Page 58 of Shadowed Bond

“I see.”

He glances up, then frowns slightly when he sees my face. “What?”

I press my lips into a tight line and look away first, because I refuse to be the woman who looks wounded and needy. “Right. Of course. You have a pack.”

“I do.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you saying it like that?” he asks.

“Like what?” I ask emotionlessly.

“Like I’m doing something wrong by going back to it.”

Really, Westwood?

“Well, what about me?” I ask. “What’s next for us?”

Ares looks at me for a long moment. Then his expression softens, and he puts down his fork, rubbing the back of his neck. “What do you want to do, Charlotte?” he asks, voice low. Then he pauses, swallows hard and looks me in the eye. “Do you want to come with me?”

I go still. The words hang in the air, my heart racing.

He doesn’t look away, simply looking at me with that infuriating, intense gaze of his, as if daring me to make him regret asking.

My cheeks warm despite myself. “Are you inviting me?”

“We can’t stay here forever, and I need to get back. That doesn’t mean I want to leave you here. So yeah, I guess I am inviting you, Princess. Come with me.”

“And what would I be going as?” I ask, holding his gaze.

His eyes flash steel, and for a second, he says nothing. Then he’s leaning closer, taking hold of my chin and forcing my head upward.

“My mate.” My breath hitches, my heart betraying me, and that makes him smirk. “My infuriating, too-proud, barely-fed mate,” he adds roughly. “And I want you there. The pack will want to know you sooner or later. I don’t know the entire mechanics right now, or what you want, but if you want my insight, then yeah, I want you there – as my mate, as my luna, as my woman.”

Those words send a wave of calmness through me, and I place my plate down on the tray and stand up. His shirt hangs off my shoulder as I look at him. “Then why haven’t you marked me?” I ask, keeping my voice level.

He looks at me intently with that same sharp look I’m not used to seeing on him. Then he places his plate down, too, and stands up; he closes the distance between us and takes hold of my upper arms.

“Because I didn’t want to rush you,” he says quietly. “Don’t for a second think that means I don’t want you, understood?”

I nod. “I’ll try not to,” I reply, meeting his gaze.

“Good,” he says huskily, then he searches my eyes, and I hope he understands before I have to ask him again. “Can I mark you, Princess?”

“Finally, I was beginning to worry I was going to have to spell it out for you,” I remark quietly.

“Well, lucky for you, I saved you doing that shit,” he replies, and then his fingers tangle into my hair before he tilts my head back and presses his lips against my neck. My breath hitches as his tongue flicks out and pleasure ripples through me.

And then he sinks his teeth into my neck, sending explosive pleasure rushing through me as my wolf surges forward and my eyes blaze.

My mate…

I feel the bond strengthen, feel everything heighten, and I hold on to him tightly, and when his tongue flicks across the wound, my breath shudders. Then he moves back and looks down at me.

“Happy?” he asks, licking his lips.

I nod and then glance at his neck. “My turn.”