Awakening the Wolf Read Online Free PDF

arm’s length, indulging her pawing over him. Christopher realized now that one of the reasons he had put her off for so long was because he loved Illiana. He had never wanted to admit it to himself. Having Illiana against him was almost a dream come true. Her hair had smelled like vanilla. Her lips had been soft, and even though the kiss had only lasted a second, he would never forget the taste of her. And then Jalisa had interrupted them.
    “Are you mourning for that bird girl of yours?” Jalisa cooed.
    He lifted his head and stared at her. According to pack standards, she was beautiful. Unlike the ravens, the wolves were more diverse and did not resemble one another. Jalisa’s hair shimmered in the moonlight, and her skin was tan. She would have been a great catch for someone who truly wanted her and could put up with her attitude. But Christopher also needed someone to put up with his short temper. At times he said things without thinking, and this had been one of those times. Jalisa had gotten him all riled up, and he knew Illiana had been hurt seeing the two of them together, plus she was making a show of it to get Illiana going. The smug grin on Jalisa’s face caused his wolf to growl.
    “You had no right to act the way you did just now.” He got up and dusted himself off.
    Jalisa snorted. “Why do you care so much about her? She isn’t even one of us. What is it about her?”
    “You wouldn’t understand.”
    “I know the sob story. You’ve known her since you were kids, and she was there for you when your mother died. You’ve felt like you need to protect her because everyone else sees that she’s an outcast, even among her flock. Who cares about all of that?”
    Christopher suppressed the urge to snap at her. All he envisioned was wrapping his teeth around her neck, but he could not do that. That was his temper talking. He took a deep breath and reined in his anger. “I care about all of that. I understand that we’re supposed to be mated eventually, but you have to learn to respect my friends. Remember that Illiana is the daughter of the leader of the flock. She’s supposed to be next in line to lead, and with me being alpha, I am going to have a relationship with her.”
    Jalisa shrugged. “We don’t need the ravens. Once we’re mated, we’ll have the other packs’ resources and won’t have to worry about the birds.”
    He shook his head. “You don’t get it. We trade with them, and some of the wolves have friends among the flock. We can’t just cut them off.”
    “Maybe not, but you can certainly cut off that bitch. If I see her around you again, I’m going to tear her feathers off. You’re mine!”
    “You might think I’m yours, but you have no idea who I really am. Illiana does, and because of you, I’ve just screwed up the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Go away and leave me alone!”
    Jalisa was going to say something else, but he growled and gnashed his teeth at her in a show of his dominance. She backed away and dashed off into the forest. Christopher waited until she was gone before sniffing the air to catch Illiana’s fading scent. When he found it, he raced into the forest and slipped into the shadows. He followed it deeper into the woods and realized it was moving east. He didn’t know how many miles he ran, but he stopped because he lost Illiana’s scent. It was an odd thing because he could still smell her, but it was different. It had changed and had the musky fragrance of the wolf mixed in with it. Christopher presumed another wolf had come across her and that changed the aroma. The only thing he was certain of was that Illiana had shifted because he found her dress.
    Christopher picked it up and brought it to his nose. He inhaled her aroma and felt his heart break. She was nowhere to be found. His words and actions had driven her away. Now he would never see the woman he loved again. Some part of him died in that second.
    “Illiana,” he cried into the