Page 23 of The Wolf Prince’s Mate (Marked Beneath the Moon #2)

twenty-three

CLAY

I paced the kitchen, shoving my hair out of my eyes for the dozenth time.

My mind was a mess.

My wolf wouldn’t stop howling.

I hadn’t slept since before Nova turned her sister. Eating was difficult too.

I was hanging on by threads—and the threads were the small interactions I had with my female.

When she hadn’t wanted to talk the night before, I’d fucking spiraled. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be coming back from that.

A sudden knock at the front door made me freeze.

My wolf snarled.

It had to be one of my brothers.

I tried to lock down my hold of the beast in my chest, but his cage was gone. He’d destroyed it, and I hadn’t managed to build it back up.

The person on the other side of the door typed in the code, and it unlocked.

I tensed, trying to grab hold of the wolf, but the effort turned out to be pointless.

Because as soon as the door opened, he was purring.

Purring .

The fucking monster, purring like a damn cat.

I remained frozen in place as the door opened and Nova stepped inside. She carried a bag full of what looked like tattoo stuff over one shoulder, and had a duffel bag in her other hand.

“Hey, fiancé,” she said with a small smile. “You forgot to show up to your tattoo appointment this morning, so I figured I’d bring it to you.” She strode into my bedroom without so much as a backward glance at me.

I stayed tense, waiting for the wolf to try to break free.

He just kept purring.

I finally followed her in, my hands trembling. She still didn’t look back at me, so I just stood in the doorway and watched while she put her equipment on the nightstand.

When she was satisfied that everything was in the right place, she grabbed her duffel bag and carried it into the closet.

I followed her there, remaining silent as she unzipped the bag and moved my clothes around to make space for hers.

My chest burned.

I needed to make her leave—but I wanted her there badly.

I counted the sets of clothing as she put them away.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

“You’re staying for a week?” I asked, my voice coming out raspy.

“I’m staying as long as it takes to finish your tattoo,” she said simply. “It’s going to be extremely detailed, so at least a week. I’ll wash my clothes here when I need to. I’ll probably go through heat in the next few days too, so that’ll add a little time.”

My cock throbbed.

She hadn’t offered to find someone else to go through heat with, thankfully. There was a solid chance my wolf would end any man who came anywhere near her.

I needed to send her home, but I couldn’t gather the energy to do it.

I was so fucking tired.

She lifted her duffel, trying to stow it on top of the shelving unit like I had done with mine, but she was too short.

I crossed the distance between us and took it from her. She didn’t protest when I set it where she wanted.

My free hand skimmed her waist, and she stepped back so she rested against my chest. I rumbled, and for once, it wasn’t the wolf.

I just ached for her.

“Thanks.” She tilted her head back and to the side, so our eyes met. “I need a shower after that drive. Wanna join?”

More than anything.

I needed to control myself, though. To leave distance between us. To?—

“You reek, so just come with me.” Nova captured my hand and towed me out of the closet.

Having her skin against mine made me feel like I could finally breathe again.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” I forced myself to say.

She ignored me, turning the water on and tugging her shirt over her head.

My eyes were fixed on her curves as she dropped her bra too. Her leggings and thong followed.

My hands skimmed her bare sides before she grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it off, tossing it on the floor with her clothes. I took care of my pants myself, and let her tug me into the shower behind her.

I couldn’t help but keep a hold on her hip while I continued taking her appearance in.

“You inked your throat without me.” The words came out lower than I intended.

“Silas did it. And he didn’t flirt, before you ask.”

I didn’t bother denying that I would’ve asked.

“It’s fucking hot.” I kissed the new ink. I’d explore it with my fingers and tongue at some point, too. “But you still aren’t supposed to be here.”

“And you aren’t supposed to be this hairy.” She ran a hand over what should’ve been stubble. Turning, she grabbed the waterproof electric razor I kept in the shower. “I like the lumberjack look, but we both know it’s not you.”

