I wanted to punch his gorgeous face so hard, then shift and rip out his throat after I read Night the text from Aymeric.

Lindsay Morgan wanted to talk with him and wasn't leaving his house until she did.

Maybe he'd drag me along for their talk and he could force me to watch them have sex again.

"We'll both talk to her, or I'll talk to her and you'll be with me."

"No, thank you. You can fuck her without an audience this time."

"Neera," he said softly, in a tone I'd never heard from him, "I'm sorry about what happened on your birthday. I am. There was more going on there than any of us knew. But I'm not really the one that hurt you. I'm not. I wouldn't have. Every fucking thing in me wants you like I've never wanted anyone in my life. I wouldn't have rejected you."

"Tell that to Lindsay Morgan," I snarled at him, then changed the subject so suddenly I'm sure he got whiplash. "I want my car back."

What I really wanted was a means of escape. I wanted to get away from him. Again.

"Two of my men arrived to get your shit from the hotel room, and they're driving your car back now." Then he looked at me from the corner of his eye. "But you won't be needing a car. You're confined to the grounds. Specifically, to my house."

Oh, hell no.

"You're stupider than I thought if you think I'm setting one foot in that house you lived in with that...bitch for three years. I have a perfectly fine apartment and that's where I'll be staying."

"Neera, there are things going on that I don't understand, but what I do understand is my instinct to protect you, and it's on full, red alert."

And then he told me about the two references to magicks Aymeric found in the ancient books, and that Raevyn was proof that at least one had survived. Her body-sharing with Blaisall was evidence that if one magick had survived and could share a body, then another one could have as well.

"We think Lindsay Morgan is body sharing, but we have no proof, so until we do, we're treating her as if we have no clue about magicks. We also think that she somehow took over my body that day, and that's why we both collapsed afterward."

"That's an awful lot of guessing and supposition based on not a lot of evidence. How convenient for you to figure out something that gets you a get out of jail free card."

"It is a lot of guessing, but it's the only theory we have that explains why in the hell I'd reject you and humiliate you. Not one other reason even comes close."

"Did you ever theorize that it's just because you're a colossal jackass and you love your long-term girlfriend?" I asked him sweetly.

"I don't love her. I never did. We think she enchanted me."

"Another convenient excuse that has no proof."

"Still the only working theory we have," Night said. "I'm not lying to you, Neera."

I didn't say anything to that, but switched the subject again. "So, what things do you and Lindsay Morgan have to discuss that are so important that she's not leaving your house?"

"No fucking clue, but Aymeric's sending her to her own apartment, even if he has to carry her. She doesn't make demands of me. If I choose to talk to her, it'll be on my terms, not hers."

"I'm still not going to your house."

He sighed like I was the biggest pain in his ass. Excellent. That was a label I could live with.

"Call Aymeric," Night said.

Seconds later, Aymeric answered, his words always more growl than voice. Owena, Echo and I always joked that even in human form, Aymeric was practically feral. It worked well for him in his role as the Alpha's Teeth. The man was beautiful...in a rabid sort of way.

"Alpha, the problem has been handled," he said, assuming Night was calling for an update.

"As I expected," he said, his praise of Aymeric probably making the man grimace. He didn't like praise, and we'd all seen his reaction when Night had, on several occasions, congratulated him publicly for handling a situation especially fast.

"Neera and I should be home in three hours or so," he said. "We need another place to stay. My Howl will not live in my house because it's contaminated."

"Probably infested with nasty-ass fleas from both of you mangy mutts," I grumped. "Maybe you could find an Alpha-sized flea collar, Aymeric. He's been scratching a lot. Probably needs a flea dip. Make sure you hold him under a good long time."

Nothing from Aymeric, who was not known for his sense of humor. Echo always said that he only got a joke if there were PowerPoints and diagrams explaining it to him. Although Aymeric didn't react, Night threw me a grin.

"You have your orders," Night said.

"No need for house hunting, Aymeric. I have my own apartment," I protested, and I heard Aymeric snort. "I'm not moving in with you, Night."

"Find us a place," Night told him. "A place that's secure for my Howl."

Silence for a moment, silence that I didn't understand but knew instinctively that I did not like.

"Understood," Aymeric said.

"Later," Night said and ended the call.

"What was that about?" I demanded. "What did you mean a place that's secure?"

"It'll be easier to show you than explain."

Three and a half hours later, I knew what Night had meant and I was ready to rip his throat out.

"There are bars on the windows," I pointed out the obvious through clenched teeth.

"Secure," Aymeric said.

"This is a solid steel door," I observed.

"Also secure."

I added Aymeric to my kill list, right under Night and Lindsay Morgan.

"Leave us," Night ordered him, and with a slight inclination of his head, Aymeric left, shutting the door behind him, closing us in the room.

Night focused those gorgeous eyes on me, and I could read the determination in them. The look sent tingles down my spine, not in a good way but in a way that raised my hackles and made me wary.

