go!” Nox barked.
“No! Let me handle him. Don’t follow me!”
Nox came up short of changing. His fingers and toes had already
begun to shift and thicken. His legs had begun to shorten, and fur had
pressed through his skin. His heels dug into the ground, and he
watched in limbo as Aya’s white figure disappeared into the forest.
The urge to protect pounded at his spirit fiercely. He didn’t trust Riley
enough to leave her unattended in his presence, especially after this
fallout. The man was unstable, his actions unpredictable.
Aya’s demand resonated in his ears.
80
Rhea Regale
And he would not deprive her of retribution.
Wild Nights
81
Chapter Eight
Aya followed Riley’s potent scent—a toxic mixture of crisp air,
raw power, and dark hunger—through the maze of thick brush and
trees. His path banked this way and that, leading her deeper and
deeper into unknown territory. Every hair on her body bristled, every
cell tingled. She opened her mouth, and the intense, earthy taste of the
forest, of him , rolled over her tongue.
He murdered my uncle. He doesn’t deserve my affections.
The brutal memory of the night prior shook her confidence.
Compared to Lenox, she was a new pup in this strange world. She
was young and inexperienced in most of her wolfen ways.
And yet, instinct led her along the path of a brutal, self-centered,
heartbreakingly handsome killer.
He stepped between his own pack and you. There’s more to him
than arctic words and death gazes.
A shaft of moonlight filtered through the dense forest canopy,
casting eerie shadows in an already haunting forest. She paused, ears
pricked to pick up on the slightest movement. An unsettling quiet
surrounded her. The wild was far too silent, especially on an
otherwise perfect evening.
She tipped her nose to the sky and sniffed sharply. Riley’s scent
swam through her body, coating her mind with heady need. Not what
she wanted to experience, but if Lenox’s words rang true, Riley was
her mate as much as he. The news was a shock. With it came a
tangled web of conflicting emotions that ran wild: a fight between the
horror of having her uncle’s murderer appointed as mate and
surrendering herself to a man who despised her.
82
Rhea Regale
A twig snapped to her left. She crouched low to the ground, the
fur along her spine rising. Her nails dug into the organic debris
beneath her paws.
A bush rustled. She sniffed again. The breeze had become
stagnant, hampering her sense of smell from detecting approaching
dangers. Riley’s scent continued to fill her, pushing past the
boundaries of her barrier-forged front. Her blood began to heat, her
pulse sped up.
He was nearby.
Leaves crunched. She tipped her head and focused on the patch of
open area where the sound evolved.
A quick twinkle of nocturnal eyes. She pulled back her lips in a
snarl. A moment later, a raccoon emerged from behind a tree trunk, its
black button nose twitching as it surveyed its current position.
Aya blinked. She straightened up and stared at the creature. If
Riley wasn’t hiding—
“Fool!”
His chide hit her mind the same instant his large body barreled
into hers. Aya yipped, whipping her paws around to gouge at Riley.
Sharp teeth burrowed against her scruff. He dragged her down, his
powerful wolf encasing her between hard muscle, soft fur, and four
agile legs that pinned her own.
Aya snapped her head around and bared her teeth, ignoring the
pinch of his against her tender flesh.
He hadn’t broken skin…yet.
“You’re a fucking fool, Ayasha, for following me here. I can kill
you in a heartbeat.”
To implement his threat, he snagged a bigger chunk of her scruff
between his teeth. The extra flesh constricted around her throat, but he
still didn’t harm her.
“Don’t discount my abilities to face danger. I’m capable of
holding my own.” Aya swiveled in his tight grip, twisting her scruff
from his teeth with only a
“No! Let me handle him. Don’t follow me!”
Nox came up short of changing. His fingers and toes had already
begun to shift and thicken. His legs had begun to shorten, and fur had
pressed through his skin. His heels dug into the ground, and he
watched in limbo as Aya’s white figure disappeared into the forest.
The urge to protect pounded at his spirit fiercely. He didn’t trust Riley
enough to leave her unattended in his presence, especially after this
fallout. The man was unstable, his actions unpredictable.
Aya’s demand resonated in his ears.
80
Rhea Regale
And he would not deprive her of retribution.
Wild Nights
81
Chapter Eight
Aya followed Riley’s potent scent—a toxic mixture of crisp air,
raw power, and dark hunger—through the maze of thick brush and
trees. His path banked this way and that, leading her deeper and
deeper into unknown territory. Every hair on her body bristled, every
cell tingled. She opened her mouth, and the intense, earthy taste of the
forest, of him , rolled over her tongue.
He murdered my uncle. He doesn’t deserve my affections.
The brutal memory of the night prior shook her confidence.
Compared to Lenox, she was a new pup in this strange world. She
was young and inexperienced in most of her wolfen ways.
And yet, instinct led her along the path of a brutal, self-centered,
heartbreakingly handsome killer.
He stepped between his own pack and you. There’s more to him
than arctic words and death gazes.
A shaft of moonlight filtered through the dense forest canopy,
casting eerie shadows in an already haunting forest. She paused, ears
pricked to pick up on the slightest movement. An unsettling quiet
surrounded her. The wild was far too silent, especially on an
otherwise perfect evening.
She tipped her nose to the sky and sniffed sharply. Riley’s scent
swam through her body, coating her mind with heady need. Not what
she wanted to experience, but if Lenox’s words rang true, Riley was
her mate as much as he. The news was a shock. With it came a
tangled web of conflicting emotions that ran wild: a fight between the
horror of having her uncle’s murderer appointed as mate and
surrendering herself to a man who despised her.
82
Rhea Regale
A twig snapped to her left. She crouched low to the ground, the
fur along her spine rising. Her nails dug into the organic debris
beneath her paws.
A bush rustled. She sniffed again. The breeze had become
stagnant, hampering her sense of smell from detecting approaching
dangers. Riley’s scent continued to fill her, pushing past the
boundaries of her barrier-forged front. Her blood began to heat, her
pulse sped up.
He was nearby.
Leaves crunched. She tipped her head and focused on the patch of
open area where the sound evolved.
A quick twinkle of nocturnal eyes. She pulled back her lips in a
snarl. A moment later, a raccoon emerged from behind a tree trunk, its
black button nose twitching as it surveyed its current position.
Aya blinked. She straightened up and stared at the creature. If
Riley wasn’t hiding—
“Fool!”
His chide hit her mind the same instant his large body barreled
into hers. Aya yipped, whipping her paws around to gouge at Riley.
Sharp teeth burrowed against her scruff. He dragged her down, his
powerful wolf encasing her between hard muscle, soft fur, and four
agile legs that pinned her own.
Aya snapped her head around and bared her teeth, ignoring the
pinch of his against her tender flesh.
He hadn’t broken skin…yet.
“You’re a fucking fool, Ayasha, for following me here. I can kill
you in a heartbeat.”
To implement his threat, he snagged a bigger chunk of her scruff
between his teeth. The extra flesh constricted around her throat, but he
still didn’t harm her.
“Don’t discount my abilities to face danger. I’m capable of
holding my own.” Aya swiveled in his tight grip, twisting her scruff
from his teeth with only a
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