“We need to go before you get too attached,” Iyanna said practically. “Come on now.”
“All right…” Kiera sighed and started to withdraw her arms…
And that was when the big wolf took her wrist in his jaws and refused to let go.
4
BRUX
Brux was very, very careful not to break the skin of his mate. Because yes, he had decided, she must be his mate. She smelled too right to be anything else.
He held her arm gently but firmly, keeping her from leaving. He saw her eyes widen when he clamped down—very carefully—and whined softly at her.
Please understand—now that I’ve found you, I can’t let you go! Please don’t be angry!
He looked at her, putting all the pleading he could in his eyes, begging her to understand and not to leave him.
“Oh my God—he’s biting you! Quick—do something!” the other female exclaimed, sounding upset.
“We muzzt get the knock—out gazz!” the insect said—its buzzing voice also sounded upset.
But thank goodness, his mate understood.
“Wait—he’s not hurting me,” she said quickly. “He’s not biting down—he just doesn’t want me to go.”
“Well from here it looks like he’s trying to bite your hand off!” the other woman still sounded worried.
“Not at all. He’s just afraid I’ll leave him.”
His mate stroked his ears with her other hand, the one he wasn’t holding captive, and looked into his eyes.
“Look, baby—I like you too. But I can’t stay here,” she said softly.
Brux whined sadly.
Don’t you understand? I can’t stay here either! I belong with you—take me with you!
His mate was still looking in his eyes and he could see the understanding in their warm, brown depths. She was so beautiful it made him ache to look at her—so curvy and full—figured with long hair done in many tiny braids and creamy brown skin—which he was being very, very careful not to hurt.
But would she understand his message? Would she leave him here…or take him with her?
Please…oh please, oh please, oh please! he thought, staring into her eyes. He wished for the first time in months that he was able to speak again—that he could take his other form. But he had been without a mate to tether his consciousness in his humanoid form for too long. It would take time to get back what he had lost.
“You two go on,” his mate said to the insect and the other woman. “I’m going to stay here.”
“Kiera, no! We can’t just leave you here with a wolf biting your arm!” her friend exclaimed.
“I told you, he’s not biting me—he’s just keeping me with him.” She stroked his ears again which felt wonderful—they were so sensitive, and her touch was kind and gentle. She looked up at the insect being. “Is he spoken for? Has anyone else come to adopt him?”
“Well, no. We are not even zzure what manner of creature he izz other than the fact that he izz a predator,” the insect said.
“Then I want him,” his mate said.
Brux’s heart leaped and he whined with excitement.
Yes, yes—take me with you! Let me go wherever you go—I don’t care where it is as long as you’re there!
“You…want him? Are you zzertain?” the insect asked.
