Chapter 69
"Morgan, why are you here? The warriors could definitely use your hand of command." Derrick let out a sigh.
"I'm here as your friend."
A halt and a rearranging of bodies occurred.
"Duly noted, you can leave now."
I was alone with him when the door closed again.
I sensed his closeness; his fingers were brushing against mine, creating the necessary energy and desperation in my body. I had almost broken the promise I had made to him earlier in the day, and he had no idea about any of it. The promise settled harshly between my ribs like shards of glass cutting through my body's infrastructure, bringing out the flowers I had allowed to take root inside my chest.
My eyes sprung open, and I gasped, immediately focusing on his dark gaze and the way he was clutching at me. The hurricane inside of me seemed to stop as I stared at him; his face was creased with anxiety, and his eyes were bloodshot. As he straightened his body towards me, I felt a rush of raw and overwhelming relief and agony for him.
His contact was the only thing that could make my anguish go away, and fuck, there was a lot of it. My hand twitches, wanting to cling to him the way he was clinging to me.
"You're awake." He glanced at something obsidian.
I held my breath, observing his reaction to me. He was still holding to his wolflike shape, blood collecting in his mouth and painting it scarlet against the starkness of his fangs, his teeth lengthening and ripping into the skin of his lips. His presence was greater than usual, and his face and hands were hairier than usual.
His wolf trying to claim what was rightfully his, his hands doing what mine were too weak and timid to do, he continued to lean into me as the turmoil within me flared up again. The bed groaning under his weight caused the atmosphere to change, and his eyes darkened with need.
Our wolf bond and my witch blood were engaged in a centuries-old battle to prevent our alpha mate from being recognized. The lightning moved between us, flaring in my chest and settling disruptively like burnt wood as he buried his mouth on my throat. His touch made me wince, and I pushed him away from me, causing his grip to falter as I moved away from him.
I stood in the agony of what I was doing and tugged at the cables that were tied to me, removing the blanket that covered my skin.
He had picked up on my need to go so quickly, and it was destroying me again.
My name, "Kylie," on his lips set off a gentle spark. "I've got you now; you're okay—everything is okay." I realized the truth, even though he tried to reassure me.
I was aware that nothing was and would ever be alright.
His dependent look stopped me in my tracks, and my intention to flee quickly evaporated.
I simply desired for him to embrace me and reassemble us using his hands; I had no intention of fleeing from him.
As I approached him, tripping over my hurt foot, his body bowed. His eyes flickered at the obvious pain that incapacitated me, yet he continued to observe me. His eyes were crinkling in uncertainty as I put my hand to his body, but I persisted in moving closer to him despite the color in his eyes, believing in his true nature and his beast's need to be freed.
His body relaxed as he leaned into my touch voluntarily. But as much as I wanted him to draw me in, I shoved at his chest again, turning my kind touch into something deadly. The power inside me is rebuilding, focusing only on him.
With a sound like thunder, his body crashed into the open hallway door behind him, ripping the wood off its hinges and smashing it against the wall. I hounded my companion, and there were some cries and scrambling.
He staggered, so taken aback by my unexpected outburst of force that he hardly moved to counter it. I pushed at his body again, this time with lethal force since I was so furious, and he fell in line with the door. I shoved him into it, my fingers going around his throat and my claws growing longer.
Even if it meant losing her mate, she needed to know that my wolf was in charge and that I was secure.
That's when he finally reacted—the sticky drip of his blood was a bittersweet feeling.
He snarled at my disobedience and my challenge.
Though his rage was just as lethal as mine, I could sense something more—something so close to home. The way he was yielding to his passion and the scent of it flowing off him in waves, my wolf was consuming it. Despite the fact that my hands were about to hurt him, he was enjoying the sensation of them against him. The alpha monarch seemed to enjoy being roughed up, relishing the violence of my hands and the boldness of my wolf.
"I'm not going to let you hurt me." My grip tightened around his throat, my claws sucking out more of his blood, and my words trembled.
I could feel his heart pounding hard through my own circulation, yet he didn't flinch. We were forced to be close to one another, exposing our deepest frustrations and feelings. Something so subtle shone in his eyes, a counterbalance to the darkness destroying my own. He stared at me like he was lost and could practically feel every strand of anguish keeping me together, as if he could just pick one and I would unravel in front of him.
"I would never hurt you." His remarks were met with a fierce determination as his nostrils flared. "You're my mate; I would never want to hurt you." He said it again.
I shook my head, trying to stop the tears from welling up.
I had to be certain since the pain from my past was impeding my ability to think clearly.
"You injected me with wolf's bane." I gasped for air, too weak to look him in the eyes any longer. My eyes dropped to his chest, feeling as though the tension between us was too much for me. With caution, he slid against my body, his hands resting on my hips, not pushing me away or drawing me closer.
"I couldn't leave you in your wolf form, and you were too tired to shift back." He began gently, "You were hurt, and the wolf's bane was a necessity in that moment. I needed to make sure that you were okay and that your injuries would heal properly." His comments made sense, and I felt my hand slip from around his neck, and my body tilts in his direction.