Chapter 6

6

Liza's world tilted as Rylan scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder. The air rushed out of her lungs in a startled gasp. Her hands clutched at the fabric of his shirt for balance. The forest blurred past her, the dark shapes of trees and the silvery moonlight creating a dizzying kaleidoscope of shadows and light.

Her initial shock gave way to a rush of conflicting emotions. She should be fighting this. She should be struggling to free herself from his grasp. Instead, she held on tighter, her fingers digging into the warm fabric of Rylan's shirt as he moved with the effortless grace of a predator through the woods.

Liza felt the powerful muscles of his back shifting beneath her. She heard the steady rhythm of his breathing. She basked in the solid warmth of his body pressed against hers. The scents of the forest met her nose as Rylan kicked up moss and leaves as he raced toward some place with her.

Belatedly, she realized she was being kidnapped. She should probably scream. Not that anyone would hear her. Did she want someone to hear her? Did she want to be rescued and taken from Rylan?

Yes?

No?

Maybe?

Doubt flickered at the edges of her mind. But another part of her didn't want to doubt. That part of her had always longed for something like this—someone to sweep her off her feet, to choose her above all others, to promise her a love that was guaranteed, fated, unbreakable.

Rylan had sworn it was true. He had looked into her eyes with a conviction that made her heart ache, with a certainty that made it hard to hold on to her doubts. He'd told her that she was his fated mate.

Liza wanted to believe him. She wanted it to be true. The thought of having someone like him, someone so strong and protective, someone who saw her as his, was a dream she had never dared to fully embrace. It seemed too good to be true, and yet, here she was, clinging to him as he carried her deeper into the woods.

The sound of his footsteps was a steady thrum in her ears. The rush of wind in the trees was whispers that seemed to echo her own racing thoughts. She heard the distant call of an owl, the soft rustle of leaves underfoot, and above it all, the powerful beat of Rylan's heart, a steady rhythm that beat in time with her own.

As they broke through the trees, a cabin came into view. It was bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. It was a small, rustic structure, nestled among the towering Ironwood trees of Moonridge Mountain, its weathered wood blending seamlessly with the surrounding forest. If a wayward hiker didn't know it was there, they could easily miss it.

Rylan slowed as they approached, his grip on her firm but gentle as he set her down on her feet. Liza's legs wobbled slightly, a mix of adrenaline and the lingering effects of the sudden rush through the woods. She glanced up at him, her breath catching in her throat as she met his gaze.

His eyes were dark and intense, filled with a heat that made her heart skip a beat. There was something in the way he looked at her, something that spoke of possession, of a desire that went beyond the physical. It was as if he was seeing into her very soul. The connection between them crackled in the air, palpable and undeniable.

The cabin's dim light cast shadows across his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw and the intensity in his eyes. He was so close, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body, yet not close enough to touch. The air was charged with something electric, something that made her pulse race and her palms sweat.

Liza licked her lips, trying to moisten her dry mouth. The reality of the situation hit her like a wave—she was alone in a remote cabin, deep in the woods, with a man who claimed to be her fated mate.

"You kidnapped me," she said once they were inside the quiet of the cabin.

The door slammed shut behind him. The turn of a lock resonated afterwards. Rylan's gaze never wavered from hers, his dark eyes holding her captive as he replied, "Not exactly." His voice was deep, resonant, carrying with it a weight that made her shiver. "You can leave at sunrise if you want to. But I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you don't want to."

The words sent a thrill through her, a mix of challenge and promise that made her skin tingle. She knew she should take a step back, put some distance between them, but her feet refused to move. Instead, she held her ground. Her body betrayed her mind's caution. She was drawn to this man in a way that defied logic.

Rylan took a step closer, closing the distance between them. He reached out, his hand gentle as he cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly over her skin. The touch spread warmth from her cheek down to her chest.

She realized with startling clarity that she wanted him to kiss her. The thought sent a rush of heat through her, straight to her core, which was growing damper by the second. She tilted her head back slightly, her breath catching as she anticipated the feel of his lips on hers.

Rylan's gaze softened as he looked down at her. His eyes flicked from her gaze to her lips. But instead of claiming her mouth, he claimed a piece of her hair instead. He reached up and gently brushed a loose strand off her shoulder. His fingers lingered against her skin. The tenderness of the moment was shattered when his gaze suddenly narrowed, his expression darkening.

Liza frowned, confused by the shift in his demeanor. She felt the lightest touch against her collar. Right where Rob's mark still marred her skin.

She stiffened, her heart clenching as the memories came rushing back: Rob's lies, his possessiveness, the pain of realizing she had been nothing but a pawn in his twisted game.

Rylan's growl was low and dangerous, rumbling in his chest like distant thunder. The sound sent a wave of fear through Liza, but it wasn't directed at her. She felt the anger radiating off him. It was an anger that was entirely focused on the man who had hurt her.

Rylan stepped back slightly, his hand dropping from her cheek. His gaze locked on the mark as if it offended him, as if the mere sight of it was enough to ignite his fury. "He did this to you."

It was the wolf that spoke to her, not the man. Rylan's voice was a growl, laced with barely restrained rage. It wasn't a question the wolf asked; it was a statement, a declaration of his intent to right the wrongs done to her.

Liza nodded, her throat too tight to speak. She had spent so long trying to forget, trying to move past what Rob had done, but the mark had always been a reminder, a symbol of her naivety and the betrayal that had followed.

Rylan's hand curled into a fist at his side. His entire body went taut with effort, like he was trying to keep his anger in check. "He had no right. No right to mark you, to claim you when you were never his."

Any remaining fear left her body. The doubt was close behind. The way Rylan looked at her with such intensity, such certainty, made Liza believe that maybe, just maybe, she could trust him.

"I'm not his," she whispered, the words slipping out before she could think them through. "I never was."

The anger in Rylan's eyes faded in an instant. It was replaced by something gentler, something that made her heart ache with its sincerity. "No," he agreed, his voice losing the growl. "You're mine, Liza."

The words wrapped around her heart like a warm blanket, easing the tension that had been knotted there for so long. And then she cried out in a mixture of pain and pleasure as Rylan's canines bit into the soft flesh at her collarbone.