Page 111 of Ravenous

He narrowed his eyes. “You might be using magic on me, but you’ll never convince me I doona feel more for you. I godsdamned know my own heart. And this”—he pounded his chest—“is real.” He stepped close enough that she felt his heat. “I’ve always been different, dreaming of life outside my pack. My beast has been quiet. My Instinct chimes in only about once a year. So why would I no’ experience matehood differently too?Iwant to choose my female.” His hands settled gently but firmly on her shoulders. “And, Meera, I chooseyou.”

Her heart stuttered.

Lowell heard, hope lighting his green eyes. “I think you’re falling for me too.”

“We can never be together,” she whispered. “There’s no future for us! The longer we drag this out, the worse it’ll hurt when we end it.”

“Then we doona end.”

“Once Ditch plays her hand, your king will suffer. At best, he won’t let you see me—as I suspect he did this last week—and Ditch will forbid it as well.”

“Then let’s leave. Strike out together. Homestead in Umber.”

“Are you crazy?” Her laugh came out shaken. “Destiny always wins. And you’d hate yourself for abandoning Craigdúr when the kingdom fell apart without you. I can’t be the reason for your self-loathing, or you’ll grow to hate me too.”

“Self-loathing? I finally feel like I understand myself. Iama fate fighter. Always will be. I want you. I choose you. Why won’t you choose me back?”

“Our sacrifices would not be equal.” Her voice thickened. “Your future mate will comfort you. But I’ll look back at lost years. I want a family. There’s a cradle in my attic that my foremothers have passed down through generations. I want to fill it with a cooing baby, one I’ll never have with you. If I stay here, I have options.”

Lowell’s gaze darkened dangerously. “Warlock options?”

His seething jealousy made her toes curl. “A mating season is being planned. It begins the night after the Hunter’s Moon.”

A muscle ticked in his cheek. “Is that what you want?”

“I want to be a mother, yes.” She swallowed. “I can’t give that up for you.For anyone.”

“Then we’ll adopt. We’ll make our own way.” He made it sound so easy.

“How could we turn our backs on our people? If witches cried out, I’d go to them. And you’d return to your pack. When war comes—”

“It will no’. Our leaders are mated.”

She shook her head hard. “Ditch isplayingwith Thane. My mentor died because of her. A good and decent witch is just gone.” Lazara would be aghast that Meera had let a relationship with a Lykae get to this breaking point. “And you think Ditch will simply roll over?” Her voice cracked. “We can never have a real future. You will meet your mate eventually.”

“Maybe no’ for a millennium. We could have a thousand years of happiness. And who knows? We might both die in the next Accession!”

“You were born for someone else. Your family is waiting for you, but it begins with your mate.”

“So you’re fine with never seeing me again?” he rasped. “I thought…gods, I thought your feelings mirrored mine.”

“It doesn’t matter.” She squared her shoulders. “I’m needed here. That’s all that can matter.”

He stared at her, wounded and furious. “No. I refuse this.” His voice dropped. “I think I’m in love with you. And I think you love me too.”

I do!“I don’t.”

“Lies,” he said softly. “They spill from your beautiful lips, but your watchful eyes are begging me to fight for you. To find a way. So I will. You might be ready to give up a future with me, but you’re no’ ready to give up the pleasure on offer right now.”

Hecate help me, he’s right.

“I’ll take advantage of that over and over until you surrender. I can scent your arousal, know you’ve been needing me for all these nights. You want me to tear off your clothes, take you to your bed, and work off this bite of anger. Not sex—I ken your boundaries—but you do love a good come.”

“That’s not what I want.”I want it more than anything!“I never want to see you again.”

“You like my mouth pressed between your thighs.” He undid the top button of his shirt. Then the next. “You tighten so sweetly around my fingers as I tongue you. I’ve a mind to do that while I fit my cock between your lips at the same time.”

Heat punched through her. He was walking temptation—everything she hadn’t known she needed until she’d had him. And heknewit. “Stop. I told you I didn’t want a male fated to another.”