Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
I stare at him. He’s making no sense.
He smooths his hand up and down my bare back, his touch calming me. “You were so close to death it was the only way, Little love,” he says gently. “The only hope for your survival was for me to bite you, so I did. My essence runs through your veins now. It’s helping your leg heal quickly. In a few days, all that will be left is the scar. My essence is also causing you to feel drawn to me. I’m sure that’s confusing, but I assure you it’s normal.”
Normal? Nothing about this situation is normal. It’s the opposite of normal. It’s insanity.
A sudden thought scares the fuck out of me. “Did you turn me into a lion shifter? I’m I going to become an animal now?” My voice is shrill. I can’t help it.
He shakes his head. “No, Little love. My bite only binds you to me as my mate. You will not shift.”
Navin pulls me closer to him, his arms holding me so that I’m pressed against his chest. I can feel his heart beating, and it seems like mine syncs with his. Is that a thing? He’s manipulating my emotions, forcing me to calm.
“Why am I naked? Why am I wearing a diaper?”
“I washed your body, Little love. You were covered with blood and dirt. I wanted to make sure you didn’t have any other injuries. And you were totally unconscious. There was no way for you to use the bathroom.”
I don’t think I’ve blinked for a while. I’m trying to wrap my head around the fact that this stranger washed my naked body. “Can I get dressed now?” I ask softly, half afraid he might tell me no.
“Of course, Little love. Whenever you’re ready. I have a few things you can wear.” He leans me back a few inches and looks me in the eyes. “Can you tell me what happened yesterday? Someone obviously tried to kill you. That much is clear. I need to know the details so I can protect you.”
I cock my head to the side and narrow my gaze. “Why would you protect me? Why do you care?”
“Brea, you are mine.” He’s said this a few times, but I’m struggling to grasp his meaning.
“You don’t know me.”
“It doesn’t matter. I claimed you, Little love. There’s no going back. I’ll get to know you with every passing hour.”
My breath hitches. No going back? I’m still clutching the blanket in front of me, and I grip it tighter.
He squeezes my hip. His voice is gentle and soft when he speaks again. “I bit you, Brea,” he repeats. I certainly need the repetition. The concept is too foreign for me to internalize. “I felt compelled to claim you, and I did. It was either that or let you die. We discussed driving you into town to a doctor, but you wouldn’t have survived the trip. You’d lost a lot of blood. You were hanging on to life by a thread.”
I nod slowly. “And your bite…”
“It binds you to me for the rest of our lives. You already feel the pull. It’s strong and undeniable.”
He’s right. I’m about as close to him as I could possibly be, and yet, I’d like to be even closer. It’s as though I want to climb under his skin and be one with him. I also want the enormous erection pressing against my hip inside me, and that’s not a sensation I’m familiar with. No man has ever affected me physically like this before.
My lips part, but I’m not sure what to say.
“I’ll answer every question you have, Little love. I promise. Will you please answer some of mine first, though? I’m concerned about what happened to you.”
“Yes.” I squirm against his thighs. “May I please get dressed first?”
“If it will make you more comfortable, Little love.” He slides forward, cradling me in his arms, and scoots off the edge of the bed. After turning around, he gently deposits me on my back on the mattress. “Let me remove this bandage so I can make sure your wound isn’t infected.”
The blanket I’m holding has gotten twisted around, and my breasts are exposed. I tug at it to get it out from under me and try to cover myself.
He smiles indulgently and sets his hands on either side of my shoulders. “I’ve seen every inch of your precious body, Brea. You’re stunningly beautiful, and you’re mine.”
He’s said that so many times now that I’m starting to believe him.
“I know human females are not accustomed to being naked, so I’ll indulge your desire to cover yourself for now, but you should know that in the near future, I’ll expect you to get over your need for modesty. Typically, the mates of my pride do not wear much in the way of actual clothes when they’re inside. Obviously, you won’t go outside unprotected from the elements, but in our home, I’ll prefer to see your pretty body most of the time.”