Unwanted Patience
Sultan continued to watch the hospital entrance, his wolf's restless energy gnawing at him. He could feel her inside the building, the bond between them buzzing just beneath the surface. Every instinct screamed at him to go to her, to claim what was his. But he held back, knowing that patience, as much as it grated on his last nerve, was necessary in the situation.
"We've waited long enough now," the wolf rumbled again, quieter now but no less insistent. "You know she felt it. She's confused, but she knows something is happening. Even if she doesn't exactly know what it is yet."
Sultan closed his eyes, letting his wolf's voice wash over him as he stood in the shadow of the building. He could feel it, too—the lingering connection that had sparked when their eyes met. His entire body had reacted in a way he hadn't anticipated. The sensation had been overwhelming, nearly pulling him out of control, and it almost had him shifting in the parking lot.
His wolf was right: he could tell she had felt something, too. He had seen the flash of recognition in her eyes before she turned away. But what could she know? She was human and something else, likely unaware of anything beyond the ordinary. This bond, this connection, she couldn't possibly understand what it meant. At least Not yet.
The wolf growled, impatient. "She's ours. We need her. Now"
Sultan's fingers tightened into fists, knuckles white against his skin. "I said No. Not yet. She doesn't even know who I am, what I am. We can't just rush in like an animal "He opened his eyes, glaring into the distance.
His wolf snarled at that. "You are an animal. You're trying too hard to be human."
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Sultan's mouth. His wolf was always like this, constantly pushing against the boundaries of human logic, favoring instinct and raw emotion over logic, And yet, as much as he tried to resist, Sultan felt the same wild pull. The desire to claim his mate, to protect her, was overwhelming.
"Yes, we're animals," Sultan admitted, his voice hard in his mind. "But you and I both know she's not ready. Do you want to scare her off? Because that's what will happen if we just rush into the hospital like the animals we are."
His wolf paced in his mind, its irritation a constant hum. "You don't understand. She's in danger. If we don't act, someone else will once they find out if she might be a hybrid. She's not just ours. She's a target now, too."
That sent a fresh jolt of urgency through Sultan. His wolf wasn't wrong. There were always threats lurking in the shadows—rival packs, rogues, and other supernaturals. Those who would seek to harm what they didn't understand. If they found out about her before he could protect her...
His jaw clenched. "We'll always protect her. But we do it the right way. Not by charging in like a beast."
"Fine," his wolf growled. "But not for long. We wait, but not for long. She needs to know we're here. She needs to feel what we feel."
Sultan sighed, the tension in his body coiling tighter as the moments passed. He hated waiting, hated the uncertainty of it all. But his wolf was right—time was not on their side. The longer she went unprotected, the more vulnerable she became to the dangers of the supernatural world. And now that he had found her, he couldn't afford to lose her or let her go.
Sultan watched as Leandra finally exited the hospital, her face a mixture of confusion and exhaustion. His body tensed as he saw her, the pull between them more potent than ever now that she was so close.
His wolf growled in his mind, eager and restless. "There she is. Go to her. Now."
Sultan clenched his fists, fighting the overwhelming need to shift and go to her, to reach out and touch her, to see if she would feel the bond the same way he did. But he held back, watching her as she walked toward her car, her steps uncertain.
His heart pounded in his chest, his wolf howling in anticipation.
But then she got into her car and drove off, leaving him standing alone in the dark.
His wolf let out a frustrated snarl. "You're letting her go. Again." his wolf wasn't satisfied.
Sultan exhaled slowly, and his gaze lingered on the road where her car had disappeared. "Not for long. We'll see her again. Soon," He promised, his voice low and determined.
And with that, he turned and disappeared into the night, making a call to his beta, the connection between him and his mate still buzzing and burning beneath the surface.