Chapter Three Kade #3
I need away. Need distance. Need— My hands go to my hair.
Pull. Hard. The pain grounds nothing. Fixes nothing.
I thought I had control. I thought— Fuck.
I thought I could do this. Thought the hunt would be enough.
Thought I could touch her and stop. Thought I could feel the predator rise and still hold the leash.
But I let it get too far. Too fucking far.
I can’t trust myself around her. Can’t trust that I’ll stop.
That I’ll hear her. That I’ll— What if she hadn’t said my name?
The thought slams into me. Cold. And brutal.
What if she hadn’t been able to? What if I’d squeezed just a little tighter?
What if her voice couldn’t reach me? What if the predator had won completely?
I pull harder at my hair. Feel strands give.
Don’t care. She was right to keep the knife.
Should have used it. Should have driven it into my ribs the second my hand wrapped around her throat.
Because I was wrong. But, I was RIGHT at the same time.
I can’t control this. Can’t control what I am.
The hunger doesn’t just want to hunt. It wants to consume.
To destroy. To kill. And I almost— God. I almost killed her.
Footsteps. Behind me. Then arms. Wrapping around me from behind.
Warm. Solid. Her. No. I push her away. Not rough. But firm. Turn to face her.
“No! Don’t. I can’t—"
She looks at me. Calm. Steady. Like I didn’t just have my hand around her throat. Like I didn’t just nearly—
“Stop it." Her voice cuts through the spiral. Sharp. Clean. “Right fucking now."
I stare at her. Really see her. The moonlight catches her face.
Beautiful. God, she’s beautiful. Even with— Especially with— My mark on her throat.
The red hand print. Clear. Unmistakable.
Mine. The predator purrs. Satisfied. Possessive.
My mark. My claim. Mine. Then the guilt crashes back.
Went too far. Hurt her. Marked her. Could have killed her.
She steps closer. Doesn’t break eye contact.
“You stopped." Pause. “When I said your name. You stopped."
I open my mouth. To argue. To tell her it was too close. That I almost didn’t. But she keeps talking.
“You didn’t go any further than I wanted you to."
The words don’t make sense. Can’t make sense. I had my hand around her throat. I was squeezing. I felt her pulse flutter. Felt her struggle for air. She reaches up. Cups my face. Her hands are steady. Warm. Looking into my eyes. Into the darkness there.
“You went as far as I let you." Pause. Her voice changes. Firm. Commanding. The voice that brought me back. “Fuck, Kade. Touch me. Feel me. Devour me." Another pause. Her eyes don’t waver. “I won’t break."
I run my hands through my hair. Pull. Hard.
“As far as you let me?" The words come out sharp. Confused. Agitated. “What does that mean?" I gesture at her throat. At the red marks. My hand print. “I know I’ve held your throat before. Left teeth marks. Bruises." Pause. “But I’ve never—" The word sticks. “I’ve never choked you."
She looks at me. Steady. Calm. “I know."
Then she moves. Fast. Decisive. She grabs my hand. And shoves it down the front of her pants. “Feel, Kade." Her voice is firm. Commanding. The same voice that brought me back. “I’m not fucking scared of you."
I freeze. Every muscle locked. Then my fingers move. Instinct. Touch her. And— Fuck. She’s wet. So fucking wet.
“Fuck." Out loud this time. Shocked. I stare at her. Try to process. Try to understand. “You..." Pause. My brain can’t catch up. “You liked it?"
She nods. Slow. Deliberate. Then bites her lip. The realization crashes through me. She liked it. She wanted it. The guilt— Gone. Shattered. And the predator— It roars. Unleashed. But this time— This time it’s allowed.
Something snaps. I surge forward and crush my mouth against hers. No hesitation. No distance. Just need.
My hand finds her throat again. Not to hurt. Not to control. To feel her pulse. To remind myself she’s real. I break the kiss long enough to look at her. Her eyes aren’t afraid. That’s what destroys whatever restraint I had left.
Then I move. Fast. Rough. Pick her up. She wraps her legs around me.
Instinct. I walk forward. Don’t stop. Can’t stop.
Until her back hits the tree. Hard. The bark rough against her bare skin.
She gasps. I grind against her. Feel the heat of her.
Even through my pants. Fuck. A growl tears from my throat. Low. Primal.
I press my face against her neck. My hand print stands out against her skin.
Evidence. Proof I was here. Proof she stayed.
Proof she looked at the worst parts of me and didn’t run..
All of me. Even the monster. Especially the monster.
I bite down. Not hard enough to break skin.
But hard enough to mark. Again. Deeper. She moans.
The sound shoots straight through me. My hips grind harder.
Desperate. Needing. My hand tightens on her throat.
Just slightly. A reminder. A promise. I can feel her pulse. Racing. Alive. Wanting.
“Kade."
My name. Breathless. Needy. It anchors me.
Grounds me. But doesn’t stop me. Because she doesn’t want me to stop.
She wants this. Wants the predator. Wants the hunger.
Wants me to devour her. And fuck— I will.
But I’m still holding back. Some part of me.
Still afraid. Still fighting. The leash is frayed.
But not broken. Not yet. Her hands grab my face.
Force me to look at her. Those eyes. Fierce. Desperate.
“Let go, Kade." Her voice. Command. Not request. “Stop holding back."
I stare at her. The predator snarling. Straining. But the man— Still afraid. She leans in. Close. Her lips brush mine.
“I want the predator." Whispered. Breathed. “I want you to fuck me like the monster you are." Pause. “Rough." Another pause. “Hard."
My grip tightens on her throat. Involuntary. She doesn’t flinch.
“Let it take over." Her voice breaking. Desperate. “Stop fighting it.” Then— “Please, Kade." Begging. She’s begging. “I need it." Pause. “Need YOU." Her eyes locked on mine. “All of you."
Something snaps. The last thread. The final restraint. Gone. The predator in me surges. Unleashed. Unchained. Free. I tear at her pants. Rip them down her legs. Don’t care if they tear. Don’t care about anything. Except this. Except her. Mine. My own pants. Gone. Kicked away.
Then I’m there. At her entrance. Hot. Wet.
Waiting. One thrust. Hard. Brutal. No warning.
No gentleness. I bury myself inside her.
She cries out. Sharp. Loud. The sound makes the predator roar.
I don’t wait. Don’t give her time to adjust. I pull back.
Slam forward. Again. And again. Each thrust drives her back against the tree.
The bark scraping her skin. Marking her.
My hand finds her throat again. Squeezes.
Not as hard as before. But enough. Enough to feel her pulse.
Enough to remind her. Who she belongs to.
My teeth find her shoulder. Bite down. Hard.
Harder than before. I taste copper. Blood.
Her blood. The mark will stay. Proof. Evidence.
Claim. I fuck her harder. Faster. Punishing.