Page 109 of The Wolf Prince's Mate

“Can you please shift back?” I asked.

He huffed out a sigh.

Then licked my neck, where he’d bitten me.

And then he shifted back.

A gorgeous, ruffled, naked Clay replaced the wolf a moment later. He was on his back, with the back of his head against my chest, and his eyes were closed.

His jaw was clenched, and I knew he was locking the wolf back down.

I’d seen the beast break out, and was fairly confident that he could do so again if he decided he really wanted to. Clay had mentioned him ramming the cage he kept him in, but that could always be more of a warning to the man than an actual threat to break out.

Or maybe he really did want to kill everyone except me.

Whatever the case, I was safe from the wolf’s wrath, and I knew he wasn’t going to try to break out in the very near future. He had agreed to play nice.

Finally, Clay opened his eyes.

His gaze was stricken.

The rejection was coming.

“If my wolf ever takes over again, you need to get away from him immediately,” he said in a low voice.

“Your wolf loves me, Savage,” I said matter-of-factly.

“He’s claimed you, but we obviously can’t act on it. You would never be safe with him.”

“A wolf can’t hurt his mate.”

“Theoretically,” Clay growled.

“Okay, well, I trust the theory. He clearly has no desire to hurt me. He showed me his belly.”

“Hebityou.”

“To claim me.”

“You can’t possibly trust that fucker, Nova.” Clay sat up, shoving a hand through his already-wild hair. “He’s a monster. He?—”

“What happened to make him that way?” I interrupted.

Clay’s eyes went dark.

Haunted, too.

I picked the wrong time to ask the question, but what was the alternative? He was about to break things off with me for good.

He stood up. “I have to go.”

“Fine.” I stood too, ignoring the hand he reached out to try to help me to my feet.

“Don’t turn Olive,” he urged. “Let Aspen do it. It won’t change anything, and?—”

“I’m doing it. It matters to me.” I turned and strode toward the Lodge. Some part of me hoped and waited for him to call out and convince me to turn around, but he didn’t.

The ball was in his court, so I didn’t and wouldn’t try to force him to do anything.

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