The Wolf Lord's Mate

Chapter Sixteen

His. What a ridiculous notion that was.

"I am your employee," I swallowed hard, "But I am not yours, My Lord." In an instant, my back was against the wall, my vision swimming from how fast I had been moved. I could feel very inch of Nathaniel's hard body pressed against mine, his hands a steel cage that pinned my arms back against the wall.

"Do not," Nathaniel was breathing heavy, his dark pupils dilating as he stared down at me, "Say that." His words disappeared into a growl, the noise reverberating in my ear and down through my body until my knees buckled. Nathaniel didn't let me fall, one arm loosening its grip to catch me around my waist, pressing me impossibly closer. Heat radiated off of him, the tingles I had felt from only the light touches we had shared had erupted into sparks; searing flames where his skin pressed to mine.

"My Lord—"

"—No," Nathaniel cut me off, leaning down to run his nose over the crown of my head and inhaling deeply, "I told you to call me by my first name. You've been very disobedient in that regard."

"It isn't right."

"There would be nothing more right in the world than hearing my name come from your lips."

"My Lord—"

"Mira." Nathaniel growled into my ear, his teeth just nipping at the lobe. I gasped, pushing back against him, but I wasn't going anywhere, not with the whole of his bulk pressed against me. There was no escape from him, or from his delectable scent. I was wrapped up in the heady smell of cinnamon and cloves, so masculine and warm.

"Nathaniel." I said, and Nathaniel's growl turned into a purr. He ran his nose over the shell of my ear, his breath hot against my skin.

"Say it again, my darling."

"I—Nathaniel, you need to let me go." My mind was at war with my body. Common sense told me that this was a far too intimate a position to be caught in with the Lord, but my body screamed at me to press even closer into him.

"I can't do that, Mira." Nathaniel whispered.

"Why?"

"I already told you, you're mine."

"But," My heart leapt into my throat as his lips skimmed over my neck, "What does that mean? I'm not your mate." Nathaniel's movements paused, his fingers pressing harder into my waist. "Nathaniel, I'm not—"

"—Don't." Nathaniel's voice was strained, as if he were barely holding onto himself. "If you deny my claim to you again, I will lose control, and I don't want to frighten you."

Did that mean that it was true? Elation surged through me at the prospect of him being mine before anxiety overtook it.

His mate.

A Wolf's mate.

No, I couldn't be anyone's mate, I couldn't be another human taken and hidden away by a possessive Wolf. And a Lord at that—an Alpha Wolf. Once I was marked I would never have an ounce of freedom again. I would never open my own shop, never travel outside of his lands, never be alone in the company of another male whether he was a friend or not.

And yet—the press of Nathaniel's body against mine was like nothing I had ever felt before. His scent an intoxication that could not be replicated; his dominant and demanding touches made me want to kneel before him. It was an insanity that fought to take me over, to bend to any of his whims if it meant that he never let me go.

No.

No, I would not succumb to him. But first, I had to know if it was true. If Nathaniel truly believed that I was his mate. Humans could sense part of the bond, a feeling that grew after marking, but even then it was only a fraction of what a Wolf felt.

"Isa said you were preparing your cabin for your mate, is that true?" I asked, eyes fluttering closed as Nathaniel pressed a gentle kiss to the side of my neck.

"Isa is a gossip." Nathaniel had not loosened his grip on me at all, still holding me tightly against him, but he did release my arm where he'd pinned it the wall. Not that it would have helped me get away—Nathaniel was immovable. A solid wall of muscle.

"You didn't answer the question."

"My hope was always to bring my mate there, yes," Nathaniel pulled back, looking me squarely in the eyes, "To take you there."

"No," My breath caught in my throat, and I was shaking my head before I could stop myself, "You're mistaken, I promise you, you've got it wrong."

"There is no mistaking the bond, Mira," Nathaniel did not grow angry at my resistance, but his tone was firm, "What I feel for you is like nothing I have ever experienced before. You're human, you don't feel all of it, but I know you feel something."

That was putting it lightly. Every filthy dream I'd had about Nathaniel flooded through my mind at once. The memory of just how many mornings I had awoken with a throbbing need between my legs. Not to mention the slick wetness that was currently soaking through my panties that I was absolutely certain he could smell.

He knew the effect he had on me, I realized, he just wanted me to admit it. Arrogant bastard, as if this wasn't difficult enough. But there were other reasons that he could be having that kind of effect on me, couldn't there? He was attractive, dominant, masculine—an alpha specimen of a Wolf, surely I would have to be blind not to feel attracted to him. Anyone would be attracted to him.

A flash of possessiveness ripped through me at the idea of someone else thinking about Nathaniel in the same way I did.

Fuck.

This was going to be more difficult to fight off than I thought. 

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