Wounded Kiss (To Be Claimed 1)

“Bring it on, motherfucker.” The low growl I thought was inaudible awards me with a small whimper from our mate. One that shreds me. “I’m doing this for her.” I leave him with anger pouring off of him in waves. With long, determined strides, I make my way to the other side of the estate. I need to gather rope from the dungeon. I couldn’t care less if Caleb doesn’t like it. She may be both of ours, but that isn’t going to stop me from doing right by her on my own. She needs to be subdued and reconditioned. Now that I know what she’s been through, all bets are off. Our mate isn’t a scared little human afraid of the big bad werewolves. No, she’s an abused, latent wolf in desperate need of being given a kind, devoted touch. Except she’s shown she’ll fight us tooth and nail before she lets that happen. She’ll do anything to keep us away because she’s petrified. All of her past experiences have her on edge and frightened.

I scowl thinking of what she’s been through. My chest tightens and my throat constricts. My poor mate. Fate’s one cruel bitch. She’s scared of me and by extension all of us, simply because I look just like my father. Just like the man who bought her and tortured her. She’s been taught to fear the very sight of me. I know just as well as her what he’s done and seen how his victims look at him with sheer terror in their eyes. That’s how she looks at me. I clench my fists and grip on to the rage and resentment; better that than the sadness threatening to destroy the last bit of hope I have of claiming my mate.

She may have learned to fear my presence, but I can retrain her. I’ll have to tie her down at first so she can’t hide from me. That way she won’t be able to ignore me or run from me anymore. I nod my head as I collect what I’ll need. I’ll soothe her and relieve her of her agony. Instead of the pain and fear she’s used to, I’ll condition her mind to crave my touch and her body to want me. She’ll let go of the past once she can see her future with me.

Then there’s the issue of her latency. Her wolf was there. I heard the poor broken creature whimper in pain; she reached out to our wolves. But somehow Lizzie held her back and hid her. She vanished; there one split second and gone the next. We couldn’t hear her or feel her or even scent her. It doesn’t make any sense. I should know, since latent shifters were my father’s main perversion. You can’t hide your wolf. They’re always able to be heard, felt and eventually seen. Even if you’re latent and can’t shift, there’s always something that will bring your animal to the surface. Lizzie, my sweet, haunted mate, is not latent. She’s something else and I have no fucking clue what. But her wolf is in there somewhere and my own wolf is chomping at the bit to get to her. He knows she’s hurting and he claws at me to protect her.

If only it were that easy. If only you could protect someone from their past.

My strides pick up as I get closer to my mate. I’ve only been gone a few minutes, but I don’t want to miss a thing. If her wolf comes back, I want to be there for her. I want to be there for Lizzie every step of the way.

First thing we have to do is tell her we’re her mates. I don’t know if she’ll know what that means or what she remembers from her pack, but I’ll figure it all out in time. I’ve got forever with my mate and today is just the first day. There’s no way I’m going to let her deny me. I’m not going to let her, or her wolf, hide from us anymore.

“You tell her yet?” I silently question Caleb as I push the door open. The room looks just like the kind of room I’d expect any typical twentysomething to have. Caleb made sure to get everything set up exactly how it was for them back at their apartment. These girls really love the color pink. It’s everywhere with splashes of yellow and the occasional pale shade of teal. Lizzie is still huddled in the cream-colored damask comforter from the guest room. She’s right in the middle of her bed with her head resting on her knees, nuzzled into the blanket. She’s got her arms wrapped around her legs and she holds on to them like they’re her anchor. When she hears my boots thud against the wooden floors, she lifts her head slightly and her red-rimmed, blue eyes peek through her dark, thick lashes at me. The soft movement of her shoulders becomes rigid with fear.