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“What? No! I wouldn’t want to bother them. We’re just friends,” he says quickly, his face blooming bright red.

“Right. Sure. Of course.”

“Shut up!” Simon cries out, throwing a pen at me. I dodge it easily enough.

I chuckle as I walk out the door. I quickly send Maverick a message, letting him know I’m on my way and that I need him. What do I need him for? I have no fucking idea, only that I do. Need him, that is. Well, hopefully he can figure that out. So far, Maverick has always been good at figuring out what I need, even before I know it for myself.

The walk to his home is strange. It’s almost like the air is tinged with something supernatural, sparks dancing across my skin until I’m covered in goosebumps.

A howl rings through campus and my steps pick up speed. There’s more people out than usual, most of them in their shifted skins. There are monsters flying overhead, monsters swimming in the river, monsters running back and forth. It feels chaotic yet somehow right, like tonight is bringing out everyone’s instincts more than usual.

I tighten my jacket around myself, the air causing a chill to run through me. Or maybe that’s everything else going on. It’s hard to tell.

After knocking on Maverick’s front door, I only have to wait a second before it’s opening. Maverick is there and something inside of me settles. There’s still a burning in my chest, compelling me to claim, to mark, to possess, but now that Maverick is standing in front of me, that can wait. He’s here and he’s looking at me like I’m something special, someone worth desiring.

“Maverick,” I barely get out before I’m falling forward. I wrap my arms around Maverick, holding him against my chest. I run my face against the side of his head, breathing him in. Then my mouth finds his neck behind his ear. I lick him, wanting to taste the sweat on his skin, needing to cover him in my scent.

By the monster gods, what the hell has gotten into me? I’ve never felt like this before, this all consuming need.

“Maverick,” I say again, breathing the word out, like somehow that’ll tattoo my presence into his skin. I want everyone to know how much I care about him. I want everyone to know he’s mine.

I bite down against the side of his neck before sucking, wanting to leave a mark. I want tangible proof that he’s taken. I want to carve my presence into his body.

“I’ve got you,” Maverick says, grabbing my hair at the back of my head and tugging my face away from his neck. I let out a pitiful whine that makes him let out a dark chuckle. The sound of it makes a shiver run down my spine. “I’ve got you, Thane. Do you trust me, sweetheart?”

“More than anything.”

“Come on. Let’s go to the bedroom. Your instincts must be all over the place.”

“Yeah,” I say with a little nod. “I want you. I need you. I need--” my words stutter out, unable to even formulate the words to describe the way I’m feeling.

“It’s okay, I understand. The blood moon makes everyone feel a little different. You don’t have to fight it. I’ve got you.”

Like a dam breaking, everything comes flooding to the forefront of my mind.

I don’t have to hold myself back.

I don’t have to fight these feelings.

Maverick’s got me. He cares about me. He’ll take care of me.

Without a second thought, I reach down and grab Maverick, putting him over my shoulder. He lets out a surprised grunt before he’s laughing. The sound is breathtaking, leaving tingles running up and down my spine, warmth pooling in the pit of my gut.

I carry him through his house towards his bedroom. Before I can get the door open, he’s pinching my ass.

“Other room, Thane.”

I move to the other room, throwing the door open. I step inside until I’m at the foot of the bed. I try to be careful but I end up tossing Maverick onto the bed. He bounces a few times before he’s crawling into the center, staring up at me.

“You are…” Maverick’s voice trails off, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You are everything.”

His words wash over me, the praise making me feel warm all over. My head is growing fuzzy around the edges and all I can do is focus on Maverick’s words. I want to be good for him. I want him to direct my hands, control my body, soothe my mind, be in charge of our pleasure.

The only thing inside my head is how much I want him. I want him like I’ve never wanted anything before.

“Get naked for me, Thane, then get in bed with me.”

My hands shake as I get myself out of my clothes, tossing them onto the floor without a care. I’m so fucking desperate that everything else is fading into the background.