A Howling Heart
Chapter thirteen

His mouth claims mine, as does every other part of him. I shake in his grasp, my limbs vibrating against his, agitating the flame of my desire until my hips are subconsciously grinding against his to douse the fire of my longing. His body is on mine.

He's everywhere.

His voice in my head.

His affection is in my heart.

I don't think I can deny him.

"You cannot!" His voice interrupts mine, and for once, I don't have some defying thoughts. I let him take over - his tongue expertly entwined with mine in a passionate dance for dominance until he's lapping and licking, marveling at the taste of me, until he has enough strength to flip me over. He hovers above me, intense and brooding.

Any sane person would be afraid of him.

But I'm not.

The longer I remain locked in his passionate embrace, the more frenzied my lust becomes, and soon, I find myself whimpering like an animal when he pulls his lips free and moves them to my throat, nipping my skin. His teeth drag down the flesh hard enough to elicit a painful hiss from my lips. He moves to pull away, but out of nowhere, my hands shoot to his neck and hold him there.

"Again!" A sultry moan leaves my lips as I beg him with a yearning that I've never felt before. "Again! Oh, Matias! Again!"

He groans. "Ego pedicabo ego vos nunc, in conspectu omnium."

That language again....

"Latin!" He growls, his words still in my head. "I will claim you in every language imaginable. In front of everyone here. Our entire pack. That's how you will become mine."

His teeth are back on my neck, moving to my shoulder, where he bites harder. I gasp, back arching as I feel liquid bead my skin.

Blood.

He licks the bite before his lips are on mine again, my tongue exploding with the metallic taste of myself. It should gross me out. It completely derails me from the fact he's licked the wound he's created, but all it does is make my body ache with a more deep desire.

"You are exquisite, Fae. Your scent begs for me to mate and claim you as mine."

"I-It does," I stutter in disbelief.

His nostrils flare, his erection twitching in his pants against me. His gaze is unwavering with lust. I know he's moments away from committing to what he said and claiming me in front of all of them. "Be gentle with me, Matias," I plead softly.

"I don't know how to be gentle," he admits, his eyes dark and searching.

He moves in toward me and captures my bottom lip between his teeth, and I let a treacherous moan slip out, which he claims with his tongue. His voice enters my mind again. "When I claim, I destroy." Destroy?

That thought makes a shiver roll down my spine, and I find myself pressing my hands against his chest.

Maybe we should stop...

I don't think I'm prepared for that.

Or if I can handle that.....

With a guttural groan, he moves off of me into a crouch, his eyes so dark I can no longer see the whites, as his chest rises and falls deeply - each breath choked through his clenched jaw. Oh wow. I'm so stupid.

My eyes move around the group of people surrounding me, passing over a few naked people who must've just shifted: a blonde girl who can't stop staring intently at me, the same woman who exudes jealousy seemingly every time we make eye contact, and a woman with dark skin who appears to be a little older than me, offering me a warm smile. I gasp, realizing there are a few wolves scattered around as well.

The pack.

Finally, my eyes find Nate. His face stone, shielding his emotions from me as I drag my hands down my body to straighten my clothes. I slowly get up on my feet after Matias has risen. We almost...

In front of everyone!

I press my face in my palms and swallow as anxious tears sting my eyes.

"I'll bring you home -"

"No!"

We need some distance... I need to think clearly.

I know he can hear me even though I'm only thinking the words. He firms his lips into a thin line, and his jaw tenses before he whips around to face the mansion once again.

"Nate, bring her home," he demands with a raspy voice.

Nate replies instantly, "Yes, Sir."

I know Matias is pissed. I feel it between the connection that ties me together. It's almost potent enough to cause unjust bouts of jealousy within me, but I suppress the feeling, attempting to sever the connection as best I can. Because I'd enjoy some semblance of privacy.

I gasp when Matias enters my mind again. "As you wish."

