Falling for My Shifter Enemy (Wild & Forbidden Mates #4)

Chapter 3

Chloé

I wake up slowly, my body heavy with exhaustion. The unfamiliar ceiling above me takes a moment to process—right, I'm in Theo's flat, in Howling Pines territory. The events of yesterday flood back—the rescue, the tense drive, the way Theo's presence seemed to fill every space he occupied.

Not in my territory , he'd said. And it's true. I feel safe. Last night a meal was brought to me in my room, and I spent fifteen minutes taking a bath before realizing I almost fell asleep in the tub. I quickly got out and went straight to bed.

Now, the mate bond pulses inside me like a second heartbeat, making my skin tingle with awareness. He's close—somewhere in the building—and my wolf knows it, craves it, even as my mind rebels against the pull.

I slide out of bed, my bare feet hitting the cool concrete floor, sending a shiver up my spine. The room is sparse but elegant, like its owner—everything in perfect order, not a thing out of place. It's a stark contrast to my cluttered apartment back home, with its stacks of books and scattered notebooks.

His den. Safe here , my wolf sighs contentedly.

After washing up and changing into the clothes Theo brought last night—jeans and a soft gray sweater that smells faintly of pack laundry—I venture out into the main living area. Theo isn't here, but his presence lingers in every corner, from the precisely arranged furniture to the faint scent of pine and leather that seems embedded in the air.

I smooth down the sweater, trying not to think about how every fiber of my being seems attuned to Theo's proximity. We haven't even talked about it yet—the mate bond thrumming between us. Last night, everything happened so fast: the rescue, the rushed explanations, the tense drive here. But surely he feels it too? The electric awareness, the way my wolf practically purrs whenever he's near?

Maybe today we'll actually talk about what this means. But the thought sends butterflies racing through my stomach. What if I'm wrong? What if this overwhelming pull is one-sided? After all, I'm hardly the kind of mate an Alpha like Theo would choose—I can't even shift.

The silence of the apartment feels heavy with possibility and dread. Every time I hear footsteps in the hallway outside, my heart jumps, thinking it might be him. Thinking this might be the moment we finally acknowledge what's happening between us.

But I'm also terrified of that conversation. Because if he rejects what I'm feeling—if he dismisses this connection—I'm not sure I could bear it. The thought alone makes my wolf whimper, and I press a hand to my chest, trying to steady myself.

Trying to distract myself from my worries, I decide to explore a little. The living room opens up before me, all clean lines and muted colors. But it's the bookshelf against the far wall that catches my attention. As I approach it, my fingers trailing along the spines of leather-bound books, something glints between the volumes—a silver frame tucked away like a secret.

My hands tremble slightly as I carefully pull out the frame. The photograph inside makes my breath catch—it's a family portrait, old and slightly faded at the edges. A younger Theo stands between two adults, his father's stern expression a sharp contrast to his mother's warm smile. The boy in the photo still has softness in his features, none of the hardness that now defines him. His mother's hand rests on his shoulder, protective and gentle, and I wonder what happened to put that wall behind his eyes.

Next to where the frame sat, there's an antique locket, its silver surface etched with intricate wolf designs that catch the morning light. It feels heavy with history when I lift it, the metal warm against my palm. Before I can stop myself, I open it, revealing a tiny photograph inside—the same woman from the family photo, Theo's mother.

"What are you doing?"

The voice behind me makes me jump, my heart leaping into my throat. I whirl around to find Theo standing there, his massive frame filling the doorway. His expression is unreadable, but there's tension in every line of his body. The mate bond flares between us like a live wire, making my skin prickle with awareness.

"I'm sorry," I stammer, carefully placing the locket back exactly where I found it. "I was just—"

"Pack meeting in ten minutes," he cuts me off, his voice clipped and cold. But there's something else there, a flicker of vulnerability quickly masked. "You need to be there."

A new wave of butterflies floods my stomach at his words. A pack meeting—and he wants me there. Despite his cold tone, the invitation itself feels significant. If we really are mates, then technically this could become my pack too. The thought sends an equal mix of hope and terror through me.

Even as a submissive wolf who can't shift, being mate to an Alpha would give me status I've never had before. A chance to belong somewhere, truly belong, instead of always hovering on the edges. But I quickly tamp down that hope. We haven't even discussed the mate bond yet, and here I am, already imagining a future in his pack.

"Should I..." I gesture vaguely at my borrowed clothes, suddenly self-conscious. "Is this okay for a pack meeting?"

His dark eyes sweep over me, and the intensity of his gaze makes my wolf preen despite my nervousness. For a moment, something softens in his expression, but it's gone so quickly I might have imagined it.

"It's fine," he says gruffly, already turning away. "Follow me."

As I hurry after his long strides, I can't help but wonder if this is how it would always be—me trailing in his wake, trying to keep up with both his pace and his mercurial moods. The mate bond pulses between us like a living thing, making my skin tingle whenever I get too close to him. I have to fight the urge to reach out and touch him, to confirm that this connection isn't just in my head.

The hallway seems to stretch endlessly, each step echoing off the concrete walls. Other pack members pass us, their eyes sliding over me with varying degrees of curiosity and hostility.

