Claimed by the Wolf Read Online Free PDF Page B

tried to push the thought out of her head, but it was as ingrained in the sex act as kissing. Or it would be until she finished the mating ritual.
    She couldn’t risk infecting him, even if by some chance he would allow it. He’d given her those bad memories, too—what had happened in the woods when he’d chased the beast that had killed his mother. Beth didn’t want those, didn’t want to feel that terror.
    But maybe she owed it to him to look.
    A telltale beeping told her that they were monitoring the pheromones in the room. As if they were animals who would couple in plain view for anyone to see.
    Her beast liked that idea. It growled in her head with satisfaction. Let them look, let them see her take her mate and mark him as her own. The collar around her neck loosened just as the scent of poppies and a red fog filled the air.
    The beast didn’t like the smell and couldn’t see through the fog. In fact, there was something about the fog that made the beast rage. It welled up out of her, the wolf’s venom filling her veins and splitting through her skin until there was nothing left of Beth, only the animal.
    And a hunger that could only be sated with flesh.

Chapter Five
    No word existed in any language Stefan knew to describe exactly the profanity he wished to utter. Dread knotted in Stefan’s stomach as he watched the change overtake her. It was no natural thing.
    When he’d watched her transform before, it had been a smooth series of motions like flexing a muscle—a bird spreading its wings. This was like slicing into the bird and pulling out its bones. Muscles convulsed and shifted, caught somewhere between human and beast. Just like the zombie beasts and the virus.
    “Surrender to it, Beth. Let it happen so it doesn’t hurt.” Stefan knew she fought it for him and it was tearing her apart inside and out. She didn’t need any more pain—not because of him. He’d already hurt her enough.
    “You shouldn’t be so quick to encourage her, Gypsy trash.” The voice came over the intercom and a small table emerged from the floor of the terrarium offering up an array of silver blades. “She’ll rip you open. Unless you rip out her heart and cut off her head. Your mother couldn’t do it. Can you?”
    The sound of a woman screaming was piped in like elevator music, and this seemed to enrage the beast further. It snarled and slavered, jaws snapping at him even before it lunged.
    No, not it , a small voice in his head reminded him. This was still Beth. She’d already proven she was the same person no matter what her skin looked like. This wasn’t her fault, and even though he deserved all of her rage, she’d never do this on her own.
    The killer in him reached for the silver blades before he could think better of it, and he’d already armed himself when she roared.
    Stefan knew he’d have to make a choice.
    Even if her bite didn’t kill him, it would change things between them. It could infect him. It would bind them forever.
    He had more than just himself to think about. He was going to be an Adam. His people depended on him.
    None of his options were acceptable.
    She sprang, her powerful legs propelling her through the air toward her prey. Stefan leaped and found himself with his back against a wall. Close quarters made it hard to evade her, but it was designed that way.
    The screaming kept pounding at his temples, digging around inside of him from some thread of fear, something to drag to the forefront and make him weak, but he refused. The beast he’d faced in the woods hadn’t been mindless and ravenous like Beth was now. He’d been thinking, sentient, and all the more awful for it.
    Beth loved him.
    He knew she was still inside even if she wasn’t the one in control.
    She pounced again and he was able to leap over her back to land behind her. He remembered that first night when she’d put herself between him and the other werewolves. The animal wouldn’t hurt him either—if it knew what it