Chapter 71

Violet

I bolted into the forest. Theodore’s answering snarl carried a hint of amusement, and then he was after me, his powerful strides eating up the distance between us. I ran faster, darting through the trees, weaving around trunks, and leaping over underbrush, my senses alive with the thrill of the chase.

He got close, but what I didn’t have in his power, I was quicker.

It was like I had never stopped shifting the way I still managed to maneuver around. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves felt sharper, clearer. I reveled in the pure, wild joy of running, of feeling the wind against my fur and the earth beneath my paws.

The magic of the night was alive and dancing around us, waking the forest around us.

Theodore wasn’t far behind, gaining on me with every breath. It was exhilarating. I felt the moment he leaped, aiming to tackle me. I ducked low, slipping through a tight cluster of trees and doubling back. I skidded to a stop on top of a cluster of rocks looking down at him.

He turned sharply, letting out a bark of mock indignation. I couldn’t help but wag my tail in triumph, a deep satisfaction thrumming through me.

For the first time in so long, I felt alive. Truly, completely alive.

I said if you can.

Then, he was bounding toward me again.

I took off. The further we ran, the more the forest felt like it was breathing with us. The joy of weaving through the trees, the crunch of leaves beneath my paws, and the cool night air against my fur was unlike anything I'd felt before. It wasn’t just exhilarating. It was freeing in a way that was all-consuming.

I understood the phrase my mother used to use for it: high on moonlight.

Every now and then, I glanced back to see him right on my heels, his eyes gleaming with a challenge that made my heart race even faster. I pushed myself harder, zigzagging through the shifting terrain of Midnight’s magical forest, and Theodore matched me stride for stride.

We darted through glowing flowers that shimmered like constellations in the underbrush and past trees that hummed, the air itself was charged with something wild and sacred.

It was magical, romantic, perfect.

Theodore nipped at my tail, and I let out a playful snarl, veering sharply to the left. He followed without hesitation, and soon we were running side by side, our movements in perfect sync. I’d never felt so close to anyone before, not even when I thought I was in love.

We were so caught up in the moment, in each other, that neither of us noticed the incline until it was too late. The terrain shifted suddenly beneath our paws, loose dirt and rocks giving way. I skidded, trying to regain my balance, but the momentum carried me forward.

Theodore barked, his tone half-warning, half-laughter, before he too was swept up in the fall with a yelp.

We tumbled together, rolling down the steep slope in a chaotic blur of fur and earth. I hit the bottom with a soft thud, the wind knocked out of me. The impact jolted me hard enough to break my shift, and I found myself sprawled in the grass, completely naked, every inch of me aching but alive with adrenaline.

My body felt too heavy to lift, but I was so wired, it felt like my mind was going a million miles a second.

I groaned, trying to push myself upright, but exhaustion weighed heavy on me. My body was still recovering from the drug and the attack, and the broken bond with Lucas still lingered like a ghost at the edges of my strength. Still, I laughed.

I couldn’t stop laughing, sprawled out in the grass and completely breathless.

If my old unit could see me now.

Theodore padded over, his wolf tilting its head as if to check if I was okay. Then he shifted, crouching down beside me, just as bare but looking far less disheveled.

“Well,” he said, his voice warm and teasing, “that was graceful.”

I glared at him, though it lacked any real heat. “You’re the one who couldn’t keep up. This is your fault.”

He laughed, a sound that warmed me despite the chill in the air. “My fault? I tried to warn you.”

“As I was sliding?”

He chuckled, and I couldn’t help but smile, even as I let my head fall back onto the soft grass.

“It was worth it.”

Theodore’s expression softened, and he reached out to brush a strand of hair from my face.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “It was.”

The forest around us seemed to glow faintly, the magical flowers casting their light like stars against the darkness. For a moment, neither of us moved, caught in the stillness and the sheer wonder of it all.

I grinned up at him. “So, you didn’t catch me.”

“I was enjoying the chase.”

“Me, too,” I said. “Though if I ever get back to–”

“You will,” Theodore said.

I blinked trapped in his too serious, too open, too vulnerable gaze.

“You’ll… have to step up my game.”

“Are you going to run to get away?”

I smirked. “Probably not.”

He tilted his head, a boyish grin on his lips warm and a little crooked. It was so infuriatingly charming it made my heart skip. Before I could overthink it, I launched myself at him, catching him off guard. He toppled backward with a surprised grunt, and we landed in the soft grass in a tangle of limbs. He looked up at me and lifted up, kissing me as if he’d wanted to do for ages.

He let out a low groan that made my stomach flip. The adrenaline was still thrumming through me, heightening everything—the way his skin felt warm against mine, the faint hint of earth and pine in the air, the electric charge between us.

It started soft, tentative, but when he kissed me back, it quickly turned into something deeper. His hands slid up my back, pulling me closer, and I melted into him, forgetting everything but the way he made me feel. Just as I was sure he was going to roll us over and slid right into me, Theodore pulled back, his breathing uneven.

“As much as I’d love to keep this going,” he said, his voice rough with amusement, “we are not spending our wedding night in the mud.”

Before I could respond, he hauled me up into his arms as though I weighed nothing and started running back towards the cabin.

“Theo!” I protested, though I was laughing too hard to sound convincing. “I can walk!”

“I need you to conserve whatever energy you have left.”

The morning sunlight filtered through the cabin, warm and golden, painting everything in soft hues. I stretched lazily, still feeling the pleasant ache from the night before. Theodore was already up, sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to me.

I could feel the tension radiating off him before he even said anything.

“I’m an idiot,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

I blinked, sitting up and pulling the sheet around me. “Good morning to you too.”

He glanced over his shoulder, his brow furrowed in guilt. “We have to head back.”

“What?”

“I didn’t bring a single condom. I didn’t even think about it last night, and —” He broke off and narrowed his eyes. “Why are laughing?”

I coughed away my snickering. “Is it contagious?”

“What?”

“Idiocy.” I snorted. “Arrogance? Do you think if I catch it, you’ll lose it like hay fever?”

He scoffed. “Funny.”

I grinned and poked his side. He caught my hand and pulled me across the bed towards him.

“I’m serious.” The corners of his mouth twitched, but the guilt lingered in his eyes. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I don’t want to put you in a position you’re not ready for.”

His sincerity made my teasing evaporate. I fiddled with the edge of the sheet, wondering if I should have told him this before. To be fair, we hadn’t discussed anything because this was all supposed to be over in a year. The thought of parting from him even a year from now felt unbearable.

“What is it?” Theodore asked, leaning to rest his head on my shoulder and breathe deeply against my neck. “You smell anxious.”

“I am, oddly,” I said softly.

“I can only imagine, given that your mother—”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

He tilted his head, watching me closely. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve never used...anything,” I admitted, my voice quieter than I intended. “Not with Lucas. Never once. And I never...” My throat felt tight, but I forced myself to continue. “It just never happened.”

His eyes bulged and I met his gaze, forcing a small smile.

“So… you don’t have to worry about it.”