Total pages in book: 218
Estimated words: 212458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1062(@200wpm)___ 850(@250wpm)___ 708(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 212458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1062(@200wpm)___ 850(@250wpm)___ 708(@300wpm)
Though the alphas in our pack hold us both with their power, Tyson’s teeth extend and it’s as if he’s about to shift.
I hit the floor with a thump as he releases me, then there are collective female gasps as he reaches for his fly.
My first thought is he’s going to shift, and the black wolf will come at me, intent on ripping my throat out, and I’m about to shift, but then I realize he’s not shifting, not reaching for me. Instead, he reaches for the woman on the floor at his feet. The source of our confrontation.
Confusion, then horror register on her face as he pushes her to her belly and then his eyes are on me, not her, as he takes her. He catches and pulls her back by her underwear as she tries to get away from him and the room can do nothing but watch as he fucks into her wildly, rutting her while staring into my eyes, teeth extending, thick black hair springing forth on his body, nose beginning to elongate as if he’s shifting to wolf in slow motion. But he doesn’t finish. He doesn’t finish shifting as he takes her.
My body trembles with my rage, but I’m frozen, immobile as she cries out in distress and he roars as he continues to take her, doing it staring into my bleeding eyes. The rest of the world has gone still as our lead alpha shows every one of us that she’s his. Only his.
Not a soul would dare move right now. This is how it is. Some things in our pack are progressive, most things a democracy, but when it all boils down to the alpha and his mate, nobody steps in between them unless they’re ready for their pack to splinter apart. Whether it’s taught or innate, I don’t know. Whether I remain still because it’s who I inherently am or if it’s the invisible force of the pack’s tether holding me in place … it doesn’t matter.
His wants penetrate through mine loud. Clear. He wants me dead. He wants to kill, end, and devour me while continuing to rut his female. She’s his and he wants everyone to know this.
He flips her to her back, not looking at her, still eyeballing me and then he shouts, “Mine!” in a guttural tone that sounds like it’s coming from the depths of hell.
A strange sensation explodes in my gut, my chest, as her body convulses, vibrates. He’s knotting her.
He’s knotting her because she’s his. He wouldn’t be able to do it if she weren’t. Bile bubbles at the back of my throat.
It’s clear. Crystal clear. She’s not mine. She’s never been mine. She’s his. I’m wrong. My head is wrong. My wolf is wrong. I don’t want to fuck up my pack. Don’t want to hurt the pack that I love. Don’t want to fuck up this reunion. But I have. I own that. I’ve done this. I don’t know why, but I accept blame for my actions.
The rest of the room remains still as this plays out. As clarity keeps washing through me.
He’s reminding us who he is and what we all are to one another. If the others weren’t here reminding us we’re a family through this tether, and if I didn’t feel it and want to preserve my pack, we’d likely be battling. Battling, bleeding, and one of us dying.
He shows me her throat, still halfway between man and wolf. Shows me his claiming mark on her. And then finally, his gaze moves away from me. He flexes his hand and then his partly-showing wolf recedes as he shifts back to full man.
He withdraws from her and fluid pools around her body, filling my nose with their combined essences. The scent is a primal one that every one of us knows.
Our eyes are locked, and I have no desire to look upon his mate right now. He knows I regret this. I know he’d try to kill me if the others weren’t here reminding us we’re all the same pack. And the strong bond we have today shows him who we are. I’m sure in this moment he feels that and it’s what prevents him from lunging for me again.
I blink and red droplets hit the floor just feet away from her.
The tether between all of us loosens and immediately, I shift. I shift and leap in the other direction to run straight to the woods.
I run at full speed. I run like I can outrun what I’ve done, what I’ve caused. I need this.
I’m sick about it. Sick that it happened. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me.
Lincoln and Jase are running with me. They’re just behind me, giving me space, but showing they’re here. With me. That they support me. I don’t deserve it, but I’ll take it.