Page 27 of Savage Desire

I press my lips together, surprised, impressed, and embarrassed, all at once.

I want to keep building on this resilience I’m digging deep for, but unnecessary drama isn’t where I’m going to strengthen it. I definitely don’t want to cause any issues among the wolves either. That will only make me more of an issue and I can already sense people gawking at me, but I refuse to turn to see how many there are.

“Maybe I should leave,” I mutter, trying to stand, but Wylder makes it impossible.

“Yeah, you should,” Bianca bites when a deep, thunderous growl makes everyone freeze.

“Shut the fuck up, Bianca, or straight up fuck off.”

The snarl bites through the air, stealing my breath as a chill runs down my spine. The sound is unhinged as hell, but I’m more shocked by the fact that it came from Lincoln of all people.

My pulse thunders and my entire body warms with my scattered emotions.

“I don't want to cause a scene,” I breathe, my voice mild and meek in comparison to the bark from Lincoln. “But I don't care to deal with your shit, either,” I admit, staring deep into Bianca’s eyes.

Once again, I’m overwhelmed by the fact that I’m speaking up for myself. I can’t decide if it’s because I don’t want any of these guys to speak on my behalf or because I refuse to be belittled anymore, especially after my encounter with Blaze this morning. But truthfully, it’s likely a combination of both.

Bianca glares at me, her middle finger raised and aimed in my direction.

“You need to remember your place,” Bianca spits at me, and Minnie slams her fists down on the table.

“Right back at you. You’re always wanting what you can’t have. Now shut the fuck up, piss off, and find a seat elsewhere,” Minnie snarls, her eyes shimmering with flecks of gold, and I gape in surprise.

I’m definitely out of my comfort zone here, there’s no denying it.

Trying to stand, Wylder holds me so tight I can barely breathe. “You're not going anywhere until you've eaten, especially after the energy we just burned off. You're going to need it,” he says against my ear, and I pray to God that nobody else can hear him, but when I look up through my lashes, I spy Minnie rubbing her lips together, holding back her amusement.

Fuck.

Tilting my face so I can actually look at him, my gaze meets his, desperation flickering through his hazel eyes like a tornado.

I take a deep breath, my veins thrumming with caution as I accept my current situation. I'm not leaving until he says so, anda part of me, despite the shitstorm swirling around us, doesn’t want to leave anyway.

Exhaling slowly, I ignore the death stares from across the table and eye the food to choose from.

“Here, let me make you a plate since Wylder is being a little protective,” Minnie insists, the sharp, feral snarl from moments ago completely gone as she smiles at me.

I can’t find my voice as I watch her pile a plate full with food. So high, that my eyes go wide and I start to panic. When she places it before me, I gape in utter disbelief.

“What? What's wrong? Do you not like some of the food?” she asks, and I shake my head.

Wylder snickers, releasing his hold, just a little. “No, Minnie, she's just not a wolf.”

For the first time, I watch Minnie’s cheeks flush a soft pink hue. “Oh, well, you don’t have to eat all of it,” she mutters, tucking a loose curl behind her ear as she turns back to her own food.

“Fuck this,” Bianca mutters, the sound of her chair scraping over the floor following swiftly after. “I’m not dealing with this shit,” she adds, not even bothering to look at me as her stare settles on Wylder. “Maybe in the future, you can keep your trash private,” she yells before beelining for the exit.

I exhale again, slightly relieved that she’s gone, but I'm acutely aware that the looks I'm getting from other people around the table match the vibe she was offering. My stomach chooses that exact moment to rumble as the smell of the food gets the better of me and I relent.

Biting into the grilled cheese sandwich first, I try my best to hide the impact of Bianca’s statement, and it seems to work because as soon as I start eating, everybody else falls into sync, and a somewhat comfortable silence casts over us.

The hard press of Wylder’s thighs beneath me, and his banded muscles tightened around my waist, make it impossible for me to focus on much, but once I'm full, I know I need to get the hell out of here before this turns any crazier. Especially when he starts to draw circles on my leg with his fingertip, each swirl getting closer to the apex of my thighs.

I’m about to go from being a spectacle to performing a show which involves me and his dick, and given the fact that I’ve yet to experience any kind of sexual activity in a bed, I don’t think I’m quite ready for this level of exhibitionism.

“I should go,” I say, taking note of the rest of the dining hall dispersing, ready for their next class.

“I’m coming with you,” Wylder states, easing his hold on me, but I shake my head.

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