Page 113 of Rogue Wolf

“Well, there’s no point in both of us biting you.” Kodiak tried to take her hand. “It might confuse you when you’re in wolf form.”

“Like hell, it will.” She snatched her hand away.

“You don’t understand the risks. I don’t want to lose you.” He stared at her. “What if you change, but can’t control yourself and get trapped in wolf form?”

She shook her head. “I won’t.”

“You are so fucking stubborn,” he muttered. “You also don’t know that, none of us do. That’s the fucking point.”

“What about my genes?” She pointed at the broken opal. “I’ve got genes that will help me transform properly. It’ll be fine.”

He grabbed a pillow, punched it, and put it behind his back as he sat up. “You just said you wanted it to be me because you’re still human, even though you have those fucking genes. You can’t have it both ways, Tamaska.” Kodiak took a breath. “And I can’t be sure.”

“I can.”

“You can wish, but you can’t be sure.” He crossed his arms. “No one can. And I’m not risking it. I’m the fucking Alpha. I’ll be your Alpha, so start obeying me, starting with this or—”

“What? You’ll banish me?”

“No, I’ll put you over my knee and fucking spank you.” He looked at her. “Tamaska, I’m saying not to protect you, now, come the fuck here.”

Kodiak held his arms out toward her. She paused, wanting to argue some more because he was wrong, but also she really wanted to go to him and have him hold her and wrap her in the comfort and love she could see.

Tamaska sighed and got on the bed, snuggling down into his embrace. He didn’t feel like his usual strong self, but it didn’t matter. It was Kodiak, holding her and that was everything right then. Everything.

“We will work out it, Tamaska.” He brushed his lips over her temple. “Our bond is more important.”

“I don’t like not knowing. Everything is so…complicated.” She buried her head against his chest.

“It won’t be like this forever, I promise.”

Tamaska hoped that was true.

“I’ll leave you two alone. Remember, you’re meant to be resting,” said Roan.

“Yeah, yeah. Go get some rest yourself,” said Kodiak.

Roan closed the door softly behind him.

“Oh, that reminds me,” said Kodiak. He moved to brush her hair with his hand.

Her body responded to his touch, and she held him tighter.

“What?” asked Tamaska, enjoying a moment of peace with him.

“You were doing that whole bossy thing again, you know,” he said.

“I couldn’t help it.”

“I know. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m glad you did.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” She sat upright to look directly at him. Was she hearing things? “You also just berated me and threatened to spank me.”

“Spanking you might not have been strictly disciplinary.”Kodiak chuckled, his eyes fluttering between open and closed as he struggled against the sleeping pills Roan had given him.

“Are you kidding?” she asked coming back to settle against him. “About being glad?”

“Nope. Not kidding. But don’t do it again.”

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