Run from Me, If You Can

The kitchen knife slipped from my trembling fingers, slicing deep into my palm. Blood welled up immediately, crimson drops spattering across the marble countertop like tiny fallen stars. But the sharp sting that should have made me cry out never came.

Because I could feel him.

Killian was close—somewhere in the packhouse, his presence washing over me like a tide I couldn't resist. My heart hammered against my ribs, drowning out everything else. The mate bond hummed beneath my skin, electric and alive, making even the pain fade to nothing.

I pressed a dish towel against the cut, watching the white fabric bloom red, but my attention was already drifting toward the hallway. Every instinct screamed at me to find him, to be near him, even though I knew he barely acknowledged my existence.

The sound of his deep laughter echoed from the main hall, and my feet moved before my brain could stop them. I abandoned the bloodied towel and crept toward the staircase, my bare feet silent against the cold marble floors.

From my hiding spot behind the banister, I could see him perfectly. Killian stood near the grand fireplace, his dark hair catching the golden light as he spoke with his Beta, Marcus. Even from this distance, his presence was overwhelming—broad shoulders filling out his black shirt, the easy confidence in his stance that marked him as our future Alpha.

He was everything I wasn't. Strong where I was weak, commanding where I was invisible.

As if sensing my gaze, his head turned sharply in my direction. Our eyes met across the space, and the world tilted on its axis.

The mate bond exploded between us like lightning striking dry earth. My soul recognized his with a violence that left me breathless, every cell in my body crying out in recognition. This was him. This was my mate. The other half of my very existence.

But Killian's expression darkened. His jaw clenched, and those storm-gray eyes that had just ignited my entire being now looked at me with something that made my stomach drop.

Disgust.

He frowned and deliberately turned away, dismissing me as easily as swatting a fly.

The rejection hit me like a physical blow. I gripped the banister so hard my knuckles went white, fighting the urge to double over from the pain radiating through my chest. The bond that had felt so right, so perfect, now felt like a gaping wound.

I should have left then. Should have retreated to my room and licked my wounds in private. But something kept me frozen in place, watching him like a moth drawn to flame.

"So, any thoughts on your future Luna?" Marcus asked, his voice carrying easily across the hall.

Killian's laugh was sharp, bitter. "I know exactly what I want."

"Oh? Care to share with your faithful Beta?"

"I want a mate who's worthy of standing beside an Alpha," Killian said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Someone strong. Powerful.