“What’s wrong?” he booms, the demand thick and consuming. I couldn’t deny answering him if I wanted to. And I don’t.
My wolf yearns to draw closer.
“First shift…” It’s all I can get out of my raw throat. Swallowing jagged glass would be less painful, but I’ve survived a hell of a lot in my twenty-one years, and I’m not about to let this shift break me. If I can get through this, everything will get easier. If the old wolves are to be believed, every subsequent shift after the first hurts less and less until it’s as easy and natural as breathing.
A flash of fire consumes the frost kissed air, warming it until I shiver from the change in temperature against my skin.
God, he’s such a drama queen with these combustible entrances. Is it really necessary right now?
Starlit blue eyes search mine as the burning man from earlier today studies my face, looking for a lie that’s not there.
“You’ve never shifted before?” More shock and confusion. I’ve never been this awe-inspiring before. Mysterious and confusing aren’t two words anyone in this pack would associate with me—unless they were talking about the animal ready to rip its way out of my chest.
“Why does everything I say confuse you? I’m not the one who keeps reappearing in a burst of fucking fire here.” It doesn’t come out as snarky as I wanted, the pain is stealing my breath at this point.
“We can’t take her,” the burning man whispers.
“We—”
A groan of agony ripping up my throat cuts Aric off, and both of them side-eye me like my pain is really getting in the way of a very important meeting right now.
“We’re taking her, Latham.” Aric turns fully to me and just as I stumble, my backbone twisting and shifting abnormally, he catches me. “There’s no fucking way I’m leaving her with this shitty pack.”
He saves me once more.
Only to toss my ass over his shoulder like yesterday’s trash, ready for the dump.
“Let’s go, Love.”
“I-I’m going to do something bad,” I confess as rage and snapping snarls fall from my lips.
“Don’t we all?” is all he says.
“She’s not ours to take,” Latham argues, but it’s a rather careless statement. There’s no fight in his words. Just total calm in his warm tone.
It almost makes me forget about the agony clawing into my back with each passing second.
My head bounces off of the hardness of Aric’s spine, and I barely realize we’ve stopped.
“Back for more already?” Aric’s low tone is sarcastic in a deadly way, but it’s only when I catch the same familiar musk I’ve grown up hating that I comprehend who must be standing ahead of us. This whole not being able to see thing has it disadvantages, but as I stare at Aric’s ass, I know I’ve got the better view.
My captor shifts me on his shoulder like he can easily kill Kyvain with one hand and hold me hostage with the other. I don’t doubt his multitasking skills, but right now, I can barely focus through the violent magic tearing through my body to decide which man is the lesser of two evils.
“Where the fuck are you taking her?” Kyvain growls savagely.
“Home.” The word falls from Aric’s lips like he won’t entertain any further conversation on the subject. It’s not up for debate. It’s a fact, but I also think it’s a lie.
“She can see herself home. My father, the alpha, wasn’t aware we were receiving visitors this evening. If you want to keep breathing, I suggest you pay him the respect he deserves, state your intentions, and submit.” Kyvain smiles cruelly, like he’s bested Aric somehow.
“We’re just passing through,” Latham states while Aric simply snarls. I have a feeling rules mean nothing to either of them. I envy that freedom.
“Then be on your way,” Kyvain orders darkly. “And leave mypropertybehind.”
“I’ll never be your property,” I snap harshly.
“Try again, Rhys. The deal is done. By daybreak, you’ll be mine, so you better go home and get some rest.” His promise sends another shuddering chill down my spine. “But before you go, I just wanted to tell you one more thing,” I hear Kyvain say in a voice far too animalistic and smug for someone shifting into a beast the way I am.
Gods, did he take a fucking magical Tylenol before this shit?
