Taken: True Mates Book 2 (BBW Wolf Shifter Romance) (A Craggstone Paranormal Romance) by Olivia Arran Page B

sill, marching over to where he reclined, relaxed and regarding me with an amused expression on his smug, handsome face. “I do not want to fuck—”
    “Yes. You do.”
    He had me there. I could lie, but I didn’t lie — not if I could help it. I threw my arms in the air in frustration. “Okay…I do. But, not like this!”
    He lurched to sitting, closing the gap between us, his long torso bringing him nearly to my height, his legs swinging around to encase mine. “Like what? Like two people who want each other so badly, it’s driving them crazy? What would happen? Why would it be so bad?” he demanded, his face inches away from my chest, puffs of breath scorching against my skin.
    “Because…” my resolve wavered, the sight of him sitting there, inches away, looking up at me with lust etched on to his face. It would be—
    “Because—?” he echoed, tilting his head in question.
    At that angle all I had to do was lean down a fraction. I hesitated, every cell in my body screaming for him, the warmth that I had felt.
    “Because—?” he prompted again, his hands coming up and cupping my hips, then reaching around and cupping my behind. Strong fingers smoothed my skin, molding and caressing. “Why would it be so bad? We’d both get what we want—”
    The lust induced fog lifted. That was it — what I wanted . Not this, a mindless fuck with no consequences, no sharing beyond that of the flesh. I wanted this man. But, I wanted it all. Every last piece of him — heart, body and soul.
    “Not what I want.” I murmured, capturing his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me. Really look at me. “I want you—”
    “You can have me—” he interrupted.
    “Not like this. I’m your mate — I want you, all of you.”
    He froze, his hands hovering over my behind, eyes beseeching me to stop.
    “You wouldn’t want me…not if you knew,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion.
    “I would. I do,” I whispered, my thumb tracing the scar on his cheek, the roughness jarring in contrast with his smooth skin.
    “But, you don’t know. And, you belong to another. Let’s not forget that.” His voice was bitter, his eyes accusing.
    “I was given to another—”
    “Given?”
    I nodded, sending thanks to the Mother that he was listening — for once.
    “My father, the Alpha, arranged my mating when I was young — to align two prides and stop the fighting.”
    Sean reluctantly nodded his understanding. “Old fashioned, but some packs — sorry, prides — still hold to the old ways.”
    “I didn’t mind at first, it was what I had been brought up believing was right.” I tried for a light hearted shrug, failing miserably. “It would have been okay. I didn’t need Ian to love me. Just like and respect — that’s all I wanted.”
    “What happened? What did he do?” Sean growled protectively, his hands resuming their position on my backside, and pulling me closer.
    I could feel his protectiveness weakly through the bond. “He had already found his mate. He only went through with the arrangement for the good of his pride. That was okay too, she was nice…”
    A rumbling in Sean’s chest spurred me on.
    “…but, it didn’t work out. He…threw me out.” Not quite the full story, but enough. For now.
    “What about you? Why don’t you like your wolf?”
    His eyes flashed liquid gold, his wolf peering out at me, before being forced back under control. Sean swallowed visibly. “There’s nothing to say. Nothing that can be changed. I wish things were different, but I don’t have it in me to offer you. I thought I did. Before I met you, all I ever wanted was to find my mate. But…I can’t. I know that now.”
    I could see regret on his face, resignation to a fate that didn’t include me.
    “I don’t understand. Whatever it is, we can figure it out. Find a way to make it work. Just give us a chance!” I pleaded. I reached for the bond again, nearly stumbling when I felt his raw pain