Page 56 of Into the Night

With two more hard thrusts, I explode, pulling out at the last second and letting jet after jet of cum paint her pussy and soft thighs as I lean forward, grasping the table to stop from falling forward.

The intensity of that was mind blowing, and I stare deeply into Kali’s eyes.

I feel him coming for me, ready to seize control once more while I’m still weak. Capturing her mouth in a tender kiss, I cup her face in my two hands and press my forehead to hers.

Speaking against her lips, I pour every ounce of emotion I can into my last few words. “I love you. I’ll fix this.”

Kali stares up at me, speechless, before my beast shuts me out again, forcing me to the back of our mind, and eyes Kali up like a delicious meal he can’t wait to devour.

Feed her, I hiss. She won’t last if you don’t fucking feed her.

With a disgruntled growl, he takes in Kali, dishevelled and shaky, and holding onto the table for dear life.

Conceding the point, he scoops her up and carries her to the bed. I watch, stunned, as he gathers the ropes of white cum across her skin and smooths them over her scarred skin, before sliding her back under the covers.

“It helps the scars,” he declares, utterly convinced his sperm has magical healing properties. “I like them, but if you don’t, this will help. No shower.” He points at her, lips twisting in an unhappy pout, before marching to the tiny counter that is the kitchen and then snatching up the bag of supplies resting on the floor.

“Food first.” He barks. “Then I collect my prize.”

Kali blinks, wide-eyed, only now realising just what she promised.

Whatever he wanted. Those were her words, and to a beast like mine, that’s a dangerous thing to offer.

33

GRIFFIN

My beast sulks as he watches Kali tentatively eating the food he’s lovingly put together. All he wants is to provide for her and prove he’ll be a good mate. He doesn’t understand why she wouldn’t want him to care for her and protect her, especially after being attacked.

In his mind, it’s so simple.

He thinks in black and white, so to him, there are no grey areas. Kali is his. He cannot comprehend that she wants to live her own life that doesn’t revolve around him and our future pups, twenty-four seven. The only comfort he has is that she’s coated in his scent. No other male who came across her would dare to go near her.

Now that he has control, and I’m no longer completely in the dark, I’m getting a better insight into what drives him.

All he wants is Kali. Everything he does, thinks, wants, is linked to winning her over, having her, claiming her, starting a family with her, and keeping her safe. Being a ranger, having a career, owning a home and paying the bills means nothing to him. Kali is his whole world. It’s both impressive and terrifying at the same time.

I can’t work out whether his thoughts and actions would still have been as extreme if Kali had never been hurt, but I suspect he’d still be extremely possessive of her.

The kidnapping was probably a knee-jerk reaction to seeing her on death’s door. Or, at least, I hope so.

Kali’s being quiet. Those were some heavy demands he’s laid on her. Yet, even as she darts angry glances our way, the scent of her arousal still perfumes the air.

The idea of being claimed and marked seems to appeal to her greatly, even after what he’s done. I need to find out more about that. Kali suggested that marking means being together forever. She made it seem like a bad thing, that I’d be stuck with her. But when I look at Kali, being so brave despite the situation she finds herself in, forever sounds pretty good.

The beast is mulling over how quickly he can collect his debt. The offer of being able to do anything to his mate gives him almost too much choice to cope with. He’s running through the list of options that potentially include making my cock harden and my brain struggle to focus, when his attention suddenly shifts.

There’s a noise. A presence nearby that doesn’t belong. Immediately, he knows this isn’t a foraging animal outside. This is something bigger. With disturbing calm, he sets down his cutlery and stands, ignoring Kali’s questioning look as he pushes back from the table and stalks quietly toward the front of the cabin.

“Griffin?” She’s concerned despite how well he hides his rage.

Is that the bond? Is she extra sensitive to his emotions or just watching carefully?

Tilting her head to one side, I see the moment her own senses register the presence outside. Eyes wide, her hand reaches for my arm, and her mouth opens, but she slams it shut before saying anything, unsure what to do.

But the beast has already carried us across the room with swift, silent strides, determined to check out what’s going on. Whoever it is, we’ll make sure they know, in no uncertain terms, they’re unwelcome. We have a debt to collect, after all.

Another noise, this time, further away—a second person trying to be stealthy—has our teeth clenching tightly. My muscles burn from keeping this form, expending great effort to resist the urge to shift into my monstrous beast so I can keep the ability to speak.

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