Wyatt could
only watch, a passenger in his own mind, as his more bestial side, scenting the
female it wanted, bounded into the clearing they’d chosen to set up camp.
Of course, his wolf had forgotten one crucial fact. She didn’t know
what he and his pack brothers were. As soon as her eyes caught sight of him in
his wolf form—a formidable beast, if he did say so himself—she scrambled up
from the log she perched on and screamed loud enough to wake the dead. Before
Parker or Jaxon could reach her, Wyatt changed back to his human shape, causing
her to let loose with another formidable example of her lung capacity.
Slapping a hand over her mouth, he shushed her. It did nothing to calm
her. She twisted, but couldn’t manage to escape his clutches. Caught, she made
panicky sounds behind his hand that, for some reason, angered him.
As if I’d ever hurt her.
“Stop freaking out. It’s me, Wyatt.” That announcement did nothing to
calm her. Actually, she struggled even more, and Wyatt tightened his grip. “Oh,
for fuck’s sake. Would you knock it off? I’m a Lycan. Big fucking deal. We all
are, so the sooner you get over your hysterics, the quicker I get my hand off
your mouth and we can discourse like grown-ups.”
Ire flashed in her eyes, replacing her fear. Under the palm of his
hand, he felt her jaw work as she struggled to open her mouth. She didn’t
manage to, not with the tight seal he’d created, but the motion and the
situation suddenly caught up to him. It came to him that he stood very close to
her, naked, and while his one hand kept her silent, his other had somehow
curled around her waist to draw her into him. While his psyche might not have
instantly noticed the awkward situation, his cock certainly did, rising and
butting against her lower tummy.
Bite her. His wolf’s demand
came through loud and clear. Ah shit.
Wyatt jumped back from her, releasing her in his sudden need to escape.
He glanced about, looking for Jaxon or Parker to help defuse the situation, but
they’d melted into the woods, giving him some unwanted privacy.
At least she didn’t immediately start shrieking, but she looked far
from happy. “A Lycan. What the fuck is that?” she yelled, obscenity peppering
her language and making Wyatt wince. Men cursed. Women, well, they just didn’t,
damn it.
“Can you take it down a notch? I’d rather not announce it to the whole
fucking world.”
“Or what? You’ll maul me again? Go ahead. It’s what you all seem to do
best.”
“Oh, cut the melodrama. We’ve never actually hurt you. On the contrary,
everything we’ve done is to keep your ass safe.” Wyatt kept his words blunt
lest he give in to the temptation to cross the space between them and fold her
in his arms. He could see the tears brimming in her eyes despite her brave
words, and smell her fear. It roused every protective instinct he owned, plus
some he’d never known.
“Safe! You all keep saying that like it answers everything. Well, I’ve
got news for you. It doesn’t. I am not some goddamned object you can just pick up
and carry around. I am a person. Don’t you get that?”
“Yup, a person who’s in danger, so stop your whining.” He intentionally
goaded her, anything to wipe the terrified scent from her. Surely getting her
riled up was better than letting her stew in fear.
It worked. Her jaw dropped. “Whining? Screw you. I am so sick and tired
of all the bullshit and lies. I’ve had it. I am not doing anything or going
anywhere else until someone gives me some answers.” She planted her hands on
her hips in a belligerent stance.
Face-to-face with her wrath, Wyatt found himself utterly enchanted. Her
eyes flashed, her cheeks bloomed, and her chest heaved. Hot damn, did his wolf
fight for control, wanting to mark the feisty female who’d managed to upset his
carefully balanced world—a woman he wanted to suddenly claim as his own with a ferocity
that shocked him.
Not without a fight I’m not.
only watch, a passenger in his own mind, as his more bestial side, scenting the
female it wanted, bounded into the clearing they’d chosen to set up camp.
Of course, his wolf had forgotten one crucial fact. She didn’t know
what he and his pack brothers were. As soon as her eyes caught sight of him in
his wolf form—a formidable beast, if he did say so himself—she scrambled up
from the log she perched on and screamed loud enough to wake the dead. Before
Parker or Jaxon could reach her, Wyatt changed back to his human shape, causing
her to let loose with another formidable example of her lung capacity.
Slapping a hand over her mouth, he shushed her. It did nothing to calm
her. She twisted, but couldn’t manage to escape his clutches. Caught, she made
panicky sounds behind his hand that, for some reason, angered him.
As if I’d ever hurt her.
“Stop freaking out. It’s me, Wyatt.” That announcement did nothing to
calm her. Actually, she struggled even more, and Wyatt tightened his grip. “Oh,
for fuck’s sake. Would you knock it off? I’m a Lycan. Big fucking deal. We all
are, so the sooner you get over your hysterics, the quicker I get my hand off
your mouth and we can discourse like grown-ups.”
Ire flashed in her eyes, replacing her fear. Under the palm of his
hand, he felt her jaw work as she struggled to open her mouth. She didn’t
manage to, not with the tight seal he’d created, but the motion and the
situation suddenly caught up to him. It came to him that he stood very close to
her, naked, and while his one hand kept her silent, his other had somehow
curled around her waist to draw her into him. While his psyche might not have
instantly noticed the awkward situation, his cock certainly did, rising and
butting against her lower tummy.
Bite her. His wolf’s demand
came through loud and clear. Ah shit.
Wyatt jumped back from her, releasing her in his sudden need to escape.
He glanced about, looking for Jaxon or Parker to help defuse the situation, but
they’d melted into the woods, giving him some unwanted privacy.
At least she didn’t immediately start shrieking, but she looked far
from happy. “A Lycan. What the fuck is that?” she yelled, obscenity peppering
her language and making Wyatt wince. Men cursed. Women, well, they just didn’t,
damn it.
“Can you take it down a notch? I’d rather not announce it to the whole
fucking world.”
“Or what? You’ll maul me again? Go ahead. It’s what you all seem to do
best.”
“Oh, cut the melodrama. We’ve never actually hurt you. On the contrary,
everything we’ve done is to keep your ass safe.” Wyatt kept his words blunt
lest he give in to the temptation to cross the space between them and fold her
in his arms. He could see the tears brimming in her eyes despite her brave
words, and smell her fear. It roused every protective instinct he owned, plus
some he’d never known.
“Safe! You all keep saying that like it answers everything. Well, I’ve
got news for you. It doesn’t. I am not some goddamned object you can just pick up
and carry around. I am a person. Don’t you get that?”
“Yup, a person who’s in danger, so stop your whining.” He intentionally
goaded her, anything to wipe the terrified scent from her. Surely getting her
riled up was better than letting her stew in fear.
It worked. Her jaw dropped. “Whining? Screw you. I am so sick and tired
of all the bullshit and lies. I’ve had it. I am not doing anything or going
anywhere else until someone gives me some answers.” She planted her hands on
her hips in a belligerent stance.
Face-to-face with her wrath, Wyatt found himself utterly enchanted. Her
eyes flashed, her cheeks bloomed, and her chest heaved. Hot damn, did his wolf
fight for control, wanting to mark the feisty female who’d managed to upset his
carefully balanced world—a woman he wanted to suddenly claim as his own with a ferocity
that shocked him.
Not without a fight I’m not.
Similar Books
