Page 84 of Claimed By My Fiancé's Brother

In a matter of minutes, I was almost completely healed. The only evidence of my wounds was my torn-up, bloodied clothes.

I tasted bitterness at the back of my throat. If I’d been a regular wolf then maybe we could have…no.

There was no use dwelling on impossibilities.

I needed to get Eleanor out of here before I made a mistake both of us would regret.

“Eleanor,” I snapped, my voice hard as granite. “Get out of my room.”

But her intoxicating scent was already clouding my senses, thinning my control.

Eleanor didn’t leave.

Instead, she closed the distance between us, fiery anger blooming in her eyes, her hands on her hips as she glared up at me.

“You’re hurt, Alexander.” She blew out an irritated breath. “I don’t care if you want my help or not; you’re getting it either way.”

Eleanor reached for my shirt, but before she could make contact, I caught her wrist.

Eleanor tried and failed to tug her wrist out of my grip.

Desire bloomed dark and heavy within me at that single touch. I wanted to tug her into my arms, rip off her clothes, and ensure she was fine. Every inch of her. Then I would bend her over on all fours and?—

“Alexander.” She let out a huff of frustration. “Stop being so stubb?—”

I let go of her wrist, shoving her away from me and pushing down those dark thoughts, my words tearing out of me in an angry snarl.

“I said get out! How many times do I have to push you away before you finally understand I can’t stand you?”

Eleanor caught herself on my bedframe. When she straightened and met my gaze, there was something fragile and breakable in her eyes.

“Your brother’s whore…is that truly how you see me?” she asked, her voice heavy with emotion I didn’t want to decipher. “So much so that you’d rather bleed out than let me help you?”

Eleanor had no idea what she did to me.

Her presence alone drove me insane. She made me want to forget all my convictions.

But I didn’t tell her that. I just stayed silent.

Eleanor rocked back slightly, as though my silence was an answer in and of itself.

When those emerald eyes met mine again, they glistened with unshed tears.

I’d hurt her.

“You shouldn’t have taken my punishment earlier,” Eleanor said haltingly, a tremor in her voice. “You should have let me get mated to Dylan.”

Eleanor turned away from me, but not before I saw the tears streak down her cheeks. I began to reach out to her, but I reined myself in.

This was how it had to be. This was?—

In her hurry to get away from me, blinded by her tears, Eleanor tripped. Instinctively, I caught her, my arm snaking around her waist.

It was a mistake.

From that one touch, everything unraveled. Eleanor’s scent flooding my senses, the addictive feeling of her skin againstmine, the soft gasp falling from those perfect lips—every detail was a heady aphrodisiac that made me crave her.

Eleanor pushed against my hold, tears still spilling down her rosy cheeks.

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