Page 81 of The Wolf Lord's Mate

"I am restraining myself for the sake of a very delicate peace between myself and Walton, but with a single word from you, my love, and I will go back in there to kill him.

" Nathaniel pressed a kiss to my neck, gently nipping at the skin in a way that sent shivers down my back, electric sparks dancing across my skin at the sheer closeness of him.

"That is not necessary, I think you have already hurt him enough." I whispered, and Nathaniel gave a low growl.

"He caused you pain," Nathaniel's jaw clenched, "Which means that there is no level of hurt too great for him."

"That Wolf is one of Walton's men," I reminded him, "Hurting him any more would only create problems. Wars have been started for less."

"And what if they have?"

"Nathaniel." My eyes flashed wide, not quite believing what I was hearing.

"What?" Nathaniel said, wrapping his fingers around my neck, tilting my chin to look up directly into those blazing emerald eyes of his, so full of fury and desire, "I would gladly go to war for you."

I stared at him, mouth opening and closing silently as I did not know what to say. Not when he had that look in his eye, the one that told me that he meant every word that he said.

There were no false promises when it came to Nathaniel, no grand proclamations that turned into dust; when he said something, he meant every word, and I had no doubt that he would go to war with Walton for me.

Because he looked at me like I was the most precious jewel in the world, with a reverent tenderness that lived on the very precipice of fear.

I was his weakness and My Lord, My Alpha, My—Mate, he feared only me.

There was a power to that like I had never known.

It sent a rush of satisfying pleasure through me, which for the first time outweighed the anxiety that went along with it. Perhaps I was growing more used to the conflicted feelings. Perhaps seeing Nathaniel defend me against one of his own kind was more impactful than I had thought it would be.

In that moment, he had chosen me, and very few people had ever chosen me. A well of something too complex to name—gratitude, guilt, affection—poured into my chest, and the words lodged in my throat. All I could do was shake my head.

"Do not be ridiculous." I said.

"Ridiculous?" Nathaniel gave a dark laugh, more of a choking sound, "What is ridiculous is that male still being allowed to draw breath after putting his hand on your neck, after speaking to you in that manner.

" Nathaniel growled into my ear, the ferocious noise sending an electric thrum that traveled through my belly and straight to my core.

A cloud of his scent surrounded me, the pain and the cold fading into a malaise of warmth with his body pressed against me like that.

Pulling back, Nathaniel studied me for a moment, a small smirk pulling at those plump lips of his. Drawing his face so near to mine, he paused a mere hairsbreadth away, so close I could feel the sweep of his eyelashes against my cheek.

I whimpered, but he still wouldn't come closer, and some being of instinct took over. Grasping his strong jaw in my hand, I tugged him closer, sealing his lips against mine. I could feel Nathaniel's smile as I kissed him, losing myself in the fervor of need, sweeping my lips against his urgently.

Nathaniel took control in an instant, one hand softly squeezing my throat while his tongue dominated mine, sucking and nipping at my lips hard enough to bruise, gently biting down on my bottom lip and pulling it until a moan slipped out of me.

I had almost forgotten the burn until Nathaniel shifted his body closer to mine, my forearm sliding across the wool of his waistcoat, and I let out a soft hiss.

Nothing escaped Nathaniel, whose eyes went wide, pulling back only a few centimeters to search for what ailed me, attention drawn immediately to my arm.

Still catching my breath from the kiss, my lips tingling and swollen, I held my arm against my chest, not quite wanting Nathaniel to see the damage. It was stupid anyway, and it was my own doing.

"I am sorry, love," Nathaniel said, his breathing returning to normal much faster than mine, "I should have been more careful."

"It is alright," I assured him, "It only hurts a little." While that was not true, it certainly could have been worse, and I chose to focus on that truth instead.

"My sweet little mate," Nathaniel cooed, tracing my cheek gently with his thumb, "I could feel your pain through the walls, it practically drove me mad.

I am going to take you back to our chambers, and wrap your arm, and then I am going to pleasure you until you can no longer remember your own name—which will not matter, as you will only be saying mine. "

My face flushed with heat, but Nathaniel swept his thumb over my lips to keep me from responding.

Pressing a soft kiss to my forehead, Nathaniel swept his arm under my legs, swiftly cradling me against his chest in the bridal position, careful not to brush against my forearm.

"Marcus told me to come see you," I laid my head against his shoulder, a low purr beginning in Nathaniel's chest as I accepted his comfort, "I should have come faster, or not hesitated, or—"

"—Darling," Nathaniel stopped me, "Your injury is not your fault, do you understand? None of that was your fault, and you do not deserve to be treated in that manner."