Without realizing it, I held my breath after the soft exhalation of that single syllable expression. My heart hammered in my chest inexplicably, lungs burning in their craving for oxygen. But I was frozen, violet eyes fixated upon myriad hues that comprised his form. Ice and fire rush through my veins simultaneously, the sensation inexplicable and yet I know its name. At eleven years old, I thought my time had passed, that such a destiny was not meant for me. My brother had been fortunate to find his heart and soul in Aithne, and I had been happy for him. But not without the barest hints of envy. Now I was not so sure.
Dark chasms holding a fire within turned towards me from within a scarred visage, and I finally heeded the pleading of my lungs, inhaling in a short gasp. The way he looked at me caused my head to scream, 'Run!' but my heart and soul kept my paws firmly planted exactly where they were. My imprint stalked forward, our eyes remaining locked as he drew steadily closer. I did not flinch, did not step back or recoil from him. It was not the scars upon his form that unsettled the good sense in my mind - it was the look in his eyes. There was a depravity there, I could sense it on a level beyond common sense, the bond that quickly twined our souls together giving me some kind of understanding without truly knowing anything about him.
Closer, closer he came, looming before me. Though he only stood a scant couple of inches taller than me, the breadth of his being was immense. He was stacked with muscle, oozy power and virility from every fiber of his being. Excitement welled within me, overpowering that tiny rational voice in the back of my mind that continued to beg me to flee. Excitement and intrigue, the curious side of my intellect magnified in these moments.
And then he was there, invading my space and pressing himself closer than he had any right to be. Yet, I did not withdraw, intrigue holding me fast. The growl that reverberated through his chest hairs to mine was like electricity. Wide violet eyes were fixated on those of darkness and fire, searching their depths. Slowly, the sensible nature of my mind began to find traction once more, and I began to worry for my safety. I had heard stories of bonds that had been the utter and complete opposite of what my brother had discovered. Wolves that lashed out and wanted to remove that part of themselves from the world. The bond burrowed deep within my very being, but it was new and strange and foreign. I kept getting flashes of his emotions that mingled with my own, and in some cases I couldn't tell what belonged to who. What would he do to me?
His voice renewed the feeling of ice and fire coursing through me like tenfold adrenaline, and I could not help the way it made my fur stand on end. Nostrils flared, taking in his scent and the breath that washed over me. 'Step back, run, go, flee,' the voice was growing louder in my mind, but my soul stamped it down and kept me firmly in place.