I grumbled but accepted it, pulling her body against mine and closing my eyes as I shaved.

She felt incredible.

Her slick hands were on my skin a moment later, soaping the back of my neck. They trailed down my shoulders and over my arms.

I bit back a groan when she stepped away from me and ran her hands down my abdomen. When she rubbed my erection, I did groan.

“Gorgeous…”

“I’m not trying to start anything, Savage. You look like you’re barely alive right now. I’m getting you clean so I can get you to bed.”

“You’re trying to take care of me?” I couldn’t hide my surprise.

“Not just trying. I am taking care of you.” She stepped around to my back and ran her hands over my shoulder blades. Another groan escaped me at her touch, and my cock throbbed.

“You don’t need to do that. You’re not supposed to?—”

“If you tell me to leave one more time, we’re going to have problems,” she warned.

I sighed.

It was a good sigh—her little hands were on my ass, and they felt incredible.

“We’ll talk about it later,” I agreed.

“After you’ve eaten and slept. I don’t think you’ve done much of either of those things recently.”

I grunted, but didn’t argue.

She was right.

I set my razor down and grabbed some shampoo, lathering my hair. Nova pushed my hands away, and I groaned again when her nails dragged over my scalp.

Bliss.

It was absolute bliss.

She tilted my head back, and I leaned my side against the shower wall so I could focus on the way she was touching me.

“You didn’t call last night,” I mumbled, trying to keep myself awake.

“I found a new fuck buddy.”

My wolf roared through me, and my entire body shook with fury.

Nova laughed. “I’m kidding. You can smell me. I spent the night eating coffee ice cream with Olive, Syd, and Aspen. They knew I was coming here today.”

I growled, and she stepped around to the front of me. I lowered my nose to her throat and sniffed. Though the water was running over us, she hadn’t used soap yet, and my sense of smell was good enough that the water couldn’t hide the truth from me.

Coffee, ice cream, and ink. Fresh ink.

I kneeled between her thighs, opening her up and inhaling her scent. Another growl tore through me.

She smelled so fucking good.

I couldn’t resist dragging my tongue over her center, dipping it inside her so I could have more of her on my mouth.

Her fingers were loose in my hair, and her voice was amused when she asked, “Satisfied?”

“Not even close.” My voice was low and gravelly, my grip tightening. “Don’t joke about being with another man again.”

“Alright. I won’t.” She tugged on my hair, trying to get me to my feet.

I couldn’t help but lick her again, needing to taste more of her.

She tipped my head back—and I realized why she did when the shampoo ran down my neck.

She was still trying to clean me.

“As much as I want to screw you right now, I think you should get some sleep first. I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret,” Nova said.

“I would never regret being with you.”

“Okay.” Her voice told me she didn’t believe me, which pissed me off.

I hadn’t left because I regretted anything—I left because I loved her, and because my wolf wanted to make her ours.

Because I wanted that too, more than I could ever say.

And because I couldn’t let him have her.

Nova pulled me to my feet, and I let her.

Neither of us spoke again as she finished scrubbing my skin, then turned off the water and grabbed towels.

A few minutes later, she tucked me into bed. She hadn’t bothered to find me any pants—she knew I liked sleeping naked—and had yet to venture into the closet to get herself something to sleep in.

I hoped she wouldn’t.

When she started to step back, her gaze flicked to the door.

I was too tired to go with anything but the most forward route, so I grabbed her waist and dragged her beneath the blankets with me.

Her body fit against mine just right. Like it was fate.

“I should get something to wear,” she murmured.

“No.” I held her tighter.

“Clay,” she began, and I squeezed her.

“Shh. You said we’re sleeping.”

Nova laughed softly, the sound unraveling the tension in my chest. “Alright, fine. Go to sleep.”

I made a noise of agreement.

It took a few minutes to convince myself that she wouldn’t be gone when I woke up, but eventually, I crashed.