I licked my lips again and nodded slowly. He took a step closer and I felt my arousal climb higher. Everything inside urged me, demanded that I go to him, press my body to his and let him do whatever he wanted to me. I craved it, as if I were a junkie needing another fix.
“So you know I can’t let you go?” He took another step closer.
“And if I said I don’t want this?” I challenged him.
“Saying it doesn’t make it true, now does it, Bethany?”
The way he said my name was pleasure filled, as if he almost got off saying it. I swallowed roughly, my throat scratchy and raw, my heart racing.
“Even right now you want me. You can deny it all you want, but physically, emotionally, hell, cellularly, you want me. It’s ingrained in both of us, a connection that can’t be denied or changed.” He took another step forward. “This is how it will be always.”
Before I knew it, he was standing right in front of me. He lifted his hand up and cupped my cheek. “Bethany,” he whispered.
I didn’t ask how he knew my name. I assumed he’d asked around at the bar, the same deal as when I’d listened in on the patrons talking about him and his brothers.
“I won’t force you. Would never rush you. But you will be mine sooner rather than later. That I can fucking guarantee.” He leaned in and I held my breath, thinking he might kiss me. Truth was I wouldn’t have stopped him.
But instead he buried his nose in my hair, inhaled deeply, and let out a slow, deep noise.
“Soon, Bethany,” he said roughly. And I knew that was the truth. I knew with everything inside of me that there was no denying this bear shifter.
There was no point when I wanted this just as much as he did.
Chapter Four
Zakari
I told her I’d give her space, time, and I did.
Three days.
Three whole fucking days of torture on my end, waiting to see how she’d proceed, if she’d come to me or make me go to her.
Seventy-two hours of me thinking about her, dreaming about her, hell, jerking off nonstop to the thought of her. Bethany Silver, twenty-one years old and currently living with her injured grandmother. I knew everything there was to know about Bethany, had asked around, did fucking anything and everything I could to get information on her.
I didn’t care if it might be considered stalking. She was my mate and I wanted every little piece of information on her, like a starving dog wanting a tiny scrap.
Even now, as I stood in my shower, the spray of water beating down on my back, the remnants of my cum going down the drain, my dick was still hard. It didn’t matter how many times I’d beat off to the thought of her, the fucker would not go down. And I knew it wouldn’t until I finally claimed her, parted those pretty thighs of hers and shoved my cock deep in her little pussy.
I groaned and closed my eyes, bracing a hand on the tile in front of me and lowering my head. My eyes were closed as I reached down and grabbed my dick, my erection sore from how many times I’d pleasured myself. But the arousal was too strong in me, and so I jerked off for what was probably the third time today alone, feeling my balls draw up tight and exploding within a matter of seconds.
Hell, I was surprised I even had any semen left for how often I seemed to be doing this. But today was the day. I was going to town, to tell Bethany that there was no more waiting. I couldn’t. My bear couldn’t. And I sure as hell knew that if my arousal was this strong that hers was as well. She might be able to control herself a little better than I was because she didn’t have a possessive, barbaric bear within her, but the mating between us would only get stronger the longer we were apart.
We were the only ones who could sate this desire, and I was done waiting.
I was finally ready to have my mate all to myself.
* * *
Bethany
“I don’t know why you came up here. I don’t need anyone’s help. I can manage on my own. I always have and I always will. Just go back to your father, who turned his back on me years ago.” My grandmother’s shrill voice rang out from down the hall.
I rolled my eyes at the pity party she was throwing for herself.
“I mean it. You’re just making this worse.”
I clenched my teeth as I loaded up the dishwasher before closing the door and starting it, the hum of the machine drowning out her bitching. I didn’t know why I was here either, especially given the fact she didn’t want me to help her. She would be content to sit in her own piss, just so she didn’t have to have anyone in her house.