She nodded mutely, not sure what to say. She was badly shaken. Her legs were so wobbly she barely made it to the bed where she collapsed. She lay on her side, facing away from Wrath, and stared at the wall. Tears filled her eyes and she trembled.

Wrath’s heart raced and he needed to put space between himself and Lauren. Adrenaline from the battle surged through his body until his skin itched. The urge to run, to howl, or to keep fighting had him on edge. He could have killed Vengeance, nearly had, but he’d regained control in time to prevent it. That should have counted, calmed him some, but he didn’t trust himself to be near her.

His rage over Lauren being attacked in his room by a male who was intent on taking her body and claiming her had boiled over into violence. The scent of her fear had flipped a switch inside him, one that had sent him into pure bloodlust.

Vengeance’s blood and his own coated his skin as he entered the bathroom but the violence and rage of battle quickly turned to desire and the need to claim Lauren before another male could attempt to take her away from him again. His dick swelled with blood at just the thought of returning to his bedroom and stripping her bare. His hands clenched as he breathed through his mouth to lessen the stench of blood. The primal side of him wanted her so bad it hurt. His body trembled from the need to go after her.

Brutal images filtered through his thoughts and it cooled his heated blood enough to keep control. He would hurt her in the state he was in. He’d take her roughly, without consideration, just to satisfy the need to make her his. He’d be worse than Vengeance if he did it. Wrath knew it was wrong to force a female to become his mate.

His c**k throbbed painfully and he knew he had to attend to his own needs before his instincts overrode his control. She was human and not his. He guarded her and she trusted him. For one instant he remembered all the human women who had been used in videos to torment him and the craving to seek revenge struck.

It scared him, knowing what he was capable of doing in that moment. Lauren wasn’t his enemy and didn’t deserve to become the vessel of his revenge. She was soft, nice, and hadn’t done him any personal harm. He wouldn’t mean to hurt her but at that moment he had no gentleness to give. His hands unclenched and he frantically stepped inside the shower stall. He needed cold water and a way to unleash his building aggression. He had to remember that he was strong enough to keep his baser side leashed. Hurting Lauren wasn’t acceptable and it was the last thing he wanted to do. Unfortunately, the urge to claim her lingered.

Lauren tried to keep it together. Falling apart in front of Wrath after he’d just brutally fought to rescue her wouldn’t be something he needed to see. He’d done more than enough already without having to hold her hand through a sobbing scene. Men hated tears, she knew that, and didn’t want to inconvenience him further.

The sound of water didn’t surprise her. Wrath had said he planned to shower but the door hadn’t closed between them. She turned her head to peer in the direction of the bathroom and was shocked when Wrath’s blood-streaked back was in clear view. He bent, jerking down his bloody boxers. His ass was as tan as the rest of him, no tan lines there, and his butt was a thing of beauty.

Her lips parted in silent surprise. He’d said he wouldn’t let her out of his sight but showering with the door open was taking it a bit far. He stepped inside the shower stall and the glass door was clear enough to see every exposed inch of him. Wrath didn’t glance her way as he lifted his chin and shoved his face under the spray. He reached up to rub at the blood on his arms.

Water ran red as it sluiced down his back and she knew she should face the wall again. It was rude and totally wrong to spy on him but she just couldn’t make herself stop. Wrath had the best body she’d ever seen in her life. He was so fit, muscular and attractive that she couldn’t resist. His back stayed to her and he seemed oblivious to her watchful gaze.

He turned sideways and tipped his head back under the water. His eyes were closed as he scrubbed his face. Her breath caught as his palms slid down the column of his throat to his chest. It was a great one—broad, smooth. He didn’t have any hair on his chest. Those hands blindly reached out, captured a bottle of body wash, poured some into one palm, and returned to soap his skin.

Lauren couldn’t stop watching his hands as they lathered dark, taut ni**les and dipped lower to his belly. She didn’t even want to blink. His stomach was hard and flat, the ridged muscles well displayed. She bit into her lower lip as her fingers twitched. She envied his hands, touching all that beautiful skin. She’d bet he felt as good as he looked. Her physical reaction was surprising as her ni**les tingled and her stomach clenched. Wrath was incredibly hot.

He leaned back more and turned her way as he washed off the soap. Her mouth dropped open as her gaze lowered to his waist. His c**k was displayed clearly through the glass. It was hard, thick, and the guy had balls. Big ones and no hair covered him there at all that she could see. He either shaved or naturally didn’t grow it in his groin area.

Lauren turned her head and stared with wide eyes at the wall. She didn’t want him to catch her gawking at him if he opened his eyes. She swallowed hard but the image of a naked, wet Wrath was burned into her brain.

New Species were circumcised, or at least Wrath had been. He was also larger than any guy she’d seen in person. Magazines and  p**n o videos didn’t count but he could hold his own in a size comparison to them. She’d heard adrenaline could be an aphrodisiac but hadn’t believed it until that moment. The attack she’d suffered should have turned her off men, sex especially, but instead it only seemed to heighten her emotions. Watching Wrath lather up his muscular body was making her feel plenty.