Lachlan slowed his approach, his ears turning back as he growled at me again.
“Stop with the growling bullshit, shift, and tell me what the problem is or I’m leaving.”
Smoothly, Lach’s body began to twist and move, the bones lengthening and the fur receding, but he didn’t pause in his charge. He leapt in the air, still mostly wolf, but landed in front of me in fully human form.
I often marveled at the ease of his change. While it was painful during the first transition in adolescence, our bodies grew accustomed and it became easier. Alphas found the shift easier than most and some, like Lach, were able to achieve it within a blink of an eye.
“What the fuck are you thinking?” he roared. “You know that it’s not safe here but you go out for a run alone or without even telling me where you’re going?”
“Lower your voice,” I hissed. “I don’t think anyone is watching or listening, but even if they aren’t, they probably heard you all the way in town.”
“Fuck that, Chloe. You put yourself in danger and that is unacceptable. I know you can fight, but you can’t take on a bullet.”
I wanted to fight, to wrap myself in righteous anger and stand toe-to-toe with him, but I couldn’t. Because he was right. After getting that note last night, I shouldn’t be running in the woods alone. Especially when no one knew where I was.
“You’re right,” I sighed. “I should have woken you or waited until you were awake and able to come with me.”
“Goddammit, Chloe!” he yelled, shoving his hands through his hair as he turned away from me, pacing wildly.
“What, Lachlan?” I spat back. “You’re right. I fucked up. I admitted it. What more do you want from me?”
He turned back toward me. “I’m pissed as hell, Chloe. I can’t take it out on you when you fucking apologize,” he stated.
If he had been anyone other than my mate, I would have thrown a punch. A good fight would let off enough steam for both of us to calm down. Violence was common in the shifter world, an outlet for our aggressive tendencies or a way to assert our dominance, but I couldn’t bring myself to hit Lachlan. I didn’t want to hurt him.
Another option would be a hard, fast fuck, but I wouldn’t suggest that either. If I had sex with him, I would bite him, mark him as mine, and he would hate me for it.
“What do you want me to do, Lach?” I asked, pitching my voice low in an effort to soothe his ragged temper.
His eyes flashed, the blue turning brighter, and they moved down my body.
I glanced down as well and saw he was fully erect. Aggressively so.
I tore my eyes away from his cock and met his gaze. “I’m heading back. When you’ve calmed down, we’ll talk.”
Without waiting for his answer, I shifted back to wolf form and ran back toward the cabin as if the Devil himself were on my tail.
A few moments later, I heard his paws striking the ground behind me, but he stayed several feet back all the way there.
When I reached the cabin, I shifted and walked past my clothes, straight into the house. My body tingled all over and I felt as though I were about to come out of my skin.
If I thought being close to Lachlan at the MacIntire compound was torture, it was nothing compared to this.
I went straight into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind me. Even though I’d taken a bath the night before, I turned on the shower and stepped inside. I bit back a curse at the cold temperature of the water but didn’t touch the taps. My blood still burned hot, full of lust and frustration.
I scrubbed my skin roughly with a washcloth, trying to dispel the prickling sensation. I gasped when the nubby fabric brushed my nipples, shooting arcs of heat from my breasts to my pussy. Determined to ignore the wild tension within me, I washed myself quickly, standing beneath the chilling spray until I shivered.
Finally, the clamor of my body subsided, leaving me hollow. It was more than a physical feeling of emptiness. After finding my mate in Lachlan, I realized there was a void in my soul. A place waiting within me, aching from the need to be filled. Every day I was in his presence, the throb intensified, demanding action from me.
After I turned off the water, I realized that I hadn’t brought any clothes into the bathroom with me. Any other time, I wouldn’t have felt the least bit reticent about my nudity. It was just a part of pack life.
But with Lach’s presence in the other room and the tension between us, I needed the illusion of protection that my jeans and tank top would afford me. Biting back a sigh, I dried off with a towel and wrapped it around my body. I would just have to suck it up. I’d been doing it for months now, I could continue for a while longer.
I exited the bathroom, glad to see the cabin was empty and the clothes I’d been wearing before I shifted were neatly folded on the bed. Lachlan must have brought them inside. Walking over to the mattress, I turned my back to the open front door and dropped the towel.
I was just shimmying into my jeans when I heard the screen door creak open. I didn’t look over my shoulder and bent to pick up my olive green tank top, tugging it over my head. When the fabric was in place, I turned to face Lach.
He looked sheepish and sad, a combination that pierced my heart and made me want to go to him and give him a hug. I resisted the urge and stood my ground.