"We need to end this bullshit, Neera. You've run away from me twice now, leaving yourself exposed to our enemies. That's unacceptable to me. To make sure you're protected, we need to Take the Blood. Now. Tonight. No more waiting."

His eyes gleamed, and his wolf peered out at me. And I realized I was trapped, even more so than I had been when Night -- or whoever the hell it was -- decreed me to watch him fuck Lindsay Morgan.

I recalled the words Raevyn whispered to me before I left. Words she whispered right in my ear, her voice low, urgent and serious.

I shook my head. "No. No, we're not doing this. I rejected you, Night."

"Yes, you did, but it was only out of spite," he said, his voice dropping like all shifter males' voices did when their wolves were pushing forward. "But we're doing this, and I don't give a fuck that you rejected me. It's time to stop the bullshit. I'm your Alpha, you're my Howl, and until we Take the Blood, you're unprotected and vulnerable. That's unacceptable to me. I'm not letting you put me off any longer, Neera. I'm not going to risk you being hurt."

My heartbeat started to pick up, and I felt panic creeping in. Night stood in front of the door to the room, the damn windows had bars on them, and even if I could make it to the bathroom, Night could destroy the door in seconds, and I'd still be trapped because that window probably also had bars.

"I'm telling you no, Night," I said and...fuck my voice! It was shaky uncertain and I could not -- could not -- let this apex predator know just how scared I was. I'm sure he knew it to some extent, though, and normally that would work to my advantage because an Alpha would never want his Howl to be scared, but in a case where he thought my safety was at risk, my fear wouldn't move him. Job one for an Alpha was protecting his Howl.

If I could maneuver him to this side of the bed, I'd have to scramble over the king-sized mattress and leap for the door, hoping I could get it open before he could catch me, but I knew that was a long shot. Night was big, but he was agile and athletic and very, very fast.

"Neera, you're my Destined One, my Howl," he began, his voice throaty, coaxing me to see things from his point of view. "We're meant to be together. You ran to my house the minute you woke on your birthday because you were excited to be my Howl -- and you know if I had been in control of myself and my body that we would have Taken the Blood right then and there. Don't punish me for something I had no control over."

I swallowed, trying to think my way out of this.

"I'm not ready. I still don't trust you and I don't want this."

"Your wolf does, and she calls to me, to my wolf." He took a step toward me and I took a step back, starting to shake. "And deep down, you do, too, Neera. We were made for each other, the Forces brought us together. You're fighting your instinct. Don't fight it. Let go of your fear and stop fighting it."

His words called to me but my head fought them, fought him. In three more steps, I'd be out of room, my back against the wall, nowhere to go. Trapped.

I didn't like that feeling, and my wolf didn't either, even if she did want to be bonded to Night. She whined, feeling my panic rising. She was caught between us, her instinct to be joined with Night warring with her loyalty to me. Instinct was strong, but apparently my fear was stronger for the moment.

"Enough!" he snapped as he took another two steps toward me and I took two steps back. "You're my Howl and I need you bonded to me so I can protect you. There are bad things happening, Neera. They're concerning to me, and I don't understand them or know enough about them to know how to fight them yet. But every instinct in me is screaming that we need to Take the Blood. Now."

"Stay away from me," I held out my hands, the puniest of all defenses against this alpha male. His eyes were gleaming, his canines were lengthening and I couldn't think fast enough to stop what he was so intent on doing. "I don't want your bite, not now maybe not ever, Night. You have to trust your Destined One and I don't trust you."

"That'll change after we Take the Blood. You'll know my thoughts and I'll know yours, and you'll know you can trust me, and then I'll be able to keep you safe."

Shaking my head frantically, I felt the tears slipping from my eyes. "I'm telling you not to do it. Not now, not like this."

One shot. I had one shot to get away from him, and it was a long shot at best, but I had to try. I looked over his shoulder, widened my eyes and screamed. Night turned around, his back to me and I fucking launched myself over the bed, reaching for the door, my hand touching the handle, twisting it when his arm wrapped around my waist and he turned and threw me on the bed. His body quickly came down on mine, and he tore my shirt away from my shoulder as I sobbed and pushed against him.

He didn't give an inch.

"Don't do this. I'm begging you," I choked out, trying to twist away from him. His hand gripped my jaw, holding me in place as the tears came faster and faster. "I will never forgive you if you bite me against my will, Night. Never."

"So be it," he said, his voice guttural, his canines fully distended. "This is the only way to keep you safe."

Then his teeth ripped into that spot where my shoulder met my neck.

And I screamed.

And screamed.

And screamed.

Until he lifted his head, mouth bloody, and he tore his shirt off.

"Take my blood," he ordered me.

Raevyn's last words came to me.

Don't let him bite you. And if he does, don't bite him back. Whatever you do, do not bite him back.

Shaking and crying, feeling like I was going to throw up, I shook my head and managed to get out one word.

"No."