Caleb
The night after I left Queen Elise’s chamber was one of the longest of my life.
I had run until my lungs burned, until my paws ached, and until the world blurred into streaks of green and gray.
I ran like I could outrun what I’d heard or what I’d felt.
But no matter how far I went, the echo of my wolf’s voice followed me through the woods, whispering that impossible word again and again.
Mate.
The trees swayed in the moonlight, my wolf’s breathing heavy inside my mind, his energy restless.
When I finally shifted back, sweat clung to my skin as I sank to my knees beside a stream. I scooped up a handful of water and splashed it over my face, hoping the shock of the cold water would wake me from what felt like a fever dream.
But the truth remained.
The goddess had bound me t
