Page 67 of The Wolf Lord's Mate

I could make out the faintest smirk on Nathaniel's lips as he turned away, most likely amused at how flustered I had become at only a simple touch.

It wasn't my fault; all of the time we'd been spending in such close quarters had caused the bond to grow between us, and I had no control over how to slow it down or reverse it. Nathaniel had said before that what existed between us was inevitable, and it was difficult to refute that belief when I could feel its power first hand.

I dressed quickly at Nathaniel's behest, but despite his insistence that we leave as soon as possible, his gaze on me as I changed did little to hurry my movements.

It was as if he were frozen in space the moment an extra inch of my skin was bared to him, the heat of his intense focus burning into my back and sending a rush of sparks down my spine. The sensation found its way down to the same space Nathaniel had lit ablaze only minutes before, an aching once more beginning at the apex of my thighs.

"Damn it," Nathaniel growled, and by the time I turned around, he had already slipped out of the bedroom door, "I will meet you downstairs, little mate."

There was a part of me that relished how easily he could lose control, an odd sense of pride and amusement that my mere presence was enough to arouse him; a simple whiff of my scent or a turn of my hips could drive him deliriously mad.

Of course, it was only amusing so long as he could contain that madness and not have it twist into something far too Wolfish and dark. But to his credit, he had not yet snapped on me nor lost his temper. I would continue to be careful regardless, but perhaps I could begin to give him the benefit of the doubt more often.

Still, I hesitated fully in making any more promises to myself before we arrived back at the manor. I wanted to see what he was like once we were back around the staff, and considering the stressful situation we were returning to, I wondered if I might finally see his temper emerge.

My Lord was always so in control, so measured and disciplined—the perfect picture of calm no matter what occurred or what I said. Surely there was a limit, surely there was something that would prod at the Wolf within him and unleash the wild parts of himself.

The sensible parts of me still feared that possibility, but there was a mad woman within me—the one who had gotten wet every time Nathaniel showed his true strength, or flushed when he appeared at the door covered in blood from killing that deer. That part of myself almost thrilled at seeing Nathaniel lean into his Wolfish nature, but the thrill vanished as soon as it arrived, replaced only by dread and then a healthy measure of guilt at fantasizing about such things.

Fantasy and reality would never be the same, and what might delight in the mind would only bring the body fear.

Nathaniel watched me as I descended the steps, the kitchen cleared away and the blankets in the sitting area neatly folded on the cushions.

"Ready, my dear?" Nathaniel asked, holding open the front door of the cabin. I gave only a nod in response, slipping through the doorway and letting myself take one last glance back at the cozy interior of the cabin.

I'd hardly spent that much time there, and yet I felt changed; or at least, I felt the potential for change. The potential of what might exist between Nathaniel and I, if we could come to some sort of understanding about our bond.

"Here, love, hold onto me." Nathaniel wrapped his large hands firmly around my waist, effortlessly hoisting me up and onto the saddle of the horse. Untethering the reigns, he pulled himself up behind me and immediately pressed his spare hand into my hip. Unlike our previous ride when I had wiggled my way to the front of the saddle, Nathaniel stopped me before I could even think about it, tugging me until my back was flush against his chest.

Nathaniel's warmth surrounded me, his strong arms enveloping me in until his scent overwhelmed all else—the comforting aroma of cinnamon and cloves.

"Do you intend to hold me like this the whole time?" I asked, although my tone held more amusement than annoyance. It was certainly far more comfortable to be seated against him, his thumb rubbing soothing circles against my hip bone.

"I most certainly do intend to," Nathaniel murmured, his hot breath in my ear sending a shiver down my back that caused me to unconsciously lean into him, "The ride will pass in an instant with you clutched against me."

Nathaniel tugged on the reigns, steering the horse backwards towards the ravine and presumably where we had come from in the first place. There hadn't been much light when we arrived, and I couldn't say my navigation skills were terribly strong, but I trusted Nathaniel to lead us back. Whatever else I might doubt about him, I knew that he wanted to keep me safe.

I was his mate after all, his precious little prize. Part of me still sickened at the thought of that, but another part of me—

—No. Perhaps I was not quite ready to admit what the other part of me felt.

And yet the feeling was there.