Page 36 of Jace's Mate

“No, why…” she stopped and blinked.“Well, yes.Why do I heal quickly?”

He chuckled, his dark eyes lighting with the humor.“Because you’re a shifter.You heal faster in your wolf form, but our bodies heal faster than humans.”

“I’m human.”

He sighed and took her hand, laying it palm up on his rock-hard thigh.“We’re not human, Anikka.You’re a shifter.We’re different from humans.”He let his fingers drift over her palm and Anikka couldn’t stop the shiver.She felt his touch echo everywhere.Even deep down inside of her.Embarrassed, she pressed her knees together, trying to control the urge to…to what?

Straddle him!

The thought popped into her mind before she could control it.Before she could suppress the thought!

“You can do that, if you want.”

Anikka gasped and jerked her hand away.“Do what?”

“My body is yours, Anikka.I am your mate.Every urge that you have is mine.If you need sex, then I am here to satisfy you.”

“I don’t want sex!”she gasped, scooting away from him on the velvet sofa.A moment later though, her eyes returned to his muscle-packed body.The thought of straddling him and having her way with him was the most enticing idea she’d ever had.Her mouth watered at the idea.Her core throbbed and she smelled…his arousal!Good grief, she could actually smell his arousal!She glanced down at his groin and…sure enough, his erection pressed against the black slacks.

“Touch me, Anikka,” he urged.“Do what you need to do.”

She didn’t touch him.

Instead, Anikka jumped up from the couch and darted to the far side of the room—well out of arm’s reach from the man who was compelling her to… do things.Feel things.Wantthings.

Things she had no intention of wanting.

Even if shedidwant them.

Only with him.Onlyhim.

“Yes, only with me, Anikka,” Jace said, his voice a velvet snarl.“I’m your mate.We will be together.I’ll satisfy your every need—physical, emotional… even financial.”

“I’mfine,” she snapped, even as her fingers twitched, aching to reach for him.

He chuckled, low and knowing, and stood.“You’re still confused.I get it.”He gestured to the couch again.“Will you sit down and talk to me?I need to understand how you’re...what—twenty-five?”

“Yes,” she replied, standing her ground.

“Twenty-five,” he repeated softly, “and no one’s ever told you what you are.”

She hesitated, then crossed back to a nearby chair.Not the couch.The chair.A safe distance.Perched on the edge, she laced her fingers together tightly.Maybe to keep from reaching for him again.

Definitely.

“So you were raised from a pup—uh, a baby,” he amended quickly when her brows lifted, “by an uncle.And you’ve never shifted.”

He tilted his head, studying her.“You’vefeltthe urge, maybe.But not enough to let it happen.”

She blew out a frustrated breath and shoved her fingers through her hair.“Whatisthis shifting thing you keep talking about?”

“We shift,” he said calmly, “from human form to wolf.I’m a big black wolf underneath all this.”He gestured to his expensive clothes, then gave a feral grin.“And I lead the pack.I’m the Alpha.My word is law.”

“I’ll argue with you,” she shot back, eyes flashing.

The sound that came from him wasn’t human.

She heard it.Felt it.