Page 39 of Rejected By a Wolf

“Stop?Gods no.” He splayed a hand out over her ass, forcing her back up against him. Against his throbbing erection. “Now don’t you stop again.”

She eagerly obeyed.

He finally released her wrists, threading his fingers through the mess her braids had become as he gave himself a moment tolookat her. His eyes were wild, he was skating on the edge of madness, and sherelishedit. Then, he drove his head back down, crushing his lips against hers with an animalistic ferocity she had never known.

As their tongues entwined she moved her hips faster, greedy to continue soaking in the waves of pleasure that were rolling through her body.

“Ah,Antonio.”When she breathed his name against his skin a low rumble rippled through him until it exploded into a passionate roar.

He was definitely skating on the edge. But he was on the edge of something much better than madness. “Going… to…”He spoke through broken breaths.

She continued undulating her hips, nearing a brink of her own.

His fingers dug deeper into her ass and convulsions rocked her. She surrendered to them, accepting the spasms pulsing through her body and the waves of ecstasy rolled through her.

Elation, she thought, only faintly able to hear the animal inside Antonio bellowing until he collapsed at her side.

When his strong arm wrap around her, comforting her in more ways than she thought an arm ever could, she couldn’t hide her smile.

Grinning, she looked up to the night sky, marveling at the endless stretch of stars lighting the world around her. She often found enjoyment in stargazing, but the activity felt different tonight.

It felt different because, for the first time in a long time, she believed the light within her shone brighter than any of the stars around her.

And what a great feeling that was.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Antonio Payne

After almost two hundred years of suppressing the beast inside him, Antonio slipped, allowing that beast to break free.

He sat up, resting his elbows on his knees and pressing his face into the palms of hands.

He had known, deep down, the risks he was taking when he decided to rejoin the outside world and sign up for The Elaron Games. He had been able to tame his beast for so long because he spent his days in his room, never giving himself a reason to lose control. He knew how dangerous it would be when he decided to immerse himself in the unnatural world again. In fact, he expected the beast to rise while he was here.

But he decided that whoever the fuck caused him to lose control probably deserved what they had coming for them. Hewashere to kill, wasn’t he? One winner, one survivor.

He glanced down to Sophia, her glistening eyes taking in the stars above her while soaking up the life around her. Did he once consider her amber eyes dull?Fool.

He didn’t expect his beast to rise around someone he cared about.Because I didn’t expect I’d be meeting anyone worth caring about,hereminded himself. Why would he ever think life would give him another mate when he didn’t even deserve the first?

Thankfully, by some miracle, Sophia was fine - still alive and unharmed.

Antonio grew hopeful. If he was able to control his beast so well today, that meant there was a chance he’d have better control over it when he was around Giselle.

Antonio grinned, feeling more hopeful about his future with Giselle tonight than he had this morning. But his newfound hope didn’t last long, because guilt began to plague his thoughts.

He shouldn’t have engaged in those acts with Sophia. He knew that. He couldn’t even blame what happened on the beast because he didn’t kiss Sophia untilafterhe regained control over himself. While her body was laying under his, her arousal filling his senses, he didn’t think anything could stop him from claiming those sweet, succulent lips of hers.

He groaned at the memory, uncomfortably shifting where he sat. As he brought a hand down to fix himself, he realized they needed to head back to his tent soon so he could throw on a change of clothes.

Head back to my tent.The words repeated in his mind.

Was it a good idea to keep Sophia so close to him? What if his desire for her grew too great and he acted on it again? It wasn’t necessary for her to stay in his tent with him. He could keep her safe on the battlefield, just as promised, without her continued presence. He didn’t need to protect her at all times.

Something stirred inside him, and when it did he realized how little he liked the sound of that.

No, she’d stay with him. He would be her protector for as long as she remained in this tournament. Him and him alone. No one else could protect her as well as he could, he determined.