Page 57 of Red's Beast

He is struggling to fight for control and I can tell any second he might snap. I look past him toward the closet door. It’s hopeless. No one is coming to save me.

I try to wiggle free, but stop when he squeezes my throat. “You have to wait until the full moon, Corbin. Our pups won’t happen otherwise.”

He steps forward, making his body flush with mine. “You forget, little alpha. I am the alpha of this pack now and I make the rules. If I want to take you, then I will without anyone questioning my authority.”

“Every alpha is subject to the rules of nature, including you. If we do not wait, then there is no blessing.”

He slides his hand down from my throat and traces the skin above the towel. Instead of removing my towel, he leans forward to rest his forehead against my shoulder. He takes a deep breath, inhaling my scent.

“You might lose the pack’s respect as well,” I say, hoping that I sway him.

“That’s just it. I don’t care if I lose it. I want what is mine, so why not take it now?”

His hand plays with the bottom of my towel as he shakes hard from trying to hold his wolf back. My mind whirls as I run through each scenario.

All end with him claiming me today, and I don’t want it to end that way.

"Corbin, please. Not today. Wait until the full moon." I clasp my hands on both sides of his face, pushing him away, and making him look into my eyes, but his wolf is in full control.

A low growl escapes his lips, and he heaves in another breath. His voice becomes guttural as his wolf takes over his speech. "Mine."

He whispers something under his breath that sounds like he can’t have what is mine, but I’m not sure what he is talking about nor do I understand.

As I stare into his eyes, I can't say anything. Reaching up, I brush a stray hair from his forehead. "I'm not yours yet. The full moon is soon, though.”

I bite my lip as I realize I shouldn’t have mentioned it. Those words just seem to make his wolf angrier.

He growls deep in his chest. “You keep telling me to wait, but you are mine, Lillian. Mine. No one else’s. This body belongs to me.”

He finally raises up, and I flinch. Instead of biting me, he uses his tongue and licks me at the base of my throat, all the way to my ear. I stand there frozen, uncertain of how to react out of fear of setting him off. A wolf’s basic instinct is to hunt for their mate. If I take off, it may trigger something I don’t want.

Corbin leans away with a smirk, pulling at the corner of his lips. “Now, you will smell like me and no one will touch you.”

My wolf feels repulsed. I feel violated. But if this is what it takes to keep him from going crazy, then so be it. “Are you better now?”

He moves against me slightly until there isn’t space between us. “I want you.”

I wedge my hand between our chests and attempt to push him away, but it’s like moving a brick wall. It’s not working. “We’ve already discussed it and I’m done saying it.”

“I’ve heard your words, little alpha, but my wolf is demanding that I take you as mine. No one else can have you and if I wait any longer, they might.”

My eyes narrow as confusion sets in. Does this have something to do with the beast and my destiny? Is there a clock they have to beat?

No, that’s nonsense.

“I’m not sure what you are talking about. You’re the only one dying to claim me, Corbin.”

He lays his head down against my shoulder again and raises his hand to play with the ends of my wet hair. “There are secrets in this pack. Ones I can never share. If only you knew.”

“What do you mean by that? What are you all hiding?”

Corbin stands and takes a few steps back from me. His eyes are a normal shade now and he seems in control. “Nothing. Get ready. We have some dress shopping ahead of us. You have five minutes to get dressed.”

He turns and leaves quickly. All I can do is stand there with a gaping jaw as I process everything. What was that just now?

As I look at the clothes, I sigh, as I know I have to hurry and get ready.

After a quick five minutes, I’m standing in the living room, fully dressed and ready to go in one of the new outfits. It’s a simple pair of pants with a cream top. For once, I don’t want to wear a skirt.

---