Chapter 2

2

Liza Mercer's laughter bubbled up, unrestrained and light, as the flirtatious shifter twirled her around the dance floor. The music was lively, filling the air with a rhythm that seemed to pulse through her veins, urging her to move, to let go. For the first time in what felt like forever, Liza felt free—free from the shadows that had haunted her for the past year, free from the grip of fear and mistrust that had wound itself so tightly around her heart.

The warm glow of lanterns hung from the trees, casting a soft, golden light over the clearing where the Ironwood pack had gathered to celebrate. The air was cool, but her skin was flushed from the dance, her cheeks warm with the exhilaration of the moment.

Elijah's hand was firm around hers as he guided her through the steps, his grin infectious. He wasn't romantically interested in her, and she was grateful for that. There was an ease between them, a camaraderie that didn't come with the weight of expectation or unspoken desires. His brother, however, was clearly interested in her sister.

The two of them stood awkwardly at the edge of the dance floor. Gideon and Maize were a picture of hesitant attraction, each too uptight to make the first move, but the connection between them was obvious. Liza had always been good at reading others, at seeing the sparks that flew between two people, even when they couldn't see it themselves. It was ironic, really, how she could see it so clearly in others, but had been so blind when it came to herself.

She'd been so flattered when Rob had told her she was his fated mate. The idea of being someone's one and only, of having a bond so deep and unbreakable—it had seemed like a dream come true. But it had all been a lie, a cruel deception that had shattered her belief in the very notion of romantic love.

Elijah spun her around again, pulling her from the dark corners of her mind. She laughed, the sound chasing away the lingering shadows, and let herself be caught up in the moment once more. The music swelled, the beat thrumming through her body. Liza allowed herself to be twirled and dipped, her worries melting away with each step.

"You're a natural," Elijah said, his voice warm and teasing as he brought her back upright. His dark eyes sparkled with mischief, and she couldn't help but grin back at him.

"Only because you're doing all the work." There was a lightness in her chest, a giddiness that she hadn't felt in so long. It was almost unfamiliar.

"Well, someone's got to make you look good." Elijah spun her once more for good measure.

Liza's laughter rang out again, and for a moment, she forgot about everything—about the lies, the betrayal, the fear that still lingered just beneath the surface. Here, in this moment, she was just a girl dancing under the stars, feeling the night breeze on her skin and the warmth of a friend's hand in hers.

But as the music began to slow, the reality of her situation crept back in. The dance was a reprieve, a brief escape from the turmoil that still churned inside her. Elijah must have sensed the shift in her mood because his grip on her hand tightened, grounding her.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice cutting through the noise of her thoughts. "You okay?"

She looked up at him and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," she lied, the words tasting bitter on her tongue. She wasn't ready to unpack the weight of her emotions, not here, not now.

Elijah didn't push. He just gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Liza nodded, grateful for his understanding. The song ended, and they stepped off the dance floor. The cool night air was a welcome relief against her flushed skin. "I'm thirsty. Can we grab a drink?"

They wove through the crowd, the sounds of laughter and music filling the air around them. The scent of the forest was ever-present, mingling with the sweet, fruity aroma of the drinks being served from the stand. The cool night air brushed against her skin, a stark contrast to the warmth still lingering from the dance floor.

As they approached the drink stand, Elijah accidentally bumped into a woman reaching for her drink. The glass tipped, spilling its contents down the front of the woman's dress. Liza's eyes widened as she braced for the inevitable flash of annoyance, but when Elijah opened his mouth to apologize, both he and the woman froze, their eyes locking in a shared moment of stunned recognition.

Liza felt it like a spark in the air. It was a tangible tension that made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She knew instantly what it was—the mating bond. She'd seen it enough times to recognize the unmistakable connection, the way two souls seemed to gravitate toward each other with a force that couldn't be denied.

She watched as Elijah's easygoing demeanor faltered. His devil-may-care expression morphed into a mixture of shock and awe. The woman, too, looked as if the world had shifted beneath her feet, her breath catching as she stared up at him.

Liza's heart squeezed in her chest. She was genuinely happy for Elijah. He was a good man and deserved to find his fated mate. At the same time, a pang of self-pity tightened her throat. It was a bittersweet reminder of what she had once believed she had found, only to have it all ripped away.

Elijah seemed to come back to himself, blinking as if waking from a dream. He started to back up, a notch of fear lifting his eyebrows. This time, as he stepped back, he bumped into Liza. Luckily, she didn't yet have a drink in her hands.

Liza gave Elijah a push toward his future. At first, he didn't budge. Made sense since he was over two hundred pounds of werewolf in a man's body, and she was one hundred percent human.

"Go," she urged softly, her voice steady despite the tumult of emotions swirling inside her.

He didn't hear her. Neither of them did. Liza doubted they remembered she was still there. She turned to the drink stand to order herself a cup. When she glanced over her shoulder she caught Elijah running after the female shifter.

Liza watched them go. She sighed softly and turned back to the drink stand, grabbing a glass for herself. The coolness of the glass pressing against her palm was a welcome distraction from the whirl of thoughts in her mind.

She took a sip. The fruity sweetness of the drink washed over her tongue, but it did little to chase away the sudden ache in her chest. She stared into the crowd, the faces blurring together as she tried to remind herself that she was happy for Elijah, that she was better off alone. But it was hard not to feel a little lost, a little adrift in a sea of couples finding each other while she stood on the shore, watching.

A prickle of unease crawled up her spine, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. It was a sensation she knew all too well—the feeling of being watched. Her grip tightened on the glass as she scanned the crowd, her heart beginning to pound in her chest. She half-expected to see Rob's familiar, menacing figure lurking in the shadows. But there was nothing—just the usual ebb and flow of humans, shifters, witches, and fae moving through the festival grounds.

Liza exhaled, forcing herself to relax. But the sense of unease lingered. She turned back around, ready to take another sip. A startled yelp escaped her lips instead.

Standing right in front of her, so close she could see the fine lines etched around his intense, dark eyes, was a man who commanded the very space around him. He was tall, his broad shoulders casting a shadow over her, and his presence was magnetic, almost overwhelming. His hair was dark, nearly black, and his sharp jawline was covered in a light stubble that only added to his rugged allure.

Liza's breath caught in her throat as she met his gaze, the air between them crackling with a tension she hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. It was like being hit by a bolt of lightning, a jolt that shot straight through her, leaving her heart racing and her mind spinning.

He didn't speak at first, just stared down at her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. The air thickened around them as though the heat between them was building humidity. The sounds of the festival faded into the background as the world narrowed to just the two of them.

Was this it? Was this him? Was this her fated mate?

But no. She'd been through this before. And Rob had been a nightmare.

However, she hadn't felt this kind of pull with Rob. It had just been hope, and her fooling herself. Was she being a fool again?

"You're in danger," said Mr. Tall, Dark, and Maybe Her Fated Mate. "You need to come with me."