Page 13 of In Her Own Rite

“Okay,” she says softly. Her voice is tender, and I feel something twist in my gut. “Thanks, Kier.”

She knows better than to hug me before she heads upstairs.

I text Sofie after I finish cleaning up, and we agree to a drink at the bar across from my place. She’s gorgeous, and I try to have a nice time, I really do. I even have every intention of going back to my own place to sleep tonight. But after we say goodbye and I head to my apartment, my wolf won’t let me rest. I lie in bed and feel him prowling, snapping at me, demanding that I get up and go toher. Em. I close my eyes and try to block it out, but after a few hours, it’s clear I’m not winning this fight.

Sullen, I go to the shower and set the water to ice cold. Under the water, I scrub my skin raw until I can’t feel the weight of my need for her. And then I slink back to her house and crawl up beside her, pulling her body near me so I can finally, finally rest.

5

EMERSON

Iwake up the following morning to see the sunlight streaming into my room, pooling on the floor like honey. The feeling I had in my gut last night has grown heavy, and with a sinking disappointment I realize this is what Saga told me to expect: the knowing in my bones. Tonight is the night for Kieran’s rite.

I shift, stretching, and it’s only then that I realize I can’t move. Kieran is behind me, his body pressed to mine while his arm hangs around my waist. And I can feel something hard pressing against my hip.

Oh my God.

“Kier,” I whisper, trying to push his arm off of me so I can get out. But he’s too big, and the more I push against it, the more I end up pressing my body backwards onto him.

I feel his erection pulse as my body unintentionally presses against it. At the sensation, a wave of warmth rolls through my body, and I can feel wetness starting to pool between my legs.Oh God. Oh no.

“Kieran,” I say again, more frantically now as I try to push myself away from him. But at the motion of my body he just groans and pulls me closer, still clearly deep asleep. His face buries into my shoulder and I can feel the heat of his breath and the scratch of his beard against my skin. I let out a low moan, and I feel my breathing grow heavy.

“Kieran, please, wake up,” I say, my voice labored. But it’s too late. I’m so close to my heat that even the feeling of his body against mine is enough to send me tumbling into desire. As soon as he wakes up, he’ll be able to smell it in the air.

God, this is so embarrassing. A blush creeps up my face and neck, and I make myself lie perfectly still, hoping that I can calm down before he wakes up. But a minute later, his erection pulses against me again and my stupid body, betraying me, can’t help but react. I let out a gasp and my back arches. My head dips back, falling against him.

Stupid hormonal brain.

I can feel his weight shift behind me as he wakes up. For a second, half-asleep, he pulls me closer, and then he freezes.

He can smell it. He knows.

“Please let me go,” I whisper.

Within seconds I’m free and he’s pushing himself back against the wall, putting as much space between us as possible. I scramble forward, falling off the bed, clutching the blanket to my body as though it will save me from the humiliation of what’s happening.

“Em.Agaayu, I’m sorry, I was asleep,” he says.

“No, it’s okay. It’s not you, it’s just my stupid body…”

I feel a prickle run over my skin and a warmth blossoming in my stomach.

“I’m so sorry, this is so embarrassing. Please don’t look at me,” I say, clutching the blanket to me.

“Em,” he says. He’s breathing heavily too, I realize. Without wanting to, my eyes fall to his sweatpants, where I can see his erection straining against the fabric.

It’s huge.Of courseit is.

“I guess this was bound to happen at some point.” I try to laugh and keep my voice light as I turn my back to him, so I can’t see the way his body is reacting to mine. “I shouldn’t be going into heat for another week or two, but this year I just get… set off more easily than normal. I don’t know why. Please don’t judge me.”

“No, it’s okay. This… happens to everyone,” he says, his voice husky.

“Don’t try to make me feel better, okay? It’s fine. I’ve had to deal with this before, you just haven’t been around to see it. I’ll be okay. Just get out and I’ll see you later today, okay?” I try to keep my voice lighthearted and innocent, to mask the sound of my labored breathing.

“Em,” he says. I can hear him climbing out of bed and stepping closer to me, coming up behind me. My body basically hums as he gets close.

“I can help,” he said, his voice rough. “It doesn’t have to mean anything. We can… we can take the edge off.”

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