Bonus Scene

Bonus Scene

A scene from Killian's point of view when he realises that Ari is his true mate.

Killian

"Again!" I demand, watching Ari scowl at me from her place on the floor, causing my insides to twist. "I've never seen a more lazy and out-of-shape wolf in all my life," I continue to shout, my face twisting into a mask of disgust. Ari pushes up from the ground and takes her defensive position, the look on her face making her feelings for me perfectly clear. I know that I am being harsh, and a little part of me is screaming at me to knock it off, to stop hurting her. But if she is hurting, then she will know where she stands, she won't try to get close to me. I can't deny the pull I feel towards her. I shake my head and lift my lip in a snarl.

I can't afford to think that way. My heart belongs to my mate, Julie. The ever-familiar pain of losing her rips through me. They say that time helps heal all wounds. That is a lie, this is a wound that will never heal, the pain is just something that becomes part of your life. When I first lost Julie, it was like the oxygen had been taken from my lungs, every living moment was painful. Not only had I lost my mate, but I lost my pack as well. The pain was almost enough to consume me and almost did. It was only my desire for revenge that kept me going. That, and the fact that if there is a Heaven or Hell, I knew that when I died, I wouldn't be joining Julie and my pack in eternal rest. I would be going to Hell where I belonged.

I step up to Ari and position myself in an offensive stance like I have been doing for the last twenty minutes. For a Shadowborn, she's useless at protecting herself. How she has managed to survive this long, I have no idea. Shadowborn . Just thinking the word makes my wolf bristle and push to the surface, demanding to be let loose. If it wasn't for this annoying pull that I feel towards her, I would stay the hell away.

I place my hands on her, ignoring the small thrill that runs through me at touching her. My eyes run up her body, and I tell myself that it is because I am checking her stance and not the way that her curves are shown off in her workout gear.

"Twist your upper body more. You haven't hooked your leg properly," I whisper in her ear, but she has gotten distracted again. How is she ever going to protect herself if she can't even manage this?! A growl escapes my lips at the thought of someone attacking her. I am so shocked at this thought passing through my head that in attempt to clear it, I twist my body and throw her to the ground again. She lands on the floor heavily, and I spin and pin her to the ground . Come on Ari, fight me! Prove me wrong, throw me off .

She stares up at me, her face frustrated. Frustration I can work with. I remember her at the fight at the pack meet the other day, it wasn't until she was angry that she started fighting like she actually wanted to win. Fine, if getting her angry is what it takes to make her take this seriously, then that is what I will do .

"Useless! Why the fuck should I bother teaching you?" I shout, seeing her face twist. "Fight me! Get up!" I bellow. I see her try to fight me, her small form twisting and thrashing underneath me, but she can't shift my weight. Fine, if I have to play the bad guy to keep her safe, then that is what I will do. My wolf agrees, we need to keep her safe. I shake my head at that thought as if to clear it from my head.

"Pathetic." I lower my face to hers, and my wolf pushes to the surface. Being this close to her awakens something inside me that I haven't felt since before Julie was killed. No! I cannot feel this way about a Shadowborn . My anger at myself and my traitorous feelings rise, along with my alpha power. "Pathetic," I sneer again, but I'm talking more to myself at this point rather than Ari.

Something about my words must have reached her, as I see her eyes widen slightly before she goes limp beneath me. I stare at her body for a moment in shock. She starts shaking, and this is when the panic begins to rise within me.

"Ari?" I call, reaching forward and shaking her shoulder. She cries out at my touch, and I whip my hand away as if I have been burned. What the hell is happening?! She cries out again as if she is in pain.

"Ari!" I shout. What have I done? "Ariana, snap out of it!" I shout, my voice filling the hall, my concern for her making my voice harsh.

The doors slam open, and I glance over to see Seb walk in, his usual jovial expression falling as he sees Ari twitching on the ground under me. I hurry off her and kneel by her side as he runs over, placing his hand on her arm.

"What did you do to her?" he shouts. I've never seen him so angry, and I have to fight with my wolf not to tear into him and discipline him for speaking to me that way. I glare at him before my eyes fall back to Ari, she seems to be waking up now, which helps ease the panic within in me.

"We were practising some self-defence moves, and she just went stiff in my arms. I let her go, and she went limp, staring at the ceiling. Then her eyes closed, and she started shaking, like she was scared. She kept whispering a name. It was like someone was hurting her." I spit the last words out.

"She gets flashbacks. Something must have triggered her," Seb mutters, his attention fully on the woman he is lifting into his lap. Ari opens her eyes fully and smiles weakly up at Seb.

"Hey, beautiful," he says with his own beatific smile.

An anger and jealousy like I have never know fills me until Seb's words register with me.

"Flashbacks. Like memories. You mean this happened—" A growl cuts off my words, ripping from my chest. I am more wolf than man right now. I need to protect her. I need her in my arms right fucking now . My focus is narrowed just on Ari and the male hands that are touching her. I hold open my arms, gesturing for Seb to pass her to me. I don't trust myself to get any closer, and I am fighting every instinct that wants to tear Seb limb from limb.

"Give her to me," My voice is more animal than human. I can see that Seb wants to fight my order, and part of me wants him to so I can fight him. I see the moment that he realises this flash through his eyes before he sighs and passes her over to me.

As soon as she is in my arms, my eyes widen as a powerful rush runs through my body. My breath is taken from my lungs like I have been punched in the chest, and I feel the moment that the true mated pair bond settles over me, connecting me directly to her. I try to fight it, but it's a losing battle. My wolf howls within me as we are consumed completely by the bond.

I'm aware of other people entering the room, but my focus is locked on her. I am acting like a love-struck pup, but my wolf is fully in control, the bond riding me hard. I stroke my hand up and down her back, needing to help calm my mate, who looks two seconds away from freaking out. She speaks to me, but in this state, I can't understand her.

Someone tries to walk towards us, Alex, I realise as I flick my eyes up at the approaching threat, growling in response, my arms tightening around my mate.

"Mine." The word rip out of me.

"Killian, I'm not going to hurt her, but you need to put Ari down," Alex says to me as he crouches down near us, his arms wide. I hear the words, but I struggle to understand them. They want to take Ari from me. I growl again fiercely. My gaze shoots up as someone runs into the room. Alpha Mortlock. My friend. I growl as he tries to come closer. He stops, taking a step back. I can feel Ari getting distressed through the delicate, not yet accepted bond between us. I look down at her again, pulling her even closer to my chest.

Ari struggles in my arms with a strength I didn't know she possessed, throwing herself away from me. My wolf howls at the loss of contact between us, my body jerking as he tries to take over. I stalk towards her, needing my mate in my arms.

"Mine," I remind her. She. Belongs. With. Me.

I can see the moment that she has had enough as her face tightens and she leaps forward, smacking me in the face.

The hit is enough to stun my wolf, bringing me back in control. I stare at her, stunned that she punched me, bringing my hand to my aching jaw. That's my girl. My mate.

Fuck.

I look across at Alpha Mortlock, hating the sad look that is crossing his face. Glancing back at Ari, I feel the need to pull her into my arms rising again. I can't be here right now.

I spin around and march towards the door with more than just my jaw hurting.

What the fuck am I going to do?