Page 63 of Patrick’s Seduction

Fallon seemed to relax a little. “Thank you,” she pressed out as if speaking caused her pain.

The curtains were finally closed. Fallon glanced in their direction. “It won’t help for long.” Then she met his gaze. “You have to lock me up. Do it now, while I can still fight the wolf. Once I shift, I can’t guarantee anything. And I will shift. I have no choice.”

Realizing that Fallon was holding on to her human form with all her strength, and would lose the battle soon, he gave an order. “Zane, get the van. We’ll have to lock her in a cell at HQ.”

“Hurry,” Fallon pleaded.

31

Fallon woke in a bleak white room with concrete furniture fused to the floor. The bare walls reminded her of depictions of the interior of an insane asylum—or a morgue. Though a morgue at least had steel tables and refrigeration units as well as other equipment. This room was devoid of them.

She shivered and looked down at herself. She was naked. She didn’t remember having been brought to this room, but she knew what it was: an underground cell at Scanguards’ HQ. Patrick had told her that he would bring her here, but she’d shifted at some point during the transport. However, she wasn’t sure if it had happened in the van or in the building.

She let her gaze roam the room, searching for her clothes. There were none. But she noticed a monitor next to the door. It displayed a message.

Fallon, now that you’re awake, please enter the code 8095 into the keypad below. It will open a door behind you. Behind it, you’ll find a small bathroom with toiletries and clothes. Take your time. You had a rough night. I’ll come to get you when you’re ready. Love, Patrick.

Fallon glanced around. Only now, she noticed claw marks on the walls and deep scratches on the door. It appeared that she’d tried to get out when she was in wolf form. But her temporary prison had held. Memories of how violent she’d become, how frustrated at being locked up, came rushing back. She had no way of pushing them back, even though she didn’t want to be reminded of the wolf inside her. Her muscles ached as if she’d done a rigorous weightlifting routine with a personal trainer, attesting to the fact that the wolf had relentlessly clawed and scratched at the door and the walls to find a way out. But just like the furniture in this room, the walls and floor were made of concrete.

Not wanting to stare at the claw marks she’d left, Fallon tapped in the code and pivoted to see a door she hadn’t noticed previously spring open. She opened it wider and entered the well-lit bathroom. Relieved to see a large shower equipped with different soaps and shampoos, she turned on the water and stepped under the warm spray. Her muscles instantly felt better.

She wasn’t sure how long she stood in there, letting the water run down her body, before soaping up and then washing her hair. When she finally turned off the water and dried off with a large, fluffy towel, she felt better. She looked into the mirror above the sink, pleased to see that her face looked refreshed. There was a still-wrapped toothbrush on the vanity, as well as other toiletries. She brushed her teeth, used deodorant, and dried her hair with the hairdryer before she dressed in the clothes that lay on a small stool. The clothes weren’t hers, but they fit perfectly nevertheless. The soft fabric of the form-fitting sweater and the comfortable pants felt good on her skin. Whoever had placed these items in the bathroom, had thought of everything, including underwear, socks, and shoes her size.

Feeling like a human being again, even though she knew she wasn’t, she opened the bathroom door and walked back into the cell. To her surprise, Patrick was leaning against the wall, waiting for her. She met his gaze.

Patrick bridged the distance between them with three steps, and opened his arms, embracing her.

“It’s so good to see you,” he murmured into her hair. “How are you feeling?”

Her stomach suddenly rumbled loudly.

He drew his head back, smiling. “Apart from being famished.”

“I’m better now,” she admitted, inhaling his masculine scent and hugging him tightly. “Thank you for everything.”

He put his finger under her chin. “I’d do anything for you.” He pressed a tender kiss on her lips.

His kiss ignited something inside her, making her want more of the same. She angled her head and kissed him back with more fervor, wringing a surprised gasp from him. But he didn’t pull back. Instead, he kissed her more passionately, and she suddenly felt her back being pressed against the wall, while their bodies were touching so closely as if they were one. She now regretted having gotten dressed. But before she could start undressing, Patrick severed the kiss.

He breathed heavily. “Damn, baby, you can make a man forget everything in a second.”

She put her hands on his hips, drawing him closer once more. “Don’t play hard to get.”

He chuckled, and his eyes sparkled. “Hold that thought. You’ve gotta eat something first. After what you went through last night, you need to get your strength back.”

He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “From what I saw, it must have been painful.”

“You were here? Watching me?” she asked, surprised.

“Yes.” He pointed to the ceiling, and she followed his direction. A camera was installed there. “I wanted to make sure that you didn’t hurt yourself.”

A shiver raced down her spine, and she looked past him. She wished he hadn’t seen her at her worst. “I’m sorry you had to see that. It must have been awful to watch.”

“No, Fallon, don’t say that,” he said softly and tipped her face up with his fingers. Affection streamed from his green eyes. “You’re beautiful, even as a wolf.”

She knew he meant it, even though she didn’t understand why he would still find her beautiful when she was a beast.

“Come, let’s get you some breakfast, and I can fill you in on what we’ve been working on overnight.”