Page 68 of His Curse

So I crawl on my hands and knees, fight my way outside and decide the only way to combat this, the only way to get as far from Colton as possible so I don't allow anything stupid to happen, is to shift.

But I can't, not yet.

Not while I'm still so close to my mate that I can scent his intoxicating mark of possession, can feel his extreme need, the insatiable need that matches mine. And I can definitely see the outline of his absolutely beautiful alpha cock straining against his jeans while Colt attempts to crawl after me.

And all of that is way too distracting.

But there’s nothing I can do about it as my body goes completely stiff before it contracts and curls into the fetal position, causing tears to spill from my eyes.

Gods, this is worse than I remember.

So much worse, and being a few feet away from my mate who only wants me because his body is telling him he has to have me, is making this downright torturous.

I claw at the floorboards as I drag myself out the front door, very thankful we left it open to create a cross breeze, then I tumble down the damn steps and land on the ground with a smack that sends daggers right into my lower belly. Daggers that stab my pussy like a fucking pin cushion.

I scream again, and my wolf howls, begging me to go back to our mate, but that is not happening.

Not now, not ever.

Colton doesn't want me and I don't want him to end up mating me—because that’s exactly what this would lead to—out of pity, or out of a biological response to my heat.

That is the ultimate pity fuck and I do not want that.

It's bad enough Colton still wants nothing to do with me and if he were to see me through my need, if he eased my pain and had sex with me non-stop for what is going to undoubtedly be no less than two days, my mate will hate me even more than he already does because we will be bound together permanently.

I couldn't live with that on top of his rejection.

"Lark, wait!" Colton stumbles out the door, his impressive cock leading the charge even through the denim. “Stop. Lark!”

"No!" The word is screamed as I writhe in pain, rolling around to try to crawl away.

But he's a determined asshole, I'll give him that.

Colton practically jumps down the steps, lands about a foot away from me then moans loud as hell as his hips thrust toward me. "Lark, I can help you... just...fuck... just stop."

Hell no.

I finally get upright, sort of anyway, because I can't straighten up completely, but it's enough for me to start running. I run in a zig-zag toward the woods, tears streaming down my face, bile creeping up my throat, my entire lower half burning like the pits of hell, and when I'm far enough away, I pray for a shift.

One that doesn't come.

"Lark!"

Why is he following me?

Didn't I make it clear that I don't want his help?

If I did, I would have stripped down right there in Colton’s cabin, spread my legs and begged him to fuck me, pleading for my mate to fill me with his seed in order to ease my pain, but since I didn’t, he should take the fucking hint.

"Lark, stop!"

"No!" I shriek while I run, bouncing off the trees, and hoping like hell I don't fall. "I don't... I don't need your help. I don't... I don't want it!"

Just when I think I'm going to finally vomit from how badly I hurt, my wolf submits and I fucking shift faster than I have in my entire life. I don't even feel my bones break and reset, barely hear my clothes tear and fall from my body in shreds, I just shift like my life depends on it because it sure as hell feels like it does.

Thankfully, my wolf takes over, and though it's incredibly minor, she does bring me some relief.

Right up until I realize Colton isstillchasing me and the asshole shifted too.

---