She had to face that he didn’t want her, not who she was. He wanted a human woman and she couldn’t give that to him. She wasn’t human and damn it, if he loved her, he wouldn’t want her to try and cut out her heart the way he had.

She knew he run. She saw it in his face. But she wouldn’t push. How fair would it be for

her to do that? He had to come to her and accept not only what she was but what he was too. She had enough issues in her life, living a lie was just beyond the amount of energy she had to expend. And she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to pass as human.

She’d had hope when he got there Thursday night and now she had none. All she had was the thought of being bound for the rest of her life to a man who didn’t love her and never would. She cry at the unfairness of it all but she’d wait until she was alone.

“Megan, are you?” he asked softly.

“Go to sleep. You have an early flight.”

“You’ve been distant since Thursday night. I thought you try and make this work.”

She turned to him. “Don’t do this now. Just go to bed.”

“Do what?”

Rage suddenly boiled up and she punch him. “Are you really going to do this now?

Because I’m not going to play. If you push me, you’re going to get it all. Is that what you want?”

“Of course I want you to talk to me! I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want it.”

“Fine. No, I’m not. You’re a damned liar and I am sick of being your piece of werewolf ass.”

He jerked back as if she’d slapped him but she caught the guilty look in his eye and it only made her angrier. “What? What the f**k are you talking about?”

“What wasn’t I clear on? You tell me you want to come up to visit. You tell me you want to get to know me but really, all you want is to f**k me want to know me. You hate what I am and you actually make me feel ashamed. Never in my life has anyone made me feel ashamed of what I am. Until you. You’re supposed to love me and you make me feel like a back alley whore.”

“I don’t understand. What have I done to make you feel this way? Why would you save this all up until right before I left?”

“What have you done to make me feel any other way? I have tried to be understanding. I have tried to slowly introduce you to my life. But you don’t want to know want to go on hikes want to meet my friends and family want to know about my life want to fit into it at all. Let’s be honest, Shane, you don’t want me for anything but shoving your dick into.

And I let you. I love it when you f**k me so what does that make me? Huh?”

“A woman who likes to have sex with her husband, that’s what it makes you! And you don’t want to introduce me to your life, you want me to be a card carrying member of the werewolf party.”

“You’re not my husband. You are a man ruled by his cock. You Claimed me because you were hot to f**k me but you don’t talk to me like you talk to Layla. You don’t talk to me at all. And you are so f**ked up. You are a werewolf. YOU ARE A WEREWOLF! You really should get some help with your denial. And your mother needs to be slapped.

Don’t bother defending her, I’ve already had the pleasure of a phone call with her so don’t try it.”

Confusion, guilt and hurt swamped him, followed by anger and then the last bit of her sentence registered. “You called my mother?”

“Oh for…” She got up and began to get dressed in short jerky movements. The bitter scent of unshed tears filled the room and he get on his knees and beg her forgiveness.

He’d been a total prick, cold except in bed since she’d brought him back to her house Thursday night. “Your mother called me. Yesterday when you were taking a nap, as it happens.”

“Where are you going? You can’t just spring this on me and leave.” He got up to follow as she left the room.

“To sleep in the guest room. I think it’s best. I can’t take any more rejection from you without breaking and I don’t want to cry any more.”

He go to her. Wanted to make it okay and yet he stood rooted to the floor, watching his life spiral out of control. “You’re not going to walk away from me. Let’s work this out. What did my mother say?”

“Ask her yourself, Shane. I’m not her f**king errand girl. She’s bat shit crazy and I am having no part of this mess.”

“Please talk to me. How can we fix it if you don’t talk to me?”

“Don’t do this to me. It’s so cruel.” She gasped as her tears broke free and began to stream down her face.

“Please, Megan, don’t cry.” He moved to her but she held a hand out to ward him off.

Within him, his wolf pushed harder than he’d ever felt, needing to fix her, needing to comfort her. He fell to his knees with an anguished growl as he fought it.

And her arms were around him, her scent, bittersweet with anguish, pain, love and regret, calmed and soothed even as it made him want to cry himself.

“Let it go. You don’t want this. I accept it. I love you so much. You can’t possibly know how much. Because I love you, I’m letting you go. The bond is irrevocable, I can’t make it go away but you can be free. I’ll arrange to have you driven to the airport tomorrow morning. Don’t call me. Just ride out the need and hopefully it’ll lessen.” She stood up and he heard the door open and close and he was alone.