Lilith POV
Lilith could not sleep.
She had been lying in bed for two hours staring at the ceiling.
The full moon was three days past but something still felt wrong.
Not wrong, It felt different, The air in her room was too thick and her skin felt too tight.
She sat up, looked at the window.
The moon was waning but still bright enough to cast shadows across the floor.
She threw the covers off, pulled on a robe over her nightgown, and walked out barefooted.
She did not know where she was going.
Just knew she could not stay in this room.
The hallway was empty, everywhere was silent.
Everyone was asleep at this time of the night.
She walked down the stairs carefully.
Through the main hall, outside door into the garden.
The night air hit her and she breathed it in and felt better almost immediately.
She walked toward the edge of the garden where the trees started.
The woods were dark, It was quiet and dark.
She should go back inside, the right decision was to go back, but she didn’t.
Something pulled at her chest.
Not the bond.
She knew what the bond felt like now....warm and steady and connected to Nicholas.
This was different, it felt sharper.
Like a hook behind her ribs pulling her forward.
She stepped into the trees.
The woods were darker than she expected.
The moonlight barely made it through the canopy.
She walked slowly and carefully.
Her bare feet silent on the dirt and moss.
The pull got stronger.
She followed it without thinking.
Around a thick tree.
Over a fallen log.
She went deeper.
Then she heard it.
A sound that made her stop completely.
Not a howl.
Not a growl.
Something between a roar and a breath.
Pained.
She should turn around, but she kept walking.
The trees opened into a small clearing.
Moonlight spilled through, and Sebastian was there.
On his knees.
Head down and shirtless.
His back was to her, she could see his spine through his skin.
His shoulders heaving.
He didn’t know she was there.
Lilith stepped behind a tree and watched.
She didn’t know why, she just could not look away.
Sebastian’s hands were pressed flat to the ground.
His fingers digging into the dirt.
His whole body was shaking.
Then he threw his head back and growled.
The sound ripped through the clearing.
Lilith’s breath caught.
His spine moved.
Not like a muscle tensing.
Like something underneath his skin was trying to get out.
She pressed her hand to her mouth.
Sebastian’s breathing changed, It became faster, harsher.
His shoulders rolled forward and she heard the first crack.
Bone breaking and restructuring.
His right arm buckled and reformed.
It became longer and thicker.
Claws where his fingers had been.
Oh god!
Lilith could not move, could not breathe, could not look away.
The second crack came from his spine.
His back arched violently and his whole body lifted off the ground.
Another crack.
Then another.
His legs twisted and reformed.
His jaw extended.
Teeth pushing through gums.
Fangs.
His skin rippled and darkened and then fur started spreading from his spine outward.
Black and thick.
Covering him in waves.
The transformation was not clean.
It was brutal.
Beautiful in a way that made her chest hurt.
Sebastian’s human form disappeared completely, and Rhen stood in his place.
He was massive.
Easily the size of a horse.
Black fur gleaming in the moonlight, Brown eyes tinted with gold.
Mouth open, he was breathing hard.
Lilith stared.
She had never seen a wolf this large before, even at Shadowmare.
She had never seen one this big.
Rhen shook himself and stretched.
Tested his legs.
Then he went completely still.
His head turned slowly toward the tree line.
Toward her.
And their eyes met.
Golden brown eyes locked on her like she was the only thing in the world.
Lilith’s heart stopped and Rhen’s lips pulled back.
Not a snarl, but something else.
Recognition.
Hunger.
Claim.
Lilith screamed, She turned and ran.
She didn’t think, she just turned and ran.
Her bare feet hit the dirt hard, branches whipped her face.
She didn’t care, She ran faster than she had ever run in her life.
Behind her she heard the growl, low and deep vibrating through the ground.
Then the sound of paws hitting earth.
Fast.
It was getting closer.
Oh god....oh god....oh god.
She pushed harder.
Her lungs burned, Her legs screamed.
The estate was ahead.
She could see the lights through the trees.
She was almost there, but the wolf was right behind her.
She could hear his breathing, Feel the heat of him.
She was not going to make it. she knew she wouldn’t make it.
Rhen slammed into her from behind and she went down hard, face first into the dirt and the air punched out of her lungs.
She tried to crawl forward, but Rhen’s paw came down on her back and pinned her flat.
She froze and he growled.
The sound rolled through her entire body.
She turned her head and looked up.
Rhen was standing over her.
Massive paws on either side of her body.
His head lowered.
His mouth right above her face.
All she could see were...."Teeth, So many teeth"
She could not breathe, could not move either.
His nose pressed to her throat and he inhaled.
Long and deep.
Taking her scent in.
Then his tongue came out.
Hot and wet. He licked her face.
Slow and deliberately. From her jaw to her temple.
Lilith whimpered and Rhen growled again.
The sound was softer this time.
But still sounded Possessive.
He licked her again, her cheek, her neck, her collarbone where her robe had fallen open.
His teeth scraped her throat.
Gently, he was testing her without breaking her skin, He was claiming her with his tongue.
Lilith’s whole body was shaking.
Rhen’s mouth moved lower.
His tongue dragging over the hollow of her throat, over the top of her chest.
He was tasting every inch of her body.
Memorizing her.
His teeth closed around the side of her neck, carefully holding her in place.
Not biting, he just applied pressure.
She went completely still.
He held her there for three breaths, then released.
He licked the spot he had just held, moved to her shoulder.
Bit down again.
Held.
Released.
Licked.
He was marking her without breaking skin.
Showing her what he wanted.
Where he wanted it.
Lilith’s breath came in short gasps.
Her heart was slamming against her ribs.
Rhen pulled back.
Looked down at her.
Golden brown eyes burning.
She stared up at him.
She looked terrified, frozen in place.
Wanting something she didn’t understand.
Then the wolf started to shift.
The restructuring happened faster this time.
Bones cracking back into place.
Fur receding.
Claws pulling back into fingers.
Rhen’s massive body shrinking.
Reforming, becoming human again.
Sebastian’s face came back first, His eyes still brown tinted with gold.
Still wild.
His body followed and when he finished the transformation, he was naked and covered in dirt and sweat and he was till pinning her to the ground.
Still over her.
His hands on either side of her head where Rhen’s paws had been.
His hips pressed to hers.
He was hard.
She felt it.
Her whole body went hot.
Sebastian’s breathing was ragged.
His chest heaving.
He stared down at her.
Eyes still not fully his own.
"You ran from me."
His voice was rough, More growl than words.
Lilith couldn’t answer, could not move.
Sebastian’s hand slid up her thigh, slowly pushing her nightgown up as he went.
His palm was burning hot against her skin.
He leaned down, His mouth at her ear, His breath making her shiver.
"Rhen wants to mark you."
She felt his teeth scrape her earlobe.
"Right here."
His hand tightened on her thigh.
"Right now."
His hips rolled against hers.
She gasped and he groaned.
His other hand fisted in her hair, holding her still.
His mouth moved to her throat.
Kissing.
Biting.
Tasting the same spots Rhen had just claimed.
Lilith’s hands came up to his chest.
She did not push him away.
Just held on.
Sebastian pulled back just enough to look at her.
His eyes were brown tinted with molten gold.
Feral and barely controlled.
"Tell me to stop." he said.
She couldn’t nod, she looked paralyzed with both fear and desire.
"Lilith." he called her name again.
A plea maybe.
She didn’t say anything, just looked at him with that expression that said everything he needed to hear.
Sebastian’s control snapped.
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