Chapter 78
Chapter 78
She stiffened. “A bite… to claim p>
Declan froze. He pulled back carefully. “It’s nothing like the strigoi. A wolf’s claim is about love, not ownership. The mark wouldn’t last if
you didn’t accept it p>
She relaxed against him. “Will it leave a permanent mar
“Yes. It’s very permanent. If I claim you, if you accept my claim, there’ll never be anyone else for me p>
She let out a small breath. “That’s a big risk p>
“I want to take it.” He held her gaze, searching her eyes for the sign
he wanted.
“Not yet,” she said softly.
The light dimmed in his eyes. “I understand,” he said, rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling. “It’s too much, too soon p>
“That’s not it,” she said, cupping his jaw, making him turn and look her in the eye. “I plan to accept your claim, Declan Kovak p>
The gleam rekindled in his eyes.
“But not until Alex is no longer a threat p>
Declan frowned. “Why? Do you still have some kind of feelings p>
“No! No. I stopped having feelings for him long before I left him. And then after I left–when he wouldn’t let me leave–the only feelings that remained were hatred and fear. I only have feelings for you p>
Chapter 78
She leaned in and kissed him softly. “But if you take this permanent
step with me, and then something happens to me-
A snarl wrenched from Declan’s throat. His eyes flashed pure gold and fur broke out over his body. He shook his head hard, holding her tight to him. The fur receded back to human skin. He blinked,
and his eyes looked mostly human. “Nothing is going to happen to you,” he said gruffly. “I’ll die before p>
Tessa pressed her hand over his mouth. “No you won’t. If nothing can happen to me, then nothing can happen to you eithe
understand p>
His gaze burned into hers and he nodded.
“When all of this is over–when we can go back to normal life without looking over our shoulders all the time–I’ll accept your
claim”
“ And I’ll accept yours,” Declan said.
“Mine? I’m not wolf kin. ”
“You’re pack. You can claim your mate p>
“How p>
“Same as I do it. With a bite p>
Tessa stared at him, a slow smile tugging at her lips. The idea of biting him, marking him as hers, had such a primitive appeal. The
urge to do it right that instant was almost overwhelming,
“You feel it now?” Declan asked with a knowing grin.
She nodded, not quite able to speak.
Chapter 78
“Still think you can wait p>
“Yes,” she whispered.
His grin only widened.
After that, every time they had sex, the compulsion to bite her claim into his skin accompanied every orgasm. Kisses somehow always turned into bites–each one a little harder than the next, until Tessa had to step away from him entirely, or lose control and put her mark on him right then and there.
In the mornings, Declan shifted into his wolfskin and ran tracks with the others while Tessa sat in the cabin and knitted or read. In the evenings, she and Declan ate and talked and made love so often the insides of her thighs were getting chafed. Jess showed up one afternoon with more food sent by Natasha. Declan and Tessa had to hastily dress and when Jess stepped inside the cabin her nose wrinkled and she looked at them both with knowing dismay.
“You could’ve just told me to leave it outside the door,” she said.
Tessa flushed bright red, but Declan just laughed.
Despite the happiness of being with Declan, the specter of Alex was omnipresent, and his continued evasion was like the winding gear on a jack–in–the–box. Eventually, something had to give, and the tension was becoming unbearable.
They’d been living in the Ranger Station for a little over a week when Margaret called with bad news. “Wade’s been attacked p>
Declan put his phone on speaker and they listened grimly as she explained.
“He was following a scent trail along Splinter Creek. The strigoi caught him from behind. Wade’s going to be alright. It wasn’t nearly
Chapter 78
as bad as Elena.” A few days ago she’d let them know that Elena was fully healed–shifting into her wolfskin with no problem, and running tracks with the rest of the pack. But even so, the memory made Tessa’s stomach churn.
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