Page 74 of The Wolf

It wasn’t a lie to her ever-loving shame. There had always been something about him that had called to her.

It was all Brine needed to hear.

There was a flash of pain where Scarlet’s shoulder met her neck, Brine sinking into her skin to mark her. She tensed and exhaled heavily. Now they were bound together legally.

And what came next would seal the deal.

Brine stiffened atop of her as he pulled away, using part of the sheet to wipe away the blood from her mark. He tossed the sheet aside and kissed her cheek gently.

“I won’t hurt you, Scarlet,” Brine said, as he shifted his body over her. His weight was comforting and warm, as if he was always meant to be here, like this, with her.

“I believe you,” she replied, because she did. Scarlet raised her hands to cup Brine’s face; he groaned in barely suppressed desire at her touch on his skin. The noise did something feral to Scarlet. Unlocked a part of her that she’d thus far never dared to explore.

Before she knew it, Scarlet crashed her lips against Brine’s. He growled in appreciation as she clawed at his back to pull him closer. She ran her hands down his sides as he teased her jaw with hungry kisses. Her fingers met the waistband of his leather trousers.

“Off,” she ordered, the word dancing across Brine’s cheekbone. “Get this—off. Everything.”

He chuckled and pulled back to plant another kiss on her lips. “So my mate is bossy in bed.” She blushed hard and a nervous giggle escaped. “Nowthatis an order I’ll happily follow,” Brine said, kissing Scarlet once more before sliding out of his trousers.

Butterflies took flight in her belly as he prowled up her body, desire burning in his silver eyes.

“There is no going back,” he rasped, the hardest parts of him caressing the softest parts of her. “Tell me to stop.”

“Never,” she whispered fiercely.

There were no more orders after that.

No plots, or punishments, or double meanings.

Only a touch of pain and more pleasure than Scarlet knew was possible.

THIRTY-SIX

BRINE

Ginger, cinnamon, the forest. Peaches. The iron tang of blood and the salt of sweat.

All of these things filled Brine’s nostrils. That was why he thought he was dreaming, but when he blinked open his eyes and confirmed that he was, in fact, conscious, those smells did not dissipate.

Then the previous night’s events came flooding back to him.

Scarlet.

He turned in the large bed to discover that his mate was still sleeping. Beside him. Her hair was in disarray, her skin covered in flakes of dried blood, the black liner around her eyes smudged and messy. Proof that what had occurred the night before was very much real.

She was his.

Part of him wanted to revel in her soft skin. But Brine didn’t want her to wake, not yet. He knew that once he did the spell would be broken. Reality would come crashing back in.

He wanted to live in this moment forever. As if it was just the two of them.

But as consciousness began to clear the last waves of sleep from his brain, Brine began to be overwhelmed by the fact that he’d made a mistake. Because there was Scarlet, her chest slowly rising and falling, her face looking more at peace than Brine had ever seen before, and Brine knew he wasn’t equipped to handle the emotions swirling around his chest. How could he give up what he now had with Scarlet? They’d only had one night together. One perfect night, and for what?

Brine didn’t even know if he could trust her. Scarlet had given him her innocence, and he didn’t know if even that was a ploy to get him on her side. She’dblackmailedhim into marrying her, after all.

He ran a hand over his mouth, remembering her drugging kisses.

If he wasn’t careful, she’d steal his soul.

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