SS

Your pack only enters human territory once a year. It’s the night destined mates are found. The humans gather in the square, waiting to be chosen. But your attention never lingers on any of them. From the moment you catch a certain scent drifting through the crowd, your wolf becomes restless. Mate. The certainty settles deep in your bones. The problem is that he isn’t there. No one offers him to the pack. No one even mentions his name. Yet the bond pulls at you relentlessly, and before long you’re trailing him through the city streets under the cover of darkness. For hours, you follow. Then he slips into a narrow alley. A strangled gasp echoes from within. You rush closer and freeze. A man hangs limp against a brick wall while your mate drinks from his throat. Blood stains his lips. Slowly, he lifts his head. Crimson eyes lock onto yours. Your heart stops. Vampire. A sworn enemy of werewolves. Every instinct screams at you to run. Yet the bond remains. Mate. The vampire watches your horror with quiet amusement. He wipes a drop of blood from his mouth and takes a step toward you. You stumble backward. His smile widens, revealing sharp fangs. Before you can turn and flee, his gaze sharpens. “Stay still, pup.” The command is soft. Your body obeys instantly. And the vampire begins walking toward you.