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I stare at him, wide-eyed, and he seems just as taken aback.

He drops my legs and backs away from me. His eyes are dark, his expression distinctly wolfish. His eyes glint bluer than his normal irises. And the way he’s staring at me…

My knees wobble, and I’m glad the door is at my back. It’s the only thing keeping me upright.

“Go,” he orders.

I squint at him. “What?”

“Now feels like a good time to tell you that my wolf is obsessed with you. And after that display, you should get out of here.”

I freeze. My chest tightens. Has all the oxygen been sucked from the room?

“Obsessed?” I choke out.

“He thinks you’re our fate-promised mate, obsessed,” he says through gritted teeth. His tone is a little rough, as if he’s not fully here.

He moves backward and puts more space between us.

“He got the better of me,” he adds under his breath.

He’s twitching.

“My restraint isn’t all here tonight.” His voice is getting more hoarse. “Unless you want me to give in and fuck you where you stand—and then suffer the consequences of that—I need you to go. Put that dresser back in front of the door.”

He doesn’t have to tell me a third time. I dart forward and grab my clothes, then the pouch of stones that he must’ve dropped at some point. I feel for the doorknob at my back, unwilling to take my attention from him.

The shadows seem to darken in the room around us. Kian’s presence draws all my attention, and I don’t know how to reconcile what the hell just happened.

Finally, I grasp the knob and twist sharply. I yank it open and slip out, hurrying back to my room.

There’s a crash behind me.

In the safety of my room, I shove the dresser back in front of the door. Not a second later, a lone howl sounds from right outside. He’s probably under my window. Can wolves jump?

I don’t dare look out—but I slam the window shut and lock that, too, just in case. If I had more magic, I’d put up a ward. I’d protect myself better.

I grasp the amulet around my neck. This will have to suffice for now.

I drop my clothes on top of the dresser and flick off the lights. I’ve got a new headache forming between my eyes.

Even after I climb into bed, it takes a long time for my heart to slow. I grip the blankets and try to will away the remaining pulse between my legs. It feels different than anything I’ve experienced before. More, I guess. Any orgasm I’ve given myself is desaturated compared to the kaleidoscope of color this one shot through me.

I’m in such trouble.

In the dark, it’s easier to admit to myself the truth. There’s a little part of me that would’ve wanted him to fuck me. I haven’t felt that way in—oh, I don’t know, ever?

My wolf is obsessed with you.

I’m screwed. But at least I got my clothes and stones back.

Chapter 12

Kian

Ilope past the boundary of my territory. Griffin and Roman keep pace with me, on high alert. There’s a hundred-mile strip of land between my territory and Gage’s. No-Man’s-Land, our fathers called it. The only way to remain at peace is to keep a buffer between us. But it isn’t just us—our fathers needed the space, too.

He’s here, Griffin warns.