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Ouch. Just when I managed to forget that he’s holding me against my will, he has to add that. “Maybe you should go. Take your box with you. I don’t want it.”
“I’m sorry. Helene… I’m trying. I know you’re angry”—that’s an understatement—“but I’m trying. I want you to have everything you need. My wolf… we need to provide for you. If I even think of stopping, I… Forget it. I’ll give you the box later.”
Luna damn it. I know exactly what Westdidn’tsay. If he thinks of stopping, his wolf takes a few steps closer to breaking. And if his wolf breaks, the man will shatter.
I shouldn’t do it. I know better—but this is West. I can’t let that happen to him no matter how mad I am at him. “Wait. Come back here.”
The flash of surprise on his face makes me regret my nasty thoughts. He wasn’t trying to manipulate me. He was actually trying to walk away before I summoned him to him.
Like always, he obeys.
Clearing my throat, I hold out my hand. Even as he drops the box into it, I tell him, “Another gift to make me forget my intended.” Something that I can’t do, no matter what. “Don’t you think all those clothes were enough?”
Though his expression darkened at just the mention that I’m meant for another male, it’s quickly replaced by a hint of pleasure. “You looked in the closet? What do you think? You like them?”
Saying ‘yes’ will only encourage him. That’s the last thing I want to do right now.
I decide to go with a non-committal response. “You’ve always had good taste.”
“It’s easy when everything looks good on you.”
I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”
Scowling at him, I say, “You think flattery will help me forgive you?”
West has the nerve to give me that cocky grin of his. Now that I took the box from him, he’s in a much better mood than before. So much better that he actually decides to tease me, giving me a taste of the West I used to adore.
“Just being honest. Besides, I have the rest of our lives to beg for your forgiveness.”
The tease falls flat as it hits me that: no, he doesn’t. At best, he has until Bishop figures out where West brought me. If not then, he has until the next full moon.
I’m supposed to be in Darkwoods, Texas for the either this Luna or the next. I’m sure Bishop will be prudent enough to explain away my disappearance if I don’t, but I did a lot of thinking last night. There’s little more than a week until the next full moon, and if I’m still trapped in close quarters with West, I don’t know what will happen between us.
It was bad enough when we were living together in Hickory. I had to fight every full moon to resist the urge to go to West. I never asked him, but I’m sure he struggled, too.
Why wouldn’t he? He’s considered us mates for eight years now, and moon fever is very, very real.
The sad thing is that West was the one who pointedly refused to mate on the night of the full moon. All because he wanted to wait until the Luna told him what he knew all along—that we were fated—we never spent the night together when the Luna was high over our heads.
It’s so easy for shifters in a committed relationship to form a mate bond when the Luna is full. All it takes is claiming sex between two consenting partners, a mating mark, and the Luna’s blessing for an unbreakable bond to snap into place. If West bit me on the night of the full moon during sex, I’d be his forever—but only if I wanted to be.
Our goddess wants us to form bonded pairs. It’s a way to ensure that shifters continue as a species. Unlike our ancient enemies, we’re not immortal even if we do have an extended lifespan. More pups means more shifters, and there needs to be some sort of bond before a pair can procreate.
That’s where moon fever comes into play. Already a lusty race, shifters go wild on the night of the full moon. Mature shifters will find it almost impossible to resist the urge to find someone to rut with. If they resist, the fever starts and, believe me, it’s not pleasant. The only way I managed to get through them was because West was determined to wait. Later, I was the one who was waiting for my fated mate.
Will I be able to resist West if I’m still in this cabin with him when the Luna is high and he calls me his bride?
As shifters, we know instinctively each one of her phases. I have about a week to figure out what to do. Before now, the West I knew would respect that—in my right mind—I wouldn’t want to fall into bed with him during the full moon. But what about a West who was pushed to steal me away from Hickory?
I don’t want to think about it. So, shoving all that aside, I open up the box West gave me.
Popping open the cardboard lid, I see a small silver box nestled inside. Attached to it is a pair of wired headphones.
Oh… he didn’t.
CHAPTER8
TONIGHT
