"When it comes to fighting me, you're only going to hurt yourself." His low voice rumbled from the bed and I realized that despite his stillness he was far from asleep.

"I won't stop."

"I'm aware that's very likely. But if you were to do so, I'd let you off that chain and let you lie next to me. Realize the softer side of companionship. Care to try?"

"No." I whispered.

"Fine." He said. "Let me know when you do."

The night was the most awful I'd known. Something about that cold chain made me feel like I was an animal at the end of a leash. And the room seemed cold then overly hot.

"It's going to get painful." He cautioned. "I can give you comfort."

"I'd rather die." I spat on the floor.

"It's going to feel like you are." He rolled over to his side, staring at the wall in the corner. Unwilling to meet my penetrating gaze.

***

He had not lied to me. Midway through the night there was pain coursing through my middle. A dark twisting that felt like someone was spinning my insides in wild circles. Then I exploded as though I were on fire.

I started screaming. A primal sound that started low and quiet and then bloomed into something loud and uncontrollable. The sound was turning into something instinctive.

Like a snarl.

My back felt as though it were breaking then realigning a dozen times. When it ceased enough, and the dizzying feeling eased enough I could focus I realized large bare feet stood in my peripheral and there was a huge hand resting on the back of my head as if to offer comfort.

"Are you ready now?" He quizzed.

"Make the pain stop!" I wailed.

"I can." He crouched to be level with me. Reaching up to unhook the chain with a key before dropping it around his neck on a leather strap. "But it involves more pain."

"I don't care." I croaked. Holding my middle. "Just make it stop."

He gave me a long study. Watching me on my knees, swaying side to side as I suffered. Suddenly he lunged forward so fast I didn't have time to react. He gave a faint growl, and I felt his teeth sinking into the peak of my shoulder. Piercing the tender flesh.

I yelped. Throwing my forearms and fists up between he and I to block him from getting any closer. But then suddenly the burning pain ripping through me stopped as I was distracted by the brief pain of his teeth cutting into my flesh. I straightened and he slowly released the pinching bite. Easing back from me.

"Better?"

I stared at him in shock. Slowly lowering my fists which still rested atween us.

He gripped my shoulders, but his touch wasn't rough. He was giving me a look that seemed almost worried.

"What have you done to me?"

***

"I've turned you-well, in a sense. You've not done so yet."

"Turned me into what?"

"What I am."

"What are you?" I breathed. Afraid of the answer.

"I'm a wolf."

"But you're-you're-"

"For now." He read what I was trying to say. "But a Fat Moon is coming, and we wolves get insatiable for a mate under those."

"Why me?"

"Because unfortunately there's so few of us in this country. And women that are fierce in this country are usually destroyed. The men here can't abide it."

"But I'm far from docile."

"Which is why I want you. I don't want some meek creature. I wanted an indomitable spirit next to me. A beast with a heart fierce enough to keep beat with a barbarian." He straightened. "When I purchased you, I did so to acquire another woman like so many here. One to bow to a man's wishes and sate his needs. But you're something else..."

"What?"

"You're like a fire in the dark here. I don't want to break you. I don't want to see you destroyed. I want you to submit to me as my mate."

***

"I'm not the kind of woman to submit." I said acidly. Still clutching my body in the places, it ached from what he'd done to me earlier. And those that seemed to be moving beneath my skin.

"Do you understand what true submission is, Raven?"

"Yes. When a woman breaks beneath the commands of a man."

"No." He caught my chin with one hand and stroked my hair back from my face. "You've not even begun to understand it yet."

"Submission is not the forcing of a woman. It is not surrender. It is her choice to bow to someone she deems worthy of her."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I want you to learn the strength I possess that does not entail bending you to my will by brute force."

"Then how?"

"Let me show you?" He dropped his hand from the hair at my forehead and offered it to me.

It was massive. Like the great paw of a bear rather than the fingers of a mere man.

And he wants me to take that?

To give in to him. That thought more than any other made me refuse to take it. But I did climb to my feet on shaking legs. Fisting that oversized tunic, he'd dropped over my head like it was some sacred lifeline.

"Come." He turned slowly. His massive shoulders only divided by his great mane of red hair. When he moved it was a sleek predatory step. Animalistic.

Like some great stallion preparing to lead a herd.

I guess that's supposed to be me. I followed him. One step at a time. Feeling like I should be tiptoeing. Like I should creep behind him because a rapid movement may make him change his mind and turn on me.

Like he did earlier. When he'd splayed me beneath him on that table.

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