The Wolf God's Unwanted Luna

Chapter 59: my mate the monster

His voice, Zaliver’s voice, reverberated inside my head, but it was different now. Rougher. Feral. Unforgiving.

I screamed, but I didn’t stop. I ran harder, faster, toward where I thought the car was. He’d left the door open. The keys had still been in the ignition. I had to find it.

But the trees all looked the same now, dark and endless. My direction was off. I must’ve veered from the path.

Terror clawed at me.

Fine, run. This will be fun.

His voice slithered through my mind again, smug and amused. I twisted my head to glance around, but all I saw was shadow. His fur was pitch black, he could be inches away and I wouldn’t know.

I leapt over a fallen log, ducked under a branch that almost clotheslined me, stumbled on a root and barely caught myself. My lungs burned, and my ears strained desperately for the sound of his footsteps, his breath, anything.

You’re fast. But I’m faster.

Something whooshed past me like a gust of wind, and in that instant, I saw it, a hulking blur. A massive figure darting through the trees ahead. I gasped and skidded to a stop, spinning on my heel to run in the opposite direction.

"Oh gods," I breathed out.

Just imagine how fast you’ll be when you transform.

We’ll be able to run together. Forever.

Just give in, Vivian.

His voice was softer now. Smooth. Enticing. Almost seductive.

It made my stomach twist.

"No!" I yelled, the sound ripping from my throat.

I ducked behind a thick tree trunk, pressing my back to the bark as I tried to quiet my frantic breathing. My chest heaved. I clamped a hand over my mouth, forcing myself to slow down, to breathe through my nose in thin, careful, silent streams. I closed my eyes and prayed to the Moon Goddess, or anyone who was listening, that he’d lose the thread of my scent in the dark.

Please. Just give me a moment. Just one.

Silence.

Total, terrifying silence.

And then, scrape.

The horrible sound of claws dragging down the bark behind me made my blood run cold.