Chapter 14

HARLEY

As I walked home, I thought about what I would face when I got there.

My stepmother, Susan, would be there, waiting to pounce on me with her latest set of demands. And my stepsister, Juliet, would be there, ready to gloat about her latest accomplishments.

I braced myself for the inevitable drama that would unfold as soon as I walked through the door.

I let out a sigh, the weight of it all settling on my shoulders. But then, something inside me shifted. A feeling of determination welled up within me.

I thought about the strange man I'd saved the other day, the man who'd come to me this morning and told me I was his Mate.

I didn't know what it meant, but something about it felt right, felt like it could be true. It was a crazy thought, but I couldn't shake it.

As I walked, I felt a strange pull, like I was being pulled in a certain direction. I didn't know where I was going, but I knew I had to follow the feeling, had to see where it led me.

As I turned the corner onto my street, a man stumbled out of an alleyway, a bottle of liquor in his hand.

He looked at me, his eyes bleary, and I knew it was the same man I'd seen the other day, the man who'd been in the basement.

"Hey!" he yelled, his voice slurred. "You come here!"

I stopped in my tracks, fear gripping me. I didn't know what to do, how to react. Should I run? Should I try to talk to him? I was frozen, unable to move.

As I stood there, frozen, I couldn't help but notice the man's handsome features.

He had dark hair, cut short, and deep, dark eyes. His skin was tanned, his build muscular. In any other circumstance, I might have found him attractive, but in this moment, I could only feel fear.

"I said come here!" he yelled again, and I knew I couldn't just stand there. I had to do something, had to act.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice shaking.

He smirked, his eyes glinting. "You already know what I want," he said, taking a step toward me. "I want you to be my mate. You're the only one who can give me back my pack, the only one who can restore my power. You have to say yes."

I felt a chill run down my spine. I had no idea what he was talking about, no idea what he wanted from me.

I didn't want to be his mate, didn't want to be involved in whatever he was talking about. I just wanted to get away from him.

"I can't do that," I said, my voice firm. "I don't know what you're talking about, and I don't want to be involved in any of it. I just want to go home."

His face darkened, his eyes narrowing. "You don't understand," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You don't have a choice. You have to help me."

I felt my heart pounding in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I had to get away, had to find a way to escape. But how?

Just then, the wind picked up, swirling around us. The air felt charged, electric, and I felt something shift inside me. I closed my eyes, feeling a strange, warm feeling wash over me. And then, a voice came from nowhere, filling my mind.

"You don't have to do this," the voice said, soft and reassuring. "You have a choice. You can choose to leave, to walk away from all of this."

I opened my eyes, my head spinning. I looked at the man in front of me, at his dark eyes and handsome features.

My breath caught in my throat as the man's gaze met mine. I could feel something pulling me towards him, something stronger than I could resist. He took a step towards me, and I took a step backwards.

He suddenly rush at me and lock me on the wall, his hands stopping me from escaping from both sides.

“What are you doing?” I turn my face to the other side. “Someone would see us.”

“I’m not bothered.” He said behind my ear and I felt a shiver in my spine. “just accept me and be my mate.”

“You’re crazy.” I push his chest but I wasn’t able to push his hard chest away.

He brought his lips a lot more slower to me, suddenly, we were inches apart, our lips meeting in a soft, sweet kiss.

I felt a jolt of electricity run through me, a feeling of warmth and peace. The voice in my head was silent, and all I could feel was the man's lips on mine, his touch gentle and tender.

I closed my eye tight.

I felt him break the kiss and lean back slightly, his eyes searching mine. "Open your eyes," he said softly.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, looking into his dark, intense gaze.

"What's happening?" I asked, my voice shaking. "Why can't I stop this?"

He smiled, a smile that reached his eyes. "You can't stop it because you don't want to. You know, deep down, that this is right. We're meant to be together."

As I opened my eyes completely, I saw the man standing over me. He was no longer a man. He was a wolf.

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. I was terrified, but something inside me was telling me not to be afraid. But I was.

“What are you?” I screamed, glued to the wall. “Don’t hurt me.”

“Don’t be scared.” The Shifted Wolf spoke and I slumped to the ground, my body slowly loosing his consciousness.

My eyes shut closed, realizing that the man I saved turned out to be a wolf.

Oh shit!

He truly was a wolf! And now he wants me to be his mate.