“What the fuck?”
“You know what it means. Only Alphas can partially shift.”
No. I wasn’t an Alpha. While I’d been born a beta, I’d been treated as little more than breeding stock and political fodder once my wolf refused to appear. “But I didn’t know I was doing it.”
He sat up, me still straddled across his lap, one arm around my waist, holding me close.
“Doesn’t matter. Your wolf knew what she was doing. She’s trying to come out. You need to free her. She wants me to help her... to make her mine.”
He leaned in and ran his nose along the side of my neck, pulling a shiver through me. Those lips brushed my skin, followed by the flick of his tongue and a distinctly round metal ball which had to be one of the piercings he’d mentioned.
“You want it too, Sunday. Just give in. Why are you fighting it?” A low growl escaped him on the last word. “Why toy with the vampire’s emotions? You’re wasting his time. You belong to me. You’vealwaysbelonged to me.”
He was rocking us back and forth, his hand now knotted in my hair, teeth grazing my shoulder as he ground his hard cock against my crotch. Thank God I was wearing pants, or he’d know what he was doing to me.
“Say. You’re. Mine.” That fucking growl again.
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
My protest was weak even to my own ears, my wolf begging for what she wanted.
“Just give in. You know I’ll make it good for you. I’ll take care of you.”
He nipped my neck, right where he’d give me a mating mark if I’d let him. I nearly came on the spot. Damn pheromones. They were clouding my judgment.
“I don’t need you to take care of me. I can make it good on my own.”
He licked his way up my neck to my ear. “Think about how much better it’d feel if I were buried inside you. Giving you my knot.”
Jesus, what was wrong with me? My thighs clenched, and I had to grit my teeth to stop the wave of need that sent through me. Primal. That was what this was between us. Different from anything with Noah or Alek... hell, even Caleb. I couldn’t deny it even if I wanted to. Even if I should.
He tore his shirt off his body with one hand, revealing thick muscles and swirling tattoos. His chest was a work of art, accentuated by barbell piercings in his nipples. God, he was hot, but had that been a question I’d ever had? No. There was no denying how sexy Kingston Farrell was.
Then his big hand slipped down and under the waistband of my yoga pants, delving between my legs to where I was slick with desire. I couldn’t fight my moan or the way my hips rolled forward, my clit begging for attention.
“Fuck, Sunday. I knew it. I could smell how badly you want this.” His fingers slid deeper, teasing my entrance. “Say the word, and I’ll mount you here and now.”
I wanted it. God, I wanted it so badly. It would be so easy to give in. To let myself be his and finally feel the connection everyone said was there when a mate bond was formed. I whimpered when one finger sank inside me.
“Fuck, you’re tight. Saving yourself for me? God, that’s so fucking sexy.” He nuzzled deeper into my neck, the warmth of his breath pebbling my skin. When he spoke again, his voice was a deep growl I felt straight in my core. “Good girl.”
His mouth pressed to my shoulder, followed by the pressure of teeth as he carefully bit down. Panic shot through me. If I let him do this, bond with me, mark me there, it would be something I couldn’t come back from. I’d be his.
Shoving with all my might, I pushed him away. I landed on my ass in the dirt and must’ve caught him off guard because he stared in shock.
“No. You don’t get to mark me.”
His eyes flashed with frustration as I got to my feet. “Dammit, Sunday. Why the fuck not? We were born for each other. This is our destiny.”
“I’m meant for more than being your breeding bitch, and that’s all a mate is good for in my pack.”
“Who the hell said that’s what I expect? It doesn’t have to be that way.”
I propped a hand on my hip. “Oh really?Giving you my knot.” I did an impression of him that brought a flash of amusement to his eyes. “You want to breed me just like any Alpha wants to breed their mate. It’s who you are.”
He pushed to his feet. “Of course I do. That’s our nature. It doesn’t mean I expect you to stay at home barefoot and pregnant. We can have fun practicing before we start reproducing. Imagine me taking care of you during your heat.”
My wolf said yes, but my heart said run. “No. I am not here to let you claim me. Either help me with my wolf or leave me alone. No more of... this.”
“Maybethis”—he gestured between us—“is exactly what you need. Maybe your stubborn refusal to give in is the only thing standing in your way. Ever think about that, Sunshine?”
I had to grit my teeth against the bitter retort I wanted to hurl his way. Instead, I shook my head. “Maybe. But it’s not your call to make. I get to decide. And right now, I need more time before I’m ready to take that step. You won’t give me that, so we’re done here.”
I didn’t give him a chance to respond. I walked away without looking back, but my wolf was angry, growling at me all the way to the dorm.