THE AWAKENING

“Two days ago you wanted to kill me.” Yeah, sorry that was a hard one to let go, she thought grumpily.

“Now you’re suddenly all interested in my welfare? Not buying it. Not be rude or anything,” she tacked on for appearances sake because frankly, she was a bit pissed.

Of course, Cristophe had been planning to kill her as well, but for some reason, she wasn’t as miffed at him for his momentary lapse in judgment.

“Here I am kidnapped by creatures I’ve never even heard of until a few days ago and since then I’ve been, well, for lack of a better word, violated, when I’d been planning to save myself for marriage and I can’t seem to help myself when that stupid Phase thing starts heating up my body like an engine that’s been running too hot without oil; suddenly, I’m this raging slut who wants to screw anything that walks, oh! And if that’s not bad enough, I’m some mystical werewolf with a magical hoo-ha! Then, I get kidnapped by this really, really bad guy named Ulster who has terrible plans for the world, I should let you know, and when I finally manage to get away — on my own, thank you very much — I come to the one place I thought I’d be safe and the first thing you do is try to kill me. Forgive me if I don’t think much of your managerial style.”

She finished her last bite, shoveling the meat into her mouth in an angry gesture. “That was delicious,” she snapped, privately shocked at how feral she felt inside.

She was all riled up and could almost feel the hackles of her wolf-self rising from beneath the skin. She wanted more food. That steak wasn’t nearly big enough to satisfy her hunger but she wasn’t about to ask Tieran for a single thing.

The silky smooth fabric began to chafe her tender skin and a bead of sweat dotted her hairline.

Someone had washed and bathed her sometime after she’d passed out for her epic snooze and had dressed her in a thin chemise the color of cream.

Seconds ago she’d been perfectly comfortable but now, everything felt too hot and scratchy.

Oh no.

She recognized this feeling.

Nooooo, not with him in the room!

“You need to leave,” she gritted out, swallowing as her heart rate rose. Instead, he closed the door and locked it.

To her horror, he began unbuttoning his shirt. His chest, smooth and chiseled, was the picture of male perfection. Muscle corded his stomach and tapered to tight hips. Her tongue snaked out to slide along her bottom lip.

“Please go,” she whispered, too ashamed to care that she was pleading. “I don’t want to be with you.”

Phasing,” he said unnecessarily. She probably had that figured out seeing as she was about

chest when she actually bared her tiny, human teeth at him. “No one will touch you but me from this moment

fuck away from me,” she warned. “Go get Jandin or Koris, or Cristophe for fuck’s sake; anyone but

through the window — anything to get

as she panted, her insides boiling. God, she hated this! Even as she cursed him, she rubbed against the granite of his chest, writhing in his

to kick you in the nuts,” she promised in an angry breathless whisper seconds

arms, like a puzzle piece locking into place. Cassandra didn’t know if it was the Phase that made her feel as if she’d just leapt

as her core

beneath your skin,” he gasped, breaking free from her ravenous kiss. He cupped her behind

possessive imprint on her skin. His eyes darkened to a wild hue as the blue disappeared with his humanity.

took her mouth savagely, growling against her lips as he plundered, stabbing her mouth with his tongue until she was

distasteful if she were in her right mind — but at the moment she found him

wrenched it back, laughing when he responded in kind, twisting a hank of her hair and yanking it close

but she didn’t care. A low throaty laugh followed and he

than you like me,” he said in a low growl as he followed her to the bed to

of her breasts, hips and thighs. Her knees fell open and her hand found its way

her folds as he climbed her body with

a sensual slap. He smelled of something so intoxicating she couldn’t even put words to it, but she wanted to bury

your belly. If you are to whelp a pup that

even as her brain babbled in an incoherent attempt at holding onto her sanity but the Phase

the fire that raged inside her. She wanted to feel his pup grow inside her, beneath her heart, which was

twin halves of her behind in both hands and squeezing with a grunt of approval. “On your knees,”

She didn’t hesitate.

Tieran like this when in fact, if

in her head at the moment and she simply spread her knees and lifted her backside, ready

from the start but there

him, under most circumstances. But right now, she was infected with the insatiable need to feel him inside her, thrusting into her with the same reckless abandon as they tumbled down the rabbit’s