Page 9 of Rhaz’s Redemption (Shifters of Valo Prime #6)

My breath caught as he said my name. It rumbled through him like a thousand horse hooves hitting the ground. He made my name sound so much more powerful than what I felt.

His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist as if he was desperate for me not to go. The warmth of his skin was comforting. It felt right, and I hated how right it felt. Like a free sample of a love I’d never know.

I turned to face him and caught the distinct look of longing and sadness in his eyes.

“You…you really don’t think I’m a monster?”

His voice came out soft and he looked…afraid. I’d never seen Rhaz afraid of anything before, but as his question lingered in the air he looked terrified of what I might say, that I might have changed my mind and confirm his worst fears.

I looked him square in the eyes and said, “You’re the only one who thinks that.”

I yanked my wrist out of his hand and walked away, not sparing a glance back. No matter how much I longed to build a connection between us, I would not give in to a male who had his own shit to work out.

I sat at the far corner of the cave and laid out the furs I’d packed to sleep on tonight. Once I was done the other women came back into the main cavern.

“Where’d the guys go?” Ashley asked.

“They’re out searching for moss,” I answered. “Axon told them to keep their excursion short, but by the way they were pestering him, I doubt they’ll get back in time to visit the ruins before dark.”

“That’s fine by me,” Julie said as she sat down on her own set of furs looking exhausted.

“Same,” Kayla yawned as she sat down next to her.

“I’ll start the fire, and get some meat cooking for dinner,” Ashley offered. She made quick work of building the fire and started grilling the slabs of salted meat Axon had set aside for today’s dinner.

It was about an hour after dinner was served that the guys came back with arm fulls of moss.

“This will make our cave more comfortable,” Brexl smiled to his mate.

“Aww, you didn’t have to do that,” Taylor commented as she ran her fingers along the moss.

“You deserve the best,” Brexl argued.

“You’re a sweet stubborn male,” Taylor purred before she pulled him down for a kiss.

“I’m not half as stubborn as you are,” Brexl teased.

I turned away from their overt display of affection. I was happy for all the couples here, but it did sting knowing they had something that I might never get.

I wanted to glance over at Rhaz, but refused. I knew he’d probably be looking at me which would just make me feel worse. Curse him and his perceived inner demons.

I was in a foul mood for the rest of the night so I kept to myself until everyone went to bed.

It didn’t take me long to fall asleep, but a few hours later I woke up shivering. Axon’s moon cave had a huge opening at the cave mouth, and his protective webbing did little to keep out the wind.

I glanced over at the women who had placed their beds closer to the fire and none of them seemed to be suffering from the cold like I was. I’d somehow ended up surrounded by mated couples, and they were all nice and cozy huddled together under the furs.

I was debating moving my bed closer to the fire when I felt an extra blanket being draped across my shoulders.

I looked up to find a large badger shifter walking away from me. Rhaz. He laid down on the mossy floor in his shifter form with no blanket.

“Oh no you don’t,” I muttered under my breath as I got up, carrying Rhaz’s blanket with me.

I quietly stalked up to him and tossed the borrowed fur onto his body. He sat up and shifted back into his blue sirret form.

“You don’t get to take care of me from a distance,” I huffed. “I’m an all or nothing kind of woman, and you’ve chosen to have none of me, so I won’t have any of you.”

Rhaz furrowed his brows and stated the obvious, “But you’re cold.”

“Yeah? So? How is that your problem?” I shot back.

“I-” he cut himself off and a pensive expression spread across his face.

“Exactly,” I folded my arms over my chest. “No mate bond means no extra blankets. If I can’t be with you in the way that I want then you can’t try to take care of me from a distance like you want to.”

“What is it that you want?” he asked as a frown replaced his pensive expression.

“I already told you what I want,” I huffed. “and I won’t demean myself by saying it again.”

“You want to be with me as your mate even after everything I’ve told you about my bloodline?” Rhaz gave me an exasperated look as if I were the problem here for not accepting that he was the monster he believed himself to be.

“Yes,” I seethed.

He narrowed his eyes at me and confessed, “Your lack of survival instincts is appalling. You should not want to be with me.”

Oh now he was really pissing me off. I leaned in close so he’d get my message loud and clear. Rhaz’s nostrils flared as he took in my scent and his eyes darkened with desire.

“If you try to tell me what I should and shouldn’t want one more ti-”

I yelped as Rhaz pulled me down onto furs and placed his lips on mine.

His action was just as bold and intense as he was, but his lips were soft and I melted under his touch.

He lifted his lips off mine then kissed me again.

Except this kiss was tentative, a tender curiosity, an attraction not yet explored.

My body hummed with desire and soon his hands were sliding up and down my sides as he dared to kiss me again. I let my hand rest upon his chest and felt the tight squeeze of his tail around my thigh.

He moaned deep in his throat and the action somehow woke him up to the reality of what we were doing. The kiss ended just as abruptly as it started and I found myself on the floor looking up at the sexiest male in the dekes as he stood and ran his hand nervously through his hair.

It took him a moment to collect himself, but once he did Rhaz narrowed his eyes at me and growled, “I will take care of you whether you like it or not.”

Then he stalked out of the cave, leaving me alone with the extra blanket I’d tried to give back to him.

What the hell just happened?