Page 15 of Crescent Warrior

She loved her like a sister, but right now, when she was clinging to Cole’s hand, Lyta felt the urge to rip her throat out. Taking another shaky breath, she straightened from the SUV and raised her hand in a wave.

“Hey,” she called while they were still far away, turning to open the door before sitting in the driver’s seat.

She needed to stop looking at him. She had to remember that he was nothing to her. Over time she made peace with being alone, and no matter how much he told her otherwise, she knew that she was still the Lyta that he didn’t want years ago.

And I don’t care.

The lie entered her thoughts as she shoved her emotions into the back of her mind. She didn’t expect him to open her door, his expression intense.

“Lyta,” he growled, reaching forward to yank her hard against him.

She swallowed, her wolf howling with satisfaction.

Yes. Touch me.

It was years since she felt this way. Like she was home. Her hands trembled with the need to pull him closer, but she fought the urge even as his mesmerizing scent bombarded her. She lifted her hands, shoving him away instead. She turned her face to stare out the windscreen, avoiding looking at him.

“Long time no see, Cole.” She adjusted her sunglasses. “You can put your bag in the back.”

He stood there as if waiting for her to look at him again, but when she didn’t, stubbornly looking ahead instead, he sighed, the sound sad. Her heart clenched, hating that she was hurting him, but knowing that this was the only way she could keep her heart safe from him.

He only wants you now because you’re his mate, Lyta. You weren’t good enough for him then, and when he’s not drunk on your scent, he’s going to reject you again and you won’t be able to recover this time.

She let those words bolster her determination and she slammed her door closed. He made his way to the trunk, where Paul, their long-time flight attendant, was standing with his bag.

“Hi Lyta,” Paul called, catching her eye in the rearview mirror.

She gave him a wave and a smile. He was always fun to fly with, sharing stories and anecdotes from his old job, flying commercial.

“I’m looking forward to kicking your ass in chess when we go back to Greece.”

“In your dreams, Paul baby. I’m looking forward to taking all your money,” she called in a sing-song voice, grinning as he laughed, closing the trunk, rapping on the top of the SUV with his knuckles as he waved.

Ambrosia was already seated next to her, watching her strangely. Cole took his seat in the back, glaring at Paul as he walked away.

“I see you two are close,” he growled, his eyes stormy as they met hers in the rearview mirror.

She shrugged as Ambrosia’s gaze swung between them, questioningly. Hippolyta ignored them both, beginning the drive home, trying to keep her eyes focused on the road and not Cole, who was brooding silently in the backseat, his gaze on her profile.

This is going to be a long drive.

If I could go back, I'd rip Paul's fucking head off.

The way he grinned at Hippolyta, as if he knew her, made Cole’s wolf howl with fury. His unclaimed mate was surrounded by males who didn’t know she was his. It galled him, making him feel as if he was being raked over coals without being able to say anything. It was clear, based on her reaction when he hugged her, that she still didn’t want to have anything to do with him.

So much for seducing her as soon as I arrive.

He only held her for such a short time before she shoved him away, her strength phenomenal. He wanted to feel that strength in his hands, wanted to make her come over and over again while she used that strength to work their bodies to a frenzy.

Mine.

His wolf wouldn’t shut up for an instant since the first moment he was close enough to smell her delicious scent. He wasn’t as lucky as she was. She knew who he was to her for years while he only had years of denial and stupidity.

By the time he crawled out of his cave of density, she was gone. He hadn’t been able bask in her scent the way he wanted to, straight from the source. He wanted to bury his nose in her pussy and smell her for days.

While it stung his pride to admit, he was a 100% certified, Grade A virgin. The most action he ever had was making out with Hippolyta when they were younger, but he took their time apart to read as many books as he could on the subject.

It was a lot easier to read instructions on how to pleasure his mate, instead of anything visual. With reading, he could pretend it was her. When watching someone else, his wolf protested, even if he tried to imagine it was her. His mate’s body wasn’t the same and the way she moved was different from the terrible acting on screen.

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