Colton was wrong. It seemed every man would let me down. I’d been thinking I wasn’t enough for them. My dad. The jerk from college. Colton. I’d thought if I was enough, they’d be in my life.
But I was enough. And I fucking deserved better than this.
COLTON
* * *
I ran blindly out of the house. Didn’t even know where the fuck I was until I ran smack into Rob.
“Ready to run?” he asked, then looked me over. “Dude, why’s your dick hanging out?”
Shit. I reached down, shoved myself back in my pants, although it fucking hurt. I was so hard, it was actually painful. And my balls…
There was no way I’d get the pants zipped.
“Do I owe Boyd fifty bucks?”
Panting, I glared at him. “No, nothing happened.”
He arched a dark brow. “Really?”
The rain had let up while I’d been upstairs with Marina. It was barely a drizzle now, and the thunder was off to the east. The storm had blown through as fast as it had arrived.
The air was cooler. Damp. The scent of green grass and wet dirt filled my nostrils, making Marina’s sweet scent disappear.
“No,” I snarled. “Why do you think I’m standing out here with you?”
He knew what I was going through. How close I was to madness.
“Fuck.” I ran a hand over my face, my hair still damp from earlier. “Let’s run. Hard.” I yanked off my clothes right there outside the back door, not bothering to stow them somewhere dry. I left them with my boots in the mud. I didn’t wait for Rob and shifted, then took off.
We didn’t usually run on our property. Not with neighbors around. Pack law was to keep to the mountains where we couldn’t be seen, but I couldn’t wait that long to shift. It was almost dark, and I didn’t give a shit. If the alpha was pissed, he could deal with me later.
I felt his presence behind me, probably sticking close in case I did go mad. He might be able to keep me from losing my humanity completely by ordering me to shift back at the end of the night if I couldn’t do it on my own.
And I might not. I’d never felt the madness this strongly before. The wild beast within me taking over, scratching to be free.
Fuck!
I ran at top speed, following a path through our land that led to the mountain range beyond.
I’d scared Marina. My teeth had descended, coated with the serum that would forever mark her with my scent. I hadn’t been capable of holding back.
She’d been too perfect. Her pussy had just been that sweet. Her flavor was still on my tongue. Her skin had been like wet silk, her cries of pleasure, the rough tug on my hair indication she’d been right there with me. She liked me wild, but that…. That had been something else.
I’d been something else.
I should never have risked being in a bedroom with her. Taking her clothes off. That was utterly idiotic! Why had I thought I was in control? With her, I never would be. I couldn’t risk her. Ever.
Marina. Marina.
I had to run off this wildness, this madness, so I could get back to her. Explain everything. Take her into my arms and make amends. Tell her I’d wait for her. However long it took.
I raced up the side of the mountain, my nails digging into the wet earth as I climbed. And when I hit the top, I sat and howled.
Boyd had been right. Fate was a whore.
If I made it through this night, I would never defy her again.
19
MARINA
* * *
I couldn’t stay here. Staring at the shelf of Colton’s childhood trophies, I realized this was the last place I could remain. Not just his bedroom, but Wolf Ranch.
Which was… full of wolves.
Audrey and Boyd were all sequestered away in their cabin for their wedding night, and I doubted they’d come up for air tomorrow. Or the next day. They weren’t planning a honeymoon, so I didn’t think they’d make an appearance anytime soon.
And I sure as hell couldn’t stay in this house with Colton and Rob.
I wasn’t even sure if I could trust them now that I knew what they were.
And Colton…
Colton had broken my heart.
Just like my dad. No, I’d broken my own heart over him. I shouldn’t have loved him in the first place.
I sat up, wiped my face, then went across the hall to my room. Threw on some clothes. I didn’t even know what I’d done to have Colton freak. I guessed I was too human for him. I didn’t measure up. Same old story.
Except, no. Fuck that. I shoved my arms through a hoodie sweatshirt and pulled it over my head.
It was their loss. I wasn’t the problem. I wasn’t the one who wasn’t good enough.