Page 49 of Bewitching the Wolf

“You asked.”

“You didn’t need to tell the truth.”

At which my wolf and I both howl in unison. “That’s irrational. You just attacked me for not telling you the truth. You can’t cherry pick what version of the truth you want.”

She snorts and resumes chopping. Bits of cucumber fly everywhere.

I remind myself that I’m not here to wind her up. I’m here to tell her she means the fucking world to me. And I’m totally messing it up, yet again.

I watch her clutch the knife tighter. It’s a risk to take it from her, but one I’m prepared to take.

“None of it meant anything,” I say softly, easing the knife out of her hand, placing it down and taking her by the shoulders. I turn her toward me. “When you have a chip in your neck you can’t do relationships.”

“You can’t do them without a chip either,” she mutters, but she doesn’t move away.

“You really think that?”

“I dunno. Yeah, probably.”

“Tell me why.”

She shrugs, not meeting my gaze. “Because you’re emotionally stunted, maybe. But I guess you can blame your wolf now, not the chip in your neck.”

I let out another growl. “Fuck, that’s hitting below the belt.”

She hesitates, glancing up at me, and her eyes cloud. Just for a moment, long enough to show me she regrets that comment. “I-I—,” she stammers.

That gives me the opening I need.

I take a deep breath. Now or never. “So, I guess asking if you’ll date me is out of the question then?”

She blinks. Once, twice. “I’m a wixen, the only one of my generation. I can’t be seen to, you know… date a wolf. I think we should end this conversation right now, Jax.”

But still she doesn’t move away from me.

I lock eyes with her and for a moment it feels like she might lean closer. But then, with an expletive, she pushes past me and flounces over to the table. “I’m going to take my spell book and go study in my room.”

She makes to grab the book and my wolf rears up inside of me. You’re going to let her leave, are you? After all the groveling you just did?

Maybe it’s my wolf or maybe it’s me who that acts fast, but as she makes to walk off, I stride over, grab her arm and swing her around to face me. The book goes flying, pages spilling out everywhere.

“Oh goddess.” She lets out a broken little cry and bends down to gather up the pages. I bend down to help her.

And what I see makes me freeze.

Old yellowed drawings, inscribed by a pen, finely etched.

Scenes of monsters in cages, and weapons firing, and…

A wolfman, in coitus with a woman. I bend my head, looking closer, my heart racing.

Not a woman. Not quite. I see her thick, soft tail, curling around his thigh as he is about to penetrate her.

“Don’t look at that,” Tippy screams hysterically. She pulls my head around with urgent fingers.

“Jax. STOP IT.” And now she’s on all fours and so am I. We’re panting hard, facing each other, so, so close. “Just STOP!!!!”

Our gazes lock.