The Shadow Wolf - Part 9

Racing through the tunnels, his feet pounded on the stone floors as he followed her scent. Desperation filled him, fearing for her safety. Suddenly, it hit him like the proverbial lead balloon. The minute he rescued her, he’d be part of the resistance. Was he ready to be a traitor?

Processing his situation, he came to a sudden stop, looked back at his surroundings, and questioned his actions. Would she accept him as her mate? Was his fate already sealed? Would he be killed for treason?

His lungs felt restricted, and pain radiated from the center of his chest. Clinging the wall, he asked Draco, his wolf, “What the hell should I do?”

Draco didn’t waste any time replying, ‘You’re a bigger fool than I took you for! Regardless of the consequences, you need to save her!’

If his situation weren’t so dire, he’d have laughed when he heard Draco mutter, ‘F’ing idiot!’

“That’s settled! We'd better find her soon,” he said before he continued running down the tunnel, following her lingering scent.

Turning down a narrow tunnel, he stopped and looked behind him, wondering where she was. Her scent surrounded him, but he couldn’t see how to reach her in the darkness. Taking out his phone, he turned on the flashlight and searched the walls for an opening.

Without the light, he’d have missed it. He shoved his phone in his back pocket, jumped onto the ledge, and squeezed into the crevice. Sliding on his stomach, he continued to inch forward. Before he went any further, he tried to link with her. ‘Sani, it’s me! It’s Vito. I know you’re here. Please don’t be afraid.’

When she didn’t respond, he tried again. ‘Sani, you’re my fated mate. I want to help you.’

‘Go away! You should never have followed me!’

Vito wanted to scream at her, but he inched his way toward her and stopped when he registered the look of fear in her eyes.

"Give me a chance. Don’t reject me,” he pleaded.

"You stupid idiot! You’re going to get us both killed,” she hissed as she stepped away from the ledge he was on.

"Sani, I misdirected the sentinels and sent them on a wild goose chase. I knew where you were and avoided your location.”

Sani threw up her hands in exasperation and asked, “Then why did you search for me? Now they’ll search for you, too.”

Jumping down into the small chamber, he stared at her, trying to figure out how to get her to accept him. Running his hands through his hair, he stepped closer and pulled her into his embrace, saying, “Because I needed to find you.”

Sani pushed him away and said, “I can’t believe you. Has your brain settled in your pants? Has it?”

"No! Draco wanted to find you, too!”

"Yeah! Because he wanted his wolf! He's as selfish as you are!”

Folding her arms, Sani refused to look at Vito. Her silence was killing him, fearing her rejection.

Draco defended himself, saying, ‘We joined the resistance to save her. Tell her that! Tell her!’

Vito walked to her and whispered, “I’ve joined the resistance to save you.”

He stayed still and could feel her breath on his face. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her closer and held her as she trembled. Her emotions were raw and fierce, wanting to fight him, but she didn’t push him away.

"Sani,” he whispered. Her name hung in the air, filling the void between them.

"Yes.”

"Don't fight this."

Leaning in, his lips brushed hers for the first time. He waited for her to admonish him, but she gave in to their bond, whispering, “Kiss me.”

Every butterfly in his stomach came to life as his lips met hers. Pulling back in a panic, he asked, “Sani, do you accept me as your mate?”

”Yes.”

"There’s little time for us. I want to mark you before we’re separated.”

"You mean, like... like, you want to have sex here?” She wasn’t pleased with his suggestion.

“No, Sani. I want to mark each other before they find us. I fear they will since there are only so many places we can hide underground in the winter.”

Pulling her hair back, she replied, "Yeah! Good idea. This isn’t how I dreamed of meeting my mate, but what the hell? Let’s do this before they separate us.”

Vito pierced her skin and heard a slight whimper, but she didn’t cry out. When he finished, he whispered, “Your turn.”

As her fangs sank into him, he heard an explosion in the tunnels. The blast reverberated into the chamber, forcing Vito to fall toward Sani, knocking her into the wall before the pain of the blast hit him. He was pelted with falling rocks as he tried to block Sani from the full impact of the explosion.

Breathing in the smoke and filling the chamber, Vito asked, "Sani, is there a way out of this chamber?"

"Yes," she said, grabbing his hand. Pulling him, "Come. This way."

Before they entered the small tunnel in the back of the chamber, something hit Vito in the back of the head.

His entire world went black.