Page 64 of Mated to the Wolves

“We’ll add it to our lists of questions. Let’s go,” Cadoc, sets a grueling pace, leading us into the surrounding woods. I race to keep up with the boys’ long legs, dodging small branches and tree roots. We round a clearing. Sticks snap behind us.

“I’ll circle back. Get her to the car and I’ll meet you back at the house,” Cadoc says.

“No. we’re not leaving you.” I shake my head.

“Sorry, Princess.” Bo scoops me up and tosses me over his shoulder as he takes off running.

I grip his bulky sweater to keep from banging into his broad back. I swallow my curse words, to stop from giving away our position. I’m going to rain hell on him the second we’re out of this.

Dizziness hits. I close my eyes to block out the blurring landscape. With his protective pheromones flooding out of his pores, my nipples harden, and my breasts grow heavy.

I hate the instincts I have no control over. Inhaling a lungful of the scent spiced honey and vanilla against my will I nestle my face into his clothing. Humming, I wiggle on his shoulder. His hand comes down on my ass.

“Stop that.” Bo darts to the left and slows, sliding me off his shoulder. Disoriented, I peer up at him with heavy-lidded eyes.

“We’re here.”

Blinking, I force away the stupor. “Thanks. Never do that again.”

“No promises.”

He opens the door and I climb into the back with the books, feeling like my head is stuffed with cotton. “If I’d known a little rough handling is all it took to get you wet, I’d have done it sooner.”

Leaning back against the seat, I close my eyes, ignoring him. I lift the hoodie and sniff.

The material holds hints of all of them, burnt orange, rosemary, licorice lemon, and camphor. Dragging the smell into my lungs, I feel my temperature spike as a sense of safety tempers my lingering fear.

No. I can’t go into a mating heat over that asshole. Disgusted by the response, I shove it away from me. Fully accepting them as my mates will trigger my biological response. I don’t want that. whether I want it to or not.

As a beta, I’ve never experienced this needy time of bonding that’s thought to be a gift from the gods. Omegas experience the heat cycle regularly, for others, it’s a state that only comes with an official mating.

Horrified, I roll down the window and stick my head out, trying to escape the swelling of my breasts and the tension building in my belly.

I press my thighs together, easing my pulsing core. My breasts become sensitive. Taut nipples press against my bra. I stifle a moan and press my thighs together. When we pull up to the house, I leap from the vehicle.

“I need to shower. I ran into so many cobwebs.” I shudder and shift my weight from one foot to the other.

Kirk laughs. “Sure.”

He moves to the front door unlocking it, and I dart inside and up the stairs, ignoring their curious looks.

Removing the books, I rest them on my desk. I need to cool down. Tearing off my clothes, I hurry to the bathroom.

Running the water as cold as I can get it, I climb in. When the tub is full, I sink beneath water and scream. Sitting up, I slump over the edge, letting the soothing liquid lower my core temperature.

I ignore the need to sate my lust. Relieving the ache would only make things worse. Inhaling and exhaling, I meditate.

This can’t happen right now. I rack my brain to think of ways I can slow the process.

I never had to deal with this at college. I’d started to think I might be one of the few who got to skip this part of our biological makeup.

No such luck. Tomorrow, I’ll take the herb Ashwagandha to dull my emotions. I just need to get through tonight. No one will ever have to know. Going into heat now would be disastrous.

I smell the increased hormones seeping from my pores and swear. This situation is spiraling out of control. There’s no way I can hide this from the four of them.

A knock comes at the door. I slosh water on the floor. Dunking myself, I force my thoughts away from anything remotely sexy. They’ve already scented me.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

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