Page 105 of The Wolf and the Chimera
With surprising strength, she punched me in the shoulder.
“If youeverdo something like that again,” she threatened. Red light flickered in her dark eyes, “you will regret it, mate.”
I balked, but not at her threat.
Mate.
She had never called me that—not without an audience to perform for.
Elle realized it too and started. I fumbled for words and fought the pressure in my gums.
Just because she called us that,I told my wolf,does not mean we can bite her right here and now.
My animalistic side disagreed. Above me, Elle stiffened, and I worried she had misinterpreted my silence. I gripped her waist.
“Ellie,” I breathed.
Flashes of light stole her attention, and I growled at the intrusion. As Circe, the other wolves, and Elle’s parents appeared before us, Elle scrambled out of my arms like I was on fire. Though I was relieved to see all of them unharmed, part of me wanted to beg for just a few seconds of privacy.
Mate.The word spun circles in my mind.She called me her mate.
Elle scanned her friends and family carefully, clearly searching for signs of injury. To comfort her, and because I craved an excuse to touch her, I wrapped an arm around her waist.
“We’re fine, Ella-Bella,” Lee assured his daughter and grinned.
“We’re really proud of you,” Imogen said.
“Yeah,” Kieran agreed. “Things got a little shaky there, but you pulled it off.”
“We had no doubts,” Melanie added.
Bo scoffed. “I actually remember hearing your many,many doubts—”
Melanie elbowed him in his side and forced a grin.
“You did well,” Circe said.
At the sound of the witch’s voice, Elle stiffened, and anger rolled off her in waves. I couldn’t blame her. I wouldn’t appreciate my loved ones being used as pawns fortrainingeither.
But, had it worked?
Was Elle really one with her chimera, at last?
My mate wobbled on her feet, and I realized the question could wait. Each second that her adrenaline faded, her exhaustion became more apparent.
I spoke with an Alpha’s authority. “We’re done here for the day.”
“Very well,” Circe crooned.
The witch flashed us into our room without another word.
Alone in the flickering light of our hearth, I studied my mate and tried to summon the words stuck in my throat. Even covered in sand, clad in a wrinkled, ripped tunic, she was beautiful. As she stared into my eyes like she wanted to get lost in them, I yearned to touch her soft skin and the delicate tendrils of her hair.
I wanted to make her mine in every way possible.
“Ellie,” I said in a low, gruff voice. “There’s something—”
A huge yawn escaped her, which she covered with a shaky hand. She shook her head to clear it.
