Page 59 of The Wolf's Kidnapped Mate

I couldn’t help myself.

I couldn’t help it when I was with him.

Shuddering squeaks turned to satisfied giggles. He chortled while slumping against my back, his hand limp on my slit.

I bucked. “More.”

“Darling, I can’t…” He struggled to take deep breaths. “You’ve…worn me out…I justcan’tdo more.”

“But I want it.”

He gently pulled out and guided me to the ground. Warm leaves cradled my body as he wrapped me in his arms. We wouldn’t be here much longer. We didn’t have much time. It wouldn’t be long until we couldn’t do this anymore.

“More,” I pleaded, but exhaustion was winning. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. “Please, Freddie. Before you leave me…”

Chapter 19 - Fred

Sleep was just the nurse I needed. Having Kylie next to me while I napped was even better, a reassurance that my body and soul would be safe for a few hours. I hadn’t thought that biting her neck would make me feel this way. I’d just thought it would provide good coverage for the fight itself.

But it seemed the effects had lingered.

Weak flames struggled to bloom. I sat up and scanned the area, listening intently to the sounds of bugs chittering outside, the steady drip of water in the cave, and the distant swish of a flowing river somewhere deeper inside this miniature mountain.

All was calm and quiet. All was settled.

Kylie breathed slow and deep next to me. The tip of her hip stuck into my stomach with her legs tangled in a strange position. Firelight fell over her glistening cheek, reddish-auburn strands sticking to her mouth. I tugged them aside to stroke her cheek.

A few seconds later, she woke up. She rose to her elbows. She expertly scanned the area much like I had when I first awakened. As soon as her hazel-brown eyes landed on me, she gasped. Relief rapidly flooded in place of her shocked expression.

“I thought I was—” She frowned while looking away. “Greenville.”

I stood up and held out my hand to her. “What was in Greenville?”

“A wild weekend by myself in a strange place.”

“Explain.”

But instead of acknowledging me, she kicked sand into the fire. She extinguished the rest of it quickly before toeing through the leaves that remained on the ground. “We should get moving.”

I caught her shoulder. “Kylie, I—”

She shook me off. “The faster we get there, the faster we can put this whole thing behind us.”

Cold.

Like a frigid stream coming down the mountain.

It wound around me, locked my heart in my chest, made it hard to breathe. I fumbled after her for a second, taken aback by her abrupt shift. “Did something happen?”

“I just want to go home.”

“You’ll get there. I promise.”

She folded her arms across her chest, shivering as she stood at the cave’s entrance. Moonlight draped the hills in a gorgeous silver blanket that touched the tops of trees and winked off distant signs.

This was the closest we had been to civilization in a while. Aside from the few cabins we’d found along the way, this was definitely far more human than animal. I tentatively reached for Kylie, rubbing the tense muscles of her upper back.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I had some weird dreams.”

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