The cold rush of water around me was refreshing, washing away the morning, but it caused my dress to wrap around my legs and restricted my movement. I pulled myself through the hole in the rock wall about six feet down, regretting not stripping out of my dress before diving in, but I didn't want him to get away without getting answers. The dress was slowing me down enough as it was. It could have been another decade before I saw him again. By then, I would be mated and probably would have been forced to pop out several children for the man my parents had given me to. Unable to use my legs, I used the rock walls to pull myself through the hole before reaching the other side and surfacing for a large gulp of air. The cave was cold and sent a chill through me as I drug myself from the water, kicking out my drenched skirt. But when I looked around, he was nowhere to be seen. "Why did you try to help me?" I called out, lifting the heavy, water-logged skirt as I looked around at the open

I couldn't get her out of my mind. Her scent…her taste. The soft gasp she released when my tongue slid across her bottom lip. Never in my life had I seen a mouth as perfect as hers, and I couldn't be satisfied with just one taste of those pouty lips. No man could be. The scent of her fear made her that much sweeter as her desire filled the air with it. She enjoyed our meeting as much as I had. It was exhilarating and tempting. There was something about her that my beast couldn't resist…that I couldn't resist. From the second I caught her scent at the pond, I wanted to claim her. She smelled so sweet, like a sugar cookie, and I had been desperate for a taste. So, I took one, but it wasn't enough. I didn't think it ever would be.Blood dripped from my hands as I moved through the small passageway, heading toward the water. The men who had scared her yesterday had been wise to run but stupid to think they could ever escape me. They were almost too easy to kill. It was disappointing.

There was something so feral…so dominating about the sound of Greyson's anger that I couldn't get it out of my head even long after he had escaped the packs and we had all settled into the castle. The giant throne room was filled with the four packs as we had moved inside after Greyson's attack, each pack having brought at least twenty of their members. I couldn't help myself from scanning them over, trying to figure out which man I would be stuck with for the rest of my life. Yet, subconsciously, I kept comparing each man to Greyson. His tall and broad frame. His black hair and stunning grey eyes. The stubble on his chin that I wanted to feel against every part of my body.None of my potential suitors stood a chance against him, which was horrifying. I didn't want to go into a mating with someone I would always compare to another person. Maybe one day I could bond with my mate enough to have a healthy relationship, but starting one this way was a recipe for disaster.I needed to

I was on edge, so wound up that once I had gotten home and was ready for bed, I had been able to get myself off within seconds. I hated that I had to do it myself now that I knew Greyson was more than willing to help me take the edge off.Greyson had agreed to one month, but with his injuries, we obviously couldn't do anything for at least a day or two. He insisted otherwise, but I didn't want my first time to be like that. He would be in pain the entire time, and I would be scared to hurt him further. It was just better that we waited.Plus, I wasn't ready to jump right in. I had only ever kissed a man once, and it had been humiliating. I also wanted to get to know him a little bit.Greyson would have to be patient with me, or this wouldn't work."Excuse me," Declan whispered as he leaned over my plate of food, letting his chest rub against my arm as he grabbed the pitcher of orange juice that he could have just asked me for. He had been flirting all morning and was too touchy for my

The water felt warm as I stepped into it, unable to look at Greyson as he followed behind me. I could generally fake confidence like it was second nature, but he managed to break down that wall and left me a nervous mess.As the water reached my chest, I pushed off the rocks and moved to tread in the center of the pond. I could feel his grey eyes watching my every movement like a predator hunting its prey."Tell me something about yourself, Firefly," Greyson whispered, and I took a deep breath before turning to face him, the water splashing my chin as I did so."What do you want to know?"He tilted his head to the side as if he could hear my hesitance and unease at getting to know each other. I didn't mind sharing with him, but I was worried that the more we got to know each other, the harder it would be to part ways when The Mating Games were over."This isn't going to work if you can't relax around me, Sloane." Greyson pushed off the rocks, his warm hand barely grazing my sides."I c