Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
But Ruby’s terror smells even more potent, washing through me.
This is my fault.
When I visited her apartment, that was not the first time I failed to keep my distance. I’ve followed her far too often, driven by my wolfish urge, the knowledge that this woman is mine.
This human is mine.
I will myself to stop, but then the human cries out and leaps to his feet, leveling the most pathetic gun I’ve ever seen.
It’s a joke that this weak, skinny puny thing would try to hurt my woman. I’ve got all the power of the wolf behind me. All the rage within me, knowing I would kill and die to protect her and what we’re building.
With a snarl, I leap forward, trapping him with my body. He tries to raise the gun, but he can’t. He shoots three times, bang-bang-bang, but the pistol is too weak.
I feel the bullets biting into my thick flesh, and my muscle, but they don’t reach the bone. While we can die from too much trauma the wolf is stronger than a human and can take a beating.
The pain seems distant. I know there will be scars, three marks on my stomach, but that’s it.
That’s all this bastard can do.
Stop, I warn myself, but then I remember why I jumped.
I remember how vulnerable she looked, my woman, when that bastard aimed the gun at her.
I remember how her scent changed, like a warning siren blaring through me, telling me my only objective for the rest of my life is to keep her safe.
My canines tingle right at the tip, telling me to bite down and taste blood.
I’ve never killed anybody.
Several times, I’ve had to fight, but I’ve never killed a defenseless person like this.
He’s a monster.
He was going to do worse to my fucking woman.
Suddenly I can’t contain it. I bare my teeth and snarl in his face.
He cries out, and new urine stinks up the air.
The gun makes a clattering noise as he drops it. It probably sounds insanely quiet to human ears.
I snarl even deeper, bringing my teeth to his face and letting him feel a wolf's boiling breath on edge.
“My woman,” I say.
Of course, I can’t say that. I’m growling wordlessly, but that’s what I imagine I’m saying.
“You never touch my Fucking. Woman. You don’t threaten her.”
He stares up; his body is completely rigid. “P-please.”
My vision is far hazier on details when I’m the wolf.
I can see better in the dark and have a keen eye for movement, even when it’s extremely far away. But details often escape me.
I’m able to make out the tattoo under his eye. The features are blurry and darkened somewhat, but I’m willing to bet I know what it is.
A wolf.
A fresh hunter. One of those fools who tattoos himself thinking it makes him tough.
I open my mouth, trembling with the need to hurt him for trying to hurt my woman.
“Don’t.”
It’s her voice, Ruby’s.
It trembles, and she sounds as terrified as she smells. And yet, beneath the fear, I can still scent her. The essential essence of her.
Even now, it’s a struggle not to turn, not to touch her.
“Don’t kill him.”
I pause, leaning back a little, knowing I need to listen. This is messy enough as it is.
Not many have seen us, but all it will take is one wrong turn, one passerby.
“I’m sorry,” the man croaks, finding his voice. “Please. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. Please.”
“Don’t hurt him,” my woman says, her voice touching a part of me I didn’t know existed when I was this far in the wolf.
Or even when I’m unchanged.
Emotion thrums through me, too confusing for my savage mind to make sense of.
But I know that Ruby doesn’t want me to hurt him, and I don’t want to hurt him, not badly.
Except I do. I’m thirsty for it, for revenge.
Nobody fucking touches her!
I let out a stupid howl, the sort I’ve never let out in this city. It makes the walls and the ground tremble. A car alarm starts blaring from the mouth of the alleyway.
Then I step back, standing on my hind legs, staring down at the man.
When I wave a paw, and he just lies there, I snarl again, deeper this time.
Go!
This time he gets the message, leaping to his feet and sprinting away.
I turn to find Ruby standing with her hands clasped over her middle. Her hair seems slightly wavy with wolf eyes, soft down to her shoulders.
Her scent dances around her like an aura.
My cock is rock-solid, my need to mate strong, my primal instincts alight as I return to all fours and stalk closer.
Stop, stop, I tell myself again, more urgently this time.
Remember Liam. Remember what happened before.
I stare at her, my whole body shaking, knowing this could end so badly.
But she’s not running. There’s fear there, but there’s also a connection. Like she knows why I did this. Like she sees what I am, and she’s ready to accept it.