Page 35 of Cursed

“I’m sorry, Quade.” I scoot from him, but he places his half-shifted clawed hand on my stomach, stilling me. The sharp points dig into my flesh.

“Mine.” He moves up my body, rumbling with irritation when he sees my new druid tattoos over my heart. Then he sniffs at the spot where Branden bit me and claimed our blood bond. His canines elongate, and their sharp points graze my neck.

“What the fuck?” he asks, sounding inhuman. “You assholes claimedmymate?”

He pulls back just enough to look me in the eye.

I shiver. I don’t know how much of Quade is man or beast right now.

“Quade…” I try to find the words. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to make you mine.” Through his pants, his hard cock presses against my center. “NOW!”

“I’m already yours.” I reach up and caress his face.

“Out!” he shouts over his shoulder at the others.

“Hollis?” Rourke says. “I don’t think we should leave you alone with her. Your animal has taken over.”

Quade launches off me and pins Rourke to the wall of the cottage. To Rourke’s credit, he doesn’t resist or encourage a fight.

“You?” Quade snaps. “Youhave something to say? You fucking rejected our fated. I should kill you now just for making her suffer.”

“I wouldn’t argue with that. But I believe it’ll cause her more suffering if you do. And I plan to earn her forgiveness. Make it up to Shayla.”

“Nothing you can do will accomplish that!” Quade shouts in Rourke’s face.

“That isn’t true,” I say. “He mostly needs to forgive himself. And Quade… as much as I love you, you don’t have the right to tell us if Rourke and I should mate.”

He turns, still holding Rourke to the wall with a clawed hand. The others are poised to stop the professor from hurting the dragon or me, if it comes to that. Although, I suppose it would take a lot for Quade to actually do some damage to Rourke, since the dragon would likely be resistant to it.

I sit up, pulling my knees to my chest and covering myself.

“No.” Quade releases Rourke. “Never hide from me.” He snarls again at the guys, “Leave!”

“It’s okay,” I tell them.

“You call me if he hurts you,”Landis says telepathically.“He’s not himself right now.”

“I’ll let you know.”

The guys reluctantly leave the cottage, murmuring their concerns. But they wait, staying just outside the front door.

“I said… don’t hide from me.” Quade stalks back toward the bed and towers over me, looking like a crazed, vengeful god. His eyes are aglow, and he’s breathing hard.

“I’m not hiding. I’m worried about you.”

His voice softens a bit when he sees my concern for his sanity. “I missed you too much, Mi Lunam.”

I release my knees, opening myself up to his gaze. Looking up and into his glowing golden eyes, I don’t fear that he will hurt me. Well, not on purpose. But he might hurt the others.

“Why are you upset?” I ask. “You can see I’m okay.”

“I didn’t know that!” He rips off his jacket and then his dress shirt, buttons popping and flying off. He shucks his pants and shoes. Standing completely naked in front of me, I gulp at his intensity. His knotted cock juts toward my face.

And I wonder if I can soothe his beast. I lean forward and lick the tip of his hard cock.

“No. I need your cunt.” His hand grips my jaw firmly, and his mouth crashes down onto mine. His long tongue plunges between my lips, licking into my mouth, and tasting me.

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