what gnawed at her inside, things became clear. She knew things. Things that had been shoved to the back of her subconscious.
She knew she needed a pack. Maybe that’s why she’d been so desperate to become a member of the club in the first place. She knew she hadn’t been made this way like the werewolves in the movies. She was a wolf because her mother was one. She knew that delicious scent coming from Drake earlier was because he’d been aroused.
She stared at him, a flood of emotions rising in her chest. Joy, desire, fear, confusion, satisfaction, desperation. “You’re my… my… mate.”
His tight grin didn’t erase the worry from his eyes. He brushed his thumb across her heated cheek. “I am. And you are mine , sweet Ella.”
Sweet Ella . No one had ever called her something so… reverent. This man—wolf? man/wolf?—was different than anyone she’d ever known. He treasured her. Even though their relationship was new, he held her in the highest regard. The same as she did him. And it was because of the animal inside her that she could understand this. It was instinctual, the respect and attraction.
It was an unstoppable force for sure, but she didn’t want to stop it either. She wanted to matter to someone. To him . Like he mattered to her.
The rest was just details.
Another realization hit her, and this one brought with it overwhelming mortification. “Oh my god.” She tried to push him away but he wouldn’t budge.
“What is it?”
“Oh. My god .” Her voice rose to a squeak.
The look on his face was brutal. “Ella, tell me what’s wrong.”
“ I’m in heat ,” she whispered, horrified.
Drake’s face relaxed a fraction. The side of his mouth even turned up in the most intimate expression. It made her stomach flutter with a million butterflies.
“I know.”
“But… but I threw myself at you!” And she wanted to do it again. Jesus. The burning was both enjoyable and unbearable.
“I know,” he murmured, pulling her closer. “And I am so glad you did.”
“The guys.” Holy hell. “That’s what was wrong with them. Oh, no. How embarrassing.”
She buried her face in Drake’s neck so he couldn’t see how humiliated she was.
“You don’t have to worry about them,” he said, roughly. “Blister will knock some sense into ‘em. We just need to keep you away for a while until it passes. Or…”
“Or what?”
Drake shook his head, and she pulled back to look at him.
“It’s too soon,” he choked out.
“Too soon for what?”
He stared at her so intently she knew he was choosing his words carefully. “I can claim you and every wolf nearby will know you’re mine.” She felt him grow hard against her belly and struggled to hold in a gasp. “No one would dare touch you. But…”
God, that sounded amazing. Ella the human might not have agreed, but Ella the shifter was so effing on board with being taken and claimed. A moan escaped her.
Oh hell, Ella the human probably wouldn’t have minded either.
“I’m… I’m not opposed to that.”
Drake reached down to grab a handful of her behind, squeezing to bring her even closer. His hands on her did strange things to her inside. She was melting with every point of contact. His mouth was so close to hers, she could feel the magic of their breath mingling.
“Do you have any idea what those words do to me? What you do to me? I want to lose myself in you, Ella. Body, mind, and soul. But I can’t put my young in you yet. It’s too soon. We haven’t discussed children or living situations. Or hell, what we’re going to tell Blister.” He brushed his lips over hers. “We’ve only just found each other.”
Crap. He was right. And she had so many questions. So much to think about. This was happening too fast. She just couldn’t make herself care.
She wanted her mate.
“I’m usually more thoughtful than this,” she mumbled. “I make plans and lists. I’m strategic. But with you, I just want to go all
She knew she needed a pack. Maybe that’s why she’d been so desperate to become a member of the club in the first place. She knew she hadn’t been made this way like the werewolves in the movies. She was a wolf because her mother was one. She knew that delicious scent coming from Drake earlier was because he’d been aroused.
She stared at him, a flood of emotions rising in her chest. Joy, desire, fear, confusion, satisfaction, desperation. “You’re my… my… mate.”
His tight grin didn’t erase the worry from his eyes. He brushed his thumb across her heated cheek. “I am. And you are mine , sweet Ella.”
Sweet Ella . No one had ever called her something so… reverent. This man—wolf? man/wolf?—was different than anyone she’d ever known. He treasured her. Even though their relationship was new, he held her in the highest regard. The same as she did him. And it was because of the animal inside her that she could understand this. It was instinctual, the respect and attraction.
It was an unstoppable force for sure, but she didn’t want to stop it either. She wanted to matter to someone. To him . Like he mattered to her.
The rest was just details.
Another realization hit her, and this one brought with it overwhelming mortification. “Oh my god.” She tried to push him away but he wouldn’t budge.
“What is it?”
“Oh. My god .” Her voice rose to a squeak.
The look on his face was brutal. “Ella, tell me what’s wrong.”
“ I’m in heat ,” she whispered, horrified.
Drake’s face relaxed a fraction. The side of his mouth even turned up in the most intimate expression. It made her stomach flutter with a million butterflies.
“I know.”
“But… but I threw myself at you!” And she wanted to do it again. Jesus. The burning was both enjoyable and unbearable.
“I know,” he murmured, pulling her closer. “And I am so glad you did.”
“The guys.” Holy hell. “That’s what was wrong with them. Oh, no. How embarrassing.”
She buried her face in Drake’s neck so he couldn’t see how humiliated she was.
“You don’t have to worry about them,” he said, roughly. “Blister will knock some sense into ‘em. We just need to keep you away for a while until it passes. Or…”
“Or what?”
Drake shook his head, and she pulled back to look at him.
“It’s too soon,” he choked out.
“Too soon for what?”
He stared at her so intently she knew he was choosing his words carefully. “I can claim you and every wolf nearby will know you’re mine.” She felt him grow hard against her belly and struggled to hold in a gasp. “No one would dare touch you. But…”
God, that sounded amazing. Ella the human might not have agreed, but Ella the shifter was so effing on board with being taken and claimed. A moan escaped her.
Oh hell, Ella the human probably wouldn’t have minded either.
“I’m… I’m not opposed to that.”
Drake reached down to grab a handful of her behind, squeezing to bring her even closer. His hands on her did strange things to her inside. She was melting with every point of contact. His mouth was so close to hers, she could feel the magic of their breath mingling.
“Do you have any idea what those words do to me? What you do to me? I want to lose myself in you, Ella. Body, mind, and soul. But I can’t put my young in you yet. It’s too soon. We haven’t discussed children or living situations. Or hell, what we’re going to tell Blister.” He brushed his lips over hers. “We’ve only just found each other.”
Crap. He was right. And she had so many questions. So much to think about. This was happening too fast. She just couldn’t make herself care.
She wanted her mate.
“I’m usually more thoughtful than this,” she mumbled. “I make plans and lists. I’m strategic. But with you, I just want to go all
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