Chapter 5 "Use Me"

• Matthew’s Point of View
• The fire popped and crackled in the cozy cabin, with the dancing flames throwing shadows on the wooden walls. I tossed another log into the fire, watching the sparks shoot up before they settled into a warm glow. This wasn’t how I planned it.
• I meant to go to the society as soon as possible. Stopping here in this little cabin was never in the plans. But then I found her—my injured wolf-mate, lying there unconscious and so vulnerable.
• I glanced over at her, resting on that small bed. Her dark hair fanned out on the pillow, her lips a striking red, and her skin was pale as snow against the rough blankets.
• “Get closer, Matthew. I want to see her better,” Homer, my wolf-mate, stirred within me. The urge to reach out and touch the one the Moon had chosen for us was strong. But I held back, clenching my jaw and letting out a low growl as a warning to my wolf.
• He craved the warmth of her skin under his fingers and the sweet scent that filled the air. But I couldn’t—wouldn’t, not after what I'd just heard before.
• “Regis,” I murmured, echoing the name she had whispered in her sleep.
• My fists clenched at my sides as the memory hit me. I let out a sharp breath, gripping the piece of wood so tightly that it cracked in my hand.
• “Fuck it,” I muttered a curse, flinging it into the fire and watching it ignite and burn away.
• Who was this guy? Who was Regis?
• A strange feeling twisted in my stomach, one I didn’t want to acknowledge. It didn’t really matter who he was. Just the thought that fate might have tied us together didn’t mean she was really mine. There was a chance she was taken or even married.
• I inhaled deeply and shut my eyes. As I did, the rain hitting the roof grew louder, matching the chaos swirling within me.
• When I finally opened my eyes, I turned my back on the bed, not wanting to face her anymore. I had to sort through my thoughts. Plus, she needed to eat to get better, and I needed an excuse to leave.
• Without looking back, I walked out into the night.
• ****
• When I got back to the cabin, I had a dead boar draped over my shoulder. The rain was pouring outside, making my shirt stick to my skin, soaked with sweat and water, and I grimaced at the blood splattered on the fabric. I didn’t want to freak her out when she woke up.
• With a soft sigh, I peeled off my shirt and tossed it aside. The cool air felt nice against my bare skin, but I barely registered it. I moved forward, leaving the boar on the ground.
• From the kitchen, I noticed the fire had dimmed, casting a gentler glow. It wouldn’t be enough to keep my wolf-mate warm, so I was about to head in and add more wood. But then…
• “Hmm,” she murmured.
• I froze in place, just outside the bedroom door, watching as she stirred under the blankets. Her breath caught, a soft sound escaping her lips.
• ‘She’s waking up.’
• I honestly thought she wouldn’t wake up anytime soon with all those injuries. But to my surprise, that wasn’t the case. Her eyelashes started to flutter, and I noticed her fingers moving slightly on the sheets. Her breathing became a bit erratic, like she was fighting her way back to awareness.
• As she started to come around, her scent filled the air, wrapping around me like a warm blanket.
• “Claim her,” my wolf growled, a low, possessive sound rumbling in my chest.
• I tightened my fists, trying to keep myself steady. The beast inside me was itching to mark what was ours, to lay down a claim before anyone else had the chance. But I bit my tongue and pushed that urge aside. She had called out another guy’s name, and that meant something. I had to let her go.
• “Let her go?” my wolf snapped back. “Are you out of your mind? You need her. She’s crucial for rebuilding the pack. You know you can’t be with anyone else but her. And you’re just going to let her slip away?”
• My throat felt tight. My mind was saying one thing, but my gut was saying something completely different. Standing there, watching her stir, inhaling her scent, and feeling the pull of our bonds—I realized that walking away was never really an option.
• Then, her lashes fluttered, and she slowly sat up, shifting beneath the blankets. The moment her deep brown eyes met mine, my breath caught. Awake, she was even more mesmerizing. Her lips, slightly parted, looked incredibly soft—almost too soft.
