Begins

I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt the weight of that tattoo burning into my skin, a constant reminder of the impossible connection between Zach and me. Mates. The word made my stomach churn, like I was bound to something that I hadn’t chosen. Something that could destroy me. And yet, the bond between us was undeniable, an invisible string tying us together, pulling tighter with every breath.

I sat up in the small cabin we’d found in the middle of the forest. Zach had brought me here after our encounter with the tattoo, saying it would be safer than staying out in the open. He had gone out to scout the area, making sure we weren’t being followed. But I could still feel him, even now, somewhere in the distance. His presence, like an ever-present hum at the back of my mind.

I looked down at my wrist again, tracing the outline of the glowing tattoo with my fingers. It had dimmed since our conversation in the woods, but it was still there, etched into my skin like a brand. How was this even possible? How could I be connected to someone like Zach—a half-vampire, half-wolf hybrid who had already lost his mate?

The thought of his lost mate sent a pang of guilt through me. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask to be thrown into his life, into this chaos. But now that the bond had been triggered, I didn’t know how to undo it.

A sudden crack in the woods outside broke through my thoughts, snapping me to attention. I stood, my senses on high alert. Zach had warned me to stay put, but I wasn’t about to sit here and wait for something—or someone—to find me.

I moved toward the door, carefully pushing it open. The cool night air hit my skin, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. The forest was quiet, but there was something off about the stillness. Something wrong.

And then I saw it—movement, just beyond the treeline. A flash of red eyes. My heart skipped a beat.

Vampires.

Without thinking, I slipped outside, moving quietly through the underbrush. My wolf senses were sharper than ever now, and I could feel the power humming just beneath the surface, ready to break free. I crouched low, watching the figures move through the trees. There were three of them, circling the cabin like wolves stalking their prey.

I cursed under my breath. How had they found us so quickly? Zach had said the bond would attract attention, but I didn’t expect it to happen this fast.

I needed to warn him.

I reached for my phone, my fingers trembling as I dialed Zach’s number. The phone rang once, twice, before his voice came through the line.

“Vera, what’s wrong?”

“They’re here,” I whispered, keeping my eyes on the figures moving through the trees. “Vampires. Three of them. They’re circling the cabin.”

There was a pause on the other end, and I could hear the tension in Zach’s voice when he spoke again. “Get inside. Now.”

I swallowed hard, glancing back at the cabin. “I don’t think I can make it without them seeing me.”

A low growl rumbled through the phone. “Vera, listen to me. You need to hide. I’m on my way. Just stay out of sight and don’t engage them. They’re after the bond.”

The bond. Of course. It all made sense now. The vampires weren’t here for me—they were here for the power that came with being Zach’s mate. The power they could exploit if they captured me.

I hung up the phone, slipping it into my pocket as I moved deeper into the woods. I needed to stay hidden until Zach got here. But as I crouched behind a thick tree, watching the vampires move closer to the cabin, I realized something that made my blood run cold.

They weren’t circling the cabin anymore. They were following me.

My heart pounded in my chest as I backed away, keeping my eyes on the vampires. How had they spotted me so quickly? I was supposed to be better at this. My wolf instincts should have kicked in by now, guiding me, protecting me.

But they weren’t. And I was terrified.

I turned and ran, my feet pounding against the forest floor. Branches whipped against my face, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. The sound of footsteps behind me grew louder, the vampires closing in fast.

I needed to shift. I needed to tap into whatever power had awakened inside me during the transition. But I didn’t know how. I didn’t know if I could.

Panic surged through me as I stumbled over a root, falling hard to the ground. I gasped, trying to catch my breath as the vampires closed in, their red eyes glowing in the darkness.

“Zach!” I screamed, knowing he was too far away to hear me.

The first vampire lunged, his fangs bared, but before he could reach me, a blur of motion slammed into him, sending him flying into a tree with a sickening crunch. I blinked, barely processing what had just happened.

Zach stood in front of me, his eyes glowing with a fierce, animalistic light. His body was tense, coiled with raw power, and for a moment, I saw him for what he truly was—a predator, a creature born of two worlds, with a strength that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.

“Stay back,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

The other two vampires hesitated, their eyes flicking between Zach and me. They knew they were outmatched. But they didn’t retreat. Instead, they bared their fangs, ready to fight.

Zach didn’t give them a chance. He moved like lightning, his body a blur as he tore through the two vampires with brutal efficiency. Within seconds, it was over. The vampires lay broken at his feet, their bodies motionless.

I stared at him, my heart still racing. “Zach…”

He turned to me, his eyes softening as he reached out a hand to help me up. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, though my legs were still shaky. “I didn’t… I didn’t think they’d come for us so soon.”

“They know,” he said grimly, his gaze scanning the forest. “They’ll keep coming, Vera. The bond—it’s drawing them in.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over me like a heavy blanket. “What do we do now?”

He looked at me, his expression unreadable. “Now, we fight back.”