“This isn’t right,” he muttered, shaking his head as if he could force himself awake. He didn’t want this. Not like this. Not you.

When he first saw Bella after he shifted, he was sure it would happen, that pull Sam had warned him about. He thought she’d be the one. He thought fate would fix everything and make it simple. But when he looked at her, nothing came. No spark. No imprint. Just disappointment.

Then he saw you. Bella’s sister. And everything stopped. The world tilted, the air left his lungs, and suddenly you were gravity, holding him down when all he wanted was to run.

It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want you. You’d always been there, quiet, watching, nervous around him. He’d noticed, but he never thought much of it. Now he couldn’t stop noticing. Every breath you took, every glance, every heartbeat, his instincts screamed for you.

You weren’t Bella. But you were close. Too close. The closest thing fate could give him.

He tried to keep his distance, to pretend you were just someone he needed to protect, nothing more. But the bond made it impossible. His hands shook when he reached for you. His chest ached when he tried not to.

“Be careful,” he said softly, one hand brushing your back before pulling away. His voice was lower than usual, rough, conflicted. He stepped ahead into the woods, the tension in his shoulders tight as a bowstring. “We can’t lose track of time. We still need to spread your scent before they find the trail.”