Page 35 of Oath of Revenge

She would have to go with him and help him reclaim his title, right? He snorted as the cottage came in sight.

He didn’t know her very well yet, but one thing was certain. If he told her she had to, she would dig in her heels and refuse.

He paused on the edge of the clearing and licked his aching paw. He could feel the sun setting, even though the trees blocked the sight. The wound was getting better, but he’d probably pushed himself too hard too fast today.

It couldn’t be helped though, if he wanted to reclaim his position before the full moon. He had to get into his best fighting form, which meant a quicker recovery.

Mating would help. He stared up at the soft light in the upstairs window and sighed. If nothing he’d done had convinced her, then he had to let it be her idea.

Hm, yes, that was exactly what she needed. She needed to be in control. For the moment, at least, until she began to trust him.

The wind whispered to him as he thought of their future. She would eventually surrender to him, and it would be worth the wait.

He could flirt with her. She seemed to enjoy the verbal sparring, if her change of breathing and smell of desire were any sign.

With that decided, he let the coldness of the shift wash over him. The crunch of bones echoed in the clearing. He sent a silent prayer up to the gods that she would accept the mate bond before they both wound up dead.

Then he turned to the back door on two feet. He picked up the blanket where it’d dropped earlier and walked inside.

She wasn’t downstairs by the fire, but he stopped to warm himself. His human form was more susceptible to the elements.

Sounds from upstairs eventually drew him through the cottage. He wanted to be near her, smell her, talk with her. Fuck, he wanted to taste her so bad.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself to let her decide. He stepped quietly on creaky steps, following her scent and sounds to push the door open to a bedroom.

She stood between two windows at a wash stand and splashed water on her face. Her dark black pants stretched tightly over her curves, emphasizing her feminine figure as she bent over. Her long, red tail moved gracefully and fluidly behind her, enticing and mesmerizing. The air was also filled with a musky aroma, hinting at her primal nature and drawing him into the room like a moth to the flame.

The animal urge to claim her seized his gut, and he gripped the door, his claws digging grooves as he breathed through the urge. Fuck, she better decide soon because his patience was already fraying. He growled and licked his now human lips.

She spun at the sound, droplets of water glistened on her skin, highlighting her smooth features. “What are you doing? Get out of my room.”

He grinned and shook his head. “I think not, mate. I’ll sleep here with you.”

He flopped onto the bed with the blanket in hand, feeling it bounce like a cloud. Growler beds were stretched hide tied to a frame with layers of quilts. He didn’t remember sleeping in such a fluffy bed, but somehow this felt familiar, like a far-off dream. He saw a vision of bouncing a little girl on a bed, making her laugh as he tossed her into the air to land on it safely.

Scarlet made a gurgling sound in her throat as she glared, pulling him from the unexpected memory. “When the hells freeze over. We are not sharing a bed. If you must sleep here, I’ll take Grandma’s bed across the hall.”

He sat up on an elbow, the blanket draped over his waist. “Come now, bunny. This isn’t the mate bond talking. Be practical.”

Perhaps an appeal to logic would help convince her. She was a smart woman, and she wanted him to heal. It might convince her to get near. If he could just cuddle her for a few hours, it would keep the pressing need to claim her at bay.

Her eyes narrowed. “How is sharing a bed practical?”

He pulled back the covers and felt the soft, cool sheets. “If you’re to come back with me, you need to carry my scent. Otherwise, the pack will tear you apart. The closer we are, the more my scent gets on you, and therefore, the safer you’ll be.”

A flash of fear crossed her features in the soft glow of the lamp, then it was gone as her jaw set stubbornly. “I don’t believe you.”

He shrugged and laid on his back, putting his hands behind his head and crossing his ankles where they stuck out from under the blanket. “The mate bond also makes us both stronger. So the more we’re together, the stronger I’ll be when we arrive. If we complete the mate bond, it should give me the edge I need to defeat a proper alpha challenge. Of course, I could’ve defeated him the first time, if he would’ve followed the rules.”

He appeared nonchalant, but that stab of fear slammed into him again. If he kept pushing, she would start fighting him again. Somehow, he had to let her lead.

Damn it, letting someone else have control was harder to do than he cared to admit. But for her, he would try.

She snorted. “That’s a lot riding on a stupid mate bond. Sounds like a bunch of excuses to get in my pants.”

Disappointment speared him, but he fought his instinct to throw her on the bed and fuck her. Instead, he stared at the ceiling, not looking at her. “Suit yourself, but don’t come crying to me when they attack.”

The seconds ticked by, and he could’ve sworn he heard her racing heartbeat. But he didn’t move. He could be patient, he had to be patient. It would be worth it.

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