Following the method, I broke the barrier, and Silent Peak revealed itself before me.

From the outside, the mountain was shrouded in a mystical fog, like a paradise. But in reality, a deathly aura permeated the entire peak, casting a dark, oppressive shadow.

The path snaked upwards, covered in dry leaves and shattered stones. There were no living creatures to be seen, not a single spark of life to be felt. Even the wind was silent. It was deathly still.

“There’s no sun, so how is it getting hotter?”

I muttered, wiping sweat from my brow. The elders used to say Silent Peak was filled with primordial life energy, a sacred place for werewolves to grow their power. How had it become this lifeless husk?

Finding the Lycan could wait. I needed water, or I was going to die of thirst right here.

As soon as I entered the mountain, my body began to burn. I felt dizzy and disoriented. A sense of dread crept into my heart.

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before I heard the sound of water. Following it, I came upon a pool.

I didn’t have time to consider the danger. The heat consuming my body had clouded my mind. I shifted into my wolf form and plunged in.

The cool water did little to quench the fire inside me. A blaze ignited deep within my core, and my entire body became hypersensitive.

Of all the fucking times for my heat to arrive.

I tried to channel my power to calm myself, but it had little effect.

Even for an Alpha, desire is a biological instinct that can’t be denied.

This was why our kind had to find mates upon reaching maturity. Otherwise, those who couldn’t endure it would be tortured to death by their own bodies.

Dammit! If only there was a male wolf here.

I glanced around in frustration.

Wait. There was a cave in the pool, glowing faintly with a golden light.

Could this be the Moonlit Core? And inside… was that…?

Holding my breath, I slowly swam into the cave. There he was. A Golden Lycan, his eyes closed, coiled atop a stone pillar.

This Lycan was more magnificent than any golden wolf I had ever seen, his form the pinnacle of our kind.

I didn’t dare make a sound. I flew to his side, my paws trembling as I took out the Moonpetal Pollen and held it under his nose. Just being near him sent waves of heat crashing through me, stronger than ever.

A moment later, the Lycan’s eyes snapped open. He launched himself from the pillar with lightning speed. With a thunderous crash, the pillar crumbled behind him.

I scrambled backward, but the wolf lunged toward me. His gaze was a physical assault. Did the pollen not work?

I tried to run, but my body was too weak. I collapsed to the ground.

The Lycan let out a roar, shot past me, and burst out of the cave, churning the waters of the pool into a violent frenzy.

Then he charged back in. Just as I thought he was about to kill me, he spoke.

“I’ve finally been waiting for you.”

The Lycan began to circle me, then nudged me up with his body.

His skin was burning hot, just like mine. Our breathing grew ragged and chaotic. Our eyes met, and in his, I saw the same raw hunger I felt.

He extended his claws, but his touch was gentle as he pulled me into his embrace, wrapping himself around me tighter and tighter. My vision blurred as I looked down at our entangled bodies.

My God, his… he was enormous!

His powerful male essence was stirring, ready. My heart pounded. I swallowed hard, a sudden urge to flee seizing me.

But my mind, lost in the haze of my heat, was no longer in control. My body was limp, completely at the mercy of this powerful Lycan.

He was skilled, his touch sending shivers of pleasure through me. I started to seriously doubt whether the Moonpetal Pollen had any effect on him at all.

“Do you like it?”

His voice was a low, husky growl. It was the second thing he had said to me.

His body coiled around mine, stealing the last shred of my sanity.