Page 38 of Wolf Blood

"I don't know how much longer I can do this." My voice trembled more than I wanted it to. "It's getting worse.I'mgetting worse."

"What was the trigger?"

"I don't know."

"Think."

"I was hungry, and they were talking about whether or not Sutton was staying in town. The hunger just..." I shook my head a little, my forehead dragging over his collarbone.

"Small talk and too much time between meals."

"I can usually make it twenty-four hours, and I bit you last night." And Ryker, but I wasn't bringing that up when Rhone had just moved on.

"Sleeping seems to affect the time you can go without feeding."

"I guess."

"Don't lie to me about your hunger again."

I usually didn't. I fed from him once every day, and twice sometimes. I had his number, and texted him the tooth emoji once a week or so, when I was feeling like I was going to lose my sanity in the evening.

"Fine."

"Oren never goes twenty-four hours. We'll make twelve the routine."

"Oren’smated. I'm not biting you twice every single day, Rhone. It's too much. You need to let someone else help me, or?—"

"What did I say about your fangs, Trouble? They’re mine."

"Feel free to put them on a necklace when I’ve devolved for good, then. I’ll haunt you from hell."

He snarled at me. A full-on wolf snarl.

"I don't know why you're so illogical about this, Rhone."

"It’s not illogical. It takes a few hours for a bite to heal. Do you know what would happen if the wolf you fed on bityouduring those hours? If Ryker had bitten you while you drank from him last night?"

I suddenly understood just a little more.

"You're worried I'm going to accidentally end up mated to someone?"

"Of course I am. Biting means something to wolves. It's necessary for your survival, but that won’t stop the emotions that come with it for most of them. When you feed on a werewolf, there is every chance that they could bite you in the heat of the moment. Intentionally or unintentionally."

Oh.

Shit.

"I didn't realize," I said quietly.

"You're not biting anyone else, so it doesn't matter. We will figure out a way to handle this. Feeding every twelve hours willhelp."

"Areyougoing to bite me in the heat of the moment?"

"No."

"None of that changes the fact that I'm getting worse. Oren hasn't lost control like I just did in decades."

"Oren is mated, and has been dealing with this for a century. He lost control almost as much as you have when he was this new."