Page 17 of The Howling (Monsters of the Yeavering #2)

I don’t quite know how I feel about the arrival of Lilburn. On the one hand, I feel better having someone else who is not a soul eater and has manners, but on the other, she clearly has both unnerved and annoyed Reavely.

And I still want to know why he took me from Lord Guyzance’s palace. I refuse to believe it’s because he thinks I’m his mate or wants to marry me.

Reavely is big, bad, and feral. Whatever he does, it hasn’t anything to do with anything like Lilburn suggests. He simply saw an opportunity to own a human. Presumably it has something to do with his soul sucking nature or that of the death which drives him.

Save for the fact he got someone to heal me. And brought me to his home, such as it is.

Lilburn has left me alone to go and find the kitchens, muttering something about Barghests and their lack of hospitality. I still feel weak and wobbly, so I have stayed by the fire, the warmth infusing into me, and I’m glad of it.

I’m also glad of the dress, even if so far it’s only brought me trouble. The bodice is stiff, and I feel like it’s holding me together when I feel like I want to fall apart. Shame there’s nothing which can do the same for my head.

All of this seems like it’s setting me up to fail, and I won’t end up at anyone’s mercy again. Reavely, whatever his intentions, remains a monster who cannot be trusted, like anything else in the Yeavering, including Lilburn.

A warm breeze blows past me, making me look around, but the huge hall remains deserted, and I turn back to the fire. A delicious citrus scent hits my nostrils, and I spot Reavely leaning against the wall near the door.

He is looking at me with those burning eyes, and parts of me which are clearly more treacherous than I even realised clench.

“Finished with your little anger session?” I ask.

“You are wearing my dress. You are mine,” he growls.

“I don’t belong to anyone,” I retort, a rage rising within me that we are still having this conversation. “Least of all any creatures in the Yeavering.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Reavely says. “Fate has given you to me.”

“You think I’m your mate?” I glare at him. “You’re wrong.”

“I am never wrong,” he says smugly.

My anger is a volcano inside me. I’ve had it with the Yeavering and its inhabitants. I need to make a stand, like I should have done the day they came to collect me when I lost the lottery.

It’s time to say no. It’s time to deal with this once and for all.

“You are today.” I stand and pull at the cords which hold the thing to me. The pain is immense because I’m twisting, but I ignore it. “And you can have your stupid dress back if it bothers you.”

I writhe at the fabric. It was hard enough to put on, and as I expected, it’s just as damn hard to get off, but my anger at the monster who put me in this position is greater. I manage to extract myself from the thing and throw it at him.

Reavely catches it easily, which is annoying. His eyes burn brighter than ever, brighter than the flames next to me.

Flames I’m grateful for, briefly, because I am…

Stood here in a thin shift undergarment. One which is like gossamer. One which shows everything .

Yes, I got so angry, I got naked.

This was not a good move.

I am now very, very hot.

I wrap my arms around myself, knowing there’s no way I’m hiding anything. I’ve never been small in the boob department, and I’m more acutely aware of it than ever. Not that there’s any chance of being able to cover myself up properly.

“Give it back,” I say.

Reavely looks at the dress in his hand and then his gaze travels slowly up me from my feet to the top of my head.

“Come and take it,” he says, his voice a pit of gravel.

I shouldn’t do anything. I should run. I really should run, but then something primal inside me knows he will chase.

Knows he will catch me.

Knows it won’t end well.

A low, deep growl escapes his throat. Reavely tosses the dress to one side and closes the gap between us in a flash, his arms wrapping around me, his teeth at my throat.

I should be scared.

I am not scared.

The teeth trail down my skin and slice into the fine fabric, the only thing between me and him. My core pulses, and before I can say anything, my back is at the wall and Reavely has his snout between my legs.

“Ah! No! Bad dog!”