Page 84 of The Wolf and the Chimera
“Good,” he said, “because I’ve been trying my hand at patience here, but I’m so curious I’m almost biting off my tongue.”
I echoed his laughter and joined him in our bed. My chimera stirred, but I pushed aside her lust to say what was on my heart.
“I don’t want any secrets between us,” I told him.
As the weight of my words settled on him, Ryder stiffened then strode around the bed and pressed a kiss to my lips. Though his touch was soft and sweet, my fingers itched to explore his body. When he pulled away, we were both breathless.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you,” he whispered. “Nothing.”
When we laid in bed, he pulled me to his side, and I fell asleep in his embrace.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Elle
In the sandy pit of the coliseum, the foggy gray sky hung over us like the perfect reflection of my mood. The chilly breeze bit into my simple, pale blue tunic and nipped at the tip of my nose.
Once again, my chimera training had gone…array.
Circe had planted me in a pit of snakes and told me my chimera form offered immunity from their venom—if I mustered the control to summon it.
My chimera had allowed me that, but I hadn’t been able to form the claws I desperately needed to climb out of the pit. I had been bitten.
Over and over and over again.
The snakes had brutalized me to the point where venom may not have been a concern, but blood loss certainly was. Eventually, the ancient witch had taken pity on me and flashed me into the coliseum, where my mate and my father now threw such fits over the blood coating my skin, I almost wanted to go back to the snakes.
Almost.
The two had been sparring in the coliseum when we appeared. The only silver lining in all this was that the others weren’t here to witness the spectacle.
“The girl is fine,” Circe insisted.
She waved a hand in my direction, and light flashed. Warmth spread across my skin in a pleasant wave. My stinging wounds abated. When I blinked away the lingering blindness from the flash of light, I touched my arms and realized Circe had healed me. Only dry, crusted blood remained.
Hands still shaking with rage, Ryder stormed to my side.
Gently, he picked up my hand and touched one of the bloody spots. His power loomed in the air like an axe waiting to fall.
“I’m okay,” I said in a low voice.
If anything, it riled my inner beast’s nerves to have everyone treat her like she was made of glass. After the hell she had put me through, I didn’t care about her feelings, but the coddling irritated me too.
Luckily, Ryder saw what I needed and backed down.
My father was another story.
“I don’t care if you healed her!” he shouted. “She shouldn’t be covered in wounds anyway!”
Ryder stiffened, and Dad glared at him.
“What kind of mate are you?” he demanded. “You’re okay with Elle being hurt?”
Ryder’s jaw clenched, and I grabbed his hand.
“No,” Ryder growled, “but I respect Elle’s choices.”
Dad shook his head and scoffed. “You’re just too scared to say something she doesn’t like.”
