Sitting next to me, he put an arm around my shoulders, thrusting my face into his bare chest. The scent of him enveloped my head, slinking into my nostrils and making me flush.
The tears came, the sobs loud as I covered my face with my throbbing hands. I didn’t want him to see my ugly expression, it would scare even the hardiest of people.
His stiff posture started to relax as I rocked into him, enjoying the human contact despite the fact that he was Killick, the alpha-heir.
Chills followed his fingers as they stroked down my bare arm, the touch exquisite. My tears eased as heat burst through the grief, engulfing me as I pulled away from where I’d been resting on his chest. He looked at me, our gaze clashing and our breath mingling. His eyelids were heavy, the heat making his cheeks pink. At least I wasn’t the only one feeling the pull between us.
“We shouldn’t,” I whispered when his head came closer.
A rough growl slinked up his throat as he gently rubbed his nose against mine. Zips of desire shot through me, taking my breath as his lips pressed urgently against mine. I returned the pressure, unable to resist his kiss, which turned hard, desperate, almost. The tenderness vanished when I groaned deep in my chest.
His tongue plunged into my mouth, swirling with mine before he nipped my lips and pushed me down with his weight. The pain of my wounds made me gasp, and I tried to put a hand between us to stop him. It didn’t work. His hand came into the back of my hair and cradled my head as he laid me down, his tongue still dancing with mine. I winced as the mixture of pain and pleasure vibrated through my whole body.
The thrum of a car engine sounded in the distance. Air blasted around me as Killick disappeared, jumping off me quicker than a lion chasing its dinner.
“Fuck!” he exclaimed, adjusting himself in his jeans before running a hand over his head.
The melody of our breath was enough to make anyone suspicious. I rubbed my throbbing lips, doing my best not to press my hand between my legs in order to stop the throbbing there too.
“What was that?” I gasped, cringing as I sat up.
My whole body was on fire, burning from desire and pain, all at the same time. An unease settled over me as Killick went to the door, pausing to look over his shoulder.
“Don’t tell anyone about what just happened.”
His words were like arrows, piercing my chest. Was he afraid that others would judge him? Or maybe he was scared because he had almost lost control. I wasn’t even sure he would’ve stopped if I’d asked. Although, surely the alpha-heir wouldn’t have taken me against my wishes?
My hands shook as I brushed them through my hair, cringing when my blood smeared onto the purple strands. It had been a moment of madness for both of us, so I had no right in judging him. I had been just as bad, not exactly saying no.
The sound of their muttering grew louder as they came into my home. Caleb’s forehead was creased in concern, only furrowing deeper when he saw me on the wooden floor.
“Shit,” he hissed, “you are in a bad way.”
He was beside me in seconds, inspecting my wounds and opening a medical bag at the same time. I wouldn’t have pegged him for a medic, but I was grateful he’d interrupted us when he did.
“The bastard was trying to kill her. What did he say?” he asked me.
We hadn’t had a chance to speak about why Jeremy had been trying to kill me. Did I tell Killick the truth in front of Caleb?
“Nyla betrayed Jeremy and led your father to them so he could save your mother.”
Killick’s muscles tensed, his arms flexing as he rubbed them both over his hair. “She did?”
Nodding, I clenched my teeth and released my breath. Caleb had barely nudged one of the wounds in my leg with a needle, but fuck, it hurt like hell.
“Jeremy vowed to kill me in revenge.” I winced in pain as the needle travelled through my skin.
“So my mother is free?” Killick clenched his fists at his sides, his glare almost contrary to the relief he should be feeling.
Before I could answer, a phone rang outside, distracting his attention away from me. It was a good job really, I was ready to scream from pain as Caleb stitched one of my bigger wounds.
Killick rushed out of the door in search of his phone, which he’d obviously had the sense to leave on the porch along with his clothes before he’d shifted.
“T-that bloody well hurts,” I stammered, gripping hold of my thighs to try and stem the pain.
He grunted an apology before gently dislodging my hands and inspecting the cuts on them. A flush crept up my neck as he looked at me from under his long dark eyelashes. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Surely Caleb hadn’t guessed what had just happened between Killick and myself?