Page 83 of The Wolf Lord's Mate

Taking a bit of fresh cloth, Nathaniel wrapped my arm methodically, careful not to press the dressing too hard against my stinging skin.

The initial pain was somehow more intensified after all of the touching and shifting against the burn, but it began to wane quickly, fading to a throbbing ache that stung at intervals.

"Thank you." I said, and Nathaniel took my hand, pressing a gentle kiss on my knuckles.

"Of course, love," Nathaniel gave my hand a squeeze, "I find no greater delight than having the pleasure of caring for my mate. It satisfies a great urge within me, I cannot even begin to explain it."

Nathaniel rose from the bed, deftly unbuttoning his waistcoat with one hand and slipping the wool vest off of his broad shoulders.

Cuffing his sleeves, he offered me only a sideways glance as he partially disrobed, giving an appreciative roam down my form.

There was no doubt that it pleased him to see me there in his chambers, sitting on his bed in a cloud of his cinnamon-sweet scent.

Draping his vest over the chair-back of the writing desk, Nathaniel sauntered over to the bed slowly, each step of his boots echoing in the heady silence of his chambers.

"So, my dear—How do you want to do this?" Nathaniel stared down at me, an expectant look on his face that I did not quite understand.

"Pardon?" I said, unsure of what he was referring to. He had mentioned pleasure before, but surely that was not what he was asking my opinion on—I certainly hoped it wasn't, at least.

"I made you a promise that after I wrapped your arm, I would give you something," The heat in Nathaniel's gaze was enough to make my thighs clench together, "But I think we are going to have to add something else to the list first."

"And what would that be?" I almost felt disappointed, as his scent swirling around the room was almost as intoxicating as the memory of just how well he kept his promises.

"I am concerned about something you said in the hall—truly, it relates to how you were burned in the first place."

"I told you—"

"-No." Nathaniel's word was a command, one that called to an instinctual part of me that did not know whether to cower away or drop to my knees.

"There is a part of you, little one, who thinks that this is your fault.

Who thinks that you deserve to be treated such a way, and I understand now that no matter how many times I tell you that you are worth more than that, you will not admit it. "

Nathaniel sighed through his nose, tilting his head to the side as he looked down at me. His large hand found my cheek, stroking his thumb down the side of my face until he held my chin between his fingers.

Trapping my gaze in his, I could see something lurking below the surface, some wild creature that had long been hidden from me; a beast, dominant and dark waiting in the shadows.

It was everything that I feared in Wolves, and yet seeing the truth hiding in Nathaniel's emerald eyes, I could not have been less afraid.

My heart pounded in my throat, and a warmth began to pool at my core as Nathaniel's thumb traced over my bottom lip, slowly pushing its way inside my mouth.

"Are you going to be good for me, little mate?" Nathaniel rumbled, each baritone syllable sending an electric current down into my belly.

Pressing his thumb down on my tongue, he raised an expectant brow, and despite the slow-building pulse of need between my legs, I could not help but stare back at him.

I knew what he wanted me to do because it was what my instincts demanded. To suck on his thumb, to show him that I could submit to him. But I did not want to do that, not in that moment. All of that adrenaline that had been stored up inside of me that had mellowed to sadness twisted now.

It was irritation.

It was the simple need of wanting to disobey. To show Nathaniel that I could disobey.

And so I did.

Nathaniel's teeth bared in a grimace as I bit down on his thumb; not hard enough to break the skin, but just enough to show him that I could if I wanted to.

A grin flashed across his face, those obscenely handsome features twisting into satisfaction, and then I could not see his face anymore, not as the room turned upside down as he swiftly threw me over his shoulder.

"Nathaniel!" I attempted to protest, my voice twisting to a yelp as he sat down on the bed and pulled me down with him, only I was not sitting next to him.

Nathaniel positioned my body over his lap, one arm locked over my shoulder blades to keep me from squirming away. And I tried, Gods did I try; pulling and pushing, twisting to try and get off of him, but there was not much I could do with an injured arm and my face shoved into his blankets.

"Are you quite done, Sweetness?" Nathaniel said, his fingers tracing ghostly lines up and down my calves, getting dangerously closer to my thighs.