The Wolf, Her Master and Her Lover

ldly light, but unlike Ragnar's golden, predatory gaze, his held something else-resolve, and perhaps

the man and the forest behind her. The howls of R

e man said, his voice calm yet

Selene shot back, her voice tre

"If you want to live, that's a chance

anger, yet there was something about his presence that made her feel... sa

feet as Ragnar's pack approached. Selene swallowed hard, her fingers brushing the s

hispered, ste

nderbrush. His grip was firm but not cruel, and he moved

ed, her voice breathless as t

t follow," he replie

ce. The storm roared around them, the rain soaking her to the b

beneath an outcropping of jagged rocks. The man led her insid

he said, leaning against the ca

d onto the cold, damp ground. Her body a

es softening just slightly. "My name is Elias,

instinctively covering t

ly. "Ragnar doesn't mark lightly. He's claimed

agnar-body, soul, and fate-made her want to scream. "Th

. "There is... but it's not

her voice firm. "I'll do wh

me completely. Ragnar won't stop until he gets you back, and the mark makes it

echoed through the forest. Her blood ran cold as

ere," she

he ordered. "No matter what happens, don't run.

ll as Elias stepped outside. She could hear the gro

ing, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. Selene inc

saw made

ones cracking and reforming until he stood on four legs-a wolf, but not like any Selene had seen before. His fur was

their prey. Ragnar stepped forward, still in his

h mockery. "Still playing the lone wolf, I s

the sound low

he snarled, his voice deeper

clearing. "You can't fight fate, old friend.

's words. Was it true? Was sh

th lethal precision. The clearing erupted into chaos as the pack attacked, and Selene

see one of Ragnar's wolves inside the cave. Its golden

hands shaking as the wolf stalked closer. She had no ide

lade. It connected, the wolf yelping in pain as it retr

, his green eyes blazing. He tackled the wolf with a ferocity tha

an form, his chest heaving as h

r head, her hea

lias said urgently.

. She didn't know what lay ahead, but she

raging around them, Selene felt a fli

Ragnar watched, his

urmured, his voice as cold as t