THE ALPHA'S HEALING MATE; BONDED TO THREE

to the annual p

s she grabbed her thin shawl from the

place, turned sharply, the wrinkles o

, Celeste! I'm

are her grandmother a glance as she stormed

ut behind her, shak

ir hit her face as

t take a moment to enjoy it. Her anger propelled her forward, her bo

t. The glitzy celebrations, the false smiles, the unde

, insisting it was time for her to "step into the spotlig

a m

t was late. Most found their mates by eighteen. Her grandmother worried she'd grow old and alone, bu

lm. The towering trees around her swayed gently in the wind, their long branches

n, she

path she had been following was gone, repla

ow circle. The trees here seemed taller, their trun

al sounds of the forest. No birds chir

she whispered, her v

licable sense of unease settled over her. She

stood be

dows, their figures tall and imposing.

er breathing quickening as he

red under her breath,

. They simply smirked, their gazes s

Celeste demanded, trying

her tone, a hint of fea

tepped forward,

olf," he drawled, his v

their laughter sending

dn't know if she could take on all three. Her mind raced, searching fo

re app

tly between her and the men. He was tall, his shoulders broad, a

ad like a mask, casti

ent, no o

y snarled, breaking the tense silence. "You b

idn't respond. He d

ad slightly toward Celest

ng with her fear. The men were distrac

d, his voice low and firm,

er. She turned on her heel and ran, he

hrough the trees. The sound of her own footsteps pounded in her ears, but

n? And why had

but she didn't stop. Not until sh

steady, like he had all the time in the world. He didn't speak, didn

pped forward. "You think you can scare us just by standing there? You

sked man didn

asked man struck fast, his fist connecting with the attacker's stomach. The

tainty flashing across their faces. "Get

man by the arm and twisting it behind his back. The man cried out, his kne

n companions and the masked stranger. "You're dead meat for

man said finally, his

isappearing into the shadows. The others scrambled after hi

gain, as the masked man t

-

trembling from the encounter. Her thoughts were sp

mother wouldn't notice she was back. Maybe she could sl

you doin

ting her grandmother by the fireplace, her s

presence?" Charity said, stand

guilt flashing

. "Celeste, if you don't go to that festiva

throat. She stared at her grand

Charity's eyes

eally going t

narrow bed, stari

e, shifting patterns across the room. She turned over for what felt li

st would

events of the day. The masked man,

" she muttered to herself, running a hand through her tan

ve sworn she saw movement, a flicker of something just outside the reach of th

n, she thought. But the f

nced toward the window, half-expecting to see his silhouette against the

ng for me?" She thought, she fel

t up to her chin. She closed her eyes tig

he hea

sound of a floorboard

y, her heart racing. The room was still, too still. She could feel h

whispered, her vo