Page 21

I wanted to give her space, to let things evolve naturally, but something had been off for days. Nayeli was avoiding me like it was her full-time job, and I couldn't even get close enough to her to ask what the hell was going on.

I tried to be patient, but we had too much going on between us for her to try and avoid me at every turn. The last straw was when she was two hours late coming home from the cafe. It stressed me the hell out, and felt like just another attempt on her end to stay away from me.

I didn't even know what I'd done wrong.

That night, I didn't even bother calling. I just got in the Land Rover and drove into town, intending to confront Nayeli in person. She was the only closer that night, and we'd have the cafe to ourselves to hash out whatever was bothering her.

When I parked, I could immediately feel a change in the bond between us, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. She was distressed, maybe even in pain, but I only got bits and pieces of her emotions through our messed-up connection.

I'd been in such a rush that I hadn't even bothered to grab the keys to my own store, and when I found the door locked, I clenched my teeth. It was like everything was standing in the way of me getting to her, and I had the sinking feeling that Nayeli needed my help.

"Nayeli," I yelled. "Are you in there?"

Nothing. I cupped my hands against the glass of the window and looked through, and didn't see anything at first. But as my vision adjusted, cold fear washed over me—all I could see of her was her feet on the floor, the rest of her body obscured by the counter.

I knocked on the door again, rattling the lock. "Nayeli! What's wrong? Are you okay?"

She let out a whimper, and I pounded on the door with my fist, my wolf growling deep in my chest. He knew she was in pain, and I could feel the bond between us vibrating. She needed me, and I was stuck outside while she was hurt.

That wasn't going to fucking work.

I took a step back, lowered my shoulder, and slammed into the door with all my strength. It cracked under my weight, but didn't break. I backed up again and hit it a second time. This time, the lock broke, and the door swung open.

I stepped inside, my gaze zeroing in on Nayeli. She was lying on the ground behind the counter, her eyes wide, her skin pale. The bond between us was vibrating at a fever pitch.

"You broke the door," she said, rising up on her hands with some effort.

"I don't give a fuck about the door," I growled, kneeling next to her. She was curled up, pain evident on her features, but she'd sat up and was pushing herself away from me. My frustration boiled over, and I almost snapped at her...until I inhaled.

Her sweet scent had deepened, darkened, and taken on a primal edge. The air around Nayeli was charged, the connection between us so intense that it was almost sparking. The rest of the world fell away as the Alpha in me rose up, demanding to be answered.

She was in heat. My mate was in heat. I should have known.

"Jesus," I sighed, reaching for her. "How long have you been suffering in silence, you stubborn thing?"

She was defensive. "It doesn't matter. You can't help me."

I wasn't about to back off, not with her like this.

That part of me that was used to being in control, the smooth, calculated Alpha, had been fraying at the edges ever since Nayeli's spell misfired, and seeing that she was in heat was the last straw.

The hunger, and the desire for her were all taking over, and I could see in her eyes that she felt the same.

"Yes, I can," I said, moving closer slowly, my instincts kicking in. "You don't have to be alone."

She still tried to push herself away from me, this time grabbing onto the edge of the counter and pulling herself to her feet on shaking legs.

As much as her heat was making me senseless with need, my heart was also breaking for her.

Strong, unshakable Nayeli had been put through so much lately, and now this? It almost wasn't fair.

But this was happening, and there was only one way for her to find relief. She'd lost her damned mind if she thought I was going to leave her to suffer through her heat alone.

"It will be worse if you stay," she argued, holding out a hand as I stepped around the counter.

I smirked at her, trying to lighten the mood. "What, are you scared you're going to jump me?"

She didn't laugh. "That's exactly what I'm scared of. Because I will."

"You've been in heat before," I reminded her, taking another step forward.

Her eyes flashed, and she backed away again. "Not like this. This isn't normal heat. I feel...different. Off. There's something inside me..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "It must be the bond. I don't know. But I really wish you'd leave."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself against the urge to take her into my arms. She was being stubborn, and I knew that I wouldn't get anywhere by arguing with her. The only way to prove to her that she didn't need to be alone was to show her.

