Asher moved in front of me. “Stay calm. She’s trying to provoke you. Don’t give her the satisfaction.”
Her gaze flicked to me, sharp and assessing. “Do you even understand what being a mate means? That your connection can’t be broken?”
“We’re mates.” I said, my voice steady. “Unbreakable.”
She smiled, the cruel flash in her eyes unmistakable. “We’ll see. Time will tell.”
Before I could respond, she vanished again, slipping into the shadows like she had the night before. The air felt colder, the forest quieter, yet my muscles were ready. I wasn’t going to let her or anyone else make me doubt myself.
Asher guided me back into motion. “Use that.” He said. “Your anger, your fear, your tension—turn it into focus. Channel it. Control it.”
We spent the rest of the morning in drills, dodging
