A Howling Heart
Chapter thirty

The way his hands encircle me, caressing me just firm enough to send our bond wild. Desire befriends us once again.

"Good," he says huskily. He takes his time lifting me, letting his hand move along my hips, down over my butt, before he scoops me up. Is this what my life will consist of?

Being lifted and carried. Controlled? Like an object? And why is it so appealing? At least the physical touching is excellent. I can't lie.

"You are not an object. You are a priority, and you will be treated like one."

I can't even believe someone so rough and intense can be so gentle.

"Only with you." He places a kiss against my head that I want to melt into, but I need to remain guarded.

"Wait. I'd like to wear something other than a t-shirt and underwear when we leave." Suddenly, I am very aware that I am in my panties, and he's holding me close to his body. He's been a gentleman mostly, but that electricity between us needs more barriers than my thin panties, that's for sure.

He chuckles deeply. "Why? I enjoy this look." His eyes flash with hunger. The way his tongue licks his lips makes my body quiver.

When I realize he's watching my reaction, and my desire is plain on my face, I clear my throat and roll my eyes as if I don't really care about how much he's flirting.

"Of course you do."

He sighs and lets me down, placing his hands on his hips to admire me as I move over to my closet and pull out a pair of jeans. I rummage quickly through the wardrobe, hyper-aware of his eyes on me and how, as uncomfortable as I should feel, without having to face him, confidence heightens.

The way they slide over my body. "Fae."

There he goes, warning me again, but his voice always sounds pained. It seems that it takes everything in him to deny me. Only one thing can satiate that appetite he is trying to fill.

Me. "You," he agrees.

He steps forward, that intensity blazing in his eyes. I realize we are in trouble again alone, with no one to stop us. I hope one of us has common sense because I don't want us to regret things if they go too far before the blue moon. "We won't know unless we try, right?" He makes a satisfied noise in his throat. "Maybe we will be the exception."

I swallow and sigh. "Matias, we shouldn't." Believe me, I want to more than I will admit aloud, but I definitely want to.

I guess I will be the voice of reason this time.

"I know we shouldn't." He steps forward despite my hesitation; his eyes swirl with a feral lust, and I feel my tongue go dry. His muscles flex along his bare skin, and I frown. "Why are you always shirtless?"

He shrugs. "I hate clothing. Wolf's instinct."

My eyes move to his pants.

Yet, he's wearing pants.

He arches an eyebrow with a grin. "You sound disappointed about that."

He teasingly tugs on his waistband, and my mouth waters at the muscular v that disappears beneath his pants.

He's seriously yummy.

I keep forgetting he can hear my thoughts. I should guard what I say in my head.

"Don't. I like hearing all that you fight to say aloud. At least, I can hear the truth fleetingly."

He smirks.

"Just a taste, and we can go..." He takes another step forward, his hands tightening into fists as his eyes roam my face.

I shift nervously, wanting to cover myself completely, and run and hide.

"Don't hide yourself from me."

I let out a deep breath. "We should go..." Even though I'd love to surrender to our bond.

"Should we?"

" Y-you wanted to."

He steps closer to me, and I clutch the jeans close to my body. I cannot catch my breath as my heart begins to race excitedly in my chest. "Not anymore." He genuinely means that. It doesn't seem he cares much for consequences right now.

"Why?"

He licks his lips hungrily and nods to my pants. "What I have in mind, you won't need those." "Matias -"

"Fae, it's taking everything in me right now not to have you. Not to indulge in your sweetness. I know other men yearn for what is mine." Another step toward me, and I'm shaking in anticipation.

Oh wow. He's getting so close...

He growls. "Not close enough."

His nostrils flare, and his jaw ticks. "But those men won't have you."

"Oh no?"

He sounds incredibly cocky.

"Because you are mine...."

"Yours?"

"You are so mine."

He leans forward, his lips so close I can almost taste him on my tongue. He smells of dominance and cinnamon, and the tang makes my head spin. "Tell me, anima mea. Tell me you're mine. Say it."

Although his words are quiet, there's a ferocity behind them, a desperate dominance that makes his eyes narrow as he gazes deep into my eyes. "This is all happening so fast... I haven't ever been in a real relationship. I-I'm sorry. I've dated some men, but not-" "Some men?"

I realize my mistake immediately.

The jealousy of an alpha isn't like that of a regular human. Jealousy is dangerous. It's violent. It's hungry. It will consume everything in its path.

"You are mine! No one else's."

I firm my lips awkwardly. Startled by his outburst. He inhales a deep breath.

"Come two weeks, I will make you mine. We will go beneath the blood moon. That purity will be mine."

I lift my arms to his shoulders, prepared to push him away, but as soon as he flicks his tongue along my throat, my legs wobble, and I can't think straight. Two weeks?

That's quick.

I gasp when he gets to my collarbone. My mother's voice enters my mind, and it throws me off.

She warned me about him...

I need to keep my guard up.

I push him away gently. He steps backward, a frown on his face.

"We should go. I don't want my mom waking up without me here."

He nods and waits for me to dress before I take a deep breath.

"I'll follow you."

He nods, his keys jingling in his hand as I follow him out into the hall quietly. I stop and reach for my mother's door to check on her when he interrupts. "She's sleeping. I can hear her breathing."

I frown, hand still clutching her doorknob as the desire to go in heightens.

"Trust me," he urges.

This isn't a brilliant idea, but I haven't made many of those since moving here.

I will do it. I will trust him.