Page 33 of Oath of Revenge

What side of her wanted to bend over and just let him rail her with that big dick?

Her cheeks heated at the thought, and he stalked toward her. She backed up, daggers gleaming in the faint light.

He stopped in his tracks, lifting his nose to take a deep sniff of the crisp winter air. “You’re hesitant, but not completely terrified like you were in the cottage. We’re making progress.”

She shot him a glare and took a step back. “I’m cautious, not scared. And I’m not stupid enough to freeze to death out here. Get back inside.”

“But it would be so much fun to play,” he exclaimed, grinning mischievously. “We could test the druid’s theory and see how far we can push our boundaries.”

She snorted in response. “It’s too cold and it looks like it might snow soon. Only an idiot would think playing in the Feral Forest is a good idea right now.”

“Ah, but there’s so much room out here compared to inside. So much better to chase you down and eat your pretty pussy, my dear.” He prowled closer and sniffed again. “Interesting, you like that dirty talk, bunny? Do you want the big bad wolf to chase you through the woods and pin you down until you moan?”

She gritted her teeth and shook her head vehemently. “Hell no, you don’t get to know what I like and don’t like, Growler. Let’s get that straight right now. You and I will never happen.”

He leaned down, his arms turning into paws as his body morphed into his giant wolf form.

She sucked in a breath. “What—what are you doing?” Damn her breathy whisper. She was not scared. She just didn’t like surprises.

“If we’re not going to happen or take a fun run through the woods, I suppose I can get comfortable then.”

Her eyes widened as his tail wagged and he stretched, never taking his golden eyes off her. Fuck, he could talk while shifted?

Knox could only speak to Eirwyn while shifted because she was his mate. But that was all in her mind.

Scarlet could literally hear him. “Can all Growlers speak while shifted?”

He sat on his haunches and scratched behind his ear as he nodded. “Of course.” The movement made him seem like an overgrown dog instead of a dangerous monster.

But she wouldn’t let down her guard. He yawned, then shook his entire body.

“There, that’s so much better. A little sore, but the shift will help speed up the healing. When I turn back, the stitches will be gone along with the open wounds. Then I’ll be well enough to play with my mate.”

Her hands fisted at her sides. “When are you going to get it through your thick skull that we’re not mates? It’s not gonna happen, Growler.”

He prowled closer, so she bent her knees, bouncing slightly and ready to spring into action.

“Perhaps you don’t understand what being mates means for Growlers,” he said softly, his eyes sharpening and some of the playfulness falling away. Her nipples perked at his tone, making her grind her teeth in frustration.

“I don’t care,” she said.

He lowered his head and breathed deeply, then sat on his haunches and looked to the sky. “Growlers rarely find their one true mate. They can mate with anyone, but that’s just sex and reproduction. True mates, that’s rare.”

“So says you,” she snorted. She wasn’t going to fall for that trick. She wasn’t special, other than being twice cursed.

He looked back at her, freezing her in place with those piercing golden eyes that seemed to read her soul. “So says the Elders and everyone in the tribe. In the ten years I’ve been a Growler, I’ve only seen three mate bonds snap into place. One couple was already mated when I joined. Another couple met on a hunt with another tribe and immediately sealed the bond.”

“And the third?” Damn her curiosity. She pursed her lips, daggers never lowering even as he just sat there.

He stood and faced her, prowling like she had no choice in this. “The third couple denied the mate bond and refused to complete the ritual. They were dead within weeks.”

Her breath caught in her throat as fear spiked through her. Then anger turned the paralyzing coldness in her veins to lava.

“If you think I’m going to fall for that, think again. You’re not getting in my pants, so you can fuck off or fight me. Bring it on, wolfie.”

Chapter 10

Wulfric licked his lips as a shiver ran down his spine. Their eyes locked, something primal stirring in the depths of his soul. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this moment was bigger than both of them, that their fates were entwined in a way neither of them fully understood. Stubborn warrior Hunter that she was, she refused to surrender to it, not yet. He loved the challenge that hung in the air.

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