Moonbound

touch of fire

Chapter Three

The Wolf Awakens

Evelyn

The morning fog had lifted, but the Blackwood estate still felt like another world. Rain had left everything glistening—wet grass, dark trees, and the mansion looming like a silent sentinel.

Evelyn wandered closer to the forest edge than she probably should have. The thrill of being somewhere forbidden was irresistible. Every step made her pulse hammer in her chest, partly from excitement… partly from the memory of last night, of those golden eyes, of the way he’d made her feel seen.

A sudden rustle in the underbrush made her freeze.

Her heart skipped.

She wasn’t alone.

A shadow darted between the trees—too fast to be a human. Too deliberate to be an animal.

Her breath hitched.

Before she could retreat, a hand wrapped around her arm, strong, steady, grounding.

“Evelyn.”

His voice was calm. Controlled. But the heat radiating from his chest told her otherwise.

She looked up. Colt stood there, wet hair plastered to his forehead, eyes glowing faint gold in the early sunlight.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, gently guiding her back. “It’s not safe.”

She swallowed. “I—”

“Don’t answer.” His tone brooked no argument. Yet he didn’t push her away, didn’t smother her. He simply held her in place, firm enough that she could feel his heartbeat through his chest, controlled enough that he didn’t crush her.

Something inside her fluttered.

Terrifying. Irresistible.

Colt

His wolf surged violently the moment she stepped closer to the tree line.

Mine.

He forced the thought down, pressing his control into every fiber of his being. She couldn’t know yet. She didn’t understand the danger of being near him—not yet.

But the wolf could sense her. Smell her. Need her.

And that needed restraint, because the last thing he wanted was to scare her away.

He glanced toward the forest. Movement. Shadows weaving through the trees. Predators. Or worse—curious pack members who would not hesitate to test her.

He gritted his teeth.

“No one touches you,” he whispered, more to himself than to her.

Her pulse skittered under his words. She felt it—something protective, possessive, consuming. Something dangerous.

Evelyn

The rustling grew louder.

Something—or someone—was coming.

Her first instinct was to panic, to run back toward the mansion. But Colt’s hand tightened slightly on her wrist. Not enough to hurt. Enough to anchor her.

A low growl rumbled from him.

Her stomach flipped. She had never heard a man growl before.

And yet… it didn’t feel like a threat to her.

It felt like a warning to everything else.

Her fingers curled around his coat instinctively. She didn’t know why. She couldn’t explain the pull, the electricity coursing between them.

And then she realized: he wasn’t just standing there. He was guarding her.

Colt

The intruder emerged from the shadows—a stranger, but not entirely human. His wolf howled within him at the recognition of danger.

But Evelyn was too close to the edge. Too close to harm.

He moved between her and the shadow, body taut, senses screaming. Controlled. Protective. Obsessive—but controlled.

“Step back,” he warned. The words were calm, but his eyes flashed gold, teeth slightly bared.

The shadow froze. Something in Colt’s presence silenced it immediately.

Mine.

The word slithered through him uncontrollably. Not a thought. Not even fully a wolf instinct. But a truth he couldn’t deny.

Evelyn felt the shift too. The air thickened, charged. Heat radiated off him, tangible, almost impossible to ignore.

The shadow retreated, sensing the danger.

He exhaled slowly.

And his control returned—just barely.

But the pull between them… it hadn’t gone anywhere.

Evelyn

She stared up at him, heart hammering.

“You saved me,” she whispered.

“I didn’t save you,” he said quietly, voice low, steady. “I stopped the world from taking you first.”

Her breath hitched at the intensity in his gaze. Golden eyes, burning with something she didn’t understand. Desire? Protection? Possession? All at once?

Something inside her twisted. She wanted him. She didn’t know why. She barely knew him.

And yet…

She felt safe.

Terrified.

And drawn to him in ways she couldn’t name.

Colt

She was closer than ever. Her hand grazed his chest—innocent, fleeting.

Control snapped, just for a heartbeat. His wolf’s claws itched under his skin. His teeth ached for the bite he would never allow.

He forced his gaze down. Controlled. Protective. Obsessed—but disciplined.

