The forest felt endless as Luna sprinted through the trees, her feet barely touching the ground. Her heart raced in time with the rhythmic pounding of her boots on the forest floor. The cool night air whipped past her, biting at her exposed skin. But no matter how fast she ran, the weight of Kieran's presence lingered in the back of her mind, like a shadow she couldn't shake.
*Why can't I escape him?*
Every part of her screamed to keep running, to put as much distance between herself and Kieran as possible. But another, quieter part—something deep inside her, something primal—whispered that she was already lost. That running wasn't the answer. She could feel the pull of his presence, the weight of his gaze, even when she couldn't see him. He was out there, watching, waiting.
The sound of breaking branches behind her sent a jolt of panic through her chest. Luna's head whipped around, her breath catching in her throat as she glanced over her shoulder. The forest was empty, or at least it appeared to be. Yet she knew. She could feel it.
Kieran was here.
Her feet skidded against the dirt, her breath becoming shallow as she stumbled to a stop. Every instinct told her to turn around, to face whatever was following her, but she refused to give in. She wouldn't let him control her, no matter what he said or how powerful he was. She wasn't some helpless wolf to be claimed and tamed.
But then, the ground beneath her feet seemed to shift, as if the earth itself had come alive. A low growl rumbled through the trees, vibrating in her chest, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Luna froze, her instincts screaming at her to run. But her legs felt frozen, rooted to the spot.
A flash of movement to her left, and suddenly, Kieran was there, stepping out from between the trees, his form a dark silhouette against the moonlight. He moved with the fluidity of a predator, his every step deliberate, dangerous. His golden eyes locked onto hers, and Luna's breath caught in her throat.
She stumbled backward, but Kieran was too fast. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of her, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her close, his body a wall of strength that she couldn't break through.
"Running won't help you, Luna," Kieran's voice was a low growl, sending a shiver down her spine. "You can't escape what's inside you. It's already awakened."
Luna tried to yank her arm away, but his grip was like iron. The fear in her chest burned, but there was something else too—a strange, magnetic pull that she couldn't deny. It was as if her body recognized him, wanted him, despite every logical thought telling her to run as far away as possible.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she hissed, her voice shaking with anger and fear. "I'm not some animal you can just claim, Kieran! I'm not a part of your pack, your world. You can't make me accept this."
Kieran's eyes darkened, his jaw tightening as he lowered his head until his breath ghosted over her skin. Luna felt the heat of his body radiating against her, and it sent a wave of heat flooding through her. She clenched her fists, trying to steady herself, but the closer he came, the more she felt like she was losing control.
"You don't have to accept it," he said, his voice quieter now, almost soothing, like he was trying to calm her. "But it's happening, Luna. Whether you like it or not, the wolf inside you is awakening. And when it does, it will need to find its mate. And that mate… is me."
Luna swallowed hard, the words hitting her like a physical blow. The word "mate" echoed in her mind, and the implications of what he was saying finally began to sink in. She knew about the bond between mates in werewolf mythology. It was a bond unlike anything else, a connection so deep that it bound two people together for life. But she couldn't—*she wouldn't*—let herself be a part of that. She didn't even believe in it, let alone accept that this stranger, this man she barely knew, could be her… mate.
"No," she said, shaking her head violently. "You're lying. I'm not your mate. I'm not a part of your pack, Kieran. You don't get to control me."
Kieran's grip on her wrist tightened for a moment, his gaze turning colder, more intense. His golden eyes flared, the wolf inside him flashing through his human features.
"You still don't understand, do you?" Kieran said, his voice low and controlled, but the underlying growl was impossible to ignore. "You don't have to understand it. You don't have to like it. But the wolf doesn't care about your feelings. It only cares about the bond. And that bond... is what's going to keep us together. No matter how much you try to fight it."
Luna's chest tightened, the reality of his words sinking in like a poison. This wasn't just about him, or his need to claim her. This was about something far bigger—something she couldn't control. And for the first time in her life, Luna felt the ground beneath her feet slipping away.
"What do you want from me?" she whispered, her voice shaking.
Kieran's expression softened, though the intensity in his eyes never wavered. He let go of her wrist, his fingers grazing the soft skin of her arm before he stepped back. Luna felt the sudden loss of contact like a weight lifting from her chest, but the distance between them did nothing to ease the tension building between them.
"I want you to accept who you are, Luna," Kieran said, his voice soft but firm. "I want you to understand that this isn't just about me or you. It's about something much larger, something that's been waiting for you your entire life. Your wolf is calling for you, Luna. And when it answers… we'll be unstoppable."
Luna took a step back, her mind racing. She couldn't—*wouldn't*—let him convince her of this madness. There had to be another explanation. Another way to escape.
But as she stood there, facing him, she realized something. No matter how much she wanted to fight, no matter how hard she tried to deny it, she couldn't escape the pull she felt toward him. It was like a string tethered to her heart, a force beyond her control.
And that terrified her.
"I don't want this," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. But even as the words left her lips, she knew it wasn't true. She was already too far gone.
Kieran's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile, his eyes never leaving hers. "You don't have to want it, Luna," he said softly. "You just have to accept it."
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