Bound Read Free

that he’d specifically placed there so many years ago. Hunters had found the body of the hiker, and as much as Malcolm had wanted to give the man his life back, he couldn’t even remember killing him. He couldn’t remember anything after that knife slicing into his wolf form and everything going blank. But he was a murderer. He knew this with every fiber of his being. The flavor of that hiker’s blood would always be on his tongue, in his body.
    He stared at the rocks for several more minutes and felt his wolf rise up, but he lifted his head and inhaled deeply. He was alone and could smell that the only other creatures with him were the forest inhabitants.
    And for the first time in far too many years, he let himself change into his wolf, let the power that came with letting go, of being free, come forward. He did this to release the wild energy inside him, to expel everything dirty that he harbored inside of him. He had a mate, and he couldn’t risk being volatile around her, couldn’t risk hurting her. He needed to think, to run, and hopefully he would have a clearer head when he came out on the other side of it all.

    Madison didn’t know if she’d done something wrong, but when Malcolm had taken the bounds off her and just stared at her, she felt this connection move between them. But then he’d left the club, left her standing there, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to ignore it, even though she wasn’t sure he’d want her prying.
    That was a half hour ago, and despite the fact she should have let him deal with what was bothering him, she’d followed him. Yes, it was wrong, so very wrong, but she cared for him. As crazy as all of this was, because she didn’t even really know Malcolm, she couldn’t deny what she felt, and wouldn’t ignore it anymore.
    So here she was, walking through the woods bordering their city, knowing Malcolm was here because his Harley was parked right at the edge of the tree line. She felt her heart race, her palms become sweaty, and as bad an idea as it might be, she didn’t turn around. She had to know what was wrong and if what she’d felt between them was just one-sided.
    She just hoped what she was doing didn’t end up ruining everything … even if that everything was nothing more than Malcolm dominating her on stage.

M alcolm growled when he scented his mate. She was near, and her curiosity was going to get her killed. His fear of hurting her returned, and he started to panic. He didn’t want to hurt her. Madison had to leave or she was putting herself at risk.
    Rushing toward her in his wolf form, it wasn’t long before he found her, stumbling over a fallen tree. Malcolm stayed hidden, watching as she winced, rubbing at her thighs. She had thrown a large jacket over her body, covering up her near nakedness.
    She still smelled like arousal and sex. A heady combination, and from the short distance where he stood on four legs, he saw the trail of blood on her. Madison hadn’t taken the time to wipe away all traces of her injury.
    Did she have a death wish?
    There were a lot of mean motherfuckers who hunted in the forest, not just wolves. He was going to take her over his knee and paddle her full, rounded ass. Maybe he’d make her bleed just a little so that she understood the kind of danger she was in. Wolves were deadly, but so too were other shifters: bears, lions, panthers, they were all dangerous.
    “What did I do wrong? I was good. I can take whatever he has to offer. I’m destined to be his. Why did he run?”
    Her words were coming out in sobs, and he hated it.
    Malcolm’s first instinct was to go to her, to protect her.
    No! You’ll hurt her.
    Stepping forward, Malcolm growled, alerting Madison to the danger she was in.
    She turned toward him and let out a small squeal.
    “Is that you, Master?”
    He growled again.
    She should be running. Every other woman would have been fleeing right now, and she just stood there, watching.
    Her heart was pounding.