Page 20 of Stolen By The Beast
Her injuries were a testament to the danger of the world she had found herself in, but I doubted she would learn anything from the experience.
As with everything where Juniper was concerned, this both terrified and elated me.
Terrified because, deep down, I knew she would find trouble again, but elated because I knew that no matter what, nothing on this Earth would ever break her spirit.
She is freer and wilder than the very wind.
Without a word, I stepped closer to her, my muscles hitched in reluctance. My body moved of its own accord, as if bidden by some otherworldly compulsion.
I reached out, my fingers hesitating for just a moment, before I gently wiped away her tears. Juniper’s breath caught as our gazes locked, the air crackling with the connection between us.
It was something I couldn’t continue to ignore. It was as if the darkness inside of me, the bottomless pit that craved destruction, hesitated when it came to her.
It didn’t want to consume her body—it wanted to bind her to us forever.
Pulling her closer, my arms wrapped around her trembling form. It was an action I couldn’t fully explain, an instinct I didn’t want to acknowledge.
She nestled against me, her warmth a stark contrast to the darkness that had defined my existence for centuries.
In the quiet of the moment, I allowed myself to mull over the chaos inside me. The abyss that lurked within had always sought to consume everything in its path.
It was relentless—insatiable—and yet, it hadn’t devoured Juniper. If I listened closely enough, I would swear the shadows of my essence wanted me to keep her.
I pressed the underside of my jawbone against the top of her head, my grip tightening around her, as if my form alone could shield her from the world outside. The unsteady rhythm of Juniper’s heartbeat disturbed my musings.
“Karvik,” she whispered, piercing the silence. Her lips brushed against my stomach as she spoke, sending an unexpected shiver down my spine.
“Yes?”
I made sure to keep my voice softer than before. It was strange how her mere presence had the power to unravel my anger and replace it with an unsettling tenderness I didn’t know I was capable of feeling.
Juniper tilted her head up to look at me, her green gaze searching mine. “It doesn’t matter how old you are or what you think you are—what matters is what I feel and think about you.”
“And what do you think about me?”
“You protect me—and the very same reason you do this is why I had to go back for you. Please don’t be mad at me.”
“You should have left me.”
Juniper didn’t respond, but her fingers curled into the thick pelt of my fur as if she were afraid I might disappear. “You’re not a monster—you’re a hero.”
I was unable to form a response, caught in the swirl of emotions that Juniper ignited within me. Once more, I became acutely aware of how perfectly she fit against me, as if she had been made to nestle in my arms.
And then I detected a familiar scent in the air—that same musky perfume of arousal that had stirred my senses earlier. It had been so long since I had smelled it, and the realization sent a jolt of electricity through me.
“And what do you feel for me?”
Of course, the stubborn female didn’t answer me. Instead, she buried her face against me as my thoughts took an unexpected turn—what would Juniper be like as a mate? The question lingered in my mind, as alarming as it was captivating.
The air grew thick with tension once more, and I couldn’t shake the troubling emotions growing within me. The sweet musk of Juniper’s desire increased, a tantalizing reminder of her humanity and the things she wanted but shouldn’t.
Unable to ignore it any longer, I cleared my throat, my voice low and gruff. “Juniper, answer me.”
“I didn’t hear what you asked.”
My sigh was enough to whip the golden strands of her hair around before they resettled. “Yes, you did.”
Juniper peeked up at me, her cheeks flushed crimson as she shifted in my arms. “I-I…”
