Trashed & Treasured

4

A steady stream of light, orange in color with a pinkish hue to it, shone down on my face. Still clad in my underwear with a sheet draped across me, I laid sprawled out on a bed so soft and comfortable that it took everything in me just to move my hand to the aching in my neck that brought everything flashing back to me.

With the soft pad of my fingertips I traced each of the nearly healed puncture wounds in my neck, still not believing that the man that saved me is actually a wolf. By nature, wolves are social creatures and there didn't seem to be any other signs of life in the house aside from him. No woods for him to shift and run. Nothing.

What was he doing all the way out here?

I sat up with a quickness, wincing more as my neck throbbed, scanning the room for the stranger. I was so jumpy that at the sound of a door opening, I rolled clumsily out of the bed bringing the sheet with me. Initially, I wondered where he was but when he emerged from what I figure was the bathroom, with nothing but a towel around his waist, I was nervous.

Tiny beads of water dotted his skin like fine crystals, rolling down his God-like body. Slowly but surely, my eyes fell from his face and traveled down his neck and chest then followed that long line of hair below his navel until it disappeared behind the towel.

Damn!

I closed my eyes tight and tried to shake the images from my head only to be revisited by the kiss we shared. I could still feel his lips against mine, moving so skillfully down my neck before elongated canines came out and...

"You bit me." I mumbled, still cradling my neck as I looked from him to the bedroom door, preparing to run.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Please," he held up his hands in mock surrender probably catching my line of sight, "let me explain."

"Explain what? You bit me! You tried to claim me!" At this his eyes doubled in size and he took a step toward me that automatically made me take a step back.

"How do you know about that?" His words trailed off as he ran a hand down the back of his neck. "You're human. You smell human. How do you know what I was trying to do?"

I was frozen in time. Pondered what he said and understood his confusion perfectly. My dormant gene prevents me from being able to tell the difference between wolves and humans. Apparently they can't tell with me either.

"Because I'm—I just know. Where are my clothes? I have to get out of here." With my hand still to my neck I searched every inch of the polished wood floor while keeping my distance from him.

"Go? You can't leave!" He growled, bringing my eyes back up to his. That same line from last night—just before he told me off—appeared within his brows, only this time, I was overcome with fear. He stalked toward me and out of instinct I backpedaled, nearly tripping over my own feet. Sensing my trepidation, he stopped and held his hands up again, showing me he meant no harm. "I just want to talk about this."

"Talk? It's bad enough we practically dry humped and I don't even know your name. Let's not add more to this situation by talking."

Cautiously I tried to eased by him but his hand shot out and latched around my wrist, filling me with a feeling of warmth and... pleasure?

Why hadn't I noticed the power in his touch last night? His body was against mine as his hands explored me and yet I felt nothing like I did upon his touch.

He looked me in the eyes and I swear I saw a tornado of emotions roll through them with sadness and confusion being the most apparent. He tilted his head to the side slightly and narrowed his eyes on me and I watched them scan back and forth as he surveyed me further.