Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Khloe gasped, her eyes widening again. Her heart rate picked up. He knew because his was in sync with hers in an instant. She reached up and wrapped her small hand around his forearm, though it was hard to tell if she wanted to pull his mark away from her skin or press it closer. She probably wasn’t sure either.
Felix had scented his mate even before he’d entered the room, and her scent was driving him to want to claim her fully with a force he couldn’t begin to explain. It was increasing by the minute, and he knew it would continue to do so for weeks or longer.
Intellectually he understood that as Fated mates they would feel each other deeper than others could. They would become one in a sense that he was already grasping.
He had enough control over himself to keep from flattening his mate to the wall, yanking up her dress, and thrusting into her. He would never do that, but the thought was planted in his head, and it was only growing, not dissipating.
His mark… It made things so much more intense. Touching her had probably been a mistake, but he couldn’t take it back now, and based on the expression on her face, she understood better why the two of them would not be entertaining guests for some time. They would be alone for weeks as they navigated these feelings. They needed to explore every aspect of their growing need and satisfy their curiosity before they invited people over.
He had to force himself to lower his arm, and while he rolled his sleeve back over the mark, his mate licked her lips. She was panting. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. “I see,” she whispered.
He smiled as he buttoned his sleeve, and then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. “I don’t think either of us fully grasps exactly what we’re about to experience, but we both know it’s powerful and won’t be ignored. We’ll visit your sister or have her over after we’ve sated some of this lust.”
She shuddered. “Is that what this is? Lust?”
He set his forehead against hers. Heavens, he wanted her. He wanted to get her the hell out of this valley and back to his house so they could start their lives together. He wanted to know every single thing about her. He wanted to know it all now. A strange urgency consumed him.
“It’s so much more than lust, but that’s the best way I can describe it right now. Let’s go home, Little one.”
She nodded. Her breath mingled with his. He lowered his gaze to her lips. He wanted to kiss her, but he would wait. This wasn’t the time or place. If he kissed her, he would get carried away.
“Home,” he repeated even though he hadn’t made a single move toward that goal. He needed to give her a drop of the potion that would put her to sleep in his arms while he carried her up the mountain. It was customary and would keep his mate from panicking during the climb. But he hated the idea of putting her to sleep. He wanted to see her eyes and experience every whimper coming from her lips.
Chapter Four
Khloe spent long moments in that semi-lucid stage of sleep where she was marginally aware she was in the process of waking up but not quite willing to open her eyes yet. She was warm and comfortable. She felt heavy and oddly happy for reasons she couldn’t put her finger on. Maybe she’d been having a good dream.
Eventually, she was aware of a few things that didn’t fit. She was a bit too warm and cocooned. She felt constricted. The room didn’t smell like her bedroom. The scent filling her nose every time she inhaled didn’t belong in her home, but it smelled like home. And something was in her mouth. She was sucking something.
Finally, enough lucidity took over that she bolted awake, jerking her eyes open in a panic. For a moment, she was freaked out. A man was peering down at her from inches away. He was holding her in his arms. It made no sense until she remembered who he was.
The man was Felix, her mate, the wolf shifter she would spend her life with. He had given her some kind of potion that put her to sleep, so it stood to reason she was now in his home.
Felix smiled. “There you are. I missed you.”
Missed her? How long had she been asleep?
He was bouncing her in his arms, cradling her against his chest, and he was so enormous and strong that he only needed one arm around her to do so. He used the other to tug something out of her mouth.
She frowned as it popped free. “What was that?”