Anastasia Maltezos

Nervous, she narrowed her gaze past her fence and caught a shadow, a big upright shadow about eight feet high. She gasped, stumbling back. What the hell was that? She heard the sound of twigs and branches being snapped and she screamed. The shadow was approaching her. She spun on her bare feet and started to run back to the inn, but she lost her footing and stumbled onto the grass. Her heart raced so fast she thought it was going to explode.

Hands grabbed her by the shoulders and helped her up as she heard heavy breathing behind her. Almost hysterical now, she stared up at Gunnar and felt relief flood her veins.

“Gunnar, thank God! There’s a monster back there! I’ve never seen anything like it.”

His breathing was laboured, his expression grim, as his gaze dipped to her cleavage. Stella stiffened. He was naked. She inhaled sharply at the look of desire on his face.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said hoarsely. “Go back inside. Now.”

“Gunnar, what’s wrong? Where are your clothes?”

“I said go back inside,” he ground out.

“Come with me! There’s a huge thing out there. We need to call the police.”

“I…you,” he looked down at the rapid rise and fall of her breasts and swallowed hard.

Stella couldn’t move as something significant arose between them. Was he what she’d seen in the back and the moon’s glow had played tricks on her?

“Gunnar, what’s wrong?” she whispered. She inhaled slowly as his hands moved slowly around her and ran up and down her back.

“End my misery,” he said hoarsely.

Vasilis inhaled sharply as he took a staggering step back. He’d almost lost control and in broad daylight! Damnation, this woman was driving him to the brink of insanity. He stared at her ashen face, her lips parted in surprise, her breasts rising and falling and he willed his hammering heart to slow down. He’d almost lost control. He’d almost shifted in his Lycan form and raised his head to the heavens to release a pent up, frustrated, outraged howl. He felt Krako’s hand on his arm and shot his guard an angry look.

“At ease,” he barked.

Krako immediately withdrew his hand.

Vasilis drew in another sharp breath and looked back down at Alex. If not for the people around them, he would have taken her in his arms and surrendered to his baser need. His need to claim her. To take her and make her his.

At the thought, he stiffened violently. He’d never wanted to claim a woman in his life. He’d only wanted to bed them and temporarily sate his lust. He stared incredulously at Alex. No, this was impossible. There was no woman alive who could tame and calm his beast forever. One woman for all eternity? Ridiculous heresay, he scoffed mentally. The legend was not true.

Tearing his gaze away from hers, he looked at Ariel who was staring at him with wide eyes. He swallowed hard, pushing the bewitching Amazon from his mind. “Have your walk with your sister alone, little one. Ortega will come and tell you two when we’re about to leave.”

Ariel nodded slowly. “Okay.”

With a curt nod to Alex, he turned on his heel and left. In the privacy of his own tent, he went to his basin and splashed cold water on his face. He swore roughly under his breath as another rush of heat tightened his loins. He still wanted her. He still lusted after her. Dear God, he still wanted to claim her and make her his forever.

Was he going mad? How could one woman affect him with such powerful force when he could have anyone he wanted?

He stiffened. Was his father right? Was it time for Vasilis to mate?

Alex’s beautiful face swam before his eyes and he clenched his jaw as his heart thudded in his chest. Her sweet scent still hovered around him, seducing him, teasing him and he threw back his head, squeezed his eyes and released a long, gut wrenching howl.

“Dear God,” he whispered hoarsely when he fell silent. “What the hell is happening to me?”