The Wolf, Her Master and Her Lover

the wind with deafening thunder. Selene tightened her cloak arou

e real fear lay inside her. Tonight, she felt it-a pull deep in her che

hissed from the hearth

frail woman with eyes haunted by secrets, clutched a dagger glinting in the

her whispered, her voice

agers locked indoors after sunset. They spoke of men who turned into beasts,

id, though her voice lacked convi

her eyes darting toward the door.

ight of those words crashing

o Selene's hands. "Run. Don't look back. The forest may be da

ged in, accompanied by the scent of pine and something darker-predatory. A figure stood in

s voice a mix of silk and stee

room, and with the faint light from the fire, Selene saw the truth. He wasn

venom dripping from the na

ixed on Selene. "The mark has c

ved faster than she could react, his hand gripping her wrist with iron strength. "

pain shot through her body. She screamed as a fiery sensation bloome

him, but Ragnar swatted her away lik

n subsided, replaced by a strange heat that pulsed with her

said, his voice l

into her skin. It glowed faintly in the dim light, as if it w

g her chin so she couldn't look away. "You'

ther and another. Selene's heart pounded as she realized t

id, releasing her. "It'll

lunged into the forest. Branches clawed at her skin, and the wind

ward, her mother's words echoing i

ound-a growl, deep and menacing, ahead of her. She skidded to a ha

ther

one wasn

ous wolf blocking her path. Her instincts screamed to run, but the wolf in

the shadows. It wasn't Ragnar's

pered, her voice barely

tood a man, lean and scarred, his p

only chanc