<b>BELLE </b>


    Without warning, an ear–shattering growl left Grayson’s mouth. He clutched his chest and his entire b*dy shook as he bent down and began breathing heavily.


    He seemed to be in extreme pain. Having no clue what to do, I just watched.


    Grayson shook his head violently and


    clutched his hair. He screamed “No!”


    loudly and fell to his knees.


    This went on for a few minutes, and while it did I tried toe up with a n for getting away from the crazy monster in front of me.


    Had I caused this by saying I was going to leave? Thest time he’d shifted in


    front of me, it hadn’t seemed nearly this painful.


    <i>What </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i><i>is </i><i>happening</i><i>? </i>


    Suddenly, Grayson stilled as he looked down, still clutching his head. And then his eyes snapped to my wide, frightened ones. They were pitch ck. “Mate,” he said.


    I scooted backward as far as I could as I looked at him through teary eyes. I brought my knees up and hugged them close to my chest.


    Looking determined, he stood slowly and began to approach me. I whimpered when he finally came to stand directly over me.


    I wasn’t sure what to say as he stared down at me. His eyes searched my face, and a growling sound left his mouth. Then he reached a hand up, seemingly preparing to hit me again.


    I immediately brought my arm up in defense and moved away from the imminent blow.


    “I’m sorry!” I yelled. “I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have said anything! I’m sorry!


    I’m sorry. I–I’m sorry…,” I sobbed.


    But the blow never came–nothing did.


    I sobbed for a few moments, not even trying to keep myposure. I feltpletely broken.


    “Mate,” I heard Grayson say in a gentle tone that surprised me. I shook my head, not wanting to meet his gaze or for him to see my pathetic state. “Mate,” he said again with more force.


    I looked up at him slowly and was shocked by what I saw. He had tears in


    his eyes as well, running soundlessly down his cheeks.


    I’d never thought I would ever see Grayson cry. And as much as he frightened me right now, I still hated to


    see him cry. He reached down again, and, this time, I didn’t flinch.


    I watched in fascination as he ced his


    hand gently on my knee that was still pulled up to my chest. “Sorry, mate,” he said with real sorrowcing his voice.


    I realized then as I studied his pitch–ck eyes that I wasn’t talking to Grayson. No, I was talking to his wolf. His wolf had somehow taken control of his b*dy and wasmunicating with me.


    I wasn’t sure if his wolf felt any differently toward me than Grayson did, but I found myself hoping that maybe a part of Grayson still wanted me. “Do you still want me?” I asked him quietly.


    Sadness shone in his eyes, and his shoulders slumped. Slowly, very slowly -almost as if he was afraid to scare me again he brought his hand up to cup the uninjured side of my face.


    He gently wiped away my tears.


    “My mate. Mine,” he said. He brought his forehead down and connected it with


    mine. “My mate,” he repeated.


    That told me all I needed to hear. Grayson might not have wanted me for anything other than s*x and power, but his wolf still wanted me for me.


    I threw my arms around his n*eck and hugged him close to me. I desperately needed to beforted and told that


    everything was going to be okay.


    He returned the hug with full force, wrapping his arms around my middle and then securing my legs around him so that he could pick me up.


    He hummed deeply, his b*dy vibrating against mine.


    Burying his face deep into my n*eck, he nipped softly at my bite mark, and my b*dy shuddered.


    He continued to hold me for a few minutes as I sobbed and released all of the emotions that I’d been holding in for


    thest couple of days. After a little while he started to move, and I clutched onto


    him harder, not wanting him to let go


    or for his human side to take over once again.


    I held on to him so tightly, I forgot about my injured cheek and cried out as it connected with the side of his n*eck.


    Grayson growled when he heard my cry -so loudly I could feel it. It was enough to freak me out and make me loosen my hold on his n*eck.


    He immediately walked us over to his bed and set me down gently, moving back a bit so he could inspect my injured face. I wondered if I looked as broken as I felt.


    After a moment, he growled softly, then walked silently into the bathroom. When he came back out, he was holding a wet washcloth.


    As Grayson brought the cloth up to my


    face to clean my wound, I grabbed his wrist gently before he made contact and said, “Be gentle, please. I think my cheekbone may be broken.”


    This made Grayson’s entire b*dy shake, and I could tell he was trying hard to rein in his emotions. He nodded once, then slowly raised the cloth to my cheek once more. I winced when it connected, and Grayson whimpered.


    “Sorry, mate. Sorry, mate. Sorry, mate,” he said over and over again as he cleaned my wound. I could tell that this was


    hard for him and that his apologies were sorrowful and genuine.


    Once he seemed satisfied with his caretaking, he sat down next to me and


    pulled me into hisp, wrapping his arms securely around me.


    Finally, I built up the courage to ask what was on my mind: “What did I do wrong? What did I do to make him hate me so


    much?”


    Grayson whimpered softly and tugged on my waist to bring me closer to him. “I” he paused-“I, errr…”


    He shook his head, and I could tell that he was struggling to express himself. He was a wolf, after all. He probably had very little experience speaking.


    He growled loudly in frustration and tried again: “I… No. Mate.”


    I frowned. There was no way that he was going to be able to exin anything. He could barely get a few words out.


    I sighed sadly. “It’s okay,” I said, not liking to see him struggle.


    “Will you just tell him that I’m sorry? Tell him that I’m so sorry for what I did and that I hope he can forgive me. I don’t want him to be mad at me anymore. I want things to go back to how they were before.”


    mate. No.”


    “What do you mean ‘no?‘ You won’t tell him?”


    He shook his head again. “No.” He put a hand on his chest. “Sorry,” he said. He patted his chest again. “Sorry.”


    “I–I don’t understand.” I said. “What do you mean? What are you sorry for? It’s Grayson who should be sorry.”


    But suddenly Grayson’s wolf growled loudly and clutched his head as his b*dy began to shake again. He snapped upright onto his feet, and I fell off hisp and hit the floor. I groaned in pain.


    “Stupid f*cking wolf!” Grayson yelled as he grabbed at his hair. Then he bent down and roughly yanked me up by the arm so that I was standing. “Whatever he did or said to you had nothing to do with me.”


    My shoulders slumped and I nodded my head to show my understanding.


    He grabbed my chin and pulled my face close enough to his that I could feel his breath. “You’re not going anywhere I don’t tell you to, you hear me? You’re my mate.” He shoved me away. “Sleep somewhere else.”


    I straightened up, trying to keep my dignity as I reached for the handle of the door behind me.


    “And Belle?” Grayson said.


    I turned to look at him.


    “Sleep there tomorrow too.”


    I nodded and left through the door, closing it behind me.


    Grayson was right about one thing: I


    wasn’t going anywhere.


    As long as his wolf wanted me, I would


    As long as his wolf wanted me, I would be here. I knew now that something was


    wrong.


    And I was going to figure it out.