on his knees, staring forward, lost in thought.
Licking dry lips, Claire thought to scoot away, only to fall back to the pillows with a curse. The pain was great, shooting from her shoulder so sharply it was all she could do to breathe.
The broad expanse of bare muscled back rippled, Shepherd turning his head to look at the recaptured woman. His silver eyes were blank, the Alpha's air not one of impending punishment, nor was it one of offered comfort. He seemed static, yet those mercurial eyes were watching her as if she were troublesome and easy to crush.
Abashed by such an expression, Claire glanced away, her attention turning to the blood-soaked gauze at her shoulder. Unsure why she felt guilty under his appraisal, why she was tempted to apologize, she focused on the task of peeking under the bandage. What she found almost made her retch. The wound may have been cleaned and dressed at some point while she slept, but it was an oozing, sluggishly bleeding mess, swollen and bruised and utterly disgusting.
No wonder it hurt so badly. Shepherd had maimed her.
He reached out a hand, pulling back the gauze to see the bite mark for himself. He seemed pleased. "That will scar nicely."
It would scar horribly... twenty times worse than the last mark he'd made.
Unforgiving silver eyes bore down on the woman, watching as she pressed back the dressing and tried to calm her breath. "Perhaps now you will remember that you have a mate," he said.
Tired of intimidation and fear and silence, she forced her body to sit up. Ignoring the agony of an unresponsive arm, her green eyes flared, her small hand covering the dressing as if to shield it from him. Appalled, she growled, " You will not be punished ? Then what is this? How would you like it if I tore a chunk out of you?"
Shepherd raised a brow and challenged, "I am your mate. You may mark me if you wish."
Something in his words caused a jolting craving to chomp so strong her lips peeled back from her teeth. With a snap of speed, Claire rolled out from under the blankets, her nails already digging little red moons into Shepherd's biceps as she scrambled to the position so she might sink in her teeth at the juncture of shoulder and neck.
Somewhere in the haze of action, she recognized the beast was holding still, that no great swiping arm had sent her flying in response to her aggression. Her instinctive reaction had been so very quick, so mindless, that she only caught herself a second before punching her mark into the proper patch of skin.
An unexpected wave of dizziness made her vision swim, overwhelming nausea snapping her out of madness.
After a shaky breath, reason returned.
Confused by how badly she still wished to bite, how everything inside her told her it was her right—that she needed it—Claire slumped, exhausted. Shepherd's hands were already on her waist, steadying her as she dropped her forehead to his shoulder.
Flesh to flesh, he smelled like he was hers, the thread gratified by his proximity.
Why did it have to feel so good when he pulled her closer, holding her so that she might find her strength?
After a minute she clumsily unhooked her claws from his arm, back in control of her urges, stubborn and resolute to resist. But her head was still spinning when she glanced up. Liquid mercury watched as he always watched her, like a wolf licking his chops. She made a move to climb off his lap and return to the warmth of the bed but his arms held her firm, settling her body where she straddled his thighs.
A finger traced down her spine, a reminder she was naked... a state he had seen her in so many times there was little shame in it.
"There are topics that must be discussed." It was said conversationally, but his expression was daring argument. "To begin, you will tell me where you have been for the last eight days."
Her voice seemed to catch, worn from screaming at her sister Omegas so that this very scenario might be prevented. "I was offered shelter after I
Licking dry lips, Claire thought to scoot away, only to fall back to the pillows with a curse. The pain was great, shooting from her shoulder so sharply it was all she could do to breathe.
The broad expanse of bare muscled back rippled, Shepherd turning his head to look at the recaptured woman. His silver eyes were blank, the Alpha's air not one of impending punishment, nor was it one of offered comfort. He seemed static, yet those mercurial eyes were watching her as if she were troublesome and easy to crush.
Abashed by such an expression, Claire glanced away, her attention turning to the blood-soaked gauze at her shoulder. Unsure why she felt guilty under his appraisal, why she was tempted to apologize, she focused on the task of peeking under the bandage. What she found almost made her retch. The wound may have been cleaned and dressed at some point while she slept, but it was an oozing, sluggishly bleeding mess, swollen and bruised and utterly disgusting.
No wonder it hurt so badly. Shepherd had maimed her.
He reached out a hand, pulling back the gauze to see the bite mark for himself. He seemed pleased. "That will scar nicely."
It would scar horribly... twenty times worse than the last mark he'd made.
Unforgiving silver eyes bore down on the woman, watching as she pressed back the dressing and tried to calm her breath. "Perhaps now you will remember that you have a mate," he said.
Tired of intimidation and fear and silence, she forced her body to sit up. Ignoring the agony of an unresponsive arm, her green eyes flared, her small hand covering the dressing as if to shield it from him. Appalled, she growled, " You will not be punished ? Then what is this? How would you like it if I tore a chunk out of you?"
Shepherd raised a brow and challenged, "I am your mate. You may mark me if you wish."
Something in his words caused a jolting craving to chomp so strong her lips peeled back from her teeth. With a snap of speed, Claire rolled out from under the blankets, her nails already digging little red moons into Shepherd's biceps as she scrambled to the position so she might sink in her teeth at the juncture of shoulder and neck.
Somewhere in the haze of action, she recognized the beast was holding still, that no great swiping arm had sent her flying in response to her aggression. Her instinctive reaction had been so very quick, so mindless, that she only caught herself a second before punching her mark into the proper patch of skin.
An unexpected wave of dizziness made her vision swim, overwhelming nausea snapping her out of madness.
After a shaky breath, reason returned.
Confused by how badly she still wished to bite, how everything inside her told her it was her right—that she needed it—Claire slumped, exhausted. Shepherd's hands were already on her waist, steadying her as she dropped her forehead to his shoulder.
Flesh to flesh, he smelled like he was hers, the thread gratified by his proximity.
Why did it have to feel so good when he pulled her closer, holding her so that she might find her strength?
After a minute she clumsily unhooked her claws from his arm, back in control of her urges, stubborn and resolute to resist. But her head was still spinning when she glanced up. Liquid mercury watched as he always watched her, like a wolf licking his chops. She made a move to climb off his lap and return to the warmth of the bed but his arms held her firm, settling her body where she straddled his thighs.
A finger traced down her spine, a reminder she was naked... a state he had seen her in so many times there was little shame in it.
"There are topics that must be discussed." It was said conversationally, but his expression was daring argument. "To begin, you will tell me where you have been for the last eight days."
Her voice seemed to catch, worn from screaming at her sister Omegas so that this very scenario might be prevented. "I was offered shelter after I
Similar Books