• "You’re awake," I said.
• I noticed her head tilt as her gaze locked onto mine, stirring something deep within me.
• ‘Those eyes… they were like rich brown earth, warm and steady, but with a depth that felt like I could easily lose myself in them.’
• Now she was awake, I realized she was far more stunning awake than she ever was while sleeping. Her features were more defined now, her lips slightly parted, and her expression was completely open.
• My heart raced, blood coursing through my veins like fire. It felt like my wolf understood the significance of this moment. This woman is mind. My body throbbed with heat, spreading like wildfire, urging me to claim her, to mark her as my own.
• ‘This was it. This was my chance.’
• I couldn’t let her go. She had to stay with me. But how was I going to make that happen?
• 'Should I just keep her locked up at my place? Keep her close, in a spot where she couldn't get away? She would bear my child.’
• Just imagining that, having her tied to me like that, sent a rush of satisfaction through me. Even if she begged for freedom, even if she cried and pleaded, I wouldn’t budge. She belonged to me. Nothing and no one could take her away.
• But just as that dark, twisted idea started to take shape in my mind, her voice broke through the fog of my thoughts.
• “Are you…my wolf-mate?”
• Her words hit me like a bucket of ice water. I froze, completely taken aback, my steps coming to a halt. My heart raced in my chest.
• When she spoke to me with her soft voice, everything suddenly became clear. It felt like I had been lost in a blazing desert, and in an instant, I was plunged into a cool, refreshing river.
• I blinked, slowly regaining my senses.
• What was I even thinking? How could I have considered forcing her into something, trapping her, treating her like an object?
• I had no clue what she wanted, or if she even could accept this bond. But I sure as hell couldn’t force it. I wasn’t the kind of man to steal a woman from another guy. My pride wouldn’t accept it.
• I swallowed hard, trying to calm my breathing, and took a careful step closer to her. My mind had been chaotic, but now I needed to find my balance. First, I had to figure out if she was with someone else already, maybe that guy she was murmuring in her self.
• So, I responded, “Yes. I am your wolf-mate. Do you understand what it means to find a wolf-mate?"
• I was waiting for her to say “no”. But then…
• “Pfft…” She laughed.
• It wasn’t a nervous or soft laugh. It unafraid one, like I had just said the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. Her shoulders shook a bit, and she raised a hand to her mouth, trying to hold it back.
• What’s so funny? Wasn’t I being serious?
• “You think this is funny?” I asked.
• She replied, “Yes,” while wiping away tears of laughter.
• This is ridiculous. I’m an Alpha, and people usually pay attention when I talk. But here she was, laughing like I’d just told a hilarious joke. I had zero tolerance for this kind of nonsense, and her reaction was really getting under my skin.
• Before I could say anything else, she looked at me with a glint in her eyes that felt like a challenge. A smirk played on her lips, and her body language was nothing like what I expected from someone in her position.
• “So, the one who brought me here and patched me up is my wolf-mate,” she said.
• Seriously, I didn’t appreciate her sarcastic tone and defiant attitude. At the very least, she should be grateful or a little scared.
• “First off,” I started, “shouldn’t you be thanking me? I brought you here and took care of your wounds.”
• I noticed her expression change, just a little. Next, she just shrugged her shoulder. “Why would I thank you? I didn’t ask you to rescue me.” She tilted her head, that same cheeky grin still playing on her lips.
• I gritted my teeth. But I couldn’t ignore the attraction I felt toward her, either.
• “Then you should at least answer my question,” I said, stepping a bit closer. “Do you know what it means to find a wolf-mate?”
• Her eyes flickered for just a moment, but she held my gaze steady.
• “We have to be together, right?” she replied coolly, like she was answering a question she hadn’t bothered to study for. “And we might as well use each other’s bodies.”
• She leaned back on the bed, looking completely at ease with my closeness. Then she dropped the dark comments.
• “If you want my body, then use it as much as you want. After that, KILL ME.”