“Well.” Kane spoke, causing Elise to jump. “First order of business would be to remove this, wouldn’t you say?” He held up their joined wrists and she nodded in agreement. Pulling a jackknife from his pocket, he cut the rope letting it fall to the ground. Immediately, Elise pulled her arm away and rubbed her wrist. It wasn’t really sore—the tie hadn’t been tight—but the leather had still chafed and the enforced proximity had been uncomfortable.
She noted that Kane was also rubbing his wrist. “We have a similar reaction to being imprisoned, I see.” He quipped while nodding towards the action of her hands.
“Yes.” She wasn’t sure what else to say and the silence stretched between them.
Kane rubbed his neck and stared around the room. Did he find the situation as unnerving as she did? Had he really wanted to be her mate, or was he turning his back on someone he loved for the good of his pack, as well? Did she dare ask? Before she had time to decide the wisdom of such a question, he addressed her again. “It’s getting late. Would you like to use the bathroom first?”
“All right.” She could feel his gaze boring into her back as she walked away and she forced herself to keep her pace at a normal speed despite wanting to run from the room. As she passed through the bedroom, she noted that someone had made up the bed and her nightgown was lying near the foot. Snagging it in her hand, she entered the bathroom and closed the door.
A feeling of relief washed over her and she slumped against the panel. For a few minutes at least she would have some privacy and be free of Kane’s presence. It wasn’t that he was displeasing to look at; in other circumstances, she would have admired his physique. And his manner towards her had been polite, if a bit distant, so there was nothing she could complain about in that regard. The problem was that Kane wasn’t Bryan. He was an unknown male; an unknown male she would soon have to be intimate with.
Her stomach clenched again and once more she thought of escaping, but where? She couldn’t survive without a pack. Wolves were social animals. To be an outcast was an unthinkable fate. Besides, she’d have nowhere to live, no means of support, and then there was always the fear of detection. It hadn’t happened in years, but that wasn’t to say that if a Lycan became careless someone couldn’t put the clues together. Caution was drilled into a Lycan’s head from the moment of birth, and all had a fear of being hunted down. No, she couldn’t leave.
Elise stared at her reflection in the mirror as she undid the simple French braid Sarah had fashioned for the ceremony. Her green eyes seemed wider and a deeper shade than normal, contrasting with her unusually pale complexion. Faint lines of tension showed on either side of her mouth and her jaw ached from being tightly clenched. As a matter of fact, her whole person was tense. Hoping a hot shower would help, she turned on the taps, stripped and stepped into the stall.
The pounding water beat down on her body, the white noise and rising steam creating a temporary cocoon. She closed her eyes and forced herself to relax, letting her mind drift back to the afternoon when she and Bryan had been running together.
A smile drifted across her face at the memory. It had been so much fun running like the wind; feeling her muscles stretched to the limit as she sought to out-distance her companion. Bryan had tackled her to the ground and they’d rolled about, nipping at each other before bounding away, only to jump and tumble again. She’d nuzzled him and he’d licked her face, then they’d run back to the pack house transforming into human form just inside the edge of the woods. Her hair had still had grass stuck in it. Bryan had picked it out before resting his hands on her shoulder and hinting at speaking to her father.
Elise imagined she could feel Bryan touching her even now and sighed contentedly before realizing that it wasn’t her imagination. Hands were touching her! With a squeal, she pulled away only to have strong fingers tighten their grip and pull her back.
Kane’s voice rumbled in her ear. “It’s just me. I decided to join you.” His large hands massaged her shoulders then ran up and down her arms. “You’re a slight little thing, aren’t you?”
“I...yes.” Her muscles tensed again, all the soothing benefits of the hot water disappearing.
“Elise, I know this is...awkward...but try to relax and I’ll make it as easy on you as possible.”
She nodded obediently, but inwardly thought he had to be kidding. Relax? He was about to invade her body with his and spill his seed inside her! A bubble of hysterical laughter threatened to escape her throat.
Standing frozen under the pounding water, Elise felt him trail his lips down her neck while encircling her waist with his hands before sliding them up to cup her breasts. She gasped at the feel of his rough palms caressing her. He tweaked her nipples while kissing her ear, his hot breath tickling the sensitive skin.