Feral Awakening (The Feral Series-Book 2) (18 page)

 Ronan stopped briefly
at the convenience store before heading back to the hotel. He didn’t like that
he had been forced to leave Kat alone and was eager to get back to her. The
little female seemed to have a knack for finding trouble and even though she
had been subdued when he left, he didn’t like having her out of his sight.

 Kat dreamt of the man
with the golden eyes. He waited for her at the edge of the water. Racing
through the woods, Kat ran to him. Always she was running to him and he
remained just out of her reach. Hearing the roar of a waterfall, Kat ran to the
edge of the woods. Her pulse pounded in her ears and heat raced through her
veins, burning her with its intensity. Only the man with the golden eyes could
calm the fire in her body.

 Sweat glistened on her
skin as she broke clear of the woods. There he was, standing at the edge of the
water. Kat had dreamt this particular dream many times over and always when she
emerged from the woods the man with the golden eyes would look at her sadly and
then disappear into the mist.

 Kat watched him with
dread, waiting for him to leave her again. To her surprise he smiled at her,
and beckoned her closer. Cautiously, Kat moved closer to him as though she was
afraid that at any moment he would spook and vanish before her very eyes.

 As Kat walked to him
he began to pull off his clothes, preparing to get into the water. “Wait! Don’t
go. Please.”

 In moments Kat was
standing before him in all his naked glory. “Please don’t leave me.” With a
blinding smile her mysterious man reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled
it over her head. Kat gasped as he began to undress her. The brush of his
fingers blazed a trail of heat across her skin.

 Now totally unclothed,
he took her hand and guided her into the water with him. Kat gasped as the
water lapped at her legs. She had hoped the water would help cool her fevered
skin but it didn’t. It was warm like bath water and instead of cooling her it
made her burn even hotter.

 “Wait. Please. It’s
too hot.” With a shake of his head her golden man pulled her flush against his
body, causing the energy at her core to pulse with need. It was too much, she
was becoming overwhelmed as they sank deeper into the clear, warm water. Kat
began to struggle in earnest but he held her arms immobile and pulled her
beneath the water with him.

 Ronan parked the old
Chevy outside of the motel room. With one brown shopping bag under his arm he stepped
out of the truck and shoved the old door shut with a lonely squeak. Turning
towards the motel room he began to slide the credit card key out of his pocket
and suddenly froze.

 Closing his eyes a
growl rumbled deep in his chest as he scented the air. With a harsh curse, his
eyes glowed brightly in the dim lights of the motel parking lot. Claws emerged
from his hands, puncturing the bag he held and causing him to fumble the key.

 “Ah Gods Kat. This is
not good.”

 Hurrying to the door,
his hands shook as he struggled to slide the key into the slot in the motel
door. Seconds away from breaking the lock open, the lights turned green and he
turned the handle. Cautiously opening the door he almost went to his knees as
Kat’s wildflower scent invaded his senses. The room was filled with the
pheromones his little female was releasing.

 Dropping the almost shredded
bag onto the dresser, for just a moment he, one of the most feared Lykan males,
considered running. That is until Kat’s tortured moan echoed from the bed. It
was a moan of pain. The scent of her fear was threading itself through her
wildflower scent.

 His body flexed in
preparation of changing into his beast form. His muscles straining beneath his
black t-shirt, Ronan dug his claws into his palms and fought the overwhelming
urge to shift.
Can’t shift. Kat needs me.
Finally winning the battle
with his beast, Ronan cautiously walked around to the side of the bed.

 Kat lay on the bed,
still tied to the head board right where he had left her. She had managed to
kick all of the blankets off of the foot of the bed and lay in the middle
uncovered. Her thin tank top rode dangerously high beneath her breast and her
lacy white panties lay low across her hipbones. A shimmering sheen of sweat
glistened on her golden skin and her cheeks were flushed pink. She looked like
she was ready to combust.

