Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted novel Chapter 43

43 Ava: Virgin Heat (III)

I don’t want to think. I nuzzle my nose into Clayton’s neck and breathe him in, hearing Selene growling in the back of my head. “For what?”

“For all of it. But for claiming you when you told me no.” I can feel his hands brushing against my neck, and pleasure and pain course through me. I can still feel him in my head, but the presence is fading. He sounds puzzled. “It didn’t take, though. Why didn’t it take?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know.” But I can guess it has something to do with me.

Clayton continues to caress my neck. “This looks terrible. Like a wolf tore your neck apart. It looks like I tried to kill you.”

“Mmm.” I’m tired, and trying to ignore the little flares of heat in my abdomen that are trying to come back.

My body can’t take another round of this. But I want

one.

“You were a virgin,” Clayton continues. He’s very talkative after sex, I guess.

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1/7

43 Ava: Virgin Heal (ll)

He sounds grim. I finally open one eye to look at him, and he looks furious. “I’m sorry?”

“No, I’m sorry. Your first time should have never been like that.”

His fingers trail through the tangled strands, gently working out the knots. I can’t help but lean into his touch, savoring the tenderness, the gentle affection.

“I’m so sorry, Ava,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my temple. “I never wanted to hurt you like this. I tried so hard to stay away and keep you safe.”

A pang of guilt twists in my chest at the remorse in his voice. I already know he never meant to hurt me. He did everything he could.

“It’s okay,” I whisper through the roughness in my throat. “I understand.”

Clayton shakes his head, his fingers continuing their soothing motions. “No, it’s not okay. Your first time should have been special, not a frenzied mess driven by instinct and heat.” He presses a tender kiss to my forehead. “I promise, when this is all over, I’ll make it up to you.”

A flickar of hana immitan within mo at his warda Tho

14:57 –

2/7 

43 Ava: Virgin Heat (III)

idea of experiencing true intimacy with Clayton, without the haze of heat and desperation clouding our senses, fills me with a longing I can’t quite put into words.

It’s something I’d hoped to find with Lucas.

“Just rest now, my love,” he murmurs, his fingers trailing down my spine in a featherlight caress. “Let me take care of you.”

I can feel my heat creeping back into me, desperate for more. His tender affections feed it, and my starving soul.

I can’t help it when my hips grind down a little on his cock, embedded inside of me. “Clayton.”

“No, Ava. You need a break.”

“Clayton,” I say again, rubbing harder. I can feel him growing inside of me.

Did I say my body couldn’t take another round? Because it disagrees. It wants another. A lot of

anothers.

“Clayton,” I whisper into his ear, licking my way down his neck and breathing in his scent. It smells mate–y, in

14:57

43 Ava: Virgin Hoat (ill)

a wrong way.

I’m reminded of Lucas, and a part of me wants to pull myself away in horror. I’ve cheated on my fated mate. Another part of me doesn’t care. Isn’t okay to have this one as my mate? He’s gentle and kind. And even if the mating bond didn’t take, we can just try again.

It’s not cheating, Selene interjects. He rejected you. Your mate bond is void. 

Then why didn’t Clayton’s claim take? 

Selene goes silent again. I think she’s giving me my privacy. Normally, I’d be frustrated and demand more answers, but I have other concerns on on my mind.

I can see Clayton’s eyes flare with a hint of yellow. His wolf is there. His wolf must be the one that kept brutalizing my neck.

It felt good, though. The pain had pushed me into another plane of pleasure.

“I know.” I was there, after all.

You don’t want pups, Ava.

Well-