Midnight Howler’s Obsession
I always thought my husband, Ryder, was forced to marry me.
For six months, he wouldn't touch me. I tried everything. I wore my sexiest lingerie. I guided his hands over my burning skin. I could feel how hard he was, completely out of control.
But at the last second, he'd always push me away, gasping.
He'd finish me with his fingers instead.
My hope died. I decided to leave him. I was ready to accept a top dog trainer position in Europe.
The night before I planned to hand him the divorce papers, I heard voices from his study.
Ryder, talking to his best friends.
"Ryder, you're dying for her, man. So why won't you touch her? Another man's going to snatch her up!"
"But she's so fragile..." Ryder's deep voice was filled with pain. "You know... I'm a monster. If she sees what I really am... it will terrify her."
His voice dropped to a raw whisper. "If she really needs... comfort... from another man... I can take it. As long as she comes home to me in the end."
His friend growled. "Stop! Then maybe stop posting on that encrypted dark web forum, asking for help!"
Monster? What did that mean?
Late that night, I used his computer. I found a hidden forum called "The Den."
A pinned post at the top. Thousands of replies. User ID: Midnight_Howler.
One sentence. Dripping with desperation and frantic obsession:
"I finally married the girl I've loved for years, but I'm terrified to touch her. How can I survive my rut without hurting her, without her discovering my secret?"