Page 99 of Shifted Desire

I suck in a deep breath, scenting for her, finding traces of her on my sheets, which I bring greedily to my snout. My cock fills, the knot at the base pulsing in preparation for my mate. Finally, I’ve found her and now I can rut her. Make her mine.

A thick string of precum drips from the tapered tip of my monstrous cock, and I shudder as my tongue darts out to lick the sheets, wanting any trace of her taste.

Not enough. Where is she?

I leap up from the bed, knocking into the side table and sending a collection of useless clutter skittering along the floor. I barely feel the prick of the shards of glass as I crush one of the objects under my foot, uncaring about the trail of blood droplets I’m leaving on the white carpet as I stalk out into the hallway. Senses sharp, I listen for my prey.

My ears twitch at the sound of something in the kitchen, and I prowl there, staying low, but there’s no sign of her. I let out a hot huff of frustration, my knot throbbing angrily.

She’s hiding from me, but I’ll find her.

She knows she’s mine.

Agitation rises as I follow trails of her scent throughout my loft, each one never leading where I need.

No.

She’s not here.

Why isn’t my mate here?

I need her.

Need to rut and claim her so no one else will dare harm her.

Need to show everyone that she’s mine. Mine to protect and cherish. Mine to breed.

Wrong. My mate should be here. Why isn’t she here??

I storm to the door to the small hallway by the elevator, determined to track her down before something bad happens to her, yelping when a blast of energy knocks me backward, sprawling me out onto my back.

Snarling, I shake off the shock of pain and try again, but another burst of energy, stronger this time, throws me across the room, crashing into the lamp beside my couch.

No. I need to go to her.

Have to find her. Keep her safe.

I throw myself against the ward over and over, howling and growling and whining until my body is battered and I have no energy left to stand. Then I claw across the room, nails scratching grooves into the wood floors as I use every ounce of my strength to get out.

I reach toward the doorknob, vision swimming and despair thrumming through my impotent body, and when I touch it, everything goes dark.

Warm sunlight dappling a glade, fresh dew on the petals of a fragrant bloom. Loam and petrichor, full bodied earthy sweetness with a sharp edge.

Mate.

The scent of her stirs me back to consciousness, and I let out a pathetic whimper as I try to sit up, my muscles refusing to cooperate. The haze of the wolf is still present in my mind, but the exhaustion has left me more lucid.

There’s a tentative knock on the other side of the infernal door barring me from leaving my loft.

“Nathan?”

A riot of emotions burst to life inside me. Relief, urgency, and raw hunger, blending with potent fear and dismay. She’s here, and fuck there’s nothing I want more, but gods, she can’t be here.

She knocks again and I let out a low sound of frustration, somewhere between a growl and a yelp.

“Nathan, are you there? I can’t get in. The door won’t open.”

“Shouldn’t be here…” I croak, even as my body begs me to get up and find a way to let her in.