To Love a Beast

Diversions

Sin never wondered how dirt tasted like, but she could now cross it off of her nonexistent bucket list.

The moment the howl sounded, Sin found her face in the dirt and the breath knocked out of her. A torrent of thundering followed the howl.

Sputtering, she attempted to shove off the crushing weight atop of her to no avail.

What is happening?

The next minute, she was tucked under an arm—Cedric's arm, seeing the world blur past her.

"Cedric, how—what's happening?" she managed to mumble out.

"An attack," he said,  her weight not hindering him in the least.

"Then what are you doing, running away from the fight? The pack needs you!"

"And I need you safe."

Sin rolled her eyes and tried to peel his hand off her. She might as well be trying to bend steel.

"In case you forgot, I have legs! Stop wasting your time with me." Huffing from her failed attempt to extract herself from his iron grip, she almost didn't catch his words.

"I need you safe. Must protect my mate." The words guttural, wild.

This is all wolf I'm talking to, she realized

With the beast lurking at the surface, Sin knew the Lycan was running more on instinct than rationale, so any endeavors to convince Cedric from his mission would fall on deaf ears. She ceased her struggling. The faster Cedric took her where ever he needed her, the quicker he could answer his call to duty.

When they came to a stop, they were inside her room.

"Stay in my room," he said, eyes still glinting feral.

"This is your room?" Her voice came out shrill. Remembering Cedric pull on sweatpants from the closet in the room earlier today, Sin groaned at her lack of awareness.

His clothes are here. Of course, this is his room!

Cupping the back of her head, Cedric pressed his forehead against her own.

"Promise me, you'll still be here when I return. Promise me," he said, voice awash with feeling.

He's scared I'll leave him.

The hand cupping the back of her neck trembled. He was terrified, not for his own life, but that he would return to an empty room. And at that moment, Sin was hit with the amount of power she held in her hands.

Lonely, lonely beast.

"Go now. Your pack needs you," she said, pulling away from him, from the torrent of emotions he elicited within her.

He stood firm.

"Promise me."

And she knew she shouldn't consort with the enemy, shouldn't make promises she couldn't keep, but the loneliness reflected in his eyes tugged at her heartstrings.

Lonely beast.

"Fine. Now go," she said, anything to escape his touch, his presence. Everything was too much. He made her feel—he made her feel. And she didn't like it, couldn't risk so much.

Cedric pressed his forehead on hers once more, then he was gone.

The moment his intense presence left the room, her knees gave away. Sin groaned.

What a pickle she's caught herself in.

****

Peeking her head past the threshold of the door, Sin was met with an empty hall.