The Alpha King's Mate novel Chapter 17

Ember sprints toward me almost home and leaps into my arms against my chest.

"Hello. I'm so sorry. You've probably been so worried about me. I missed you so much," I tell him, burying my face in his fur behind his neck. We cuddle together on my bed, and I fill him in on my travels. He nuzzles my face with his furry face to comfort me. He is telling me I'm safe now.

I sit by the base of the waterfall outside my cave and enjoy the sounds of the forest: the water splashing into a small pool, the birds singing, the trees rustling, and the breeze blowing through my hair.

I think about Damon, how he spoke to me, how he made me feel he cares, how he pinned me down on the ground, and how he stared into my eyes. Men must not have the same bodies as women – there was definitely something between his legs pressing into me when I was pinned under him.

He is the Alpha King! Werewolves are ferocious evil creatures. I can't believe I fell for his sweetness and his sincerity. He would probably kill me and feed me to his pack.

I have to ignore my need to be near him. I need to distract myself so that I can forget him.

I subconsciously draw circles in the water with my pointer finger, and instead of the water moving aside, it forms spirals where my finger has been. I intuitively stand, still drawing circles with my finger, and the water levitates in an ongoing upward spiral. I wave my hand around like I'm waving a magic wand, and the stream of water follows and spirals around me. I laugh in amazement.

"Ember, are you seeing this?" Ember nods and is just as excited as I am.

Wanting to explore my new power, I focus on the water at the foot of the waterfall and, using both hands, levitate a large amount of water in a wave high above me, eventually forming a giant sphere of water. I clap, and the sphere of water explodes into myriad drops of water that pour down on me like rain.

Ember and I prance around joyfully. I'm basking in how every drop feels when it lands on me. Time feels like it stands still. I'm left saturated and happy. I sit on the wet grass, showered in water drops again, when Ember shakes himself off. All I can do is laugh.

Ember runs to a large boulder. It's one I always complain is in my way. I follow him, lean on the boulder, and watch him scratch at its surface like he is digging for gold.

"Ember, there's no way you can dig a hole in this rock…."

I touch Ember's scratches on the surface and feel myself focusing again, entranced. The boulder vibrates and sinks into the ground, lower and lower, until it's at grass level and no longer in my way.

"Are you seriously telling me I could have moved this boulder this whole time?" Ember brushes his head against my leg, affirming my question.

"What else I can do?" I kneel on the ground, place both hands on the soil and focus.

A small vibration intensifies before the earth underneath my hands rumble and quake, causing nearby trees to sway erratically, some even toppling over. I shriek at the big earthquake I have just generated.

"Ember! Go to the cave!" I shout, thinking of his safety.