RAMON’S POV

Perhaps it was the rush of adrenaline still pumping through my veins, the anger from hearing what Lorena tried to do, or Sonia trying to play therapist with her soft words and gentle touches.

I don’t know what exactly it was, but as soon as I saw Moon, and he called my name, I lunged towards him in attack. My claws extended instinctively, the familiar burn of the shift surging through my fingers as my wolf roared for blood.

However, Sonia jumped in front of him before I could claw his heart out. Her small frame stood between us, her eyes wide but determined.

My outstretched hand stopped just an inch away from her chest. The heat of her body radiated against my palm, and the scent of her fear mixed with something sweeter—trust, made my wolf hesitate.

Swiftly, I regained control of myself, and my claws shifted back into fingers, the change leaving a faint ache in my joints.

"Go!" She said to Moon, her voice firm yet gentle as she turned slightly toward him.

But the fool refused to budge, his eyes darting between us with a mix of fear and defiance.

"If I were you, I’d listen to her. I don’t want to see your face," I growled, my voice low and dangerous.

"It wasn’t me. I have to prove my innocence, Alpha Ramon. I’d never hurt Sonia. I told her the last person I remembered running into was—"

"There’s no need to go down memory lane just yet," Sonia cut him off before he could finish what he was saying, her hand gently pushing him back.

That pissed me off. I was actually interested in hearing his defense. My jaw clenched as frustration boiled in my chest.

Then I hated myself for wanting to hear his defense when I should be seeking out a way to kill him for daring to touch my mate. The image of them together flashed in my mind again, making my wolf snarl.

"Get him out of my sight. If I see him one more time, he’s dead," I snarled, my fists tightening at my sides.

Sonia nodded, and quickly turned to Moon.

"I know you feel wronged, and angry because you’re not being listened to, but I don’t think now’s the right time to plead your case? Just go inside, alright?" Her voice was soft, almost pleading, as she placed a hand on his arm.

"But—"

"Shhhh," she placed a finger on his lips, and my annoyance flared hot in my chest. The casual touch sent a surge of possessiveness through me. "Just go." She gently shoved him towards the door.

He bobbed his head, and returned to wherever he had come out from, his footsteps fading down the hall.

"Why are you defending him?" I asked the second he left, my voice sharp as I stepped closer to her.

"I thought we discussed this already? You have to give him a chance to plead his case. Perhaps, you don’t believe me when I tell you nothing happened between us."

I scoffed bitterly, because I just couldn’t help it. The image of her touching him lingered like a thorn in my side.

"With the way you were touching him? It’s hard not to think the worst," I said, my eyes narrowing.

"Touching him?" She gasped, sounding like she was genuinely offended, her hand flying to her chest.

"Shutting him up, placing your fingers on his lips, what exactly do you call that?"

She looked taken aback for a second, as she stared at me with strange eyes.

"What?!"

"Are you jealous?"

I burst out laughing immediately. It was the funniest, and yet, stupidest claim I had heard in a long time. The sound echoed in the room, harsh even to my own ears.

"Jealous of what exactly?" I asked, after my laughter subsided, crossing my arms.

She shook her head. "You know what, forget about it. Since neither of us is ready to sleep, let’s take a walk. You can tell me why you saw my siblings. That’s if you decide to," she said, her voice lighter as she turned toward the door.

"Nice try. You’re trying to keep me away from Moon so I don’t rip him apart."

"Exactly. I know you’ll regret it the second you do. So let’s just get away from the tension, alright?" She reached out and took my hand, her fingers warm and small in mine.

I suddenly couldn’t refuse her. I was so ready to leave her alone just a few minutes ago, but now, I wanted to take that walk with her. The pull of the mate bond hummed between us, stronger than ever.

"Two minutes, and we’re back," I said, already headed for the door.

"Sure," she replied, running after me, her footsteps light on the floor.

The night was cool, and the trees whispered as a light breeze blew through the leaves, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth.

"The sky’s so high," Sonia said, looking up with wide eyes, the moonlight bathing her face in a soft glow.

"You’re so childish."

"I know, but I can’t help it," she giggled, the sound light and infectious.

"That’s the third time."

"Huh?"

"That’s the third time you’ve giggled so far. One more time, and I’ll send you back home."

She pouted, but went silent. Inwardly, I laughed.

She was so cute. So easy to adore. I can’t believe I spent this long trying to push her at arm’s length.

"Why do you think your wolf disappeared?" I found myself asking her, my voice softer than I intended.

It was barely a minute, but I already missed hearing her voice.

"How long should I talk for, master?" She asked much to my surprise, her tone playful.

I chuckled heartily. "Are you being smart with me?"

"Then do you prefer someone empty, and dull?" She threw back, a teasing smile on her lips.

"So you’ve been pretending all this while? I knew you were not as timid as you projected."

"I’m the daughter of—" she went silent, and instead, threw her face to the side.

I knew she was going to call her father’s name. I also knew she had stopped on my account.

Was things never going to be easy between us? I wondered in my heart.

"If I still had my wolf, I would have loved to run since I didn’t get to shift on the night of the full moon."

"I thought you said you feel slight pain when you shift?"

She opened her mouth to respond when a giant bird whooshed past us, its wings cutting through the air with a loud flap.

She leaped, and jumped into my body, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck.

"Hey, calm down. It’s just a bird," I laughed as she held onto me tightly, her heart pounding against my chest.

"First it was a snake, and now a giant bird. Why won’t they leave me alone?!" She cried, her face buried in my shoulder.

"They’re just living their lives, Sonia. No one asked you to be scared of them."

She pulled away from me, and looked up with a scowl on her face, her cheeks flushed.

"So you’re not afraid of anything?"

"Nope," I shook my head. "If anything, things are afraid of me."

She snickered, and rolled her eyes. "So proud," she muttered under her breath, and skipped ahead, her hair swaying with each step.

"Hey, it’s late, stop moving so fast!" I called after her, my voice carrying through the night air.

"You’ll just have to catch up then, Mr fearless!" She screamed, her laughter echoing.

I didn’t want to run, but my wolf was in a goofy mood, and I just had to surrender to its whims.

She increased her pace, as I ran after her, the cool night air whipping past my face.

"You know for an Alpha, you’re pretty slow?" She called out whilst laughing, her voice full of challenge.

Challenged, I went after her with more determination, ignoring her mocking laughter.

I was almost within her, when I looked past her, and saw a ditch ahead, the ground dropping sharply into darkness.

She whipped her head behind before she could spot the ditch.

"You can’t catch me!"

"Watch out!"

We screamed at the same time. My instincts kicked just as she went over the ditch and began to fall, her arms flailing.

I jumped ahead, and caught her into my arms as she fell, my muscles straining with the force.

"So clumsy," I whispered, as we landed well over the ditch, with her on top of me. The grass was cool and slightly damp beneath my back.

"My knight," she whispered right back, her breath warm against my lips, and our lips found each other in a hunger unlike ever before.