AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey,” he said softly, approaching me with slow steps. “I’m sorry, okay?”
Ben held my chin between his finger and thumb, turning me to face him. I looked up, seeing gold streaks across the blue of his irises. Something I’d never seen before, and I wondered if I’d ever really looked so closely.
I nodded. “Okay.”
Then he leaned down to kiss me, and I stupidly let him.
Like a dumbass.
What the hell was wrong with me?
“Ben,” I mumbled, pulling away and placing my hands on his chest, nudging to separate us.
I thought he was conceding.
I was wrong.
He moved so swiftly, I never saw it coming.
Strong arms wrapped around me, crushing me against him, and his teeth sunk into the exposed shoulder muscle at the base of my neck. Fangs pierced the skin, and I cried out as I registered what was happening.
The bastard was trying to claim me.
I shoved hard, feeling a blast of weak magic explode from my hands. The minor power coupled with the force of my shifter strength knocked him back. He stumbled, looking at me confused.
“What the fuck, Ben?” I shouted, wiping his saliva from my exposed shoulder. Blood streaked my hand.
Fur had erupted along the sides of his face, his eyes glowing. “You said ‘okay’—”
“I said okay when you apologized! Not for you to try and claim me, asshole!” Grabbing my satchel, I packed up my things. Ben vibrated, struggling to control an unwanted shift, but I didn’t care.
The door to the rooftop flew open, the metal clanging as it bounced off the wall.
“Told ya she’d be here,” Nog said triumphantly as his sister appeared behind him.
I wanted to scream at both of them for following me, but for once, I was happy they did. I stormed toward the door, giving Ben my back. “I was just leaving. C’mon.”
“Reagan, wait,” he called, and I whirled around to face him. “I fucked up. So bad. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s happening to me right now. The urge to claim is strong. I can’t explain it?—”
“Goodbye, Ben.” I turned away from him, even when I saw the pain in his eyes. Even if something in nature was pushing him to claim a mate, I’d just said I didn’t want one and he did it anyway.
I held Clara’s hand and tugged her into the stairwell. Nog followed as we huffed it down twelve flights. When we exited to the street, a sudden dizziness began to take hold of me. I stumbled, and Nog caught me, holding my side.
“Reagan?” he said, worry filling his tone.
“I’m okay.” I shook my head. Bad idea. The world began to spin. Cradling my temple, I said, “Less okay.”
Clara grabbed my cheeks, trying to look at me head on, but she was out of focus. My vision began to swim. “Reagan, your pupils . . . shit.”
My cousin no doubt saw the bite and blood on my shoulder, and magic began to swirl around her hands.
“Is that . . . did he. . . ?” Nog said, anger filling his tone.
“He tried,” Clara answered. “I don’t think he got to finish. The mark isn’t deep enough to be complete.”
“What’s happening?” I whispered.
An invisible force pulled my body, weighing me down. I tried to reach for my animal, but I could barely feel her presence.
