Page 50 of Taken By the Lycanthrope

“‘Take care of me,’” he echoes with a scoff.

“Sorry—I didn’t—”

“I forgive you,” he says.

Those words do something strange to me. At first, I’m relieved…then torn…then angry. I settle somewhere in between the three, twisting my hands in my lap as a certain pressure builds in the pit of my stomach.

“I wasn’t asking for your forgiveness,” I finally spit out, staring at the grass under my bare feet.

“Then how about God’s?”

I take a shallow breath, my eyes sliding shut. “Please,” I whisper.

Reyes’ voice lowers to a growl. “Then kneel.”

That’san order, infused with all the power of the Alpha Prime. My body moves of its own accord, falling to my knees in front of the chair. My breaths come in harsh gasps, my hands clasped in front of me to pray. I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen next, but the tension is rising between us, the curtain of flowers unable to sever that connection.

I hear his footsteps in the grass, moving in front of me. Ican’topen my eyes—not even when I hear his knees hit the ground. His hands find mine, and I realize I’m crying.

I don’t cry. Ido notfucking cry.

“You deserve forgiveness, Tilda,” he murmurs, grasping my hands. “And as far as I’m concerned, you have it.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

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TILDA

I didn’t know I needed forgiveness until now, but as Reyes’ hands clasp around mine, I realize that’s why I’ve felt so out of place here. These aren’t my people…and theycan’tbe my people until they forgive me.

“You’re only saying that because of what’s between us,” I murmur. I’ve managed to stay composed, even if tears are collecting at the corners of my eyes. A single drop trails down my cheek, and I duck my head so he can’t see. “Would you even be saying this if I wasn’t your…you know…”

“My mate?” he says. “Yes, of course. My wolf doesn’t control me.”

“‘Your wolf,’” I echo. “He’s made a lot of stupid choices.”

“ButIdon’t make stupid choices,” Reyes says. “Bringing you into the den wasn’t a bad choice. Neither was biting you. I think—and I know you don’t agree—I think God had a plan for us, andthat’swhy you came here that night. I don’t believe there was any chance you would have killed me.”

“Because of fate or because I didn’t think it through before I came here?” I ask. “You have to admit I’m alittlestupid.”

“You’re not stupid,” he says. “You’re brave, Tilda. And I…”

He trails off, his hands still clasped around mine. I didn’t realize how close he was, so I’m a bit startled as I take in exactly where we are—on analtar, of all places, on our knees, just inches apart.

“You what?” I ask.

“I think I’m falling in love with you.”

I can’t help but laugh at that, the sound coming out more like a sob. Reyes moves one of his hands to my face, swiping at my tears with a calloused thumb.

“But you’re a priest,” I say.

“That doesn’t stop me from feeling,” he says. “And if this is what God had in store for me, then…”

His hand slides around to the back of my neck, underneath my hair. The bite mark on my hip throbs, sending waves of pleasure over me at his touch alone. I wonder if that’s my own wolf howling to be set free—to lie back on this altar and spread my legs for him. I take a shuddering breath and try to move my hands to splay across his chest, but he keeps them held between us, like the last barrier to what we both want.

“Tell me it’s not just this…chemical thing between us,” I say. “Tell me you want me and not just your wolf.”

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