Page 73 of The Wolf

She glanced at him over her shoulder to see Brine. He lookedpained. His claws had lengthened, and tension radiated from him.

“The time for waiting is through. Come.” Her voice was strong but slightly husky even in her own ears.

He took one step toward her as if he couldn’t help himself and then another, closing the distance between them, though he kept a respectable distance from her. In the moonlight filtering through the window, and the crackling golden light of the fire, her midnight wolf looked almost a shadow.

“Arwen will have me pulled from this house at any moment if we don’t consummate our bond. If you don’t mark me … I’m not risking that—not for anything.” Her pulse pounded harder as he took one more gliding step toward her. He snarled, causing the hair to rise at the nape of her neck. “Don’t you snap at me,” she chastised him.

“I’m not,” he hissed between clenched teeth. “I’m just… thinking.”

“Well, stop it. We don’t have time for that. I’m doing my best here.” She held her hands out, the dress slipping farther down, catching on one of her breasts. “You could help me some. This isn’t easy.”

Brine took a breath, which Scarlet echoed as embarrassment threatened to drown her. She was sure he wasn’t an innocent but she sure was. It was mortifying to have to convince him to come to her.

Then a thought occurred to her. Maybe he didn’t care for her body. Just because he reacted to her scent didn’t mean he had to like anything about her.

Scarlet picked at her dress. “I know I’m not a beauty but…”

Brine cursed and she squeaked when he closed the distance between them and roughly tore the dress from Scarlet’s body. One second she was clothed, and the next…

She was entirely naked in front of her childhood sweetheart. The boy who’d left her behind.

Scarlet didn’t dare meet Brine’s eyes as he drank her in.

Her breath caught as he ran his fingers down her neck and shoulder. “Beauty is thy name,” he murmured.

She yelped when he took her in his arms to gently place her upon the bed. She was trembling and couldn’t stop. She’d tried her best to prepare for tonight, of course she had. She’d heard that what was to come would be painful. Horribly painful. The best thing to do was not to move and take it obediently.

Scarlet slammed her eyes shut and crushed the duvet in her hands.

It will be over soon.

She felt Brine climb on top of her, pressing his bare chest to her own. She shivered as he settled between her thighs, his breathing ragged as he held his face millimeters from hers.

This is it, This is when he’ll—

“Open your eyes, mate,” Brine whispered.Begged. She hadn’t even realized she’d closed them. And he had asked so lovingly, so urgently, that Scarlet found herself helpless to obey.

She peeked up at him and for a moment he just stared at her. He pressed a fraction closer and brushed his lips against hers. It could hardly be called a kiss. It was only when Brine repeated the action that Scarlet’s mind became sure she hadn’t imagined it. But there Brine was, his mouth just barely upon hers, soft and pliant andadoring.

Like she was precious.

More than that: Scarlet could see true emotion in Brine’s eyes. It wasn’t just that he lusted after her. Longed for her. Scarlet could see, on full display, the feelings she had witnessed the very first time they had been reunited, when Brine had called her his mate.

In that moment, Scarlet truly believed that was exactly what she was.

His.

“We don’t have to continue if you don’t want to,” he whispered, the words water over gravel. She could see in the set of his shoulders, in the trembling of his voice, that Brine absolutely did not want to turn back—not now—but that he would. For her he would, even though it was the exact opposite of whathewanted.

“Don’t stop.”

He groaned and shook his head. “I don’t want to take your innocence just because of this deal. We can find another way.”

His kindness touched her. She didn’t deserve it.

Scarlet wrapped her arms around Brine’s shoulders and pulled him gently down to her neck, running her hands through his hair. He was trying to be a gentleman, but she didn’t want that. She wanted his passion.

“I want this,” she urged, the words tickling his ear. “I do. I swear. I’ve wanted it since you caught me in Merjeri.”

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