“Monte, what are you hiding?” she whispered, tracing her thumb along the delicate chain. “If this is supposed to protect me from harm, why was he so afraid?”
Monte was usually so calm and steady, his presence as solid and reassuring as an ancient Moonstar. To see him rattled like that… it concerned her.
Kiri’s brow furrowed as she replayed the strange moment again in her mind. The look in Monte’s eyes…something raw and primal lurked in their depths.
“Maybe I should talk to him,” she murmured, her eyes narrowing in determination. “No more secrets.”
Their romance had been nothing short of intense, passionate, and undeniably intoxicating. She craved every part of him—his strength, his tenderness, and even the vulnerability that lay beneath his monstrous exterior.
Why couldn’t he understand that she wanted all of him—both man and beast?
Moonlight shimmered on the surface of the lake, casting an ethereal glow on the water. Kiri’s gaze was drawn to it, her eyes lingering on the dark form that emerged from the depths. Her initial hesitation gave way to curiosity as she squinted, trying to make sense of the shape.
“Is that...?” Kiri whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. “It can’t be.”
Silence was her only answer.
Kiri blew out a frustrated breath and hauled herself out of the hot tub, rivulets streaming down her nude form.
Throwing on her robe, she stepped into her Crocs as she tied the sash around her waist.
Guided by the silvery light of the moon, Kiri followed the path that led to the lake without aid of her walking stick, her steps slow and deliberate.
The moonlight dappled the forest floor, guiding her steps along the windy path.
As she emerged from the tree line and approached the edge of the lake, Kiri’s breath hitched.
There in the shallows stood Monte, his broad back to her, staring out over the star-flecked lake. Even from a distance, she could see the tension bunching his massive shoulders, the rigid set of his spine.
Something was very wrong.
Heart pounding, Kiri crept closer, her Crocs-covered feet sinking into the cool sand, water leaking into the holes of her shoes. “Monte?” she called softly. “Is everything all right?”
“Kiri… You shouldn’t be here.” His voice was rough, almost pained as a low growl rumbled up from his chest. “I didn’t want you to see me like this.”
“Like what?” Kiri swallowed hard but held her ground, her heart aching for the monster she loved. “We’re in this together. I’m not afraid of you, Monte. You don’t have to hide from me.”
He whirled to face her. “Please,” he implored, his eyes meeting hers in a desperate plea. “Don’t come any closer.”
Her resolve remained unshaken as she stepped forward, her gaze never leaving his. She ignored the freezing lake water as she stood silently, ankle deep.
He shook his shaggy head, hands clenched into fists at his sides. “You don’t understand. The urges I’m feeling, the things I want to do...” He squeezed his eyes shut while gritting his teeth. “I can’t control myself. You need to run, run as far away from me as you can!”
But Kiri was done running—from him and from what blazed between them. Slowly, deliberately, she untied her robe and let it fall to the sand, baring herself to his tortured gaze. “I’m not going anywhere,” she said firmly. “I told you that I trust you, Monte.”
His eyes raked over her naked form, burning with hunger, with need. The growl deepened, became a snarl. “Mate,” he rumbled, the word echoing through the night. “Mine.”
“Yes,” Kiri breathed, trembling with her own desire. She raised her arm, the bracelet glinting on her wrist. “Yours. And you’re mine.”
Monte surged forward, looming over her, so close she could feel the heat rolling off his skin. Slowly, reverently, he touched the enchanted bracelet, his clawed finger impossibly gentle.
“Monte?”
His eyes snapped to hers, wild and desperate. “Kiri, you need to leave,” he rasped, his voice thick with urgency. “Now.”
She took a hesitant step closer, her gaze locked on him. The usually composed Minotaur looked feral, his eyes glowing with an intense, almost primal light. She could see the tension in every line of his body, the way his hands clenched into fists.
“Please, Kiri.” His voice broke, desperation clear. “It’s not safe. My... my mating heat. I can’t control it.”
