Jill’s pov
I kept my dark hood pulled low over my eyes as I slipped past the outer thicket of the Red Moon border. My heart thudded in my chest, a quick, steady rhythm of nervous energy, but the warm golden thread of our mate bond pulsed softly beneath my skin, pulling me straight toward the shadows of the granite ledge.
Ted stepped out from behind an overgrown pine, his tall, massive frame blending effortlessly into the wilderness.
His dark hair was still damp with morning dew, his broad chest heaving slightly under his dark wool mantle. The moment his golden eyes caught mine, the cold air vanished, replaced by that intoxicating scent of sweet pine needles and mountain rain that made my pulse race.
"You came back," Ted rumbled, his deep voice thick with a low, protective warmth as he
