Page 34 of His Obsession

“Why,mo chroi? Because you recognize there is something more between us than either of us ever thought possible?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Callum snorted. “I think you do, but I’m too wired to take you to task for lying to me.”

“Me? Lying to you? That’s a crock. You turned into some kind of enormous, predatory beast. I’m pretty sure you never mentioned that. I mean, you’re not human.”

“I’m both,” he said simply, his tone devoid of apology. “And neither. It is not something that my kind shares readily with yours. There are many…”

Isolde waved off his argument. “I can imagine the consequences, and they aren’t pretty. I take it you are not the only one of your kind?”

“Isolde, I need a cold shower. Shifting only increases arousal. I thought if I took a run and then a cold shower, it would help. It hasn’t. Unless you want to share my bed tonight, go to your room and stay there. We will talk in the morning.”

Isolde shook her head, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. “You should have told me.”

“And risked losing the one shred of trust you have in me?” He took a step closer, his voice softening. “You’re already in over your head, Isolde. Knowing this… it only makes things more dangerous.”

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest as she searched his face, looking for answers she wasn’t sure she wanted. “And what am I supposed to do with this? Pretend I didn’t see it? Pretend you’re just a man?”

Callum’s lips twitched into a faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t expect you to pretend anything. But I do expect you to trust me. With your life. I think I’ve earned that.”

She stared at him, her mind a whirlwind of fear, disbelief, and something she couldn’t quite name. The pull she felt toward him—the heat that always simmered just beneath the surface—only seemed to grow stronger, even now.

Especially now.

“Trust,” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re asking a lot.”

“I’m offering a lot,” he countered, his voice a low growl. “Your safety, your survival. All of it depends on me. And you know it.”

“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do,” she admitted, her voice trembling with truth.

Callum reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek in a gesture so uncharacteristically gentle it stole her breath. “We’ll figure it out in the morning.”

And with that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway, leaving her standing alone, her world forever changed.

CALLUM

Callum wasn’t sure if he’d ever been this tired—emotionally, mentally and physically. He knew shifting usually left the shifter aroused, but he’d convinced himself that a long run would help him clear his head. It had done that and now forefront in both his human and panther brain was the belief that Isolde was not only his to protect, but his to claim and possess.

After he stripped out of his clothes, he sent Con a quick message:

Isolde saw me shift. I do not believe she is a threat to our kind.

The response was immediate and not at all helpful.

Do what you want, but I suggest you claim the girl and be done with it.

Yeah, boss, that’ll go over big with her and her father.On the other hand, Con had given him the leeway to do what he thought best.

Stepping into the shower, Callum set the water as cold as it would get. It was somewhat refreshing, but it wasn’t having any effect on his cock whatsoever. The panther prowling in his mind sure as hell wasn’t helping. Usually his beast was willing to settle after a long run, but it stalked restlessly in his mind, now, growling with frustration.

His throbbing cock reminded him that it was in need of attention. A drop of pre-cum glistened and then fell to be washed away by the water going down the drain. Regardless of the temperature of the water, he couldn’t get his mind to focus on anything other than Isolde’s beauty and intelligence as well as the feel of her ass under his hand. He had smelled her arousal kick in and berated himself for not doing what had felt natural: stepping behind her and shoving his cock deep as he rode herto a release for both of them. He tried to focus on the fact that at they had no formal relationship, and at the time, she had not known he was a shifter.

She didn’t know the first thing about him, whispered the angel on his shoulder. The devil on the other shoulder laughed. She might not understand fated mates, but her soul had recognized its master almost from the beginning. As frightened of him as she’d been, instinctively she’d known she could trust him and that he would protect her. She might say differently, but there had been plenty of times she could have gone to the cops, and she hadn’t.

His cock throbbed again. The damn thing actually ached. Knowing the only relief he would get this night was from his hand, he wrapped it around his staff and began to stroke from base to tip and back again. He would get a handle on his unruly lust. He would ensure Isolde’s safety and then he would consider how best to claim her.

He grinned as he closed his eyes. At least he had the boss on his side. Until they knew what Bradford and Lynch were up to, he would check his amorous intentions. Picking up the pace of his stroking, he squeezed a bit harder, thinking he would much prefer it to be Isolde’s pussy clamping around him. He would put her on her belly, pull her up onto her knees and mount her from behind, pounding into her until she was thoroughly sated and he allowed himself to spill his seed into her.

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