The Unexpected Mate

Chapter 3: The Bond Awakens

Tiana didn't realize she was shaking until she reached the edge of the forest.

Her legs felt weak.

Her heart refused to slow down.

Everything she'd seen in the clearing replayed endlessly inside her mind.

The silver-eyed wolf.

The female wolf's hatred.

The way the larger wolf had protected her.

Protected.

The word alone made her stomach twist.

Why?

Why would a wild animal risk itself for her?

None of it made sense.

By the time she reached home, her thoughts were a tangled mess.

She pushed open the front door and immediately found Rachel waiting in the living room.

Relief flooded her aunt's face.

Then anger.

Then fear.

All within the span of a few seconds.

"Where were you?"

Tiana frowned.

"Walking."

Rachel stood.

"In the forest?"

The question came too quickly.

Too sharply.

Tiana crossed her arms.

"Why does everyone suddenly care where I walk?"

Rachel froze.

The words seemed to hit harder than expected.

For a moment, genuine guilt flashed across her face.

Then she looked away.

"Tiana..."

"No."

Tiana shook her head.

"No more secrets."

Rachel sighed heavily.

The sound seemed older than she remembered.

Tired.

Defeated.

"I wish I could tell you everything."

"Then do it."

Rachel's eyes filled with sadness.

"I can't."

The answer shattered what little patience Tiana had left.

Without another word, she walked past her aunt and headed upstairs.

"Tiana."

She didn't stop.

"Tiana, please."

Her bedroom door slammed shut.

Silence followed.

For several moments she stood motionless.

Trying to breathe.

Trying to think.

Trying not to scream.

Everything was changing.

She could feel it.

The strange sensation that had followed her for weeks continued growing stronger.

Like invisible threads were pulling her toward something.

Toward someone.

Her chest tightened.

A strange warmth spread through her body.

The feeling wasn't painful.

Just unfamiliar.

Almost comforting.

Yet somehow it scared her more than fear itself.

She crossed the room and stared out the window.

The forest stretched endlessly beyond the property.

Dark.

Mysterious.

Waiting.

Her gaze drifted toward the place where she'd found the footprints.

Nothing remained.

Rain had washed away the evidence.

Yet she knew what she'd seen.

Just like she knew the wolves were real.

A sudden knock startled her.

"Tiana?"

Rachel's voice.

Soft.

Careful.

Tiana didn't answer.

The door slowly opened.

Rachel stepped inside.

For a moment neither spoke.

Then Rachel sat on the edge of the bed.

"You look like your mother."

The unexpected statement caught Tiana off guard.

"What?"

Rachel smiled sadly.

"The older you get, the more you look like her."

Emotion flickered across her face.

"She was stubborn too."

Despite herself, Tiana listened.

Rachel rarely talked about her parents.

Not in detail.

Not anymore.

"Your father used to joke that nobody could ever win an argument against her."

A small laugh escaped Rachel.

Then faded.

The sadness returned.

"They loved you more than anything."

Tiana swallowed.

A familiar ache formed in her chest.

"I barely remember them."

Rachel reached over and squeezed her hand.

"I know."

Silence settled between them.

Then Rachel surprised her.

"There are things about your parents I haven't told you."

Tiana's heart skipped.

Finally.

Answers.

"Why?"

Rachel looked toward the window.

Toward the forest.

And for the first time, genuine fear appeared in her eyes.

"Because some truths are dangerous."

The words sent chills through Tiana.

Dangerous.

Not painful.

Not difficult.

Dangerous.

"What does that mean?"

Rachel hesitated.

Then—

A loud crash echoed from downstairs.

Both women jumped.

The sound had come from the kitchen.

Rachel immediately stood.

"What was that?"

Tiana followed her into the hallway.

Neither spoke as they descended the stairs.

The house felt unusually quiet.

Too quiet.

Every instinct inside Tiana screamed that something was wrong.

By the time they reached the kitchen, the back door stood wide open.

The wind blew through the room.

Curtains fluttered.

A vase lay shattered across the floor.

Rachel's face turned pale.

Very pale.

As if she'd just seen a ghost.

"Aunt Rachel?"

No response.

Rachel stared at the open doorway.

Frozen.

Terrified.

Then she whispered a single word.

"No."

A deep growl echoed from outside.

The sound rumbled through the air.

Powerful.

Dangerous.

Not human.

Tiana's blood ran cold.

The growl came again.

Closer this time.

Much closer.

Rachel grabbed her arm.

Hard.

"We need to leave."

"What?"

"Now."

Fear filled her aunt's voice.

Real fear.

The kind Tiana had never heard before.

Another growl shattered the silence.

Followed by a second.

Then a third.

Whatever was outside...

there wasn't just one of them.

And suddenly, for the first time in her life, Tiana understood something terrifying.

The wolves weren't the only creatures hiding in the darkness.

Tiana's heart slammed against her ribs.

The grip Rachel had on her arm tightened.

"We have to go."

The words came out rushed.

Panicked.

Nothing like her usual calm voice.

Tiana stared at her aunt.

"What is happening?"

Rachel shook her head.

"No time."

Another growl echoed through the night.

This one sounded different.

Closer.

Meaner.

The sound sent chills racing down Tiana's spine.

Then came the scratching.

Long claws dragging across the outside wall of the house.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Like whatever lurked outside wanted them to know it was there.

Tiana's stomach dropped.

The scratching continued.

Rachel immediately pulled her toward the front door.

"Move."

Fear flashed through her aunt's eyes.

Real fear.

