Fates Entwined

2

I couldn't help but loathe everything about their new alpha too—his cockiness, his arrogance, and the way my pulse raced when I looked at him, like a drumbeat echoing through my veins. I loathed that most of all.

I moved silently but swiftly, darting through the brush to get away from him, but it seemed Jordan was not so easily deterred. I heard his soft footsteps approaching, and the sound of his breath mingling with the rustle of leaves. He was close—too close—and I couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the thought of him seeking me out, even as I tried to convince myself it was the last thing I wanted.

I stilled beside a tree, waiting for him to pass, knowing he couldn't see me, and held my breath as he approached. His shining hair was longer than when we'd last met and a bit unruly as if he'd been dragging his hands through it. He wore a black shirt that did nothing to conceal his broad shoulders or those muscles rippling along his body, along with dark jeans that hugged his hips so well it made it impossible for my eyes not to dip down and wonder what was underneath.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the forest where I stood. "You know, I'm starting to think you're avoiding me."

Fuck.

"You can't hide from me forever, Stella," he continued, his voice tinged with amusement and something more, something that sent another shiver down my spine. He breathed in sharply, and his eyes closed for a moment. "I can smell you, even if I can't see you."

Damn alphas. Their senses were always so sharp. The air around us crackled with tension, and I knew he wasn't going to let me go this time. I had to face him.

"Leave me alone, Jordan," I snapped, dropping the veil of invisibility.

His entire body focused on me with an intensity that fueled the unwanted fire within me. "I can't do that."

I swallowed hard. "What do you want?"

He took a step toward me. "You feel it, don't you? This...pull between us."

I tried to move back, but the tree was behind me. There was nowhere for me to go. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You do. I see it in your eyes." His voice was low and husky, and he stepped closer, his broad shoulders blocking out the light, forcing me to acknowledge his presence. "I've felt it from the moment we met. Even before the mating bond with Ayla was broken."

I bit my lip, refusing to look into his eyes, but deep down, I knew he was right. There was an undeniable connection between us, one that had grown stronger since our first meeting. Now that he was no longer falsely mated to another woman, the feeling was overpowering. And yet, I couldn't bring myself to admit it aloud.

"Feelings can be deceiving," I muttered, trying to dart around him.

Jordan reached out and grasped my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. The warmth of his touch made me gasp, and my gaze jerked up to meet his. The determination I saw on his face sent another shock of heat through me.

"You can deny it all you want, but the second we shift, we'll know it's true," he said.

"Stop," I said, shaking my head as my pulse beat faster. He was too close. I couldn't think like this. "Just shut up."

His fingers tightened around my wrist. "Stella, you're my mate."

Mate. The word I'd tried so hard to ignore hung between us for a few seconds before I managed to jerk my hand away. "No. I can't be your mate."

I shoved past him, needing to break the spell he had over me. On weak knees, I managed to stumble away, though longing filled my chest to the point it became hard to breathe. I pushed it down, focusing on the other emotions I felt around Jordan, like anger and annoyance. That strengthened me, and I picked up speed with each new step.

"Stella, wait!" Jordan called out behind me, and I didn't have to look back to know he was following me. Damn him. Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

I didn't respond, didn't even look back as I stormed out of the forest, stomping the grass beneath my feet with my hurried steps. I emerged near the spot where the Ophiuchus had set up our tents and spotted Ayla in front of the one she shared with Kaden. Her red hair shimmered in the firelight, a striking contrast against the darkening sky, but all I saw were her blue eyes, which looked just like Jordan's.

"Tell your brother to stay away from me," I snapped, not slowing down.

She looked taken aback, her eyebrows darting up with unspoken questions, but she wisely said nothing.

I escaped into my tent, where I knew Jordan wouldn't dare follow. Not with his sister right there, anyway. I roughly closed the flap, shutting out the outside world, and sucked in a breath. I thought I'd feel relief as soon as I stepped inside, but the air in the tent was heavy and oppressive.

I sank down onto my cot, dragging my hands across my face, but Jordan's words continued to haunt me. The worst part was the infuriating knowledge that he was right, and I couldn't deny it any longer. But I wouldn't give in, and wouldn't let my emotions betray me and my pack. I refused to become his mate. Refused to become one of them.

No matter the cost, I would not let the Leo pack claim me as their own.

CHAPTER TWO

In the dim light of my tent, I sat with my knees drawn up to my chest, my thoughts a whirlwind of memories and conflicting emotions. Outside I heard raised voices and knew the Convergence was starting. I should have been with the other shifters representing the Ophiuchus, but instead, I was hiding like a coward, all because the Leo alpha would be there too.

The Leo and Ophiuchus packs had once been bitter enemies, but now here we were, reluctant allies bound together by a shared victory over the Sun Witches. The weight of that alliance pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket. I still had a hard time believing my brother could forgive the Leos so easily and accept them as allies after everything they'd done to our pack...and to our family.