Page 21 of Rust the Rejected
One hand squeezes her bare thigh while the other hand holds a syringe poised above her leg. Tears stream down her flushed cheeks. At my urgent cry, her head snaps up. Onyx eyes widen as her mouth opens on a gasp.
I dart forward faster than humanly possible and snatch the syringe from her hand. She jumps to her feet, reaching for the needle. I lift my arm to the sky.
“What the fuck are you doing?! What drug is this?”
She flinches at my harsh tone.
I don’t give a fuck! I will not allow her to harm herself. It’s hard to cope when separated from a fated mate. But it’s not enough to turn to drugs. If that were the case, then Jagger would have thrown my ass in rehab instead of me coming here. I scowl as I tower over her.
“Rust, it’s not what you think. Please, just give it back.”
“Not until you tell me what’s in the syringe.”
She swipes her hand over her face and walks up the porch steps. At the back door, she glances over her shoulder.
“Come inside. I don’t want to talk out here.”
I sniff the air. No deceit, only a profound sadness surrounds her. My mind recalls Sage’s words about Natalie’s wounded heart. Time to learn more about my fated mate.
* * *
Natalie
Rust followsme into the house. I shut the door behind him and gesture towards the living room. I run my suddenly sweaty palms on the front of my strapless romper. When I glance up, Rust has a glint in his hazel eyes. His wolf is near the surface. I shiver and hurry to the kitchen for some bottles of water. When I return, he still has a wolfish expression on his handsome face. My wolf preens happy to be near our fated mate.
And fated mate, he is.
I couldn’t bear to remain in Miami, knowing Rust was so close to my apartment. Its proximity to the hospital proved inconvenient when trying to avoid him. I didn’t want to leave the state. A search on the Internet brought up the Florida Keys with Big Pine Key being the most mellow. Perfect for me to be alone and think about what I want to do with my life. More importantly if I wanted Rust in it. I booked the cottage for the rest of my leave.
When the medicines arrived from the hospital dispensary, I made my suppression serum and packed two vials and syringes. My wolf was back fully. All my senses returned. Plus, the inherent desire to belong to a pack and to have a mate.
I wrestled with the pros and cons for the last three days. Never alone again. Potential for love. No fear of Sam finding me and forcing me back to Washington since Rust’s pack’s Alpha wouldn’t allow it to happen. But then I’d have to give up my career. Bow down to a male. Be bred for pups. Gah!
The days of debate are bad. But the nights filled with erotic dreams starring Dr. McDreamy keep me in a heightened state of arousal. My full breasts are heavy tipped with sensitive nipples. Constant pulses of my pussy walls clenching on air—or on my fingers. Dreams so real I wake sweaty and dripping. Double Gah!
Many times, I wonder if Rust aches for me as I do for him. Or if he found solace in the arms of that doctor or any of the nurses who fawn all over him. Worse yet, between their welcoming thighs. Talk about triple gah!
Then when I build the courage to put an end to the debate and my misery, Rust appears out of thin air! So, intent on my task, I didn’t detect his presence. I nearly had a coronary.
Now, I stare at him and wonder. Was I about to make a terrible mistake suppressing my wolf again? He came for me. That counts as something. But how did he find me? I’ll ask after I tell him about the serum and what forced me to suppress my wolf. And more importantly, drive me away from him—my fated mate.
“Here’s a water,” I say as I sit on the love seat. I shake my head at how apropos the name.
“Thank you,” Rust says as he sits beside me.
His nearness engulfs me in his citrusy, musky, and spicy scent. He’s pure masculinity as his long, muscular legs spread. His thigh presses against mine, and I have to bite back a wanton moan. It’s bad enough my nipples pucker beneath the terrycloth of my romper. Their outline apparent since I don’t wear a bra.
He cocks his head and sniffs. A feral growl rumbles in his chest as he pins me with a stare full of lust and possessiveness.
My pussy spasms.
“Natalie…”
I nearly cum from the silken baritone growl of my name dripping from his lush mouth. My eyelids droop as I breathe past my parted lips. Heat warms my cheeks and seeps into my pussy. I scent my own arousal. It turns me on more.
A large hand wraps around the back of my neck and pulls me forward. My wide eyes jump to Rust’s flashing hazel ones. His mouth a hair’s breadth away from mine. He sucks in my pants, then crashes his mouth on mine.
The world tilts.
