Page 92 of Power Shift

The next wave of pain has me pushing up and away from him. My dress falls to cover me as I breathe in through a constricting throat.

Concern twists his expression. His mouth is still wet with my slick, lips glossy and swollen.

“What do you mean it isn’t getting better?”

Sweat breaks out on the back of my neck. My nipples are so hard they’re painful as they brush against my dress, attempting to cut right through the fabric.

“Touch me again, Landon.”

“I can’t.”

I whine, heart crumbling. “Why not? You just did.”

“What do you need? Another?”

“Maybe. Yes. I think so. I don’t know. It’s just—” My stomach cramps, and I lean over my thighs, breath pitching. I slur my next words. “Please, Landon. Just . . . just give me your knot.”

“No. You’re not getting that from any of us.”

His rejection hurts worse than the cramping. “Why don’t you want me?”

“Ronan!” Landon booms. When his eyes fall on me, he lowers his voice and adds, “You’re not in heat. It’s important to wait until then with the guys.”

“It doesn’t matter when it happens!”

“Yes, it does. You need to wait to be sure?—”

“You still don’t believe me?” I attack, looking up at him.

He doesn’t hide from the question. “Not yet.”

“What do you need from me? Go ahead and mark me, Landon. Do it and see for yourself.”

I bare my throat for him, unashamed of the desperation tainting my words. There’s no reason to pretend I’m anything but desperate right now. He already doesn’t want me. Not for anything more than a quick heat spike relief session. Anything more than that and I might as well be proposing.

He focuses on my throat, head shaking. “Don’t offer that to me. Even out of frustration. You can’t take back a mating mark.”

“You can. And I could,” I threaten, knowing I’m playing with fire.

Insanity flashes in his eyes. “If you wore my mark, it would stay there for the rest of eternity. Long after we were both six feet under.”

“Nobody is biting anyone,” Ronan snaps from behind Landon.

“Ro,” I whimper, my anger melting to make way for the desire clawing at my insides.

He lurches into action, lunging past Landon. I spread my legs in preparation, but suddenly, he’s stopping. Inhaling, he focuses on Landon, staring and staring . . .

“What’s going on?”

I claw at the top of my dress when it grows impossibly tighter, suffocating me. “I need more.”

“More what, Petal? What did Landon give you?”

“You know what I gave her. Finish the job,” Landon snips, avoiding my eyes.

Ronan keeps his sights set on his pack leader. I gush slick onto the weight bench, but I’m too drunk on desire to care. Let them see it. Maybe they’ll finally come back to me.

My dark and broody alpha points a finger at Landon. “She needs you. You’re doing this to her.”