Mated by Fate

6

For a moment, she considered storming off in anger, but then she realized that she'd be harming herself in the process. Her love for running was undeniable, and Zephyr was right. As much as she despised admitting it, she couldn't continue to encourage a relationship with Kieran. It wouldn't be fair to him. With a quick nod to Zephyr, she transformed into her wolf form and darted into the forest, aware that he was following closely.

Beneath her paws, the leaves crunched, and the world around her became a blur as she raced through the forest. Leaping over logs and weaving around tree trunks, she ran for the sheer joy of it. Her eyes constantly scanned the terrain, adjusting her path and pace accordingly. Meanwhile, Zephyr ran behind her, not attempting to overtake her, but she sensed he was holding back. His breathing was calm and controlled, no sign of exertion.

Nielle pushed herself to test the limits of the wolf behind her. Time and time again, she sprinted faster, but Zephyr effortlessly matched her pace, never falling behind or trying to pass her. She realized he was toying with her, and annoyed, she veered off the path, heading into rougher terrain. She barrelled over a crest, charged down a slope, and splashed across a stream, only to charge up the bank. Her breath grew ragged, but she refused to give in, aiming to leap over a brush pile ahead.

Suddenly, she was knocked to the ground. Instinctively, she fought, snapping and rolling, trying to escape her attacker, but she couldn't evade Zephyr. Within moments, he had her pinned to the ground, his teeth lightly gripping her throat.

Instinctively, she froze and whimpered in submission. Zephyr released her and sat back. She shifted back into her human form, as did he. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, while Zephyr seemed far less winded.

"Why did you do that?" She panted.

"There's a leg trap just ahead of you. A few more yards, and you would have stepped into it."

Nielle turned to look, and there it was, barely visible in the carpet of leaves – a steel trap. She thought of her mother, killed with her leg caught in a similar device, and shuddered.

"This morning, scouts reported more poachers in the area. We're near the edge of the property, so I was on the lookout. Rest here for a minute. I'll disable that trap and check for others."

"I'm coming with you," she asserted, not willing to stay behind.

"Fine, but stay behind me." Zephyr warned her before finding a sturdy stick to carefully release the trap's trigger. Nielle jumped as the trap snapped shut, breaking the stick. She shivered, thinking about the pain it would cause to have her leg ensnared in it.

For another half-hour, they scoured the area, finding four more traps before Zephyr was satisfied there were no more. "We'll report this to your father when we get back, and he can send more scouts to check." He gathered the traps into a pile, marking their location so they could be retrieved later. Traps were never left sprung, as hunters would just reset them. This way, the poachers would incur financial losses.

"Thank you," Nielle said, touching Zephyr's arm.

"For what?"

"For stopping me. I could have broken a bone if I stepped into one of those."

"I'm your Alpha now. It's my job to look out for everyone in the pack, especially you. As my mate, you're the most important member to me." Zephyr gazed at her intensely, and she blushed.

"Yes, but I should have been more attentive to where I was going. I know these woods, and I wasn't paying attention."

"What were you thinking about instead?"

She hesitated before answering, "You, or more precisely, I was testing you to see if you could keep up."

A crooked smile appeared on his face, and he drew her in for a quick kiss. "Rest assured, Nielle, no matter what you throw at me, I'll keep up with you." She sensed he was speaking sincerely.

They shifted back into their wolf forms, and this time, Nielle followed Zephyr as he led the way out of the woods. When they arrived at the cabin, she went to the bathroom while he informed her father about the traps.

The run had left her hot and sweaty, and she couldn't wait to get clean. Leaving her clothes on the bedroom floor, she walked into the bathroom and turned on the water, adjusting the flow and temperature. As the water cascaded over her, she reflected on the morning's events. Zephyr had been polite and even kind. He had saved her from a dangerous trap, and while he had been a bit bossy, she couldn't fault him – after all, as the Alpha, he needed to take charge.

Zephyr's reaction to Kieran had been intriguing as well. He hadn't been outwardly aggressive but didn't seem encouraging of her relationship with the other male. Was it simply instinctual territorial behavior? After all, she was his mate, and no one else was allowed near her. Most likely, that was the answer. She couldn't expect him to have deeper feelings for her beyond a sense of responsibility since she was now a member of his pack.

Nielle wondered if this would be the way things were always with Zephyr – polite interest, a mate who was simply there. Would he ever come to genuinely care for her, or was she destined for a lukewarm relationship? If she had been mated to Kieran, it would have been so different. A wave of sadness washed over her as she contemplated her future.