Chapter1 Yarn ItsbeentoolongsinceIveletAnnikaouttorun.WiththenumberofclassesthatImtakingandtheheavyscheduleImkeepingattheuniversity,thereisntalotoftimetoeat,muchlessletAnnikarun.ButIhavetoletherout.Shesbecomingmoreandmorerestless. Schoolisboring.Humansareboring . Iwanttodosomethingfin,shegrumblesinmyhead. Weregoingforarun,Annika.Calmdown. Nexttime,dontwaitsolong . ItsbeenacoupleofmonthssinceItookherout.Shesright,itsbeentoolong.ButIknowhowthepacksfight,andIhaventwantedtoriskgettinginthemiddleofabattle,orworse,gettingcaughtbySimon. Imtoosmartforhimtocatchus.Besides,hehasnoideathat werestill soclosetothepack. Bysocloseshemeanstwohours,butitistooclose.Awolfcanrunnearlyas fastas a car , andwhenthat wolfisonthehunt?Goddessforbidanyonegetsintheirway. Inthe past,whenIvetakenAnnikaouttorun.Ive takenherintheopposite directionofSimonspack.Well,technically,itsnothispack,its hisfatherspack.AlphaSolomonhas beentheAlphaofmypreviouspackforaslongasIcanremember.Hissón,Simon,isanastypieceofwork.Helovestofightandhelovestokill.Thetwoofuscouldntbeanymore different.Iliketoheal,andIliketosave. Forwhateverreason,Simonsethissightsonme.Idontknowwhy.Imanorphan,Imnotranked.MyparentswerewarriorsandwhileIcanfight,Iprefertousemybiggeststrength,mybrain.Simonmuchpreferstousehisstrength,hisAlphastrength.Hedoesnthavetoworkforit,beinggeneticallypredisposedtobeinglargerandstrongerthan mostwolvesinthepack,sohedoesntappreciatewhat hehas,inmyopinion.Me,ontheotherhand,Ivehadtowork foreverythingIveachievedinthislife,withthehelpofAlphaSolomon. MyparentswerekilledinapackwarwhenIwasyoung.AlphaSolomontookoverasmyguardian andmadesurethatIwascaredforallmylife.Maybeitsbecauseheneverhad adaughter,ormaybeitsbecauseImmore likehimthanhisownson.buthesalways lookedafterme,eventothepointofsendingmeawayfromthepackwhenhe realizedthathissonhadtakenaninterestinme.HeknowsSimonisno good,andhedidntwantmetosufferwithhis sonsinfatuation. Whenwegettothespotwhereweliketorun,Istop,sniffingtheair,making surethereareno otherwolvesaroundhere. Annika?Iask,makingsureshesnotsmellingsomethingImnot Nootherwolves,shesays, almostsadly.Shemissesthecompanionshipofbeinginapack.Ilookaroundoncemore,thenmake mywayintotheforestbeforestrippingoffmyclothes andtuckingthemontoatreebranch, highenoughthatsomeonewouldhavetolookuptoseethem.Ihaveaspare setofclothesinthecar,justincaseanyonestealsthese.Itdoesnthappenoften,butitdoeshappen.Ratherthanassumethatsomeonewasbeingmalicious,IchoosetobelievethattheyneededtheclothesmorethanIdid.Theyreonly clothesafter all IletAnnika pulltheshift,feelingmybonessnappingandreshapingaftersolongofnotshifting.Itsmorepainfulthanitshouldbe,butsoonenough,Annika isshakingoutherreddishbrownfurandtakingoffintothewoods. EventhoughIminthebackgroundwhileAnnikaruns,Icanfeelhowgooditistostretchherlegs,tofeelhermusclesflexinginherbodyassheruns.Itsquiettonight,thankfully,andAnnikas pawsonthegroundarenearlysilentassheruns,givingbothofusachancetoenjoythesoundsoftheforestaroundus . Imnotsurehowlongshesbeenrunningwhenwesmellit,blood.Sheslows,liftinghernoseintheair. Therewasfightingnearby,shesaysinoursharedmindspace. Chapter1 Doyouhearanyone ?ask. Imnot sure.Ihearrustling,whatsoundslikeawolfintrouble.Doyouhearit?sheasksasshetiltsherheadfromonesidetotheother. Idohear it.Itdoes soundlikealargeanimalwhoisstruggling. Annika… Tllbecareful,shesays,knowingthat,ifIcan,Iwillwanttobelgthis animal,evenifitisawerewolf.Itmaynotbepossible,theymaynotletmegetcloseenoughtohelp.ButImgoingtoschooltobecomeadoctorforareason.So,Ican helpwolvesinjustthistypeofsituation. Annika slowlyand carefullymakes herwaytothesoundofthestrugglinganimal.Aswegetcloser,Icantellthatitisawolfbythesoftsoundsthatitsmaking .Icantfigureoutwhatitsdoingthough.Maybeitscaughtin asnareofsomesortandtryingtofigureouthowtogetout.Ormaybeitsjuststuckinaholethatoneofthepacksdugtocaptureotherpackmemberssotheycaninterrogatethemforinformation. Pleasebecareful,Annika.Wecantaffordtogetcaught. 