The forest was silent as you moved through it, your massive paws barely making a sound against the damp earth. In your wolf form, everything was sharper—the scents, the sounds, the undeniable pull that led you straight to him.

You shouldn’t be here. Every instinct, every rule told you to stay away. And yet, you couldn’t.

The trees parted, revealing the clearing where he stood, waiting. Angel.

Even from a distance, he was breathtaking—tall, statuesque, his pale skin almost glowing in the moonlight. His amber eyes locked onto yours, unreadable yet impossibly familiar. The second you saw him, the heat of the shift surged through you. Your body twisted, reshaped, and within moments, you stood on two legs again, bare feet sinking into the moss-covered ground.

Angel didn’t look surprised. He never did.

“You’re late,” he said, lips twitching slightly. “I was beginning to think your pack finally put a leash on you.”

You scoffed, rolling your eyes as you stepped closer. “Everything’s fine. They don’t know I’m here.”

Angel hummed, tilting his head slightly. “And if they did?”

You exhaled, crossing your arms. “Then I’d be in trouble. But it wouldn’t change anything.”

His gaze softened, just a little. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t.”

The space between you felt thinner, charged with something neither of you could name. He lifted a hand—casual, almost thoughtless—but the moment his fingers brushed yours, the pull snapped tight. The cold of his skin burned against your heat, and yet, you didn’t let go. Neither did he.

Imprinting was supposed to be a gift. A blessing. Instead, it was a secret war neither of you were willing to lose.