“You smell like mine” I heard him growl in front of me. Low, deep, possessive. I couldn’t even raise myself to look at him, my head was pounding from the fall and my body felt like I was ran over by a thousand trucks, but my heart somehow still managed to stop and start again at 1000 mph. “You don’t even know me.” I tried to sound confident, but it came out like a whisper. “I been looking for you.” He said, ignoring my words, leaning over me like I was his property. I know I had to get up and run, but my entire body refused to cooperate, it was moving towards him instead. Like a magnet, responding only to his touch. “Back off! I can’t stay! he will kill me if he catches me, please let me go!” I cried. It was physically hurting me to try and leave. I wanted to touch him, kiss him, to feel his hands around me. “I know he is coming; that’s why I’m here. Nobody touches what’s mine” He sounded so confident, but I knew better than that. “Please don’t, let me go, I’m not worth it” It was taking all my strength to say that, but I wasn’t going to let him face John just to protect me. “You are mine little one. My mate. I know you know that. Your body tells me so.” His finger tracing the outline of my shoulder, leaving a trail of sparks. His voice was smooth, low, calm, I could feel the electricity irradiating from him, it was like velvet brushing my skin. I was melting under him. “Thank you for holding her for me. Now move so I can take her.” John’s voice sounded from behind. My entire body tensed, keeping me in my place. “I think I was clear when I said she is MINE, so this is your last chance to turn around and go away.” He said, starting to raise. A low growl forming in his chest, making the earth shake underneath. Every muscle in his body tensing, getting ready to shift. “Oh but I think your mistaken. That girl is mine to do as I please.” John said, leaning agains a tree with an infuriating smirk, as if he owned the place. He didn’t care that every muscle of the man in front of me was preparing to kill, vibrating with a lethal fury that made the air feel heavy. “She ain’t a toy John, and sure as hell she isn’t yours.” He stood in front of me, shielding me from John’s gaze. At that moment, a lot of wolfs started to emerge from the shadows, stepping into the tree line, surrounding us. “Walk away and I might let you live another day.” “Look around you” John said, dropping all pretense of warmth “You stand no chance, give her to me and I’ll even forget your transgression, Asher” “Asher?” the word left my lips before I had the time to stop it. Thousand memories rushing like a cascade, all at once. My heart pounding in my ears… Could it be him?