TWINS OF ZETA

CHAPTER THREE

Laina couldn’t explain it. The next morning, the pull she had felt last night, that warm, undeniable presence was even stronger now. It consumed her. She couldn’t ignore it anymore. Her heart raced, and her breath came in quick, shallow gasps as she made her way into the forest. Her bare feet barely made a sound as they pressed into the soft earth, and though it was early morning, the sun was already casting slivers of golden light through the trees. It was the same clearing she had been to the night before, the one where Zander had appeared, standing like a shadow in the moonlight.

Laina’s pulse quickened at the thought of him, her thoughts clouded with the feeling that something momentous was about to happen. Something she could no longer avoid.

She entered the clearing cautiously, feeling the air change the moment she stepped inside. The scent of pine and earth seemed thicker here, more intoxicating. And then, she saw him.

Zander stood at the edge of the clearing, his back to her, his broad frame outlined by the rising sunlight. He was always a striking figure, but today he seemed even more so. His dark hair was tousled from sleep, his strong features sharp and defined in the morning light. The moment his eyes met hers, a wave of warmth washed over her, and for the first time, she felt something undeniable stir deep within her.

Laina’s breath hitched as she stepped forward. He didn’t move, his gaze locked onto hers with an intensity that stole her breath away.

“Zander,” she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. “I... I felt you last night. I….”

He cut her off, stepping forward with a predatory grace that made her heart flutter, though she couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling in her gut that something wasn’t right. “Laina,” he said her name, but his voice was cold, like the wind that swept through the trees. “You feel it, don’t you?”

Her eyes widened. “You….”

“I knew from the moment I saw you last night,” he continued, taking another step toward her. His eyes never left hers, and she felt as though her world was collapsing around her. “The goddess has chosen you, hasn’t she?”

Laina nodded, breathless. It was all so overwhelming. She had waited for this moment her entire life. To finally shift. To finally feel the power of the wolf coursing through her veins.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I... I think I’m ready.”

Zander stepped closer, his presence so powerful it made her knees tremble. His fingers brushed against her cheek, sending a jolt of electricity through her body. She gasped, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. Everything in her wanted to reach for him, to pull him closer, to surrender to whatever fate had brought them together.

And then, as if on instinct, Zander’s lips met hers in a kiss that felt both tender and fierce. His hands slid around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Laina’s world spun out of control, her heart hammering in her chest. She didn’t understand it. All she knew was that she wanted him. She needed him. The heat of the kiss burned away every doubt, every insecurity she had. This was it. This was the moment.

Her body responded to him in ways she couldn’t explain. Her hands clung to his shirt as if she might fall if she let go. She moaned softly into the kiss, lost in the sensation of being held by him, of being needed. And just like that, she felt it. The shift,The connection between them,the mate bond. It was real.

Her breath caught in her throat as she broke the kiss, looking up at him with wide, astonished eyes. “Zander,” she whispered, her voice full of wonder. “Are we….?”

Zander smirked at her, the curve of his lips wicked, his eyes glinting with something she couldn’t quite place. “Yes, Laina,” he murmured. “We’re mates. You’ve finally found your place. Your power.”

Her heart soared. She had never felt anything like this before,the deep connection that seemed to link them in a way words could never explain. This was the moment she had been waiting for. She had found her true self, her true destiny.