Lily
A fresh start was supposed to be simple—leave my toxic alcoholic mother behind. But smashing my van into a tree and confronting a massive, wolf-like creature wasn’t part of the plan. When I wake under the intense gaze of Kai Ravenbriar, a surge of emotions ignites within me. He's an enigmatic figure, part of the enshrouded Ravenbriar family. But before I can delve into the tantalizing chemistry between us, I'm abruptly abducted by a sadistic scientist, turning my imagined adventure into a nightmare.
Kai
Sweet Lily. The instant I catch her scent I know she’s my mate. Her beauty is beyond compare. My Yucilon hungers for her. The burning need to exchange blood and perform the ritual is all I can think about. The beast in me doesn’t give a damn that she’s human. Doesn’t care about family law. But when Lily is brutally torn away from me, it awakens my primal instinct—and I will show no mercy.
Be Warned: knotting
More From Ravenbriar
I shifted her in my arms, then took off running toward the tree line. When I found the trail I’d taken hundreds of times over the years, I ran faster. Shifting into my Yucilon form would’ve gotten me home within minutes, but that wasn’t going to happen this time. Not with her in my arms. Two feet instead of four would have to suffice.
My breath quickened as I cradled the small female in my arms, each step deeper into the forest amplifying the wild instincts simmering beneath my skin. The moonlight pierced through the dense canopy, casting a silvery glow on her delicate features. Her scent, a tantalizing blend of peaches and something uniquely her own, overwhelmed my senses, making it hard to think, hard to breathe.
My claws lengthened involuntarily, grazing the fabric of her shirt. I shuddered, a growl rumbling in my chest. The urge to claim her, to mark her as mine, surged through me, drowning out rational thought. I wanted to take her far away, to a place where no one could find us, where I could awaken her properly, without restraint.
She stirred in my arms, her soft moan sending a jolt of electricity through me. My grip tightened, the pads of my fingers trailing against her skin. I fought to control myself, but the Yucilon within me was relentless, urging me to surrender to my desires.
I paused, leaning against a tree, breathing heavily. “I need you to wake up,” I whispered, desperation spreading through my chest.
She stirred again, her eyes fluttering open, meeting mine with a sleepy confusion. “What?” she murmured, her voice barely audible.
“Shh,” I replied, my voice a low growl. I leaned in, my lips caressing her ear. “You’re safe.”
She blinked, as if trying to process my words. Her scent filled my nostrils again, and I felt my control slipping further. My jeans were too damned constricting. Fuck, I wanted to take her right here, under the moonlight, to claim her as my mate. But I couldn’t, not yet.
“Home,” I said, my voice rough with need.
Without waiting for a response, I resumed my journey, my steps quickening. The forest seemed to close in around us, the shadows deepening as we ventured further from the road. The animal inside me howled in anticipation, urging me to hurry, to find a place where we could be alone.
Finally, we reached a clearing, bathed in the ethereal glow of the moon. I gently lowered Lily to a bed of clovers, my eyes never leaving her face. Unconscious. And my fault.
Claws retracted slightly as I fought to regain control, but the hunger in my blood was unmistakable.
I breathed deeply, fighting for control. Soon, a sense of calm washed over me. The creature inside me quieted, soothed by her presence.
I picked her back up and rounded a bend, then spotted home a few hundred feet ahead. Home, right. More of a compound. It’d been built into a hillside, partially hiding it from view. We’d let the vegetation grow up around it to make it difficult for outsiders to find. To make it difficult for others of my kind to find. I stopped and glanced around, then sniffed the air for any sign of threat. The only thing within miles were various forest animals. My small bundle was so still I grew concerned. Shit, at least she was breathing. The fact that she hadn’t been jarred awake by my dash through the woods worried me, though. She was injured worse than I’d first thought. As I approached the door and was about to knock, it was flung open. Wyatt stood on the other side, glaring at me. Fucking terrific.
“What the hell did you do?”
“It was an accident,” I bit out. “She’s injured. Let me in.”
My brother didn’t budge. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and ordered, “She’s human, Kai. Get her out of here.”
I wouldn’t release the female. Not even for my alpha. “It’s my fault she’s hurt and I want Creeg looking her over.”
“Take her to a hospital and leave her. She’ll be fine.”
“No,” I ground out, tired of the argument. “We’re wasting time chatting. I won’t risk her life.”
The bastard only shrugged. “Why do you care? She’s not our kind.”
I rolled my eyes. “Does she look like a threat to you?”
Wyatt’s lip curled up at one corner. “Looks can be deceiving.”
Enough was enough. The female was injured because of my reckless bullshit and I would damn well see to her care. “Let me pass!”
I heard a noise coming from behind Wyatt, then Creeg came into view. “What’s going on?”
“She’s injured. I want you to examine her.”
Creeg stared at her, his gaze raking up and down her body before he waved a hand in the air. “Bring her inside,” he ordered.
“I’m trying but big brother is afraid of the tiny human.”
“I’m not afraid of her, damn it.”
I let my facial expression do the talking for me. Wyatt finally relented and stepped out of the way. “She’s your responsibility. When she’s well, send her on her way. That’s an order, Kai.”
I couldn’t give him my agreement. Something about the female called to me. I wanted to know why I was so drawn to her. As I stepped inside, all my brothers descended at once. Like the dumbasses had never seen a female before. Jesus.
