Page 22 of Taken By the Lycanthrope

It’s a rivalry.

Tilda takes a step closer, getting in my face. My blood heats at her proximity, my fists clenching as I try to maintain my composure. I’m certain she has to feel it, too: the urge to mate, to rut, to fuck until neither of us are human anymore.

“You don’t scare me,” she says, her gaze delving into mine.

“I think it’s best if you went and stayed in someone else’s room,” I growl.

“Good,” Tilda says. “I never wanted to be here in the first place.”

I can’t tear my eyes away from her, and she’s too stubborn to avert her gaze. So we stare at each other for a moment, neither willing to back down.

I flinch when her hand grasps my wrist. She’s still soaking wet, and back in her bloody clothes. Her scent envelops me, fresh but still coppery and bright.

“You didn’t just bite me out of the kindness of your heart, did you?” she whispers.

I swallow hard. “No.”

She grimaces. “That’s all I needed to know.”

Tilda releases me and takes a step back, and it somehow hurts worse than if she’d managed to stare me down. I grunt and shake my head, making for the door. “I’m setting a guard outside,” I say. “Don’t try anything. If you do…”

“You’ll kill me,” she says. “I know.”

But I’m certain she doesn’t believe it.

I stalk out of the room and slam the door shut behind me, the wooden planks rattling on their hinges. Arden is already outside, listening in.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t just kill her?” the blonde asks, cocking an eyebrow at me.

I unleash a rumbling growl that echoes down the corridor, and don’t give any other reply.

I have to find a place for Tilda to stay.

CHAPTER EIGHT

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TILDA

Just like that, I’m back in the dark.

The blindfold keeps me from seeing the den, and the corridors wind in such weird patterns that I can’t memorize the path. All my attention is focused on Reyes’ firm hand on my elbow, sending prickling waves of sensation shimmering over my skin. He doesn’t say anything—he doesn’t have to—because we both know what’s happening between us now.

It’s not even real. All artificial.

I like his smile because he bit me. I check him out because he used his wolf powers on me. I do what he says because he’s the fucking Alpha Prime.

I hate this.

I hear a knock on a wooden door, then the creak of the door on its hinges. “Hi,” a meek voice—Peaches—says. “I didn’t expect—”

“Can you watch her?” Reyes asks. His voice is strained and tense. I guess I’ve finally broken his careful composure.

“Yeah,” Peaches mutters. “Sure. Should I just…keep her blindfolded when I’m leading her around?”

I hold my breath.

“It doesn’t matter,” Reyes breathes. “She’s going to be here for a few weeks. Not going to force her to stumble around blind the whole time.”

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