Chapter 31
Callum held on to Amber as she stared up at him, her lips trembling. “I can’t believe it’s there. Within m-me,” she stammered and started to reel, visibly in shock. Tve always known it was, but somehow I kept telling myself it was nothing Before I couldn’t remember things. Everything was blurry or blacked out. Now I do, I remember it all.”
Strike that. When I see Holden, I’m breaking his entire f ucking body,
“You’re connected now.” He glided his knuckles across her check. There won’t be any more back and forth. You’re two parts of one whole.”
“It doesn’t seem possible. I feel so different.”
“Nothing’s changed.” Brushing his thumb across her lips, he murmured, “You’re in control. Things will be different. You’ll
“I can’t believe I wanted to hurt George. She dipped her head and buried her face in his neck. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. Promise you won’t let me.”
G oddamn!
He’d known her memories were jagged, but he’d thought she had access to slivers of them. Most had difficulty recalling certain events, especially during their first shift, but even then, most retained a portion of what transpired when the wolf Took control
וד
you don’t want to hurt anyone, you have to rely on me to take care of you.” And he would take care of her, even if it killed him. “That’s the duty of an Alpha, to see to those who trust him. Especially when it comes to his mate. Surrender control. Put yourself in my keeping. I’ll never give you a reason to regret it.
“Surrender control?” She stiffened against him. “I thought mating was like a marriage. That a man and wife are considered equal.”
He laughed against her hair, unable to prevent his response to the ballsy little armful who had just been through hell but met him head-on. I thought human females vowed to honor and obey their husbands,”
“You must be old” He was grateful she didn’t sound as shaky, as though she was finally accepting the finality of her situation. “Women stopped promising that a long time ago.”
“To hell with other women. The only female Fm concerned about is right here in my arms. As much as he loved fer nestled. against him, what he wanted to say was best done by looking her in the eye. He pulled away, gazing at her flushed face. “What do you want, sweet Amber?”
“You,” she answered without pause, blonde ringlets cascading around her shoulders. “I want you so much it hurts.”
Possessiveness and pride slithered through him. “We can’t have that.”
He rose in a fluid motion, laringing her with him, keeping her against his chest with an arm beneath her back and thighs. Lowering his head, He breathed into the delicate shell of her ear.
“And you hay me. Whether you want to or not. I’m all yours.”
I’m all yours.
Those three tiny words meant so much to Amber she wanted to cry
When she’d fought the raging animal inside her, she’d been terrified she wouldn’t come out on top. The thing was harsh, driven by instinct. It thought in bursts, seeing things only as they pertained to the moment, living and breathing for each second. Now she understood why she’d attacked Claire. The wolf had simply reacted, taking control because it had been allowed to
Chapter 31
That wouldn’t happen again.
She’d confronted the voracious entity, forced it down and taken charge. The thought of hurting anyone in the grips of a woll’s rage terrified her. Remembering how angry her wolf had been when George had threatened Callum, how ready she had been to go for his throat, put things into perspective. What had happened wasn’t something she asked for but it was up to her to deal with it. As frightening as the prospect might be, she had to admit it was also exciting. If she was going to start a new life, she had to hit the ground running and face things on her terms.
Beginning now.
Sliding her fingers into the hair at Callum’s neck, she rugged him down, lifting herself so their mouths met. He groaned into her lips, taking her next breath as his, their tongues touching as need, want and desire took hold. The heat that had rushed through her body returned, thundering through her system, making it hard to breathe.
I’m sore where you spa nked me.” She gently raked her nails along his neck, smiling when he shuddered. “You should kiss it and make it better.
“Would you like that!”
“Mm-hmm.”
He growled, digging his fingers into the padded area aliove her hip, holding her in place. “Then I’m going to kiss you all over. I want to watch you melt
If a person were capable of melting, she was certain she would have. The way he spoke to her, the way he looked at her. made her insides quiver and her heart sk ips a beat. There were so many things she could have said or done at that moment. but one need drove her. Fire poured through her veins, the potent call of the moon whispering in her car. A shiver shot down her spine, the memories of the night before rushing back, blinding in their intensity.
Driven by an escalating impulse, she released his neck and pushed away, sliding down his body. When her feet hit the ground she shrugged her shoulders, allowing her coat to fall to the ground as she slowly sank to her knees. She didn’t look away, meeting Callum’s gaze as she peppered kisses down his chest. Lust hit her like a blowtorch to the stomach, Shed do anything and be anything he wanted if he continued staring at her exactly like that
“You’re so f ucking bot,” he rasped, twining his fingers in her hair. “You have no idea what you do to me“.
She did. If his expression hadn’t given him away, his harsh inhalations and the tremor that shot through his body were all the evidence she needed. Hold and eager, she nipped at his abdomen, holding back a grin when she felt his muscles flex through his shirt. A surge of power flowed over her.
She did this to him. In this position, he was at her mercy.