The All Consuming: A Shifter MC Novel (Pureblood Predator MC Book 4) by May Ellis Daniels

driven by the need to find another kill.
    She would never have permitted me return.  
    Not to mention the man has a perfect cock and knows exactly how I want to be fucked. Every time we’re together I come so many times I lose count. We’re animals in heat, mad for each other.
    Maybe there’s no future. Maybe one or both of us dies during the One War. It doesn’t matter. We’ve been blessed with this…passion. This uncaged, wildborn togetherness. I’ve lived more in the past few weeks than most people live in a lifetime.  
    I cover my eyes with my palm and lie naked, flat on my back while the Purebloods mill around me. I’m not embarrassed or ashamed. Let them see me naked. Let them watch their alpha fuck his bloodmate.  
    Only the Skins hide their desire. Repress it.  
    Feel bad about what’s perfectly natural.
    I sense someone kneeling beside me. Then a soft touch against my forehead brushes my bangs behind my ears. I move the hand covering my eyes and am looking at my best friend. Trish. She’s staring at me with the fretful, motherly look of worry and concern she always does. Like she still doesn’t believe I can handle myself out here.  
    Like I need her protection.
    Resentment makes my lips tighten. I love her, but fuck do I wish she wasn’t such an old hen. Then I remember how much she’s lost. Her career and home and family. Her people . How uncertain she must be. How afraid. Maybe she’s right to worry over me. I’m the only thing she’s got.  
    I try and give my best friend a smile.  
    It makes it halfway, then slowly fades.  
    “You don’t approve,” I say.
    Trish frowns. “You’re a grown woman.”
    “What then?”
    “Are you all right? That’s all.”
    “I’m a lot more than all right.”
    “You made it back.”
    I smile, not knowing what to say.
    “I knew you would.”
    A heavy silence, punctuated by the death metal playing a little ways in the distance and the sound of shattering glass and loud hoots and hollers. “They’re really getting their party on.”
    Trish gives me a stiff nod.
    She doesn’t approve.
    “Why’d you do it, Lil?” Trish asks.
    “Drive the bike off that cliff? To get my son back. Why else?”
    “No. Why’d you trade your son for me and the Risen in the first place? You didn’t even know them. And me? I’m a fucking Skin. A lost cause. The last dodo.”
    I slip my hand into Trish’s. “I took a risk. I saw August gut you, remember? I couldn’t have lived with myself—”
    Trish glances at my belly. “You did it for you . Cuz you felt guilty.”
    “I guess so. Yeah. Does that make me a shit person?”
    “I won’t judge.”
    “You sure?”
    Trish’s eyes blaze. “I’m thinking…about your other son. Lachlan? What if it comes down to him, Lil? Will you act selfishly or make the hard call?”
    “You mean murder him?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I’m happy to see you, too, Trish. Nice to get caught up. Now if you’ll excuse me…I just rescued my unborn son from a fucking dog-faced god. Got my ass kicked by an alpha wolf. Had my brains fucked out by a hot as hell outlaw while his biker crew cheered us on. I could use some water. Maybe a little shuteye.” My voice rises in frustration. “You think that could happen? Or do we need—”
    “I think they’re right,” Trish says, her voice deadly soft. “Aaron might be your alpha, but I think everything still depends on you. And that fucking terrifies me.”
    “Well thanks for the vote of confide—”
    Before I can finish Trish stands and storms off into the desert night.
    I take a long breath.
    She shouldn’t be out there alone.
    She knows better.  
    I should go get her. But the truth is what she said makes my stomach churn. Murder my eldest son? Could I do it? To save…what? Myself? The Purebloods and Skins? The whole fucking world?
    You are your own keeper.
    The Dog God was his own keeper.  
    Fuck of a lot of good it did him.
    I struggle to a stand, then stagger into the seething