Page 45 of Whispering Waves

He was on the floor and staring at her in surprise. “What was that?”

“You tried to force a bite.” She curled her hands into fists. She turned off the spray and left him on the floor. “Marking and water don’t mix for me.”

He got up and followed her after she dried off and was shaking violently. Ice was beginning in her belly and spreading rapidly.

“That was more than just a no.”

“Uh, yeah. It’s related to my reaction to the attack.”

He murmured, “He marked you?”

“It was like he tried to tear my spine out. They scrubbed it in hospital, but it took weeks. They had to force a blood sample to create an antivenin, and now, he’s the only alpha in the world that can’t take me over.”

“May I look?”

She held up a hand. “Give me a minute.”

She went to the vanity and got a brush. She carefully brushed her hair to the side, and then she brushed the hair up and away from the base of her skull.

“Okay. Now.”

She focused on breathing slowly as his fingers touched the surgical scars and repairs.

“Holy shit. He was trying to paralyze you.”

“I was fighting. He shook me like a dog with a rabbit.” Her voice was flat.

“This was brutal.” He stopped touching her neck and wrapped his arms around her. “But you still asked me to mark you.”

“Yeah, well, don’t worry. I won’t ask again.” She sighed. “You have a schedule for this.”

He bent and nuzzled the side of her neck, and before she could say anything, he bit. She inhaled sharply and whined softly. A link formed, and it was silver and blue. Waves roared through her mind and touched all of the scared little shadows, holding and comforting.

“Oh.”

He continued the hold, and when the silver link that was him and the ocean waves had touched every part of her psyche, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

He released her shoulder and lapped at the deep wound. “Why are you sorry?”

“You didn’t want to.”

He sighed against her skin. “The weight of the other in my mind is not something I wanted to inflict on you unless I was certain and you were certain.”

“But I had a breakdown,” she mumbled and welcomed the arousal that was increasing with every slow caress of his tongue. The ocean waves in her link were swirling through all of her. It was like having a second consciousness working its way to her sex.

“Your need was greater than mine. How does it feel?”

“Hot and cool at the same time. I will try not to abuse your generosity.”

He chuckled. “That will be awkward as I want to spoil you, but we are all right now?”

“It is doing something within me, but it doesn’t hurt, so I think things are fine.”

His arms tightened. “Mate.”

“Yeah, not just fuck buddy.”

He laughed. “It’s still early. Do you want to try out mating sex?”

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