Page 30 of Fated Obsessions

Chapter 20

Ren

Itried to stay away, and did a pretty good job of it the last few days. But I knew once the moon was full—tonight—there was no stopping my Lycan from claiming Mikalina. The pull and need would be too hard to resist, the instinct driving all rational, humane thought from my mind until I was nothing but a ravenous animal for her.

I’d contemplated just leaving the country, getting as far away as I could before the full moon hit, but I knew that wouldn’t even stop me.

I sat in front of the fire and nursed a whiskey, staring at the flames, this little ritual something I tended to do nightly, it seemed. But having a life expectancy that just went on and on and on made life monotonous—that was until I’d found my female.

The full moon pulled me, urged me, tempted and coaxed me. I fought it, had all day, feeling it slowly grow. And as the sun was starting to set, there was no denying what I’d do. But I’d chain myself up, if that’s what it took. I would never force Mikalinainto anything, never make her take my mating mark or the full moon claiming. But I had to lock myself away now or I wouldn't be able to. And even with chains all around me, holding me down, the threat of me breaking free with my inhuman strength to get to my mate was great.

I finished off my whiskey just as I felt a prickling along my skin. Then there were three hard knocks on the front doors. I knew who it was, felt her as if she stood right before me already. I was out of my seat and striding toward the entrance before I could even take a breath.

I opened the massive wood, the steel and wood creaking from the force, and as I stared at my female, nothing else mattered, because I knew her coming here had been a mistake.

Won’t be able to stop.

Iwillclaim her.

And God help both of us.

Chapter 21

Mikalina

As soon as he opened the door, I felt a blast of heat, pleasure… need.

From Ren.

He stared at me with such intensity, his eyes flashing blue, reminding me of what he was, how he wasn’t a human. He was something more, something other. I planned on having this full conversation with him, hashing out everything, trying to learn all that I could, but as soon as he opened the door, all I felt was this intense need for Ren. It pushed everything else out of my mind until there was only one thing that echoed.

Want.

I want him. I need him. Let him take me.

He looked down at my lips, and I found myself licking them involuntarily, as if his focus on them was like a tangible touch from his finger.

This is crazy to want Ren when I know what he is… this supernatural creature that is straight from a fairy tale.

“I'd rather die than ever hurt you,” he murmured low as if to himself, the first thing to spill from his lips. His voice sounded pained, and my breath caught. “That's why you need to leave. You need to run. I’ll lock myself away, but the farther you get from me, the better chance you have.”

“Better chance of what?” Why was I so breathless?

“Mikalina,” he groaned as if my very name turned him on. “You shouldn't have come.”

There was a long moment of silence, but I waited. I came here for answers, for clarity, and I’d get it… eventually.

“When it’s the full moon, I’m not myself. My inner animal has free reign. I’ll become bigger, my nails turning to claws, my canines turning to fangs. The only thing I’ll be mindful of is needing you, fucking you… marking your neck so everyone will know you’re mine.”

I shivered at the intensity of his words. He cupped my cheek and smoothed his finger over my flesh, and I couldn’t help but lean into him.

“For my mate—for you—I’d die a thousand deaths just to make sure you weren’t hurt and that you never feared me.” He stared into my eyes intently. “And you will fear me, be frightened, terrified by what I’ll become.”

I found myself shaking my head, as if this man who I’d grown to care for over this last week didn’t know himself like I did. Which was fucking insane. Clearly, he knew how hard the mating would be if he was warning me.

“You won’t hurt me,” I said, although how the hell could I even be sure?

God, what in the hell am I getting myself into? Why am I not listening to him and fleeing, heading back to America and away from something that feels like it’s been plucked right out of a story?