Eric's POV
"Mate!" Ragnar roared inside my mind. Ever since Valeria had shifted, he'd been restless, pacing with an intensity that stirred something deep within me as well.
I couldn't deny it—something had changed. Valeria seemed different, almost magnetic, and I found myself unable to look away. She pulled at me, a force I couldn't resist. I hesitated before asking, "Are you sure?"
"I wasn't at first, but I am now. Valeria is our mate. I sensed it the moment I felt her wolf, Astrid." Ragnar's usual patience had vanished, replaced by a fierce, almost desperate urgency.
"Go to her now! Claim her! Our fated mate!" He demanded. But I knew better than to rush this. Valeria had only just met her wolf; she likely felt as overwhelmed as I was. Taking things slowly felt more right.
Still, ma
