C16 You're wrong

I don't hear anything but because, using my grip on her neck, I pull her to me for a searing kiss. The moment our lips connect, it's like fireworks exploding inside my brain. Every inch of my body vibrates with desire and need. I feel alive in a way I didn't know was possible. It's like I've been sleeping all these years and Alison has awakened the real me. I expect her to push me back and spank me with her words, but her lust floods our mating bond. Despite all her protests, she is as helpless as I am against her partner's attraction. She lets out a small moan as her body presses against mine, her hands sliding under my shirt to the bare skin of my back. Her touch ignites a fire in every cell of my body, and when she rubs against my cock, I can't stop the growl from rising from deep in my throat. My little companion is going to be the death of me. Now that I've tasted her, there's no way I'm going to let her back out again. I'm forced to interrupt the kiss so I can take a breath. I feel my lungs run out of oxygen and my chest is tight, like it's being squeezed with a vise. I inhale deeply as I rest my forehead against his. The bond vibrates between us and this small act of intimacy adds another brick to the wall we are building around us. "We shouldn't be doing this," he says softly. "You're wrong " I reply." This is exactly what we should be doing." He closes his eyes and I feel his mixed emotions. "We're about to enter a war that we may not survive." The thought of that is almost enough to make me lose control. "Nothing's going to happen to you," I growl. "I'll take care of it." "What if something happens to you, where does that leave me? "I take it as another victory that cares what will become of her if I die." We need to find someone to undo the bond. We need to go back to the way things were before." I don't want to go back to that. Before Alison came into my life, I had nothing and no one. I was empty, a shell that existed only to feed my vendetta. Now I have the opportunity to create something meaningful and I refuse to give it up. I can't understand why she would want to. "We're walking into something dangerous, but you're safer with me by your side, and as long as that's the case, I'm not going anywhere." "Do I have a say in this?" "No." She rolls her eyes before releasing her grip on me. I let her go, sensing she needs distance and suspecting that if I push her, she'll only hurt herself trying to break free of me. "I don't need an overbearing wolf breathing down my neck at every turn. And I'm not a damsel in need of saving. I don't want you watching my every move, hoping to save the day as if I can't control myself. Do you have any idea how condescending it is for you to think this way?" I don't give a shit about being condescending. My only concern is to keep her breathing, and I'll do that however I have to. I don't like being vulnerable, opening my wounds to her, but I need to give Alison something . "I never thought for a moment that I'd find a mate, let alone my fated mate. When I walked into this building, you were there. Suddenly, it was as if everything in my life made sense. I felt peace and calm like never before." "I reach out, brushing my fingers over the spot where a claim mark would be. Her skin is soft, almost like silk, and I desperately want to press my lips against her pulse, but I resist. She's not ready for that yet." "I'll fight every step of the way for us if that's what you need, but I won't walk away, Alison . I can't." "We don't have to be together because magic dictates it. We have choices. The fact that bonds are created with magic means they can also be undone with the same power. Let me talk to my coven, maybe even Carrie . We can change this. And then you can find someone who will love and cherish you the way you deserve. Because that's not me, Luke . I can't love anyone." I lift my lip and grimace, not liking the way he's talking. What the hell has happened to him that he can't love someone? "Don't test me and don't tell me how far I'll go to keep you." ALISON His words echo in my head on an endless loop as we drive toward the town where the hunters were last seen. The truck is silent, everyone is deep in thought, preparing for the fight we're about to have. They're probably going over strategies, and that's what I should be doing, but all I can think about is that I can still taste Luke on my lips. He kissed me. Not just kissed me, but kissed me. No one had ever claimed my mouth like he did. It was brutal and possessive, and I loved it. It was as if every part of me was burning for him. Denying this bond would be impossible if my traitorous body didn't behave as it should. The amount of control I needed to keep from ramming his leg like a terrier in heat was alarming. Approaching him is a disaster I must avoid at all costs. I ignore his gaze glued to my head as the truck speeds down the highway. It bothers me that Luke insists on accompanying me and meddling in my business, but there's also a part of me that finds it sweet that he wants to keep me safe. I don't like feeling this way because I know I'm better off alone. I've always been better off when I'm the only one I can trust. Joining the coven was a big step towards trusting others, but that was easier. They don't want to use me or own me, and they are in the same position as me. I don't know what to make of Luke's overbearing personality , so I made sure Archie sat between us in the van. He doesn't seem to flinch when Luke growls at him under his breath, which makes me suspect that my partner isn't usually the most approachable wolf anyway. In fact, I get the impression that Archie enjoys unsettling Luke . I watch the Montana landscape go by. Beautiful mountains and trees cover both sides of the road and, not for the first time, I wish I could transform into my wolf and run free. I envy those who can transform. More so, I envy those who have their wolves with them at all times. As much as I hate to admit it, Luke's presence in my mind is comforting after all these years alone out there, though mostly I feel his frustration. I thought being mean to him would convince him that we should undo this bond, but if anything, it has made him more determined to make it work. I have to find a way out of this, but right now I have no idea how to do it. You have to run... The thought sneaks into my mind without anyone wanting it to, but the moment it settles into my thoughts, I know it's the right thing to do. Running away is the only option. If I stay, our bond will be further cemented and we will be unbreakable. But how can I escape? I'm being hunted and the last thing I want is to be locked in that creepy facility, being stalked day and night while the Order tries to put a super-soldier baby inside me. You ran before.