 With her eyes still
closed she tossed her head from side to side and pulled against her restraints.
“Can’t breathe, too hot.” She muttered in her sleep and attempted again to
escape whatever it was that had ahold of her.

 “Kat.” Ronan sat down
on the bed next to her but was afraid to touch her. Dam it. If he was smart he
would be in that truck right now half way across town but he couldn’t leave her
like this.

 Brushing her hair away
from her face he ran his fingers across her cheek. “Kat wake up.”

 Finally her eyes
opened and she looked up at him in confusion. “Wake up sweet. You were having a
nightmare.”

 “Ronan?” Kat moved as
if to sit up only to find her arms were still tied to the headboard. “You… you
bit me.” Kat raised her head to glare at him only to let it flop back onto the
pillow with a soft moan. Suddenly she became aware of the horrible heat that
still burned through her veins.
Oh god! No! Not this again. Not now!

 Kat arched her back
and gasped as the energy in her core pulsed brighter, sending need shooting
through her system. With a jerk she pulled hard on the ropes that still held
her pinned to the bed. “Ronan… you have to let me go. I have…” Kat’s throat suddenly
went dry. “I have to run. It’s the only thing that helps when I’m like this.”

 As a new wave of heat
pulsed through Kat’s small body, Ronan cautiously stood up and took a step away
from the bed. Digging his claws into his palms he shook his head to clear it as
another wave of pheromones filled his senses, intoxicating him with Kat’s sweet
scent. He could feel himself swell even harder than he already was, surprised
that was even possible.

 “Ronan! Please, it
hurts! God, it’s never been this bad. You have to let me run.
Release. Me.
Kat’s
voice changed as the last two words left her rosy lips becoming husky and
gravely sounding.
Oh God why do I sound like that? What’s happening to me? Why
isn’t he listening to me?

 
When
Kat’s eyes once again met Ronan’s they glowed a beautiful Lykan green that made
him groan. To Kat’s surprise Ronan’s were also glowing from beneath the long
hair that always seemed to hide his expression from her. Kat could see he was
dangerously close to shifting and looked too like he was in pain. Kat looked at
him in sudden realization. “You know what this is don’t you.” Ronan’s continued
silence sent fear shooting down her spine. “Tell me!” God, it must be something
really bad. “Ronan what is it? Am I dying?”

 Ronan barked out a
laugh laced with frustration. A low rumble shadowed his words as he spoke. “Remember
when you asked me what being “of age” meant. Well this is it. Dam it Kat… this
is why our females are mated when they are twenty one instead of being left on
their own without the protection of their pack. You have been feeling like this
because you are going through your first season.”

 Kat’s mind froze in
horror. Quickly though the horror was pushed aside by a sudden blast of rage
and frustration. Kat raised her head to snarl at Ronan. “You have got to be
kidding me! Argh! This is crazy! I am not some
dog
who is going into…” Rage
choked her for a moment. “
heat!”
Another blast of liquid fire raced
through her veins and Kat pulled hard on her restraints trying to get free, the
headboard actually beginning to groan at her sudden strength. She pulled in
several deep breaths, trying to calm the fire in her veins but it only made it
worse. Every breath filled her with Ronan’s masculine scent making her groan. 
To her surprise she realized the pain was even worse now that he was here.

 With a snarl Ronan
raked his hands through his hair and paced at the foot of the bed. He couldn’t
do this. He wasn’t strong enough, his control too weak. Dam it, why couldn’t
she have waited just a few days more. Then she would be safely under the
protection of his pack and he would be miles away…
She would also be mated
to someone else… She would be beneath another male as he took her neck, forever
claiming her as his mate. Her small body arching in pleasure as her male saw to
her needs, soothed the fire that was burning through her veins.

 
Ronan
sank his claws into his t-shirt, ripping it to shreds as his body began to
shift. Unfastening his belt he braced his hands against the wall as he fought
against the shift. His claws left deep gouges in the wall as he fought his
instincts. Always he battled his beast for control. More often than not… he
lost. If he gave his beast control right now he would hurt Kat. He would be on
her in seconds, burying himself in her soft body. He couldn’t let that happen,
her small body was not made to accept his Lykan form. He had to get control of
himself, there was no other choice.

