ECHOES HITCHED

04

Lyric stood outside, attempting to catch her breath as a flood of overwhelming emotions surged through her. The adrenaline from the performance still coursed through her veins, mingling with an aftertaste of stage fright that clung to her like an unwelcome shadow. The world around her blurred momentarily; the cacophony of the crowd, the vibrant lights, and the echo of music faded into the background as she struggled to regain her composure.

After a moment of stillness, she resolved to step back inside the venue, wanting nothing more than to immerse herself in the familiarity of the crowd once again. But just as she turned, she found herself confronted by a pair of piercing, cold eyes. The unexpectedness of the encounter caused her to flinch in surprise.

His gaze held a magnetic intensity—dark brown hair framed a strikingly handsome face, and his golden eyes shone with an inner fire, their rims a deep coffee brown that created the illusion of flames dancing within. The air around him carried an earthy allure, reminiscent of the comforting scent of fresh soil after a gentle rain, grounding yet invigorating.

As he stood there, towering over her at an imposing six foot five, Lyric felt both intimidated and strangely drawn to his presence. She took a step to pass him, but before she could, he reached out and gripped her wrist, pulling her towards him with a possessive force that left her breathless.

“Mine,” he growled, the word reverberating with a raw, primal authority that sent shivers down her spine.

“Yours?” she asked incredulously, confusion knitting her brow. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Knox, the man before her, felt an unexpected mix of anticipation and frustration. He had always known that finding his mate would be a momentous occasion, but the reality of it was complicated by Lyric’s stubbornness and exuberance. Her youthful energy vibrated against his, and while he had anticipated a sense of recognition or connection, it seemed that the mate bond was still invisible to her. She struggled in his grip, her strength proving insignificant against his.

In an attempt to savor the moment, he inhaled deeply, indulging in her intoxicating scent—a delightful blend of chocolate and lavender that made his fangs elongate in instinctive response. It was exhilarating, yet he forced himself to restrain the urge to mark her, knowing that such an act might provoke a fierce reaction from her.

Finally, as she realized his determination, she managed to stammer out the first question that blurted from her lips, “Who even are you?”

“Knox,” he replied, watching as her body stilled at the sound of his name. The weight of his identity seemed to hang in the air—he was the Alpha of the Hollow Moon Pack, a name spoken with a mix of reverence and fear. Yet, despite her knowledge of him, she seemed blissfully unaware of the significance that lingered in the space between them.

“So? Let go of me,” she retorted defiantly, her fiery spirit igniting once again.

“No,” he replied simply, the finality in his tone making it clear that the conversation was over.

“Why?” Lyric’s eyes narrowed, unwilling to accept his refusal.

“Because you’re my mate,” he said, his voice laced with determination and an undercurrent of possessiveness. As he spoke, the word hung in the air between them, heavy and electrifying. She froze, the reality of his declaration crashing over her like a wave. Mate? The concept felt foreign and impossible, a future that seemed too vast and overwhelming for her to accept. She wasn't ready for such a commitment.

With a movement both gentle and commanding, Knox pulled her closer, burying his face in her neck. The intoxicating scent that enveloped her was an addiction he couldn’t resist. Each inhalation drew him deeper into a world where only the two of them existed—where time stood still and all that mattered was the undeniable bond pulling them together. His fangs ached, urging him to sink into the delicate crook of her neck, to claim what was rightfully his.

“You're mine, and I'm yours,” he rasped, his voice a low whisper that resonated through her, enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth and longing as his nose filled with her mesmerizing fragrance. In that moment, she was both tantalizingly close and impossibly far away, caught between disbelief and an unnameable desire.

"Nope." Her voice was firm, even as she pried herself free from his hold, adrenaline surging through her veins as she sprinted away from him. The world around her felt frenetic, a whirlwind of emotions that she couldn’t quite comprehend, with the whole concept of 'mates' spinning her thoughts into chaos. The idea of being bound to someone so completely was overwhelming, and she was nowhere near ready to embrace that reality.

As Lyric walked back into the hall, a suffocating wave of anxiety washed over her, doubling her unease compared to when she had first stepped outside. The atmosphere was thick with the mingling scents of unfamiliar colognes and the lively chatter of her peers, but all she could focus on was the rapid thumping of her heart. Raven, her protective sister, immediately sensed her distress. With an instinctive grace, she placed her palm gently on Lyric’s, a silent inquiry passing between them.

"What's wrong?" Raven mouthed, her brow furrowed with concern.

Lyric, caught in the turmoil of her thoughts, shook her head in response. She had no intention of sharing the truth, the raw reality that she had just encountered her mate — Knox, a figure of authority who commanded respect and fear in equal measure — and had vehemently rejected him. The weight of that rejection bore down on her, a secret she couldn’t share, especially not with her sister, who would undoubtedly see that her heart was tangled in a conflict between duty and desire.

But deep down, a flicker of knowledge knew the rejection wouldn’t hold. Knox was not one to accept defeat easily; he was relentless, a man driven by a sense of dominance and determination that unsettled her. She had no doubt he would track her down, piecing together the shards of her resistance until he confronted her again. The thought of being forced into a marriage weighed heavily on her, the idea of surrendering her freedom for a bond she wasn’t ready for made her anxious stomach twist in knots.

For now, though, she allowed herself to cling to the fleeting illusion of freedom, however temporary it might be. It was a brief reprieve from a future she was determined to evade, at least for the moment. With clenched fists and a racing heart, Lyric steeled herself against the storm that threatened to breach her carefully constructed defences.