Seris’s POV

“Mate?” I whispered, staring up at the enormous black wolf whose sable pelt shimmered in the moonlight. I inhaled sharply, drinking in his scent as his golden eyes bore into ours.

Eirwen’s tail thumped the ground in wild excitement. “Mate!” she cried, then bolted forward, her paws skidding over moss and fallen leaves.

“No, Eirwen—wait!” I lunged to stop her, but the gap closed too quickly. Before I could reach her, she had bounded to his side, lifting her muzzle to nuzzle his neck.

A sudden jolt—sparks! Our furs met, and a low purr of delight rumbled in Eirwen’s chest. The black wolf froze, every muscle taut. Around us, the pack’s warriors emitted low, warning growls.

“Back off, mutt!” he thundered. His voice rolled like distant thunderclaps. Eirwen and I skidded back, whimpering as shock rippled through our bodies.

Eirwen’s ears dropped. “What’s happening, Seris? He’s our mate—he should welcome us!”

I swallowed, knuckles white as I gripped a gnarled branch. “I… I don’t know.” Fear surged as I saw his rage ignite, flickering in the gold of his eyes.

He snarled, advancing on us with deliberate menace. Each step made the earth tremble beneath his weight. We retreated until we were trapped against a gnarled oak, its bark rough against our flanks.

He paused, head bowed, as though waging an internal battle. Then his deep voice rumbled, “Shift, mutt.”

Eirwen snarled back defiantly, unbowed by the raw power thrumming through the air. My heart thundered in my chest. I knew if we resisted, he would strike us down without hesitation.

“I said shift!” he snarled. Air hummed with his command, and panic flared in my veins. Seizing control, I guided Eirwen—and myself—into human form. My bones cracked and reformed, thick fur regressing into smooth skin, limbs reshaping until I stood trembling on two legs, naked beneath the open sky.

I sucked in a sharp breath, cold night air filling my lungs. The black wolf’s gaze roamed over my quivering flesh, and shame flared within me. With shaky fingers, I tried to shield my face, my body. Yet I knew the other wolves could not see me now; he stood between us, blocking their view.

“Your face!” he barked. “I want to see your face!”

Trembling, I dropped my hands. Vulnerability bloomed like a wound in my chest as his eyes scanned every scar, every curve and imperfection.

“He doesn’t want us,” Eirwen whispered, voice breaking.

“No one wants us, Eirwen,” I choked out. My heart shattered in two.

“Shift back!” he commanded, turning his gaze away. Humiliated and aching, I reshaped into wolf form. Fur sprouted over my skin, bones realigned, until once more I stood on all fours, coat puffy with residue of human flesh, cheeks damp with tears.

I understood now—my scars, the marks Malrik Corebane had called “ugly,” had doomed me to rejection. If only I’d been flawless, pretty—he would have welcomed me. My unknown mate would have taken us in, not driven us out like abominations.

A scuttling sound behind us made me glance back. Our pup, Mirelle, pressed close, trembling. We watched as the black wolf turned his broad shoulders and stalked back to his kin. One by one, the pack’s wolves bowed their heads, save a lone white she-wolf.

She moved with regal pride, paws silent on the forest floor. Eirwen and I both felt envy twist in our guts as she approached the black wolf. He nuzzled her with an ease he hadn’t shown us. Her tail curled upward in triumph. They stood locked in silent communion, heads bowed in a mind-link that left me cold with longing.

At last they broke apart. The black wolf gave us one last, lingering look—eyes burning with unreadable fire—then lifted his head and howled. His powerful silhouette vanished into the darkness, swallowed by the forest’s shadows.

The white she-wolf’s laughter—cold as ice—cut through the night. “You’re coming with us, filthy rogues!” she snarled, her voice dripping contempt.

Eirwen shrank back, hackles rising. The white she-wolf advanced, eyes flashing. “Take another step back, and I’ll end you—and that miserable pup!” Mirelle whimpered and cowered behind us.

We stood frozen, heartbeats drumming in our ears, until the white she-wolf barked orders to a second she-wolf. With no other choice, we followed them through the moonlit wood. Our paws slipped in dew-soaked grass. Eirwen panted, bleeding from countless thorn pricks, yet she forced herself onward. Mirelle tripped, yelped, and scrambled back to our sides.

The night pressed in around us, an endless tunnel. They never slowed. I watched Eirwen falter, then catch herself, her eyes brimming with tears. The white she-wolf glowered. “Move, mutt!” she snapped.

Mirelle whimpered again. The white she-wolf whirled on us. “Silence your pup, or I’ll give her something to really whine about!” She strode closer, lips curled.

Forced on by fear, we continued. Eventually, the forest parted before us, revealing a wide field of meticulously mown grass that glowed silver under the moon. Ahead, a grand castle-like house rose, its towers piercing the dark sky. Smaller outbuildings hugged the walls like loyal retainers.

My heart pounded as we drew near. The she-wolves halted at the massive gates. “Stop!” the white she-wolf ordered. The other wolves balked, then nodded. She turned to us, eyes baleful, and then darted off along a side passage. Two stern she-wolves remained to escort us.

They led us behind the great mansion to a narrow corridor lit by torches whose flames danced on cold stone walls. The air was damp and heavy, redolent of old magic. Every echo of our steps sounded like a sentence being passed. My pulse thudded so loudly I feared they’d hear it.

We rounded a sharp corner and arrived at the barred entrance to the cells. The heavy iron door stood open, revealing darkness beyond. My limbs trembled. I glanced at Eirwen—her fur bristled with fear and exhaustion.

“What do you think they’ll do with us?” I whispered, voice cracking. “And our mate…do you think he’ll reject us?”

Eirwen’s golden eyes shone painfully. “I don’t know what they intend, but I can’t endure more torture. We escaped Malrik Corebane only to land in a far worse nightmare. As for our mate…when I brushed against him, I felt a flicker of acceptance, then swift resentment. I don’t know which will win. Seris, I’m broken. I thought finding our mate meant safety, happiness. Instead, he despises us—even more than Malrik did.”

Her words struck me like a blow. I had no answer, no comfort to offer. We lingered in silence, three broken souls—two wolves and a pup—on the brink of an unknown fate in the darkness of those cells.