 Kat thrashed in misery
while Ronan seemed to struggle with his beast. Why wasn’t he letting her go? If
he would just let her run! Several miserable minutes went by before his
breathing slowed. Finally winning the battle he turned to face her. “Ronan
please.” Kat no longer knew what she was even asking for. She just
instinctively knew that Ronan could ease her pain.

 Ronan had fought his
beast… and won. He was back in control for the moment at least. He knew what he
had to do. Kat was suffering and he was the only one who could help her. Her
pain would last for hours if he didn’t relieve her.  The pain would only get
worse until her body received a male Lykan’s seed. It was nature’s little way
of insuring their species survived.

  They were still
bonded and she was his to care for. To leave her in this condition would be
beyond cruel and he wouldn’t do that to her, she had already suffered enough. She
deserved better. Dam it, she definitely deserved better than him but he would
have to do for now.

 Kat could tell by the
look on Ronan’s face that he had finally come to some kind of decision. With a
sigh of resignation he sat down on the bed next to her. “Oh, thank god.” Kat
sighed in relief now that he was finally freeing her. “Untie me, quick.” Kat
frowned in confusion as Ronan shook his head in the negative and put his arm on
the other side of her waist. Kat watched in fascination as he squeezed his eyes
tight as though in pain and then lowered himself over her body. Kat’s breath
caught in her throat as she suddenly found herself surrounded by Ronan. Her
body arched up to meet his as his bare chest brushed against her, his bare skin
making contact with hers where her thin tank top had ridden up. Ronan lowered
his face to Kat’s as he spoke softly to her, his voice soothing her ragged
nerves. “I will help you sweet, but you will have to stay tied. If you touch
me, I won’t be able to stop myself from taking your neck and claiming you.”

 Kat had half a second
to gasp in surprise and then Ronan’s lips were crashing down on her own. Desire
slammed through her system, like nothing she had ever experienced before. Ronan’s
lips ravaged her and she tentatively licked at his bottom lip until he opened
for her and joined his tongue with hers. Ronan’s every breath tangled with her
own until his very essence filled her senses.

 Aching to be closer to
him, Kat arched beneath his weight, her sensitive breasts grazing his chest,
drawing them into tight peaks beneath the thin shirt. She groaned in
frustration, wishing there was nothing in between them. Sensing her need, Ronan
continued kissing her as he slid his hands over the smooth skin of her exposed
waist and then drug his rough palms up under her tank top.

 Heat shot through her
core as he grazed the sensitive peeks with his fingertips and cupped her
fullness in his large palm. With a low growl he suddenly tore the offending
garment from her soft body and tossed it to the floor. Abandoning her now
swollen lips he filled his palm with her silken flesh and lowered his mouth to
the rosy peak.

 He could feel his
beast begin to stir at her moans of pleasure but he quickly pushed it back. Never
had he wanted a female as badly as he wanted Kat. His shaft swollen to the
point of pain, he settled more of his weight on top of her and positioned
himself in the cradle of her hips. Grinding his denim clad hips against her
core he rubbed against her.

 Kat groaned as the
rough denim of his jeans rubbed deliciously where she needed it most. The moan
ended in a frustrated growl when she realized they were once again separated by
clothing. Kat yanked hard against her restraints. She desperately wanted to
touch him. Why was he keeping her tied? She knew that she should be scared,
being tied up and completely at his mercy, but she wasn’t. For some reason she
trusted him completely not to hurt her. Ronan would keep her safe. It was
frustrating though, not being able to touch all of the beautiful muscles she
had been staring at for days.

 Never had anyone made
her burn like this. She needed him as much as she needed her next breath. In
her limited experience she had never allowed anyone to tie her up and now she
knew why. Dam it! She needed to touch him!