Her only response was a mocking howl that echoed against the mesa walls, a clear challenge he couldn’t ignore.
He drove her into a ravine, using his knowledge of the terrain to his advantage.The narrow passage forced her into a more predictable path.Rocks skittered beneath their feet, the sound of their breathing harsh in the confined space.
When he finally cornered her against a sheer rock face, claws out and teeth bared, their bodies collided with a force that momentarily stunned them both.The impact drove the air from his lungs as they tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs, partially shifted—caught between forms in their struggle.
The scent of her this close was overwhelming, flooding his senses with conflicting signals—enemy, threat, intruder, mate.
It hummed in the small space separating their bodies, an invisible tether that seemed to mock their mutual hatred.The woman’s eyes burned with a fury that seemed to go beyond simple vengeance, a complex emotion that spoke of deeper wounds.
His inner wolf howled in confusion, even as his rational mind maintained discipline.
She snarled and backed away, shifting into her human form again.
Once again, Conall followed her lead.
Who are you?he demanded yet again.
My name,she growled,is Nadine Torrance.
Conall stared at her for a long moment, trying to figure out the connections between this woman—my mate, his inner wolf insisted—and the enforcer for the Sunburst Pack’s former pack alpha.So you’re related to Gregory Torrance?You’re his…what?
Daughter.She practically spat out the word.
At that moment, the mate bond pulsed between them—a painful, unwelcome connection that neither could ignore.
Nadine’s eyes burned with a hatred that seemed to go beyond simple vengeance.
Why are you here?Conall asked.
You and your pack,she spat,killed my father.
Your father isn’t dead.
He is now.
Conall’s eyes narrowed, skepticism warring with an unwelcome seed of doubt.
Before either could process the implications, the distinct sound of planned movement cut through the desert silence—boots on gravel, the metallic click of weapons being readied.Not the natural sounds of the desert night, but the coordinated approach of trained operatives.
Nadine’s eyes widened—not with fear, but with a sudden, terrible understanding.You set me up,she accused.
No, Conall thought, the truth crystallizing with devastating clarity,we’re both being set up.
The attack came with military precision.
Figures in dark tactical gear materialized at both ends of the ravine, cutting off escape routes.
The distinctive sound of tranquilizer darts being loaded echoed in the confined space—specialized ammunition designed specifically for shifters, capable of penetrating even partially transformed skin.
Conall’s instincts took over.
Despite everything—their confrontation, her accusations, the unwanted mate bond—he pushed Nadine behind him, shielding her with his larger frame as the first dart fired.
Pain bloomed in his shoulder as the needle penetrated, delivering its payload directly into his bloodstream.
As his vision began to blur, he felt her unexpected touch—not an attack but support.She dragged him behind a large boulder, her movements quick and efficient.
Through the growing fog in his mind, he watched with detached surprise as she produced a small auto-injector from her boot and administered something directly into his neck.
