Page 48 of The Bookseller and the Alpha
BOND HER. BREED HER.
No. This was not how I wanted to court my mate. She was going to think I was a monster.
Caly chewed her lip, looking unsure. “You don’t remember?”
I shook my head. I didn’t remember, but I was starting to have a very bad feeling.
“You shifted,” she said. “You let your Beast out. And I think he’s trying to run the show because your eyes keep turning blue.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. I’d opened his cage and let him out.
AND I’M STAYING OUT. I PROTECTED OUR MATE. I AM STRONG. YOU ARE WEAK.
He showed me the memory. Of how he had moved the car that threatened to crush me. Of how he had protected our mate.
SHE IS MINE.
She’s mine too.I pushed back.If she wants us, we come as a package deal. And you’re frightening her, asshole. She needs time to accept us. We need to court her. Show her that we’re right for her.
I AM THE RIGHT ONE FOR HER. I CAN KEEP HER SAFE.
My head felt like it was splitting apart as I fought with Beast for control of my mind and my body. Groaning, I staggered, one hand clutching at my scalp. I heard Caly’s indrawn breath as I thrust out my other hand, asking her to stay away. I hoped she understood that I didn’t trust myself.
I WILL NOT RETURN TO THE PRISON YOU KEPT ME IN.
He was right about that. I wasn’t strong enough to rebuild my mental walls against him. I’d let them down, but Beast had smashed them to dust when I let him out. But equally, I couldn’t allow him to be in charge. Beast was impulsive, aggressive. Dominant and possessive. But he was also a part of me. A part of myself that I had kept chained up inside my ownmind. I’d tried to lock him down, pretend that I could be civilised and rational. And before we’d met Caly, that had mostly worked. He’d been so used to being locked away that he’d mostly given up. He’d let me draw on his strength and aggression when I’d needed them, but he hadn’t fought me for control. Until we’d met our mate.
Since that moment, it had been inevitable. As much as I’d tried to deny him, Beast was a part of me and Caly was his mate as well as mine. His instincts to claim her and fuck her, mark her so that the whole world knew who she belonged to? Well, they were my instincts. The darker instincts that I’d tried to deny.
I could deny them no longer. I just hoped that she wouldn’t panic and run now she’d seen all of me.
WE WILL CHASE HER IF SHE RUNS.
The thought sent a shiver of anticipation that felt like lightning travelling down my spine and straight to my balls. Yes, my darker side would like to chase her, catch her. Fuck her and bite her.
But only if she wanted it.
We gotta keep it sane. If we keep going like this, we’ll lose her. It’s bad enough that there are two of us. But if we can’t co-operate and work together, we’ll end up alone.
Beast paused his relentless battering in my head. The sudden relief from the pain was bliss. Was he listening?
DO YOU HAVE A PLAN?
I’d been the one to let him out. I’d made a choice and I had to live with the consequences. So, yeah. I had a plan. Sort of. I know that what I had in mind could work but I didn’t exactly know what I was doing.We’re going to have to learn to share, buddy.
SHARE…There was just that one word, then silence, but the silence felt thoughtful. Hopeful rather than angry.YOU WOULD NOT LOCK ME AWAY?
Not anymore.
YOU WILL LET ME TOUCH HER?
You’ll feel what I feel. Touch what I touch.
Chapter 53
Calypso
I could tell that Luc was fighting some sort of internal battle. His eyes were shut and his muscles were rigid. I’d like to say I didn’t take a moment to admire all those hard muscles, but what can I say; I’m weak. But this wasn’t good. He was eye candy all right, but I couldn’t deal with the level of primal intensity that came with Beast being in control. I needed the Luc with the big brain and the not so big dick. Beast had got an erection while he and Luc fought for control and as sexy as he was with those muscles for days, I really didn’t think I could fit his monster dick. And honestly, now was not the time. We needed to get the hell out of here, get somewhere safe and work out what was going on.
