Page 18 of Marked For A Bite
This might be madness,Zoe thought dimly, but her wolf purred with satisfaction.This is right.
Logan kissed her like she was the oxygen he desperately needed, like he'd been drowning without her. The taste of him—coffee and something uniquely masculine—flooded her senses. Her hands explored the hard planes of his chest, her fingers tracing over scars that told stories of battles fought and won.
Without warning, he lifted her, and her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively. The movement sent heat rushing through her core as he carried her to the leather couch, laying her down with surprising gentleness for a man so fierce.
"I told myself last night I wouldn't let my desire control me," Logan murmured against her throat, his lips trailing hot kisses down her neck. "But you're too irresistible and too stubborn to take no for an answer."
His confession sent shivers through her body. She arched beneath him, her hands roaming the broad expanse of his shoulders. "Just let go and feel," she whispered, her voice breathless.
His hands began their exploration, skimming over her curves with reverent hunger. The cream sweater suddenly felt like a barrier she desperately wanted gone. Every touch sent electricity racing through her veins, and she could feel her wolf rising, not with violence but with pure desire.
Logan's mouth found that sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder, and she gasped. The sound seemed to drive him wild, his breathing roughening as his hands mapped her body like he was memorizing every inch.
He wants me so bad,the realization hit her with stunning clarity.Not just wants—needs. The same way I need him.
Just as his fingers found the hem of her sweater, his phone erupted into sharp, insistent rings.
"Ignore it," Zoe said quickly, pulling his face back to hers. "You can call whoever back."
Logan's jaw tightened, conflict warring in his green eyes. "As much as I'd like to do that, I know it's my Alpha Kieran."
The transformation was instantaneous and jarring. Logan rolled off her, his tender lover persona vanishing as the commanding enforcer took its place. His entire body went rigid with tension as he answered the phone.
"Kieran." His voice was clipped and professional.
Zoe watched his face darken, his jaw working as he listened. "Yes, I know I didn't tell you last night and I should've." A pause. "Yes, I know this isn't ideal."
The distress in Logan's voice triggered something fierce in Zoe's chest. That protective instinct—the same one that had driven her to fight that hunter yesterday—blazed to life. She couldn't stand seeing him struggle and couldn't bear the way his shoulders tensed with whatever his Alpha was saying. She wasn't going to wait another moment longer to see if Logan would actually hand her the phone and let her explain the situationherself. Without a second thought, she stood up and ripped the phone from Logan's hand without asking.
"Hello," she said firmly into the device. "This is Zoe Raymond, and I want you to know that it was my choice to come here to Logan's cabin, not his. He made it very clear to me that I was supposed to stay at the safehouse, but I didn't want to. I only feel safe with Logan, and I'm not leaving his side right now."
Logan's eyes went wide with shock and something that might have been admiration.
A deep voice responded on the other end, controlled but clearly displeased. "Ms. Raymond, I appreciate your... directness. However, Logan has duties, and you would really be much safer and more guarded at the safehouse than with him."
"I don't believe that's true," Zoe shot back, her stubborn streak flaring. "I know he'll protect me, and I can handle being with him."
There was a brief pause, then a different voice came on the line—feminine, warm, and surprisingly understanding.
"Hello, Zoe. My name is Maya, and I'm Kieran's wife and the acting Luna of the Silvercrest pack."
Something about Maya's tone immediately put Zoe at ease. There was genuine kindness there, not the barely concealed frustration she'd heard from Kieran.
"I understand what you are going through," Maya continued. "I'm a hybrid myself, so I know how overwhelming this must be for you."
Relief flooded through Zoe like a dam bursting. "You are? You... you know what this feels like?"
"The partial shifts, the overwhelming sensations, feeling like you're losing your mind? Yes, I know exactly what that's like. And I understand why you feel safe with Logan. Sometimes we just know who we can trust."
Tears pricked at Zoe's eyes. Finally, ever since this nightmare began, someone truly understood.
"I'd love to meet with you later and talk more about it," Maya said gently. "And if you feel safe with Logan for now, then that's where you can stay. Can I speak to him, please?"
Zoe handed the phone back to Logan.
"Hello?" His expression shifted to something unreadable as he listened to Maya's instructions. "Understood," Logan said simply, then hung up.
He didn't immediately elaborate on what he'd agreed to, but something in his eyes had changed. A decision had been made.
