Page 43 of Wolf

I’m swaying to the music, feeling lighter than I have in months, when I spot a cute guy eyeing me from across the room. He’s tall with tousled brown hair that falls over his eyes and a charming smile. Before I can overthink it, I flash him a flirtatious grin.

He makes his way over, introducing himself as Carter. We chat and laugh, the alcohol warming my veins and lowering my guard. Flirting with a cute college guy feels so normal and refreshingly ordinary.

But then I feel it—that prickle on the back of my neck. I scan the room, and my stomach drops. Matias is here, his dark eyes locked on me with predatory intensity.

Before I can react, he’s striding over, his face a mask of barely contained rage. He grabs my arm roughly, yanking me away from Carter.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Matias snarls.

Carter steps forward, confusion and concern on his face. “Hey man, take it easy-”

Matias grabs Carter by the shirt and drags us out of the party. My heart races as we stumble into the cool night air and then into the shadows of the nearby woods.

“Matias, stop!” I plead, but he’s not listening.

He throws Carter to the ground and starts raining down blows. Carter tries to defend himself, but he’s no match for Matias’s raw fury.

“She’s mine,” Matias growls between punches. “Don’t you ever fucking touch her again!”

I watch in horror as Carter’s face becomes a bloody mess. This has gone too far. I have to stop this before Matias kills him.

“Matias, please!” I grab his arm, trying to pull him back. “You’re going to kill him! It’s not his fault. I was the one flirting. Please, stop!”

I know I should be scared, but a part of me stirs when Matias turns his ferocious gaze on me. Carter crawls away, bloodied and battered, and I feel a rush of guilt. I shakily stand as Matias steps toward me, his eyes burning with unhinged desire.

“You belong to me,” he snarls. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

I take a cautious step back, my heart hammering in my chest. “You can’t just do this. We’re not in Mexico anymore. People will hear, they’ll see?—”

He grabs me by the waist and pulls me roughly against him, his lips crushing mine in a bruising kiss. I struggle at first, but it’s not long before I respond to his touch with a treacherous spark of desire. His hands roam aggressively, claiming me as his own.

“You’re right, we’re not in Mexico,” he says, his voice a low growl. “But you’re still mine, and no one will take you from me.”

His hands tighten on my hips, lifting me as if I weigh nothing. I release a startled cry, my heart pounding like a snare drum. Matias carries me deep into the woods surrounding the campus, the moon casting an eerie light on the path ahead.

I know what’s coming. Matias sets me down beside a large oak tree and pushes me against it, his lips finding my neck. His hands move urgently, exploring, possessing.

“Matias, someone might see,” I whisper, even as I angle my head to give him better access.

He chuckles darkly, his breath hot against my skin. “Let them watch, rabbit. Let them see what happens when someone tries to take what’s mine.”

I bite my lip as his fingers dig into my hips, his mouth trailing lower. Despite the wrongness of it all, I find myself arching into him, my body alive.

He stops abruptly and turns me to face him, his eyes feverish. “Run, Rabbit. Run as fast as you can.”

Shit. Not this again.

I turn and sprint through the woods, branches scratching at my skin and tangling in my hair. Darting between trees, my breath comes in ragged gasps. But no matter how fast I run, I can’t shake him.

A twig snaps behind me, and my heart leaps into my throat. I force my legs to move faster, my lungs burning with the effort.

But it’s no use. I sense him closing in, a dark, relentless force of nature. I stumble, my foot catching on a root, and I go down hard, the air whooshing from my lungs.

“Running a little slow there, baby.” Matias’s voice is silken.

I scramble to my feet, fear spiking through me. I’m out of options, out of breath, and out of time.

A low branch catches my hair, tugging painfully as I try to run. The ground is uneven here, roots and rocks jutting like traps set out just for me. Suddenly, he strikes.

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