Page 44 of The Beast's Betrayed Mate
“I don’t want to have sex for the first time in a bed with you here, like this,” she said. “But if it means staying alive…”
His eyes met hers. The soft desire she stirred could rage into a storm at any moment, he had learned that much in the past twenty-four hours, but not like this.
He’d get her into a bed at some point, once they were out of there, once they were safe. But not in this room and not for these people.
“No,” he shook his head. “Not like this.”
He’d rather fucking die than be the cause of any more trauma for her.
“I couldn’t live with myself,” he said. “And I don’t think you could either. Doing anything more to further this fucked up cause. Right?”
She smiled a small smile, fingers tight around his as she echoed, “Right.”
Then there was a noise so loud it brought them both to their feet.
“That sounded like an explosion,” Olive murmured.
Another loud bang had them turn around to face the windows surrounding them.
“Do you know where we are?” he asked.
“One of the pods on the roof,” she replied. “There’s five of them. I always thought they were conference rooms.”
He couldn’t help but smile at that.
“What the fuck is happening?” he murmured when another bang sounded, this one closer to the door.
His heart rate was picking up, and his wolf was growling for release, but not quite yet because he wanted to see how in control of it he really was. He wanted to hold it off until it was absolutely necessary for it to make its entrance.
Knowing it was there filled him with the lust to face his captors, however. One that he hadn’t experienced yet. Where teeth would gnash and crack bones, and he would free himself and Olive without a look back.
Only the guards were all wolf—they were a pack. And he wasn’t sure he could face them alone.
Then there was a dent that appeared in the door as something big hit it.
He could scent something familiar. Just as the door gave way, letting whatever was hitting it through, he knew what it was. Or rather who.
And as a wolf burst into the room, all dark brown fur and glowing yellow eyes, Peter had never been so happy to see a supernatural creature in all his life.
“Michael!” he exclaimed, though he doubted the stated recognition was necessary.
“That’s Michael?” Olive asked, eyes round as the wolf faced them.
Another bang had Olive and Peter look to the doorway. Peter smirked. “I’ve done that,” he nodded at the trashed door.
Turn. Michael’s voice in his head, impossible to ignore or disobey.Get her on your back.
“Like a horse?” Peter asked, the vehemence mostly coming from his inner wolf, but Michael’s stern gaze brokered no argument. “You’re supposed to get on my back,” Peter said to Olive. “Better hold on tight.”
“Oh… kay,” Olive said, taking a step back to allow Peter the room he needed to shift. “So, I guess I just… grab on?”
He didn’t reply, and she stared as his eyes began to glow brighter. As he had done when he shifted back, he went down on all fours. It was as though his body was compelling him to the moment before the snap and crackle of his bones began. They were adjusting, and joint by joint, muscle by muscle the rest of him followed. That the transformation took less than thirty seconds seemed a miracle in itself, but he had a growing sense that the wolves were at their most vulnerable in the moments when they existed between human and wolf. He was grateful that Michael was guarding the door.
The email.
Michael must have put two and two together, gathered the cavalry and come to their rescue. Peter wondered if his friend had been to the facility already. If that was why he had known to come, because he knew they would be in danger.
He looked over at Olive, the transformation complete, and she stepped up to him gingerly. She touched his fur gently, but he gave a soft growl for her to hurry up. So she did. Brazing one foot against the crook of his mighty front leg she swung herself onto his back.