When we reach a set of heavy double doors, Theo pauses, his hand on the handle. For a moment, he looks like he wants to say something, his jaw working as he glances down at me. The mate bond flares hot and bright, and I hold my breath, hoping that maybe now—

But instead he just pushes the door open to what is obviously the pack meeting hall.

The space is already full, humming with tension and whispered conversations. It's a vast room with exposed brick walls and high ceilings, dominated by a long table at the front. Wooden beams cross overhead, and large windows let in streams of morning light that cut through the slight haze of anxiety and aggression hanging in the air.

All eyes turn to us as we enter, and I feel the weight of their judgment like a physical thing. The whispers start immediately—about the weak, submissive wolf, about what their Alpha is thinking bringing me here. Theo moves to the front of the room with fluid grace, leaving me standing awkwardly near the back, but I can feel his awareness of me, see the way his shoulders tense when someone moves too close to where I stand.

Theo's second-in-command steps forward. His military bearing is evident in every movement as he addresses the room. "We need to discuss the situation at Moonlit Ridge," he says, his deep voice carrying easily through the space. "The humans are becoming more aggressive. There have been reports of hunters in the area."

The room erupts in heated discussion. The scent of aggression spikes in the air as some wolves argue for immediate action, while others urge caution. I listen intently, my mind racing with possibilities. The old landowner who had allowed both packs to use the land has passed away, leaving the territory vulnerable to human encroachment.

"And what exactly is she doing here?" A sneering voice cuts through the debate like a knife. A man steps forward from the crowd, his hazel eyes fixed on me with open hostility. He's younger than most of the others. "What use is a submissive who can't even shift? She'll only drag us down."

The words hit me like a physical blow, and not just because of their cruelty. I know that voice, know that face—Liam Blackwood, formerly of my own pack. He'd left Whispering Pines just weeks ago to join Howling Pines, tired of living in his older brother's shadow. And now here he is, throwing my deepest insecurity into the open like ammunition.

My cheeks burn as I feel Theo's gaze snap to me. Through the mate bond, I can sense his shock rippling like a wave, though his face remains impassive. This isn't how I wanted him to find out. I'd planned to tell him myself, to explain that even though I can't shift, my wolf is still very much a part of me. But now, thanks to Liam, it's out there in the worst possible way.

The room has gone deadly quiet, the kind of silence that precedes violence in wolf packs. I force myself to stand straighter, even as I feel the weight of every pair of eyes in the room. Some faces show disgust, others pity, but it's Theo's carefully blank expression that hurts the most.

I want to say something, to defend myself, but how do you explain something you've never understood yourself? How do you justify your place in a world where shifting is as natural as breathing?

Liam's smirk grows wider in the silence, clearly pleased with the bomb he's just dropped.

My heart pounds against my ribs so hard I'm sure everyone can hear it. But something inside me snaps—maybe it's the constant underestimation, maybe it's the mate bond giving me strength, or maybe I'm just tired of feeling like nothing but a burden.

Stand tall, stand strong, my wolf urges. Show them our worth.

"Yes, I can't shift," I say, my voice steadier than I expected. "But that doesn't make me less of a wolf." The words come from somewhere deep inside, where my wolf's strength meets my own determination. "And it certainly doesn't mean I have nothing to offer this pack."

"Pretty words," Liam sneers, "but when the humans come with their guns, what good will understanding do? You can't even protect yourself, let alone—"

"Enough." Theo's voice cuts through the room like a blade, silencing everyone instantly. His power ripples through the air, making my wolf whimper in response. "The meeting will proceed as planned. Derek, continue with the report."

He doesn't look at me, doesn't acknowledge my outburst or my revelation. But as Derek begins speaking about patrol schedules and security measures, I feel Theo's awareness of me like a physical touch. The mate bond thrums between us, complicated now by this new knowledge.

I remain standing tall, even as my insides tremble. Let them watch. Let them judge. I might not be able to shift, but I have other strengths. If I can't contribute with physical strength, maybe I can help another way. After all, sometimes the best solutions come from unexpected places—and I've always been good at finding paths others overlook.

After the meeting breaks up, Theo catches my arm as I try to slip away. His grip is firm but not painful, and the contact sends sparks through my skin, the mate bond singing at the touch. His scent—pine and leather and something wild—surrounds me, making it hard to think.

"You can't shift." His voice is low, meant only for my ears, but I hear the disbelief, the confusion—maybe even a hint of betrayal. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I meet his dark gaze, fighting the urge to look away. "When exactly did I have a chance to mention it?"

His jaw clenches, and I feel his struggle through the bond—a mix of anger, frustration, and something deeper, more complicated. "This changes things," he says finally, releasing my arm.

"Does it?" I ask, hating how small my voice sounds. "Does it really change who I am? What I could be to—" I catch myself before saying 'to you,' but the words hang unspoken between us.

For a moment, something flickers in his eyes—longing, maybe, or regret. But then his expression hardens again. "Stay in the apartment today. We'll figure out what to do with you tomorrow."

The dismissal stings worse than Liam's cruel words. 'What to do with you'—like I'm a problem to be solved rather than a person, rather than his mate. I watch him stride away, his broad shoulders rigid with tension, and wonder if this revelation has just destroyed any chance we had before it could even begin.