Oh shit.
I freeze. Forehead pressed to hers. Both of us still shaking. Her body soft and pliant under mine, breath slowing, hand stroking the back of my neck, completely unaware that I have just—
That my wolf has just—
Fuck.
"Mel."
"Mm." Sleepy. Dazed. Smiling. "That was. Wow. That was."
"Mel."
"Hm?"
"I need to tell you something."
"Mm. Okay. Tell me."
I lift my head. Look down at her.
Her eyes are closed. Lashes wet. The mark on her shoulder—my mark, my mark—dark red, raw, already starting to clot. Spreading slow into the bedding under her. Her hair stuck to her temple. Mouth swollen. Looking like the most beautifully wrecked thing I've ever seen.
I am about to ruin this for her.
"Mel. Open your eyes."
She opens them. Bright blue. Glazed. Soft.
"What."
"I bit you."
"Mm. Yeah. I felt it. It was kind of nice actually—"
"Melori."
Something in my voice gets through. Her eyes focus.
"Keer?"
"I bit you. While I was—" My throat works. "I didn't mean to. I didn't think. My wolf—"
Her hand comes up. Touches her shoulder. Comes away red.
She looks at her fingers.
Then she looks at me.
"Oh."
"Mel—"
"Is that—is that bad? Should I be worried? Is this a wolf thing? It's a wolf thing, isn't it. Of course it's a wolf thing. Everything is a wolf thing today—"
"Mel."
"—first I find out wolves run hot, now I find out wolves bite, what is next, what other wolf things are going to surprise me tonight, is there a wolf thing where—"