She made it easy for me to catch up to her, backing into the corner behind the counter. Nayeli froze when she realized she had nowhere to go. I stepped forward until our chests were almost touching, my hands resting on the counter, trapping her.

"You're scared," I said, meeting her eyes, "that you'll do something you regret, but we both know what will happen if I leave you here to deal with this alone."

Her voice wavered slightly, her pupils dilating. "I won't."

"You will," I growled, "because the only way to make this pain stop is to let me help you."

"You don't understand," she insisted, pushing at my chest weakly. "I'm not in control of myself anymore."

"Neither am I." I dipped my head, bringing my lips close to her ear. "The way you smell, the way you're shaking, it's making me lose my fucking mind."

She whimpered, but she didn't try to move away from me.

Instead, she pressed closer, her hands gripping my shirt.

The feeling of her breath against my neck made me shiver, and I closed my eyes for a second, trying to keep myself from doing something that would scare her.

But when I opened my eyes again, she looked up at me, her mouth open.

Her lips were wet, and I could feel her trembling against me, her hips shifting slightly.

Fuck. My self-control was only so strong.

I kissed her, and she melted against me, her arms wrapping around my neck.

Her heat hit me like a punch to the gut, my wolf clawing at my chest and urging me on.

I groaned when I felt her hand sliding into my hair and pulling me closer.

She was kissing me back eagerly, as if she'd been waiting for this her whole life.

I'd barely touched her, and already she was shaking, and I could smell the arousal on her.

The scent of her heat was everywhere now.

"Say you want me, Nayeli," I murmured against her skin, "Let me help you."

She pulled back to look at me, her eyes hazy, her lips swollen from my kisses. "I want you. But...this isn't a good idea."

I growled, hating that she was still trying to put up a fight. "The longer you wait, the worse it's going to be for you."

"It's already bad," she said, and then pressed her body against mine, making me hiss between my teeth. I was so hard that I was surprised that I hadn't come just from the feel of her soft curves against me. And when she looked up at me through her lashes, biting her lip, I almost lost it.

"Nayeli..." I groaned, resting my forehead against hers. "Don't test me."

Her scent changed, and I knew she liked hearing me say her name like that. It was too much. I grabbed her hips and spun her around, pushing her against the counter. She gasped, but I could tell by the way she moaned that she loved the way I was handling her.

I pressed myself against her ass, groaning at the feeling of her curves against me. "Do you want me to fuck you?" I asked, reaching around her to cup her breast and roll her nipple between my thumb and forefinger. "Tell me, Nayeli."

She pushed herself back against me, and I gripped her hip hard. She whimpered when she felt how hard I was. "Yes, I want you."

"That's good," I growled, "because there's no going back now."

I slid my hand down her stomach, sliding my fingers under the waistband of her pants. Her underwear was soaked, and I could feel the heat radiating from her core as I slipped my finger into her panties. She moaned as I stroked her gently, and then with more force. "So wet, so ready for me."

She leaned back against me and gasped, arching her hips forward to press herself against my hand.

I kissed the side of her neck, feeling my wolf growl inside my chest as I worked my fingers between her legs.

Then, swiftly, I pulled my fingers away and spun her, grabbing her hips and lifting her onto the cafe counter. "Hips up," I demanded.

She raised her hips obediently, and I pushed her jeans down over her thighs.

She kicked them off the rest of the way, and I ran my hands up her legs, pushing her knees apart.

Her slick covered her inner thighs, and she was trembling as I pulled off the last layer between me and her sweet pussy.

Her lacy panties joined her jeans on the floor, and then she was all mine.

"Beautiful," I groaned.

She looked up at me from under her lashes, blushing, lips parted.

Nayeli watched, enraptured, as I lowered myself to my knees and pushed her legs open wider, running my hand along the inside of her thigh.

My thumb brushed over her clit, and she sighed softly, arching her hips up to meet my touch.

My mouth was already watering by the time I finally allowed myself to dip my head down and taste her for the first time.