Page 69 of Wolf Bound

“What do you need us to do?” Sawyer asks.

“First, I need you to make a phone call.”

* * *

I openthe door to Ryker’s room and find him sitting in the dark on the bed with his back to me. His hair is still wet from the shower, and he’s bare-chested. I lean against the doorframe and scan his shirtless form. I knew there were angel wings on his back that extend over his shoulders and down the back of his arms, I never paid any attention to the fact that they were connected to a beautiful angel with dark tears streaming down her face. It’s a gorgeous piece, but very somber at the same time.

He doesn’t turn around to look at me when he speaks. “Are you still mad at me.”

“No,” I sigh, closing the door behind me. I walk across the room and sit down next to him on the bed. I lean into his side and rest my head on his shoulder. “I just want you safe.”

“I’m going to try really hard to come back to you,” he whispers to me before wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close.

“I know,” I tell him. I push down the guilt I feel when I say it. I don’t need him to pick up on it and ask what’s wrong. “It sucks. It shouldn’t be like this.”

“No, it shouldn’t.” He sighs. “But no matter what, you’re going to be safe.”

I feel my body stiffen up when he says that. I have no idea what my future looks like, but I know for a fact I will more than likelynotbe safe. Nicolai does not give off the warm and safe vibe. I force myself to relax and push down those thoughts.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore tonight.” I rise up from the bed and stand in front of him. I gather all the confidence I can muster before reaching for the hem of my t-shirt and pulling it over my head.

Ryker’s eyes widen and shoot up to look at me. “What are you doing?”

“Our lives are full of uncertainty right now, and we don’t know what our future together looks like,” I start, “but right now, at this moment, I’m certain how I feel about you, and I know that I want to be with you.”

“Pru…”

“I love you,” I say, rushing the words. “I’m so in love with you, Ryker, my heart feels like it might burst.” I place my hand over my heart as I look into his ocean-blue eyes.

Ryker doesn’t move. He doesn’t blink, and I barely see him breathe. He sits there staring at me with wide eyes. But then he moves so fast I barely register it. He pulls me onto the bed, and I can’t help the yelp of surprise when my back bounces against the mattress. My breath catches in my throat when I look up and find him looking down at me. He’s positioned himself over me, and only my thin cotton bra separates our chests.

“I never thought I would have the opportunity to tell you how much I love you. I always thought my only option was saying it to a headstone, but now…” He pauses. “To be able to tell you I’ve loved you since the day that golden halo of light appeared around you when we were kids is the greatest gift. I loved you as Grey Thorne, and I love you even more as Pruitt Bailey.”

My cheeks hurt from how hard I’m smiling at him. I reach up and hold his face between my hands. “I love you,” I repeat. “Please kiss me now.”

Ryker’s mouth crashes into mine with almost painful force. But I happily meet his passion and part my lips when his tongue pushes forward. This kiss isn’t soft and sweet, it’s full of desperation and pure instinctualneed. Something primal comes over me, and I growl against his mouth and bite at his bottom lip.

His lips don’t leave mine as he makes quick work of unclasping my bra and throwing it off to the side somewhere. I rake my nails down his back as his mouth travels down my chin to the sweet spot on my neck. I shudder and groan beneath him when his tongue swipes against it.

I never thought I would want someone to bite me, but right now, I want nothing more than to feel his fangs sinking into my skin.

He nips lightly at the spot before abandoning it altogether and making his way down to my breasts. His hands lightly caress the sides before his hot mouth covers one of the peaks. My back arches into him when I feel his tongue swirl around a sensitive bud. I look down at him and find his glowing eyes staring back at me.

When he moves on to the next one, I hiss out a breath, and my eyes flutter closed. Just like the other night, starting between my breasts, he places a trail of kisses down to my naval. But this time he places two kisses on my hipbones too. He rises to his knees, and I feel his fingers undo my jeans. He looks at me in question, and after I give him a quick nod, he hooks his thumbs into my waistband and pulls both my jeans and panties down my legs.

The feeling of self-consciousness creeps forward, but I push it away as I lie completely naked in front of him. Ryker is my mate, and we’re meant for each other.Every partof us is meant for each other.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers to me, and I feel my face heat up. “I wish you could understand just how beautiful you are to me.”

I can’t help but watch as he pulls the low-slung athletic shorts down his hips, and he quickly kicks them off to the side. He keeps his boxer briefs on as he lowers himself back down to me. I wrap my arms around his neck and guide his face back to mine.

As I kiss him, my chest floods with emotion. I try not to think about how this is one of the last times I’ll kiss him or the first and only time I will make love to him.

Ignoring the sorrow, I move my hands down his sides. My fingers lightly trail down his sensitive ribcage before tugging at the waistband of his boxers. When he pulls back to look at me, I smile at him.

“I want this,” I promise him. “I want you.Allof you.”

“Are you sure?”

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