Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 34185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“I hate to tell you, but you have three or four cracked ribs back there.”
“Shit,” Dustin muttered. He didn’t have time for this.
“I believe they’re clean enough that your wolf will be able to heal them in proper alignment. Unfortunately, you’ll have to deal with some pain for a few days, but you’ll live.” Ms. Zhang smiled and patted Dustin’s cheek. “But I’d say a shower is what you need most right now.”
Dustin was relieved at his diagnosis, enough so that he could do a half laugh, half grimace at her joke.
“Or I can give you a bite to heal you faster. My venom will mend you in no time.” Lenora gave him a lewd, toothy grin that made Dustin cringe. He didn’t judge his alphas or any other pack members for falling for a vampire, but it just wasn’t his taste. He preferred big, strapping men that could handle what he had to give.
“I don’t have any broken ribs, but if Dustin doesn’t want your venom, I’ll gladly accept on his behalf.” Jerry winked.
Before Dustin could politely decline Lenora’s offer, Notalus was there to answer for him.
“That will not be necessary,” he ordered in a tone that sent them all inching toward the safety of the door. A gust of wind came from nowhere and shoved Dustin’s pack members outside so hard that they lost their footing and rolled backward several feet until they were clear of the porch. Notalus then glared at the ladies. “You may leave now as well.”
“Notalus.” Dustin sighed when the titan used his breath to slam the door behind them. “They were just trying to help. And Lenora meant no harm—she flirts with all of the unmated shifters.”
Notalus made an uninterested sound. “I thought a pack was supposed to work together in unison. Those pack members left you in the fields on your own to fight against an element that overtook you… and no one came when you were hurt.”
“You did.”
After a long while, Notalus answered with a subtle whisper that brushed across his lips like a kiss. “If you call… I will always answer.”
Notalus
He’s the One
Notalus was used to being in control of any situation he encountered, but being in Dustin’s presence again, in his home, was messing with his mind. He struggled to focus when the object of his desire was right there within arm’s reach. He’d waited eleven months to hear his voice again, praying he was who he believed him to be. A year wasn’t long at all to an immortal, so it surprised Notalus that he’d missed him so much in such a short amount of time.
Dustin continued to watch him as he walked around his quaint home, taking in everything he could that might give him some insight into the man that Notalus was nervous to get too close to, unsure of what he might do when he got lost in eyes that were the perfect shade of oak. Dustin made him feel things that he hadn’t in years—romantic feelings that should be gone.
Notalus had been content to hand over his kingdom to his heir and live out his days alone, in peace. He’d known love and experienced it enough that he was fine going the rest of his life without it. Or he’d thought so. Until his brown-eyed beauty appeared.
Notalus stopped at a bookshelf that had about ten titles on it, and the remaining shelf space was lined with framed photos of Dustin in various parts of the world… farming. Every photo was of him in some sort of field or orchard with an abundant harvest surrounding him. Notalus was astounded to see that Dustin had been planting and tending to the earth since he was a young boy and still had no clue who he was. Notalus assumed the strapping man in the dingy overalls with his arms around an adolescent Dustin was his father. Where is his mother?
Notalus continued to observe while Dustin rested. Technically his services were no longer needed, but he pretended to be too consumed with his perusing to leave. Dustin’s cabin smelled similar to his own private quarters, like all the scents that reminded him of home—crisp fall air, a touch of rain, firewood, and a hint of leather. There wasn’t much furniture but for a couch and recliner positioned in front of an old television that Notalus assumed Dustin didn’t turn on often. In a dark corner was a large unmade bed that was littered with tattered quilts. Notalus imagined Dustin’s big, heavy body in that bed, preferably on top of him, causing his cock to jerk with enthusiasm for the first time in too long.
Notalus’ steps faltered as he stared at a six-by-nine photo encased in a worn black frame of Dustin holding a pot of one the rarest plants in the world in full bloom. Notalus blinked repeatedly, unable to believe what he was seeing.