THE CLAIMING (The Chosen Series #1)

THE CHOICE

Sharp claws rip at my jacket, his long canines digging into the fabric, shredding the material, going straight through to my sweater and pants, the cotton falling away with each slice to reveal the flesh underneath. I turn my head, not wanting to watch, a lone tear trailing down my cheek as I give in to the Beast. I had hurt him, rejected him, ignored his pleas when he begged for my help, my help to contain the animal within, and I shut him out, locked him up, caged him. I've destroyed him!

Knowing that there's nothing left but to wait for the inevitable. I move my right arm, which was free from the wolf's body, and raise my hand so that it's resting on his coarse fur at the back of his head.

I lick my lips and take a shattered breath, allowing my fingers to entwine themselves within his thick coat. I slowly move them up and down, a final gesture of tenderness before he kills me.

I know that if his Beast kills me, it will destroy him if he ever gains his humanity back.

Feeling his teeth on my skin, I brace myself for the pain. Closing my eyes, I allow my mind to drift to the memory of meeting him for the first time: the way he felt when we kissed. Even though the memory was his, I can feel it through our bond, the warmth, the innocence that was between us.

There was an indescribable pull to each other, a light. I hold onto that feeling, my heart growing full. I jolt when I feel a warm, wet tongue trail along the space between my belly button and panties, followed by a whimper as bones begin to crack and shorten above me.

Keeping my eyes tightly closed, I feel the fur beneath my fingers start to recede, his claws shortening, replaced by solid fingers and his muzzle morphing to soft lips that start gently kissing my pelvis as the body on top of mine shudders.

"Doe," Griffin's guttural voice breaks above me as he moves up my torso until he's resting on top of me, his hands and fingers tentatively reaching for my face, turning it upwards to face him. "Please, baby, look at me." He begs, his voice broken.

Forcing my eyes to open, they widen when I take in the glowing red of his orbs, slowly dimming to yellow then to blue, blood coating his naked flesh, his body covering mine. "It's me, Doe. It's me."

My hand, still in his hair, releases the silky strands before traveling around to rest on his face, his head moving to nuzzle my palm, his lips gently kissing the flesh, "Griffin, I didn't know what they were-"

"Hush Doe," he soothes, his warm breath tickling my fingers before he moves his head and pushes his massive naked frame off mine to stand. Leaning down, he reaches for me, his hands taking hold of mine, lifting me to my feet as if I weigh nothing more than a feather, before pulling me into his chest. His ripped arms wrap around my shaking body, drawing me closer until our flesh is molded together.

"It doesn't matter," he murmurs as he buries his face in my hair, inhaling, a gentle purr rumbling from his torso. "All that matters is that you're safe, my light." Kissing my head, he squeezes me tightly before releasing my body and stepping back, a soft yet broken smile on his dirty face.

Swallowing back sobs, I reach for his warmth, the shaking of my body becoming more violent from his loss. I have to explain, let him know that I know, "Griffin, I-"

"It's okay, Doe, I know." He cuts me off again, crouching to retrieve something from the grass before standing back up and returning to me, stopping a few inches away. Eyes crinkling, wetness trailing down his dirt-caked cheeks, he swallows, his prominent adam's apple bobbing, as he licks his lips. "I know Doe, I understand," his voice gruff, thick with emotions, "and it's okay," reaching for my face, his fingers gliding across the skin so tenderly, almost hesitantly as he steps in. "You, my light, my Doe, you're the only one to ever see me, the real me, and not just the Beast. It's okay. I can give you this." He nods as if in agreement with himself before leaning down, his warm lips ghosting over my temple, then my nose. His thumb moves, swiping away at my tears that are freely flowing. I feel my heart drop but don't understand. Why do I feel such grief? It doesn't make sense. Tugging on the bond, I search to feel him, to sense what he's feeling, and find nothing, only an empty void where My Wolf has always been.