Wolf #2: The Beast Within [COMPLETED]

Chapter 51

Warning: Mature and sexual themes! Reader's discretion is advised!

Chapter 51

I jolt upright at the sound of a loud bang. Immediately, I scramble for my athame and sprint towards the bedroom door. A large, black silhouette in the hallway has me snarling lowly.

"Amelia, it's me!" Jace whispers before I can lob it at him.

"Wha—Jaceson, what the hell are you doing?" I lower the knife and tiptoe past Rachel's room. I can hear neither her nor Olivia breathing softly. They must be sleeping at Olivia's tonight. "I could have hurt you—"

"Sorry—I just needed to go for a run," He slips out of his boots and sets them out on the porch. He gives my thigh a pat as he walks by me, "Sometimes, I feel like this apartment is going to suffocate me."

I understand how he feels...ever since my Heat had come into full swing, being near him was almost unbearable. We could barely be in the same room alone for more than a few minutes without one of us having to stop the other from doing something stupid.

"We're nearly done," I lean against the sliding door and watch the Moon hang above us. I rub the base of my spine and add, "I'm nearly done with my Heat. And then you and I can both have a good night's sleep again."

He only smirks at my words—and I slap the back of his head. "Hey! You said it—not me."

He stands up and gives me a kiss on the cheek. I shut my eyes and let him hold me. This has been nice...I like Jace a lot when things are like this between us.

But I feel empty ever since my conversation with Adrian. I was so stupid to let myself feel anything more than companionship for him...so foolish to let it go that far.

I love you, though.

"Regardless of what happens between us," I wrap my arms around Jace, "You're my friend, Jace. I need you...nothing will change that."

"Nothing will change that," He whispers. His hands press into my muscles and massage them, "I'm glad you can depend on me."

Depend—yes. Trust—no, but hopefully that will come with time.

"What's wrong?" He lifts my chin up, "Are you crying?"

"No! No, it's just...it's nothing," I would never tell him about Adrian. I would never tell anyone about how I let him have more of my heart than I should have. But I did—I've grown to like Adrian more than I should have in this past year. "I'm just being emotional—"

"Hormones?" He asks sarcastically. He wipes my tears and kisses me, "It's okay to be sad. You have a lot to be sad about."

"Jace..." I dodge his lips and shake my head, "I don't want to give you the wrong idea—"

"You aren't," He presses my cheek against his. His hands encircle my waist and tug me against him—his lips tasting the flesh that Orion Marked. I try to steady my breath, but my nerves are so hyper-charged that his touch acts like a conductor. "I love you..."

We lean against the frame and hold one another like this. His eyes shut and he seems so content...so unlike me. I glance out to The Moon.

What do I do?

His hands just begin to slide down the length of my spine and I shut my eyes. His tongue flickers against my collarbone and he pulls me roughly towards him. I grip his arms and try to reign my desires in, but he's bombarded my senses.

"Jace..." I gasp as he cups my breasts. His fingers pull at my tank top strap and begin to free me from the confines of the material. That mouth of his follows the same path until he tastes the flesh around my—