Page 36 of Marked By Moonlight
“Kael, remember who you are. This isn’t you. You’re better than this. You’re my friend. You don’t want me. This is some curse, some spell you’re under. This isn’t the real you.” Another inch back, another inch closer to the door. I’m so close now that I can feel my hair brush against the wood I just have to find the handle.
I keep my eyes locked on Kael, ignoring the other males. My only chance of survival is Kael. If I can break through whatever spell he’s under, then maybe the two of us can find a way to escape.
Kael moves closer—he’s the closest of all of them to me.
Please, I say, but the word never leaves my lips. Kael grabs me before I have a chance to move another inch. His lips slam against mine in a devouring kiss. My hands go up to his chest, trying to push him away, but he’s a wall of muscle. There is no moving him.
I’m not strong enough.
I don’t know how to fight back.
I’m weak, and I hate it.
I hate how uneven a match we are.
And I hate that most of all, when Kael wakes up from whatever spell he’s under and realizes the mistake he made, he’ll hate himself. This isn’t him. Ambrose will kill him before he has a chance at redemption.
Please,I think again.Please, please, please.
The other males franticly close in further. Hands reach out, stroking my back, threatening to pull me out of Kael’s arms. Idon’t know which is worse—my friend claiming me against my will or strangers touching me.
Tears stain my eyes, and my heart beats quickly in my chest, like a prey seconds before it’s slaughtered. I push against Kael with everything I have, as I try to bite down on his tongue he’s shoved into my mouth.
But he barely flinches—I don’t even think the pain registers in his head. That’s how consumed he is by his lust for me. I don’t understand it. Days ago, he was so clear that we weren’t mates, that we are nothing but friends, nothing but brother and sister to each other. And now he has his tongue shoved down my throat, threatening to fuck me right here in front of all these males.
A menacing growl vibrates through the air, warning us on a deep, primal level that we have to obey. Our movements halt immediately. Our lungs don’t even expand to take another breath.
Another low growl, snapping of teeth, and the sound of claws scraping over skin break through the silence. Paws pound against the ground as some try to flee. But the snapping of sharp teeth keeps them from escaping.
I take the moment to shove Kael as hard as I can, finally breaking his hold.
He shakes his head, his eyes clearing a little.
“Lumi?”
I nearly sob. “Yes, it’s me. Your Lumi.”
He exhales in relief. But I see the large black wolf with golden flecks in his fur, and I know what’s about to happen. “Run, Kael. Run,” my voice breaks.
“No, I’m not leaving you. Not again.”
Ambrose releases the last of the five men he held in his jaws. The man slips to the floor lifelessly. Ambrose turns his eyes towards Kael. His eyes lock on him, and he crouches down as if he’s about to pounce. He’s going to kill him. I can’t tell how manyof the other five are dead or just in so much pain that they can’t get up.
But I can’t let Ambrose hurt Kael.
Ambrose lunges for Kael. Time slows as I throw myself between them at the last second. Ambrose halts, his nose brushing against mine as he huffs out a hard breath.
“Please, no. He’s my friend. He won’t hurt me, not again. He was just under some spell, but he’s not now,” I plead.
Ambrose bares his teeth in Kael’s direction and rolls his shoulders, his fur moving in the wind as a shift changes in the air. We’re eye to eye, even though he’s in his wolf form and I’m a human—that’s how big and terrifying he is.
And yet, when he looks at me, I know he’ll do what I ask. He feels the same way about me that I do to him.
I don’t take my eyes off Ambrose as I speak to Kael. “Kael, find Rowena. She’ll help you. I’ll come find you soon.” I don’t know if she will, but she’s the only person I trust not to kill him at the moment.
“But—”
“Trust me. I’m safe with Ambrose.”
