Page 43

The urge to squeeze my eyes shut again and just block all of this out was strong, but when it jerked me back toward its massively huge body, my mouth went slack at the feel of something hard, long, andhugepressing against my lower back.

I made a startled sound and tried to move away, but its clawed paw was still pressing on my belly, keeping me in place with zero effort.

“Hush now, my little female. I have no intentions of using this—” he rolled his hips forward, digging what was clearly anenormous erection against my body “—on you until you beg me for it.”

I shook my head, biting my tongue because I wanted to scream that I’d never want him orthat.

And then it curled its big paw around the flesh of my belly, squeezing it, and letting out what could only be called a purr.

It moved to my hip, doing the same to the flesh there before releasing it and slipping down to my thigh. The creature curled its palm around my upper leg, giving it a little jiggle before growling low.

“Your body is perfect.”

My mouth dried, and I felt something move through me. I couldn’t describe it, but hearing him praise my form in that totally inhuman voice made me feel hot and tingly in places that had no business feeling that way.

I was in that weird mental state of processing its words when suddenly its big paw was covering my breast. I squealed out when it gave the mound a squeeze at the same time it thrust against me, digging that steel rod into my back and pulling a gasp from me.

“Do you like the feel of your mate?”

My heart was jackhammering in my chest.Mate? The fuck?

It was pure instinct that had me slapping his furry paw hard enough I felt his entire body tense. I realized I may have just screwed myself over.

Before I knew what was happening, I was flat on my back with this beast hovering over me. I’d known and felt how massive he was well before now, but having him crowd me like this had me feeling minuscule.

I shrank back from his wolfish face when I spied the rows of sharp teeth in its mouth.

“What are you?” I whispered, horrified.

“I’m yours,” he said with finality. “You are my female, and I am your male.”

I shook my head, denying what he said.

It—he—placed his hands on either side of my body, caging me in with all that muscle and fur and unworldly appearance.

It was hard to make out the details of what he looked like because the cave, which I assumed we were in, was so dark. But when he lifted an arm, I flinched.

With my eyes shut and my head turned, I expected a strike. When nothing came, I slowly opened my eyes and tentatively looked back to see him staring down at me, but I couldn’t read his motives.

He looked between me and his raised paw and then back at me. I could imagine his brows—if he even had any—lowering in apparent confusion.

“What is this?” He rumbled out and then slowly lowered his hand to his side. “You think I would hurt you?” His tone took me back because it was so… gentle, if that was even a word I could use to describe him. “You think I would ever harmmy mate?” He sounded almost aghast.

There was that word… mate. I could tell just by his tone it meant a hell of a lot.

Oh God. This beast has taken me because he sees me as what, his girlfriend? His wife? His fuck toy?

When I didn’t respond, he leaned back, his gaze almost softening. It had my defenses lowering just marginally.

“I’m not yours,” I whispered.

The grin he gave me was slow and almost ominous. He didn’t have lips, didn’t have a mouth like a human would. But the flash of his teeth once again had me laying as still as possible. All I could think about was not making any sudden moves.

“Oh, Little One, you are mine. And,” he leaned in close, and I once more smelled that musky, wolf aroma that made me feelall kinds of things. “You have nothing to fear from me because I would kill anyone who even thought of hurting you.”

I slowly lowered my arms but kept them pressed to my chest, terrified of what this creature would do, even if it was very clear he wouldn’t hurt me.

For a moment I just lay there as he still hovered over me, his body so much bigger that I couldn’t help but feel like this little doll beneath him.