The kind that couldn't be hidden.

The kind that made Tiana's own panic grow.

They had barely reached the hallway when a loud crash exploded behind them.

The kitchen window shattered inward.

Glass sprayed across the floor.

Tiana screamed.

Something dark landed inside the house.

Not a wolf.

Not exactly.

The creature stood on two legs.

Its body looked twisted.

Wrong.

Dark fur covered its skin.

Its eyes glowed red beneath the kitchen light.

The creature snarled.

Revealing rows of sharp teeth.

Tiana's blood turned to ice.

"What is that?"

Rachel shoved her toward the front door.

"Run!"

The creature lunged.

Everything happened at once.

A powerful roar erupted from outside.

The front door burst open.

A massive black wolf flew into the house.

The impact shook the walls.

The silver-eyed wolf.

The same wolf from the clearing.

The same wolf from her dreams.

He crashed into the red-eyed creature.

Both monsters slammed into the kitchen cabinets.

Wood splintered.

Plates shattered.

The entire house trembled.

Tiana stood frozen.

Unable to move.

Unable to breathe.

The silver-eyed wolf was even larger up close.

His body radiated strength.

Power.

Authority.

Every movement seemed controlled.

Deadly.

The red-eyed creature attacked again.

The silver-eyed wolf met it head-on.

Their growls echoed through the house.

Rachel grabbed Tiana's hand.

"Now!"

The spell broke.

They ran.

The moment they stepped outside, cold air hit Tiana's face.

The yard was chaos.

More wolves surrounded the property.

Huge wolves.

Gray.

Black.

Brown.

All of them facing the forest.

Protecting the house.

Protecting her.

The realization stunned her.

They weren't here to attack.

They were here to defend.

A howl shattered the night.

The sound came from deep within the trees.

Several answering howls followed.

Tiana's heart sank.

There were more creatures out there.

Many more.

The wolves around the property became tense.

Ready.

Waiting.

Then another wolf emerged from the shadows.

The gray female.

The one who hated her.

Lyra.

Even in wolf form, the hostility in her blue eyes was unmistakable.

She looked at Tiana with obvious resentment.

As though her presence alone was offensive.

Before Tiana could react, Lyra shifted.

Bones cracked.

Fur disappeared.

Within seconds, a woman stood where the wolf had been.

Tiana's jaw dropped.

Impossible.

Absolutely impossible.

Yet she was seeing it with her own eyes.

The woman wore dark clothing.

Her blonde hair fell around her shoulders.

She looked directly at Rachel.

"We need to move her."

Rachel nodded.

"I know."

Tiana blinked.

Move her?

Move who?

Then realization hit.

They meant her.

"Hold on."

Both women looked at her.

"Can somebody explain what's going on?"

Lyra rolled her eyes.

The gesture immediately annoyed Tiana.

"No time."

"No time?" Tiana repeated.

"A giant wolf just crashed through my kitchen!"

Lyra looked unimpressed.

"Trust me. That's the least shocking thing you'll learn tonight."

Before Tiana could respond, another roar echoed from inside the house.

Everyone turned.

The battle continued.

The walls shook.

A moment later the silver-eyed wolf burst through the ruined kitchen doorway.

Blood stained his dark fur.

His silver eyes immediately found Tiana.

Locked onto her.

The strange warmth inside her chest exploded.

Powerful.

Intense.

Almost overwhelming.

The wolf froze.

His gaze never leaving hers.

For a brief moment, the chaos around them seemed to disappear.

Nothing existed except those eyes.

The same eyes she'd dreamed about for years.

The same eyes she'd somehow always known.

A strange ache filled her chest.

An ache that felt suspiciously like longing.

The realization terrified her.

She didn't even know who he was.

Yet something inside her recognized him.

The silver-eyed wolf took a cautious step forward.

Then another.

A low growl suddenly interrupted.

Lyra.

She stepped between them.

Immediately.

Possessively.

The silver-eyed wolf's expression hardened.

His eyes flashed.

Warning.

Authority.

Lyra reluctantly stepped aside.

But the hatred in her gaze remained.

Tiana noticed.

And for the first time, she wondered why.

Why did this woman hate her so much?

She had never met her before.

Yet the resentment seemed deeply personal.

Almost painful.

The silver-eyed wolf approached.

Slowly.

Carefully.

As though afraid she might run.

Tiana's heart pounded.

Every instinct told her to back away.

Instead she stood still.

The wolf stopped a few feet away.

Close enough for her to see every detail.

Every scar.

Every strand of dark fur.

Every flicker of emotion in those silver eyes.

Because there was emotion.

A lot of it.

Relief.

Concern.

Protectiveness.

And something else.

Something deeper.

Something that made her breath catch.

The wolf lowered his head slightly.

The same gesture he'd made in the clearing.

Respect.

Recognition.

Connection.

A strange pressure suddenly exploded inside Tiana's chest.

Pain shot through her body.

She gasped.

The world spun.

The warmth she'd been feeling all day intensified.

Growing stronger.

Hotter.

Brighter.

The silver-eyed wolf immediately moved closer.

Concern flashed across his face.

"Tiana!"

Rachel's voice sounded distant.

The pressure continued building.

Something was happening.

Something impossible.

Then a voice echoed inside her mind.

Deep.

Male.

Familiar.

Mine.

Tiana's eyes widened.

The voice wasn't spoken aloud.

It came from inside her head.

The silver-eyed wolf froze.

Shock filled his eyes.

As though he had heard it too.

The bond had awakened.

And neither of them could stop what came next.