“I didn’t bring you here to make you my maid.” Even so, he hands it over and makes my heart skip a beat when our fingersbrush. That’s all it takes to make my knees weak. I have to turn away from him and release a shuddering breath on my way to the sink. This is impossible. I don’t know how much more of it I can stand.
It doesn’t help when he gets up to wipe down the counter, putting him next to me. It’s like my body soaks up his warmth. I am so aware of him, I don’t know what to do. I can’t think. I can’t do anything but focus on his nearness and what I would give for the chance to touch him. I’ve never wanted anyone or anything the way I want him.
He gives his throat a rough clearing. “It’s not going to get any cleaner.” I’m startled, looking up at him before realizing I have run the sponge over the plate all this time. “You’ll rub a hole in it.”
“Sorry.” I give it a quick rinse, then place it in the drainboard and accidentally touch my arm to his. A sizzle of white-hot electricity shoots up my arm and spreads through me, finally making my core explode in a hot, churning cauldron of desire. I’m too weak. I can’t fight this another minute.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I stand on tiptoes to kiss him like I did before.
Only this time, he doesn’t let me do it. This time, he grabs me by the shoulders to hold me in place, forcing me back down on my heels before leaning in. And still, I’m stupid enough to think he’s leaning down to kiss me, and my heart leaps with joy.
The joy dies quickly when he bares his teeth and snarls. “What is it going to take to get through to you?” he shouts, even shaking me. “This is never going to happen! Don’t you get it? You will never, ever be my mate! So let it go, goddamnit!”
Then he shoves me away with all his might. I fall back against the counter, breathless, feeling like he crushed my chest. So that’s it. So much for hope. He’s rejecting me. He hasn’t changed his mind—he has no intention of changing his mind. He’s onlybiding his time to make sure this doesn’t blow back too hard on his clan.
I’ve made a complete idiot of myself.
He doesn’t have to tell me to go to the bedroom. I go on my own, grinding my teeth to hold back the tears until I’m alone. With a closed door between us, I can lie on the bed and sob. What did I expect, a miracle? Don’t I know better than that? There’s no such thing. Besides, I wouldn’t deserve one, even if they existed. Stupid, stupid me.
Forget going out for dinner. When he knocks, I ignore it, since I’d rather be hungry and alone than have to face him. Like this wasn’t all bad enough without me making a complete joke out of myself. I’ll never forgive myself for it—not like I have much time left. I always knew there was a very good chance he would really reject me and leave me to be murdered. I guess I was still clinging to hope. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself. There’s no reason to hope anymore.
Which means it’s up to me now. I need to get out of here before he goes to his clan and gives them his decision. Adrenaline fills my veins, pushing away all of the self-pity I’ve wallowed in for hours. I am not going to stay here and wait to die. I am the daughter of an alpha, the sister of another alpha. There is strength in my blood. I just need to call on it now.
With the light off, it’s easy for me to see when he turns the lights off in the living room. The crack between the bottom of the door and the floor goes dark while I wait. Every second feels more like an hour, but I need to be careful. I can’t do this until he’s asleep if there will be any hope of getting home before he knows I’m gone. I only need to cross the border—I’m sure he knows what’s waiting for him if he decides to follow me. It would be pretty stupid of him to do what I’m supposed to die for doing myself.
Finally, I hear the sweetest sound ever: snoring coming from the living room. One thing went right today. I creep off the bed, tiptoe to the window, and then try to open it as quietly as possible. It’s stuck, but after a little jiggling, it opens for me and lets in a blast of fresh air I desperately needed to clear away any lingering doubt or regret in my head. This is what I have to do if there’s any hope of surviving. Whether I want to or not is irrelevant—and really, all things considered, it seems a little more important that I live. Besides, what am I staying for? I’ve been rejected. And by morning, the clan will know it.
Still wrapped in my would-be mate’s clothes, I lower myself out the window and land silently on the soft earth. I quickly lose the clothes and shift into wolf form, then take off running for the woods. It won’t take long to get back where I belong—and I will never, ever leave our lands again. No matter what fate tries to trick me into doing.
Chapter 6
Kyran
I startle awakelike I’m ripped from a bad dream, only the nightmare is happening when I wake up. My bear is on high alert right away, knowing that something is wrong. It doesn’t take me long to realize what it is.
Sensing that my mate is not close by like she is supposed to be, I jump out of my bed and dash into the guest bedroom. I find the window pried open, Tara gone.
Fuck.
Not wasting any time, I run downstairs and out the front door, shifting as soon as my feet touch the front lawn. I fall onto my paws, immediately picking up Tara’s scent to follow it.
Anger and fear swirl together in my gut. I’m angry at her for leaving and afraid for her to get caught by one of my clan members. Just the thought of losing my mate, of never seeing, smelling, or touching her again, has my stomach in knots, and my chest aching.
Guided by my nose, I follow her trail through the familiar forest. Her sweet vanilla scent clings heavy in the air, letting me know she hasn’t gotten far.Good.
I push my legs to go faster, my paws digging into the dirt as I weave through the trees with blinding speed. My bear is just aseager to get to her as I am. I let that primal part of me take over, giving my beast the opportunity to run free. He takes the reins with glee, chasing after our mate like it’s the most important thing we’ve ever done.
When I finally catch a glimpse of her black fur in the distance, relief floods my body. My anger lessens, and with that, something else arises. A carnal hunger, heightened by the thrill of the chase. The need to claim her, to mark her as mine, takes hold of me, giving me a burst of energy that makes me run even faster.
She is quick, I give her that, but I’m quicker. With each second, I get closer to her, until she is close enough to touch.
Not wanting to risk hurting her with my claws, I shift mid-jump. Launching myself at her in human form, I take her wolf down to the ground. We tumble across the forest floor while I try my best to keep her tucked to my chest and shield her with my arms.
We come to a halt against a tree root. I loosen my grip on Tara, but not enough for her to get any ideas.
“Shift,” I demand, my voice even rougher than I intended.
Tara’s body begins to shake almost immediately—her bones crack, her soft fur disappears, and smooth skin reappears.
