Page 105 of Wolf Blood

"Very. I'm sorry. Maverick said werewolves almost never bite the back of their mates' necks. It's seen as scandalous, or savage. Dangerous rural wolves are the only ones who do, usually. I think I get it, now."

That little streak of dark thrill widened.

Giving me the most savage kind of mate bite was a very Rhone-like thing to do. Even possessed by fate to bite me, he was still himself.

"Don't be sorry. It fits us."

Us.

It was insane that Rhone and I were anus.

And he'd still brought me back tomyapartment, because of course he had.

He didn't want me. Not completely. I needed to remember that. To drill it into my fucking skull before I started letting myself feel things I shouldn't.

The fact that he was the brightest part of my now-immortal life made it much harder.

"Why did he bring you here?" Bloom gestured toward my apartment. "Why not his place?"

I rolled my eyes, suppressing the emotions I couldn't seem to stop myself from feeling. "When he offered to mate with me before, he said we could live apart. Have normal lives aside from the mate bond. I told him I wasn't interested in that, but he seems to have decided that he is."

"There's no way he's going to stick to that." Bloom shook her head. "Werewolves usually abduct their mates right after fate gets involved. He's going to want you in his space."

"He clearly doesn't."

"He's fighting instinct, but he's going to give in."

I made a noncommittal noise. "Rhone doesn't really do that."

"Harper, you had to publicly strip to stop him from killing the guy you fucked. He has feelings for you."

"He says he's protecting me for you and Maverick."

"Then he's lying to both you and himself."

"Maybe."

"Definitely."

I made a noncommittal sound.

Bloom gave me a quick hug, not giving a shit about the towel. "He's going to make you shower again when you smell like me. Sorry." She squeezed me tighter. "I know this isn't what you wanted, but after everything with Mav, I believe in fate. I think it's going to be great."

"Here's hoping," I whispered.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

harper

Rhone was sittingon the edge of my bed, tapping his foot harshly on the rug, when Bloom and I emerged from the bathroom. There was a door into the closet through it, so I'd gotten dressed already, putting on a pair of my bike shorts and a cropped t-shirt that saidMake Me Howl.

I was pretty sure Bloom or Nolan had snuck that particular shirt in, because I couldn't imagine Rhone ordering it for me.

Maverick was leaning up against the wall near the door, with his hands in his pockets, eyeing Rhone like he was worried about the bastard.

He probably was.

Rhone had never wanted to take a mate. He only changed his tune when the alternative was me choosing someone else. And even then, he had never pretended he wanted to be with me. He was just uncomfortably possessive for an unknown reason.