Her shivering keeps me awake. I dare not test my restraints for fear of them hurting her, but as each second passes and she becomes more uncomfortable, my fury grows.
When she shudders and wakes enough to roll over, I've had enough. I lighten my purr and try to get her attention.
"Sugar?"
The sound of rustling fabric stops.
"What?" she whispers, barely above the sound of my purr.
"Come here."
She doesn't move, so I try again.
"You're cold."
"I'm fine."
"Finer than fine, I know. I almost lost my dignity when I saw your sweet curves. Now come here."
She doesn't budge.
"I'm cold," I say through gritted teeth. I hate lying to her, but she's shown so much stubbornness I decide to lean on her caring nature.
"I'm afraid."
Her admission guts me.
"You're afraid of me?"
"I—"
She takes an audible breath.
"A little, but that's not what I mean."
"I'm all ears, sugar."
"Why do you call me that?"
"Come over here and I'll tell you."
When she doesn't move, I sigh and stoop to subterfuge, deepening my purr and compelling her to me without words. She remains on the floor at my feet, proving her fortitude.
"You're cold. I have a fur coat. Come cuddle with me. No funny business, promise."
A few moments pass without change and I worry she'll ignore me all night, but she whispers, "I know you won't hurt me on purpose. I trust you. It's just..."
The honesty in her tone nearly undoes me. I pull myself together by the skin of my teeth.
"Just what, li'l bit?"
"I don't know how to control what they've done to me."
I haven't had time to dissect what happened when we touched flesh to flesh, but a storm of darkness laps at the base of my skull, my body demanding rest. I say the first thing that pops into my head.
"Then keep the sheet between us."
I wait for a few tense moments. She struggles to her feet, every movement strained.
When she pads over and stands beside me, I study her face in the dim light, noting the lines under her eyes and the freckles visible even in the dark.
"I don't want to hurt you," she says, scanning my prone form. I fight against the urge to flex my chest, gentling my purr before I respond.
"The only way you could hurt me is if you chose to suffer instead of lying beside me. I need you as close as I can get you."
Her lashes hide her expressive eyes for a moment before she drapes the sheet over my side and settles on the floor a few inches away from me.
"I don't understand why, but I feel the same way about you. It's like my soul is drawn to yours. Why? What is this pull between us?" she asks, her breath ghosting over my ribs and her hair tickling the underside of my arm.
I wait until she tucks the blanket behind her back before answering.
"We're lifemates."
Instead of wedging the blanket between us, she spreads it over as much of my torso as she can, stealing chunks of my heart with the selfless act.
YOU ARE READING
Freed and Filled
RomanceOne signature. That's all it took for my life to be turned upside down. Now I belong to the ISC. At least, that's what I thought, until they shoved me into the cell of a giant, hyena-like alpha with a possessive streak and filthy sense of humor. He...
