God, her scent.
Even now the wolf within brushed against his skin as the fragrance returned to him—the perfume of lavender, sunshine and sweet, feminine musk. Many nights had been spent fantasizing about the ways he’d tease her, taunt her and introduce her to the joys and pleasures of sex. She’d never had to confess how little she knew about the art. He’d known it from the way she reacted to him, how she’d tensed, shivered and relaxed when he placed his hand into the small curve of her back.
She was so innocent—too fucking innocent.
He’d known Mary was too young for him when they’d met—only twenty years old—but he hadn’t been able to help himself. Denying the need for her was like existing without a reason, living each day with no purpose. So he’d decided to give her time, to allow her to get to know him as a man and a person, to give them the chance to become comfortable with each other.
Then the unthinkable happened and all of his carefully laid plans were destroyed.
Never had he dreamed it would be like this, with him forcing her to accept him and his bestial half. For fuck’s sake, the last time he’d seen her she’d been terrified of him. The way she’d looked at him—like he was a damn monster—hurt more than the bullets he’d taken from her family. Yes, he could oftentimes be an animal in the literal sense, but he never would have hurt her. He’d never given her any reason to believe he would. Yet she’d run just the same, screaming as if she’d seen the devil instead of the man who’d fallen in love with her.
His cock was undeterred by the remembrance, remaining firm against the crease of her buttocks. No amount of regret could ice the heat racing through his bloodstream, the need to fuck and claim his female rolling like thunder inside him.
Shame for his lust hit him like a punch in the gut.
Pitiful. You’re like a pup sniffing around for his first whiff of pussy.
And things were only going to get worse.
He’d ridden the edge for as long as he could. His patience wasn’t what it used to be. If he’d been given the opportunity, he’d have done right by his mate. He’d have afforded her a couple of years—no matter how difficult those years were for him—to come to terms with her future. They could have been friends first, getting to know each other before tackling the important steps. Ones that would change her life forever. Holding her, having her and knowing she was finally his wasn’t as fulfilling as he’d thought it might be, not if it meant she would experience fear, uncertainty or doubt as a consequence.
Despite the fact everyone in the vehicle could hear him—regardless that she wasn’t awake to accept the apology—he wasn’t too proud to whisper, “I’m sorry, angel eyes.”
He said a silent prayer she would offer forgiveness, get past her fear of what he was and accept their life together.
Even if, deep down, he knew what he was asking for was too much.
Chapter Two
Mary kept her eyes closed as she slowly came to awareness. Reality merged with dreams, nightmares of her capture and torment months ago followed by flashes of being chased and hunted down by her family. Unexpectedly, Emory had appeared. He wasn’t as scary as she’d once thought. In this dream he was her savior, not her enemy. He’d cradled her to his body, whispering reassurances she didn’t understand. The dreams were so different than the others, when she watched him change into a hideous creature with fangs and claws. Now he was only a man who looked at her as if she were precious, something he didn’t want to let slip away a second time.
Somehow she found the courage to open her eyes.
If the softness of the mattress and feather comforter cushioning her body didn’t inform her she wasn’t in her bed, the clean ceiling and gossamer curtains flittering in a window to her left did. The room was immaculate, done primarily in white, and there wasn’t a cobweb or crusty, peeled wallpaper in sight. Fading sunlight cast a dull orange glow over the room, informing Mary it would be dark soon.
“You’re finally awake.”
Mary lifted onto her elbows to face the person who’d spoken, only to wince and touch the tender spot along the side of her head. The female seated in a chair across the room was tiny, nothing more than delicate features and huge blue eyes. Her light blonde hair was trimmed into a pixie cut and tufts of dark pink were scattered along the top. The stranger rose and the motion only emphasized just how petite she was, standing at no more than five feet tall.
“Who are you?” Mary forced her voice to remain level despite the fact that she was shaking. “Where am I?”
“My name is Ava.” The teeny blonde goddess sat on the edge of the bed. “And you’re in my home. No one will harm you here, Mary. You have my word.”
“I didn’t tell you my name.” Survival instincts had Mary ready to bolt. She grasped the comforter and prepared to slide out of the bed to make a run for it.
“No, you didn’t.” Ava smiled.
“Then what did you do? Pull it out of thin air?”
To Mary’s surprise, Ava laughed. “I suppose I could have but no. Emory told me.”
“Emory?” Portions of her dream resurfaced—of Emory’s face, of his scent, of the way he felt with his arms around her.
“Yes, Emory.” There was amusement in Ava’s expression.
“I thought it was a dream.” Mary gently prodded the wound on her head, paying attention to the neat row of sutures. “I can’t piece everything together.”
“Doc decided it was best to keep you under for a while. He was worried you’d hurt yourself if you panicked.”
“Doc?”
Ava smiled. “Our doctor.”
“He patched me up?”
Ava nodded. “Four sutures, to be precise.” She exhaled slowly and peered through her lashes at Mary. “You’re extremely lucky. If the pack hadn’t found you when they did you wouldn’t have made it.”
Pack. One word had her heart pounding and made her palms clammy. It was true she’d been terrified of shifters before she discovered that monsters came in all shapes and forms—and not all of them grew fur or sprouted claws. Mary glanced at Ava. Of all the shifters she’d seen at her uncle’s home, none had been so small. Was Ava some kind of rodent shifter?
Do those even exist?
Ava burst out laughing and Mary moved farther away, scooting to the edge of the mattress. Maybe the woman was insane. It would explain the pink hair and the odd smile on her face. She certainly didn’t act normal. Despite Ava’s reassurances that her home was safe, it was definitely time to get a move on.
To her stunned amazement, Ava’s laughter died and her face became serious. “Don’t even think about trying to leave. You have no idea the damage you caused when you left Emory but believe me when I tell you if you run he will follow. There is nowhere you can go he won’t find you. You need to accept that your life is about to change. As much as it sucks to tell you that, I don’t want to waste time shitting you. Take everything you think you know and toss it out the window. Nothing is what it seems.”
“And how would you know?” Mary slipped from the bed and wobbled when her bare feet touched the cool wood flooring. “Things must seem pretty clear from your side of the fence.”
Ava arched a perfectly shaped brow. “My side of the fence?”
“The shifter side.” Mary glanced around, searching for her clothes. “What was I thinking? I can’t believe you’d even consider having me in your home. Not with what I am.”