Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“Paxton, easy, let me help you—”
“Ow! Don’t pull there!”
“Move your hand!”
“You’re making it clamp tighter!”
“If you’d just stop—!”
The clamp sprung open, knocking both of us clear off our backsides.
We tumbled through the mud like an eight-legged insect, screeching and flailing and bumping body parts together in the most unsexy ways imaginable.
We crashed hard into the same fucking tree, lying and groaning there in a moss-covered heap.
I snorted.
“What is that?” Paxton’s head shot out of the tangle, gazing down at me. “What are you doing?”
I clamped my hands over my mouth, fighting to keep it in.
“Don’t you dare, Daze. Don’t you dare laugh at—!”
Bursting out, I howled—body convulsing and shaking him right off me. “Guess what, Wolf Trap Boy? You lose.”
“I didn’t lose!” Paxton sat up, his mangled leg already stitching itself back together.
I looked away before it ruined my mood. Werewolf or not, it would never not be creepy watching skin zip itself back together like a handbag.
“I was attacked. Sabotaged!”
“You fell to p-pieces,” I wheezed, clutching my sides. “I’m so glad you’re in touch with your healthy masculinity and feel safe to cry in front of me.”
“Hey! There were no tears! These cheeks are dry. See?” He grabbed my hand, pressing my palm to his cheeks. “Dry!”
I blinked, laughter fading as we found ourselves so close together—my giggles drowning under my other senses. Drowning in him.
Paxton filled my vision, blotting out the forest, the moon, the faint cries of ravens in the distance. This close, I noticed the flecks of blue in his unfathomable eyes, drawing me into the kaleidoscope of colors hiding in his orbs.
His fingers slid down the hands cupping his cheeks, popping goose bumps on my flesh and standing my hairs on end.
I didn’t stop him grasping my cheeks in turn. I didn’t stop him drawing me closer, his eyes fluttering shut as those cherry-kissed lips determined to ravish mine.
I didn’t stop him pressing his mouth to mine—slow and gentle at first, then firm and insistent.
Paxton cupped the back of my head, tipping me back and deepening the kiss without hesitation or permission.
His tongue tangled with mine, battling for my complete and total surrender, while his hands glided over my body—stroking my leg, caressing my back, leaving a shivering trail everywhere they went.
We were buck naked, but Paxton didn’t take advantage. His wandering hands only wandered to the safe bits of me, waiting for permission to travel to places more interesting. Even in the midst of getting the crap kissed out of me, I appreciated the respect for my body.
For years, my sexuality had been driven by my wolf. She made me want who she wanted, and she happily threw ourselves at whoever such a person was. It was nice to be in control of who I touched and who touched me. Everything about the kiss was nice—
—and still I didn’t feel a thing.
Paxton and I broke apart, blinking at each other. I couldn’t fathom what he was thinking, but I knew what I was. I knew what so many other fated mates had discovered over the centuries. Just because a floating moon goddess in the sky thought someone was perfect for you, didn’t mean reality agreed.
I didn’t love Paxton. Of course I didn’t. I didn’t know or trust him, so how could I love him? Feeling all-consuming lust for him wasn’t the same thing, and I didn’t feel that anymore either. I didn’t know what bonds were made of, but I sensed none of these truths were it.
I sighed. “Paxton—”
“You didn’t feel anything, did you?”
“No, I’m sorry, but— Wait, did you?”
Paxton rocked back on his ass, sighing as deep as me. “Yeah, I felt like I was kissing a smoking hot woman who I wanted to carry behind that tree and ravish like a caveman.”
How am I still blushing!
“But there has to be more than that if we’re going to get the bond back,” he finished. “Don’t you think?”
“I do think,” I cried, rising up on my knees. “I mean, it was a very good kiss, and I’d have to be blind, dumb, and dead to not find you smokingly hot too, but...” I shook my head. “Luame forms bonds based on lust, I don’t. I don’t feel anything more than attraction to you, Paxton.” He winced at my bluntness, but I had to say it. He deserved the truth. “I’m sorry, but that’s not enough to bring the bond back. Not to me.”
He was quiet for a long time. “We’re going to die.”
It wasn’t a question. I wished it was, so I could do something other than well up with tears, and nod.
“How much time do you think we have?” he rasped, gazing off in the distance.
“I know how much time I need.” My three-month rapidly ticking down timeline constricted my chest, stealing all the air from the world. “But I don’t know if I’ll have it.”