“You need to stay close to the mansion,” he said softly. “Do not wander. Not alone.”

She nodded.

But he knew.

The next time she felt danger, he might not be able to stop himself.

And she… might like it.

Chapter Four

A Brush of Fire

Evelyn

The mansion smelled faintly of rain-soaked wood and polished stone. Evelyn had wandered inside after the morning’s brush with the forest, hoping to find warmth and dry her soaked sweater.

Instead, she found him.

Colt Blackwood.

Leaning against the wide staircase, arms crossed, eyes fixed on her as if he’d been waiting all morning. His golden gaze held something she hadn’t seen before: a spark of tension, a quiet warning.

Her pulse quickened without explanation.

“You shouldn’t be wandering around,” he said softly. His voice held that calm authority that made her stomach twist.

“I… just wanted to see the view from the terrace,” she said, tugging at the damp fabric of her sweater.

He pushed off from the railing, moving toward her. Each step measured. Controlled. But with every inch, the air seemed to vibrate with heat.

She stepped back slightly, but instinctively, she stayed in his path.

Colt

The moment she stepped closer to the terrace railing, his wolf stirred violently. She didn’t know it yet, but she smelled like rain and earth and something uniquely hers—a scent that made his body hum with need.

He forced himself to take a step back.

Control.

His hand brushed against hers as she passed him. Just a touch—brief, accidental.

And it was enough.

Enough to ignite the tension coiling inside him.

He didn’t step forward. Didn’t trap her. He simply stood there, breathing steady, fists clenched at his sides. Protective. Possessive. Obsessed—but disciplined.

Her fingers tingled from the contact. She swallowed hard.

“You okay?” he asked. Calm. Concerned.

“I… I think so,” she whispered. Her eyes met his. The look she saw there made her stomach flutter. Something dangerous. Something owned.

Evelyn

The terrace was silent except for the drip of water from the roof above. The storm from the forest had passed, leaving a wet breeze that carried the scent of moss and pine.

She stepped closer to the railing to look out over the mist-shrouded trees, but she felt his presence before she noticed him move.

His hand hovered near hers. Not touching. Just… waiting.

“I don’t want to frighten you,” he said softly.

She turned to look at him. He wasn’t glaring. He wasn’t demanding. He wasn’t angry.

But the air between them hummed. Electric. Dangerous.

And she knew, without words, that he could take everything if he wanted—and he chose not to.

Colt

She stepped closer, drawn by curiosity, unaware of the storm brewing beneath his skin.

His hand moved, brushing hers again. Slightly longer this time. Intentional—but not forceful.

The world narrowed to the space between them.

Her breath hitched. So did his.

The wolf wanted to leap. Wanted to claim.

But he held it. Control. Protective obsession.

“Evelyn,” he whispered, voice low and rough. His golden eyes locked on hers, heat flowing through every measured movement.

“Yes?” she asked, voice trembling slightly.

He leaned in just a fraction closer. Enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him, enough that her pulse stuttered. Enough that the faint scent of him—the wolf beneath—washed over her.

“Don’t get too close,” he said, not a warning. Not a command. A truth.

She felt it. The tension. The restraint. The dangerous desire.

And somehow… it made her want to cross that line anyway.

Evelyn

He was near. Too near. The world felt unreal. The air between them thickened. Her heart slammed against her ribs as she realized she could feel his pulse, steady and strong under the silk of his shirt.

Her fingers twitched. She wanted to touch him. A fleeting brush, just once.

And before she knew it, she did.

Her hand grazed the side of his chest. Softly. Tentatively.

His body tensed. Golden eyes widened. His wolf stirred violently, claws scraping beneath the skin he so carefully controlled.

He exhaled slowly, forcing the shiver in his jaw to calm. He didn’t pull away.

But he didn’t move closer either.

Control. Protective. Obsessed.

“Evelyn…” he murmured.

Her heart skipped.

“I…” she faltered. She couldn’t say the words. Couldn’t name the heat curling through her.

He leaned just slightly closer, enough that the heat of his chest brushed hers.

“I can’t…” he whispered, voice rougher now. “Not yet.”

And with that single, restrained motion, everything inside her screamed.

Because she wanted him anyway.