Tangled

43 Ava: Virgin Heat (III)

I don’t want to think. I nuzzle my nose into Clayton’s neck and breathe him in, hearing Selene growling in the back of my head. “For what?”

“For all of it. But for claiming you when you told me no.” I can feel his hands brushing against my neck, and pleasure and pain course through me. I can still feel him in my head, but the presence is fading. He sounds puzzled. “It didn’t take, though. Why didn’t it take?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know.” But I can guess it has something to do with me.

Clayton continues to caress my neck. “This looks terrible. Like a wolf tore your neck apart. It looks like I tried to kill you.”

“Mmm.” I’m tired, and trying to ignore the little flares of heat in my abdomen that are trying to come back.

My body can’t take another round of this. But I want

one.

“You were a virgin,” Clayton continues. He’s very talkative after sex, I guess.

14:57

1/7

43 Ava: Virgin Heal (ll)

He sounds grim. I finally open one eye to look at him, and he looks furious. “I’m sorry?”

“No, I’m sorry. Your first time should have never been like that.”

His fingers trail through the tangled strands, gently working out the knots. I can’t help but lean into his touch, savoring the tenderness, the gentle affection.

“I’m so sorry, Ava,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my temple. “I never wanted to hurt you like this. I tried so hard to stay away and keep you safe.”

A pang of guilt twists in my chest at the remorse in his voice. I already know he never meant to hurt me. He did everything he could.

“It’s okay,” I whisper through the roughness in my throat. “I understand.”

Clayton shakes his head, his fingers continuing their soothing motions. “No, it’s not okay. Your first time should have been special, not a frenzied mess driven by instinct and heat.” He presses a tender kiss to my forehead. “I promise, when this is all over, I’ll make it up to you.”

flickar of hana immitan within mo at his

14:57 –

2/7

Virgin

Clayton, without the haze of heat and desperation clouding our senses, fills me with a longing I

something I’d hoped to find

my love,” he murmurs, his fingers trailing down my spine in a featherlight caress. “Let me take

heat creeping back into me, desperate for more. His tender affections feed it, and

a little

Ava. You need a

rubbing harder. I can feel him growing

I say my body couldn’t take another round? Because it disagrees. It wants another. A lot

anothers.

down his neck and breathing in his scent. It smells mate–y,

14:57

Virgin

a wrong way.

Lucas, and a part of me wants to pull myself away in horror. I’ve cheated on my fated mate. Another part of me doesn’t care. Isn’t okay to have this one as my mate? He’s gentle and kind. And even if the mating bond didn’t take, we

Selene interjects. He rejected you. Your

why didn’t Clayton’s claim

think she’s giving me my privacy. Normally, I’d be frustrated

see Clayton’s eyes flare with a hint of yellow. His wolf is there. His wolf must be the one

pain had pushed

“Ava.”

his shoulder,

inside

14:57

Ava: Virgin Heat (III)

know.” I was there,

then slamming me back down, over and over, in an agonizingly slow rhythm. Just enough to build my desire without giving any real relief from it.

This isn’t enough.

I breed you,” he says, and every part of

Selene groans

want pups,

body are united in wanting Clayton to

be more in tune with himself than I am. “I’m so sorry,” he

direct contrast to his wandering hands and gently rolling hips. “I promise, I’ll take care of you and our pups. You won’t want for anything.”

up to me,