Moon Kissed by Aline Hunter Page B

coming with him whether she liked it or not. He started to close the distance between them when the male beside her lifted his arm and revealed a casting wand. The rounded end contained a clear orb that glowed white, the crystal structure coming to life as it shifted into prismatic colors.
    “ Subnecto ,” he barked, and the orb pulsed, turning almost orange.
    Wolfe stopped immediately, as though his feet were glued to the floor. He drew back his lips, revealed his fangs and scented the air. The stench of amber, wick and salt permeated the space. But beneath it all there was a hum of energy he hadn’t noticed.
    Damn it to hell.
    He narrowed his eyes at the warlock, aware of whom he faced. Only one warlock judge had survived the curse of the crux demon that wiped out a majority of the magically inclined population twenty-five years before. They were a rare breed with magic so powerful supernatural things avoided them like the plague.
    “Sheriff Trevor McAvoy.” Wolfe’s voice was no longer entirely man—throaty, garbled and animalistic.
    “I don’t go by that title anymore,” the warlock replied.
    Arden skirted behind Trevor, and the beast inside Wolfe went mad. It wanted to tear the warlock apart, to see the magic wielder bleed for coming anywhere near its mate. Wolfe shifted his feet despite the binding of the spell, and Trevor McAvoy lost a bit of his cool composure.
    The warlock thrust the wand forward. “Don’t come any closer!”
    “Damn it, Arden!” Wolfe roared, his body pulsating, skin burning. “Stop running from me.”
    So close now.
    The wolf’s howl in his head was so loud he couldn’t hear anything else. If she ran, he’d hurt her even if he didn’t mean to. The animal would be in charge. It would mark her without hesitation, fucking her so everyone knew it had staked its claim. It wouldn’t be kind and it wouldn’t be romantic.
    “I’m going to shift,” he panted, holding back the change while he still could. “When that happens, only a silver bullet to the heart will stop me from taking you. Do you understand? The wolf will take over, and I won’t be able to do anything about it. Nothing will prevent me from making you mine. I’ll do it right here, in this very room. I’ll care who sees, but the animal inside me won’t.”
    He scented her fear, heard the turmoil inside her stunned mind. The need to reassure and comfort her came second only to his efforts not to lose control. If she took off, he’d lose his hold over the beast. Then she’d learn just how eager his wolf was to claim her. He’d take her with or without the warlock watching, in such a way she’d never dare think of another.
    “Stop moving.” Trevor addressed Arden quietly, his voice eerily calm. He kept his staff upright, eyes locked on Wolfe. “He’s not lying. He’ll shift, rip out my throat and take you on the floor where we’re standing. It’s in his nature. He can’t control it. Set him off and there’s nothing I can do. I’ll have to kill him to stop him.”
    Wolfe studied her, absorbed the emotions that ran through her thoughts. She was afraid of what he was—of what he represented—and of what he offered. He was the future she didn’t want to believe in. Happiness was something she’d never allowed herself. She didn’t feel worthy of such a thing. Somehow she’d managed to convince herself that it didn’t matter if she never found love. His heart ached at what he discovered in the deepest recesses of her mind.
    Everything she’d ever loved, she’d lost.
    “Lycae don’t hurt their mates,” she said quietly, refusing to look at him. “I’ll go while he’s bound. Now that I can see, travel won’t be an issue—”
    Trevor cut her short. “If you run, he will find you. There won’t be any talking until after the deed is done. You’ll hate him, even if you brought the harm on yourself because you refused to listen to me.”
    “Damn it!” A simmering spark of temper shone through her