Page 125 of The Hunt
He shrugged, completely unrepentant.
“You had your opportunity to end it.”
“How? When?”
“When he accused me of being around you all the time. You could have just claimed me as your own.”
I lifted my head to give Fenris a dry look.
“That would have incited a brownie meltdown I’m not equipped to deal with at this hour.”
Something in his expression shifted, and I wanted to smack myself for not immediately understanding what was happening. Fenris was here when he was supposed to be home, sleeping. That meant he’d needed to escape again. He’d needed his friend, and here I was, worried about me and my problems.
Sitting up, I patted the mattress beside me.
He didn’t hesitate to join me on the bed. Instead of sitting, though, he scooped me up and slid under the covers so we were spooning.
“Not quite what I meant,” I said, turning to face him and create some space between us.
He grinned knowingly at me, but that humor faded as I started talking.
“Jenna told me about what you said to your dad. I’m sorry your pack is pressuring you so much. Is that why you’re here? Because Jenna was at your house?”
He closed his eyes. It didn’t hide his frustration from me. I could sense it as easily as I could sense his ever-present lust.
“I’m holding on to my patience by a thread. I’m trying, Eliana. But I’m failing. Claim me.”
I ran my finger down the bridge of his nose then brushed back some hair from his forehead as I stole his frustration.
“We already tried telling everyone we were together. It didn’t work.”
He caught my hand.
“We didn’t tell anyone anything. We let them believe what they wanted, which worked until you admitted you weren’t feeding on me.”
“Okay. Fine. Let’s talk through your scenario. We tell your father and my mother that we’re together and then what? Wolves mate, Fenris. Without that step, they won’t leave you alone. And while I’m willing to help you, I’m not willing to go that far.”
His playfully wicked grin returned.
“Baby steps. I think Dad will lay off if I just show interest in someone.”
I couldn’t refute Fenris’s logic. After all, Raiden had invited Jenna overnight just for that reason.
“I want to help you, Fenris, but I refuse to lie.”
“Perfect. Then let’s make this real.”
“Huh?”
“Eliana, be my girlfriend. How do humans make it official? A nice run through the woods?”
“No, they just ask.”
“Okay. Eliana, I’m asking you to be my girlfriend.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say no, but I stopped myself and considered him and what he was asking. His exhaustion and desperation coated him so thickly that they almost overpowered his typical, sweet-smelling lust. He really wanted me to say yes. Why couldn’t I? He wasn’t asking me to feed from him. He was only asking me to act like his girlfriend so his dad would leave him alone.
“Fine. But I have to tell Megan the truth. I talked to her yesterday. I told her about everything. Ashlyn. The mermaids. My mom. Adira. I promised not to keep any more secrets.”
