

"I know my wolf wants to pounce on her, and I feel the attraction too, but I don't like not knowing who this is," I reply, trying to keep my thoughts clear despite the overwhelming urge to chase her.

"s**t, I hadn't planned for this, Seraphina…" Zyméo says. Suddenly, the black wolf bolts.

"f**k Seraphina. That's our mate. We can deal with your issues later. My wolf and I want our mate now. I need to know who she is," Tazzym growls, his wolf starting the chase.

"Okay, Zyméo. Let's support our brother. I want to know who she is too, and besides, I can barely control Kaino," I concede.

"Yeah, Zoltan is also eager to be close to his mate," Zyméo adds.

With that, Kaino and Zoltan join Talon in the pursuit. The dunes blur past us as we focus solely on the chase, our wolves driven by an irresistible pull.

We push harder, the scent guiding us. My thoughts are a whirlwind — confusion, anticipation, and a raw, primal need to claim what is ours. The black wolf’s pace quickens, but so does ours.

As we close the distance, the dunes give way to a narrow path through the cliffs. The black wolf darts through it, and we follow, our hearts pounding. The hunt is on, and we won't stop until we have our mate.

The black wolf is quick and agile, darting left and right, leaping over boulders and squeezing through tight spaces. Each time we think we've got her, she eludes us again. She jumps over a fallen tree, and we follow, our paws pounding the ground. She ducks under a low-hanging branch, and we have to skid to a stop, losing precious seconds as she gains ground. Her movements are precise, calculated, almost as if she's taunting us with her agility.

"She's incredible," Tazzym mind-links, his voice filled with a mix of admiration and frustration.

"Agreed. We need to corner her. Let's herd her toward that cliff up ahead," I reply, spotting a narrow ledge that offers no escape.

"Good idea. Zyméo, flank her from the left. I'll take the right. Kaynim, push her forward," Tazzym directs.

We spread out, closing in on her from different angles. Her ears twitch, sensing our strategy, but we press on, determined. She takes a sharp turn, but Zoltan is already there, cutting off her escape route. She doubles back, only to find Talon blocking her path. Panic flickers in her eyes, but she quickly regains her composure, scanning for another way out.

Her movements become more frantic, her attempts to evade us growing increasingly desperate. She leaps onto a rocky outcrop, but Kaino and I are right behind her. She tries to climb higher, but Zoltan blocks her path.

Finally, we force her to the edge of the cliff. She looks down at the sheer drop, then back at us, her green eyes wide with defiance. There's no escape.

"Now," I mind-link, signaling Tazzym.

With a powerful leap, Talon pounces on her, pinning her to the ground. She struggles beneath him, but he's too strong. He leans in, ready to mark her, his teeth grazing her neck. He can no longer contain himself, his primal instincts taking over.

Just as Talon is about to bite, the black wolf shifts into human form. The woman beneath Talon struggles and yells, “Stop, get off me, don’t you dare mark me!” I recognize the voice instantly — Namaari.

Talon immediately backs off and shifts back, as do Kaino and Zoltan. The three of us stand there, dumbfounded, staring at Namaari. She scrambles a bit farther away on the ground, trying to cover her naked body with her arms and hands. She's still panting from the chase, avoiding our gaze.

Tazzym speaks first, his voice filled with shock. “Namaari… you’re our… how…”

I run my hands through my hair, feeling the weight of the situation. “s**t, how is this possible?”

Namaari looks me straight in the eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. “Sorry that I disappoint you.”

Tazzym and Zyméo turn their angry glares towards me. But it’s not that I don’t want Namaari; in fact, of all women, she’s the one who attracts me the most. But I can't admit that. I must fight the desire I feel for her. She’s always causing problems, we’re always fighting, and it stings that she’s had many partners. She only distracts me from my focus on the pack. Besides, we've just managed to repair our relationship with Nikolaj—this could ruin that friendship all over again.