What can only be described as a wall seems to materialize in my head. For once, I don't feel that tickling sensation of having someone in my thoughts. I know he's respected my wishes and blocked himself from invading my mind. It's what I wanted.

Why am I disappointed?

***

When I turn back to Nate, shorts are hanging loosely on his hips. He nods for me to follow, and I hurry over to him. We begin walking through the forest to civilization.

I glance back over my shoulder, my face falling when Matias is nowhere to be found.

I've disappointed him....

I blink rapidly, clearing my throat to distract myself from the growing void in the middle of my chest. I trudge alongside Nate, a million questions swirling around in my head with each step.

"Why didn't you say anything to me?" I can't help lashing out at him for his secrecy and the dangers he's put me in. especially considering that I felt like we were becoming friends, but now I feel betrayed.

"Say what?" He doesn't turn to look at me. His voice is flat and uninterested as I push through the trees.

I sigh, eyes scanning around. "About Matias... "your friend. You happened not to reveal the fact he was a mons-"

I stop myself from that word. I've always been taught that monsters were scary creatures that hid under my bed or fathers that abandoned me, but never what Matias is, and if he's anything, he's a man of his word. "A werewolf..."

Now that sounds silly.

"I am under oath of secrecy. Besides, I didn't know you were his..." He shrugs like this is the most nonchalant topic in the world.

I halt, eyes widening, and address what he's just said. "What? His? I'm no one's."

Nate glances over his shoulder, rolling his eyes like I'm being dramatic, but there's more than an annoyance; there is actual hurt hidden in his expression. Wouldn't he be happy for someone who I assume is his friend? "Don't lie to yourself. You and I both know you are his. Completely," Nate utters petulantly.

I note his dour mood and am unsure whether I want to believe the innocent act.

Stepping toward him, I push a finger into his chest. "So you didn't just lead me right to him? I find that hard to believe."

Nate scoffs, rubbing the back of his neck before letting his arm slap back down to his side. "Well, believe it or not, it doesn't matter to me. It doesn't change anything."

What is with his change in attitude?

"What if I don't want to be his?"

Nate shakes his head, hastening his steps. I have to start jogging to keep up, considering his legs are longer than mine.

He's walking too fast!

I move quickly beside him, huffing out strangled breaths as he walks quicker like he's trying to shake me. It isn't until I finally see an opening in the trees and the small sight of the road that my face lights up. We're almost out of these damn woods.

Just when I near the treeline, Nate whips around, and I yelp, halting quickly to avoid running directly into his chest.

"Look, you're a sweet girl, Fae. I just want you to be careful with Matias."

"Careful?"

Nate nods, crossing his arms over his chest before his eyes dart behind me like he's looking for something.

Why would I need to be careful of Matias, who swears he won't let anything bad happen to me.

"What is going on?" I reach for him after a few frustrating moments of silence.

Nate steps back, giving me a sharp shake of his head. "No, I can't. Just-Just be careful."

Well, I'm planning on trying to avoid this entire situation. Matias and everyone included.

"I don't plan on running back this way anytime soon anyway."

He snickers, his eyes rolling like he doesn't believe me. I'm not even sure if I believe me.

He whips around and begins toward the road again. "You will find a way back... They always do."

I wrap my arms around myself to suppress the shiver and follow after him, unconcerned about whether I can keep up fully anymore.

I ride in silence, unable to revisit the tension that's brewing between the two of me. When I get home, I mutter a quick goodbye, climb out of the car, and hurry up toward the front door. I unlock it, throw it open, and push it into the foyer. When the door closes, I rest my back against it.

Even though Matias isn't here... and I no longer hear his gruff voice in my head, I still can't escape him in my memories.

The way he touched me.....

My hands move along my waist, where his were as if I can still feel his commanding embrace.

The way he kissed me...

My fingers brush my lips, and I quake as if he's standing in front of me again.

No man has ever kissed me like that, ever held me like that.

I've spent too much time taking care of my mother to spend any time on a personal relationship.

Maybe it's time for things to change.