111becareful,Yara When wegetclose,shebeginstobellycrawl,slowlymakingherwaycloser.Whenthewindshifts,herwholebodygoesrigid,thescentofteakwoodfillingmynoseandmakingmybodytinglewithunwanteddesire. Mate,shesayssoftly. WHAT? Thatsourmate,Yara.Ourmateisinjured. Thisisterrible.Thisisntjustaninjuredanimal,itsourmate.Icantleavehim outheretodie,butIalso canthavehimtryingtotakemebacktohispack.Ihaveschool,andImstillinhidingfromSimon. Itstakesmea momenttoolongtorealizethatthe wolf,mymate ,has stoppedmovingaround . Annikabarelybreathes,waitingtoseewhathelldo. Hechuffsatus,lettingusknowthatheknowswerehere,Imnot surehow Iknowthathesnotgoingtohurtus,somethinginhischuffseemsmorelikearequestforhelp,thanathreat ofviolence. but Annikaslowlyandcarefullymakesherwaythroughsomebushesuntilwecanseehim.SHIT!Hescaughtinabeartrap.Nowonderhesstillinwolfform.Ifheshifts ,itwillriphislegoff. Icantbelievehesnot howlinginpain ,Annikasays. Shesright.Hisleg,whereitscaughtinthetrapisshattered,noquestion. Youhavetohelphim,Yara.Hesourmate.Youhave to,Annikapracticallybegsme. Iknow.Iwill,ifhellletme. AsmuchasIhatetheideaofbeingnakedinfrontofthisunknownman ,eventhoughhesmymate,IhavenochoiceifImgoingtotalktohimandtrytohelphim. Ipulltheshift,standinginfrontofthemidnightblackwolfwhoiswatchingmewithhisbeautiful,intelligentgreeneyes. Hey,bigguy.Iseeyourecaughtinatrap.Iwanttohelpyou.Iknowyoucantshift,oryoullripthatlegoffandthat looksreallypainful.Your bonesareprobablyshatteredbutIwanttohelpyou,ifyoullletme,Isaysoftly,keepingmytonegentle. 2/3 Chapter1 NOV 1slowlyapproachthewolfMateorno,thiswolfmustbeinterriblepainandhesgoingtobefeelingvulnerable,unabletoescape.Iextendmyhand,lettinghimsniffmeandseethatImennoharm. Imadoctor.Well,Imstudyingtobeadoctor,tobothhumansandwolves.Idontwanttohurtyou.WillyouletmeseeifIcan helpyou? Thewolfsniffsmyhand,thenmuzzlesme.Igentlyrunmyhandthroughhisfur,stoppingwhenIcometostifffurthatsmellslikeblood.IdontwanttoknowwhatelseisinthiswollsJur,butIcanguessthatgutsandbonesarestuckinthereaswell.Hesobviouslybeenfightingandwhetherhegotseparatedfromhispack,orhewaspartofagroup thatintentionallyseparatedouttryingtocutofftheotherpacksescape,hesnowoutherealonewithoutanyonetohelp him.Well ,anyoneexceptme. Ilookup,tryingtoseewherethemoonlightissoIcangetabetterlookatthetrap. Okay,bigguy,areyouabletomovetoyourrightabit?IneedthemoonlighttohelpmeseehowIcanspringthistrapandsetyoufree. Hemovestohisright,keepinganeyeonmeasIcarefullylookoverthetrap.Nastypieceofwork,Imumbletomyself.Stupididiots doingthistoeachother. Ilookback upathim.Okay,IthinkIvefigureditout.Before1springthistrap,youneedtoknowthatwhenIreleasethis,itsgoingto hurt,reallybad.ButthenyoullbefreeandIcantakealookathowbadlyyourlegisbroken,Itellhim.Ialreadyknowitsshattered.Icanseebonesplintersstickingoutofhisskinfromabovethetrap. Imovemyhandsinposition.ImgoingtoneedAnnikas strengthtohelpmeopenthistrap.Trynottobitemeandifyoucan,trynottohowlIhavenoideaifthereisanyoneelsenearbythatmighthearyou,ortrytocomehurtyou,Itellhim.Hechuffsatmeagain,lettingmeknowheunderstands. Onthree,ready?Onetwothree!Isayand pushthereleasewithallmystrength,Annikapushingwithhersaswell.Ifeelthespringgiveandthetrapsnapsopen.Thewolfyelpsbutitsquicklycutoffashemovesawayfromthetrap,keepinghisinjuredlegofftheground. Heturns,looking atmeamomentbeforehisbonesbegintosnapasheshiftsbackintohishumanform,hisridiculouslygorgeous,tall,muscularform.. After her grandfather's death, she unexpectedly discovers that both her sister and boyfriend betrayed her, taking away the family fortune left by her grandfather. Determined to seek revenge, she decid...