Page 9 of M.A.Y.A (After the End #4)
Should she run? Would hiding in the safe house protect her, or would he be able to get inside? Could she fight him off with her brute strength? She wasn’t sure how strong she was, if she could take on an animal of that size, but she’d gone toe to toe with Isaiah, hadn’t she? Maybe she had a chance.
Before Maya could make her move, the wolf crouched low to the ground. She watched in shock as the thick glossy pelt receded and turned into smooth tanned skin. The sheer size shrunk to that of a human, as front legs became arms, and back legs extended. Then the muzzle changed into Isaiah’s face.
He stood from his crouched position in all his naked glory.
The definition of his abs, the cut lines of his thick shoulders and arms, and the angles of his Adonis belt led to a large cock that rested against thick, muscled thighs.
His hair hung around his face and framed his sharp features, and his eyes twinkled as if he knew exactly what had captivated Maya’s attention.
She was frozen in her spot as he casually walked across the field until he was inches in front of her. “Shifter. Alpha of a wolf pack. Does that make sense to you now?”
“I feel like I’m dreaming or something,” she said, her breath coming out in short puffs.
He was an actual wolf. When he claimed to be one, she never imagined he was a living breathing wolf and thought it was more of a mindset.
What was this world, this dimension? What else was real?
Vampires, fairies, universal healthcare?
Sure, she could suspend disbelief to a certain point.
Half her body was robotic…but a werewolf? That was fairytale material.
The corner of Isaiah’s mouth tilted in a smile. He spoke as if he’d read her mind. “You jumped through a portal into a different dimension, and you’re surprised that wolf shifters exist?”
She giggled at the silliness of their conversation, actually giggled, then slapped a hand over her mouth in shock.
Had she ever giggled in her life? Why was the sight of him making her feel so lightheaded?
More importantly, how did she know that he was amused by her reaction to him?
It was as if her intuition when it came to Isaiah was in high gear.
Isaiah’s stern mouth curved into a smile. “Tiny warrior, your laugh is wonderful to hear.”
She looked down, and then immediately met his eyes again.
He appeared as comfortable in his nudity as she’d become.
The only problem was that she was…affected by him in a way that she’d never experienced with anyone before.
Maya’s arm plate beeped, and she glanced down at the display window. Her heart rate was accelerated.
“Don’t worry,” Isaiah said, smiling.
“Worry about what?”
His voice lowered to a deep timbre that had the hair raising on the back of her neck. “About your heart rate. About your arousal. I can smell it. It’s normal before mates claim each other to be aroused. The feeling will increase over the next thirteen days.”
“I think it’s just because I’ve never seen a naked man before,” she murmured.
His brows lifted to his hairline. “Never?”
“Never. It’s only natural for me to be…flustered.”
“Whatever you want to tell yourself,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s the mating bond. I think I can feel it stronger than you because I’m Alpha.” He leaned closer until she was consumed by his scent. “I heard that after the first kiss, it’s undeniable.”
The thought of kissing Isaiah all muscled and bare, while he stood inches away, had her alarm beeping at a faster rate. She fumbled with the interface to shut it off the way she’d seen the scientists do in the lab.
“I doubt that it would have any effect on me,” she said, reality setting in like a cold shower in the lab. She couldn’t stop the bitterness from coating her voice. “They stripped me of everything and replaced it with metal.”
Isaiah growled deep in his chest. The vibrations were so strong that Maya felt goosebumps race up her spine at the sound.
“You have your soul, Maya. And whatever is left of your human heart belongs to me now.” He pressed a hand against the center of her breasts.
His palms were so large that his fingertips brushed against the base of her throat.
She felt self-conscious when she realized that he was covering the port over her heart.
“I’m so sorry that you’re stuck—”
“I’m not,” he replied.
She found it difficult to believe him. Wouldn’t he want someone who was beautiful and whole? Someone who understood him? Someone who didn’t have all the baggage she’d carry for the rest of her life?
“Look,” he continued. “This is new for you. All of this is new to me, too. But we’ll figure it out together. You’re mine now, and that means that I will protect your freedom and happiness with my life.”
In that moment, there was a sharp pain in her chest, a lightning bolt of sensation that shot straight up her spine, and the dizzying feeling that nothing else mattered except for the man in front of her.
As her vision focused on his dark eyes, there was only one emotion that remained, and it resembled hope in the most terrifying way.