Page 23 of Knotting Autumn

“Did you know your friend is a fucking werewolf?” I snapped.

“We’re fine. Just a misunderstanding,” Thorne said, ignoring my tirade.

Cole chuckled, raking his fingers through his mess of black hair. “Yes, I was aware of that. I take it that you weren’t?”

Scoffing, I elbowed Thorne’s ribs, looking for some way to take out my extreme frustration and embarrassment on him.

“So what did you do?” Cole asked, his gray eyes alight with amusement.

Thorne grumbled. “She basically ripped my pants off and said she’d find someone else if I didn’t fuck her.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I yelped, my rage roaring back to life at his gross mischaracterization of our interaction.

“You could have not knotted her,” Cole said, following us as Thorne carried me down a hallway.

“I can walk, ya know,” I hissed at Thorne.

Again, he ignored me and spoke to Cole. “You don’t know what it’s like, man. Being with your fated mate for the first time. I don’t even know what happened.”

“You screwed me with your freaky werewolf dick that I hope rots and falls off,” I growled.

“Hey.” He frowned, almost a pout. “You seemed to be enjoying it before I surprised you with my knot. You literally screamed.”

My cheeks stung from my flaming blush. “Way to give a girl her dignity. Speaking of, you’re not worried about your buddy seeing me naked? I’m not into exhibitionism, dude.”

Thorne entered a bedroom and closed the door with his foot, leaving Cole in the hallway with a smirk on his face.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “Werewolves don’t really care about nudity and modesty and stuff. Everyone strips at the full moon, so I guess we’re just used to it.”

Gently, he laid me down on the bed and sat beside my knees, reaching for my bound wrists. My initial reaction was to snarl and pull away, but if he was going to untie me, it was best that I play nice.

Gritting my teeth, I let him fiddle with the knot until it came undone. Jerking my hands back, I rubbed at my wrists. Thorne watched me, his brows furrowed in concern.

Gnawing on my lip, I looked him over. Black boxers hugged his waist and thighs, doing nothing to hide his dick. Swallowing, I forced my gaze upward. His lips were full and soft, and I could just throw myself forward and he would catch me and lay me down and cover my body…

Woah.

Mentally shaking myself, I focused on the issue at hand.

“So you actually turn into a monster once a month?”

“We turn into wolves. Big ones, but not like a Hollywood werewolf standing upright and walking. If you saw us in nature, you’d probably think we were normal wolves. Does that make sense?”

He tossed the rope at the bedside table and sighed, looking at me with a mix of worry and hope.

Despite my best efforts, my panic was fading, and even though I was still furious, I was really interested in his answers. I could always get revenge later, which would be easier if he thought I was on board with the whole situation.

“I’m not sure I’ll believe it unless you show me,” I muttered darkly.

Thorne settled a hand on my calf, and the contact felt as natural as breathing, even as zaps of energy and heat radiated from the contact.

Apparently, my body was still very much on board with the “fuck Thorne” plan. Despite the werewolf situation. Or maybe because of it.

Am I a monster fucker?

Shaking my head, I focused on his answer.

“We only shift at the full moon. Sorry.”