The Lone Wolf's Lycan Princess

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River POV

I had never felt fear as I did when she ran. I felt her intentions, a sense of desperation that gripped my chest. I knew that if I did not reach her in time, she would take her life. I had sprinted faster than ever before, my heart pounded in my ears and my legs burned with exertion.

Finally, when I reached her, I saved her at the very last moment. But instead of relief, I felt a surge of guilt. I restrained her to my bed, unable to trust that she would not harm herself. Self-loathing consumed me as I promised myself that she would stay here, in this bed, in my room, until I was certain she posed no danger to herself.

I was aware that she might despise me for this, but I was willing to earn her love over time. Even if she hated me now, I would show her that she could be happy, that her life had value and that she was important to me.

She was in heat, her scent overpowering and intoxicating. It took every ounce of self-control to resist my primal urges. But I knew I couldn't hold back forever, for her sake. I lay down beside her in wolf form, Max in control, his eyes pleading for her acceptance, for her to accept us.

I didn't want to frighten her, but I knew this was the only way to show her the truth. She needed to see it with her own eyes. If I tried to ease her into it slowly, she would not believe, and time was running out. Her wolf was awake; otherwise, she wouldn't be in heat. The longer I waited to reveal the truth, the more danger she would be in.

Our bodies compelled us to mate when the bond was recognized. It was a natural instinct, and if we resisted, it could have dire consequences for both of us. Erin would experience excruciating pain, as if her body was being consumed by fire. It would continue for some time, growing worse with each passing second, as her scent intensified. Meanwhile, if I held back, my body would go into a rut, losing control, and putting Erin at even greater risk.

I had no choice, and neither did she, really. Our bodies were forcing us into this choice. Now, we had to mate, to complete the bond with each other, or we had to reject it, to stop her heat and prevent me from entering a rut.

Yet I can’t reject her. I won’t reject her, but I can’t force her to mate with me. I refuse to do so, and that thought frightens me. For I have to be honest with her. I need to allow her the chance to reject me, to reject mating. After several minutes of her brushing her hand through Max's fur, I shifted back into my human form and put my pants back on. The soft sound of her breathing filled the air as her eyes remained focused on mine. She lifted her trembling hand, brushing it against my face.

There were a couple of methods I could attempt to temporarily soothe her heat, hoping to provide us with a brief respite. Although there were no assurances, I was determined to do everything within my power to assist her, as I longed for her to feel at ease in my presence before claiming her.

"I'm a werewolf, Erin, so are you just one who has yet to shift." I said as she slid her hand to my chest, her hand still trembling.

"I know you are afraid. You have every right to be. And I know you are confused by how you're feeling and why you feel drawn to touch me. We are mates, Erin. Our souls are bound together. They call to each other. This warm heat you feel in your body, it's my fault. When I kissed you in the cave, I was not thinking. I triggered something called heat. It is natural for our kind. It's your body trying to complete what we call a bond with me right now. A bond I very much want to complete, Erin, for I want to accept you as my mate. But a bond I can't force you to accept. This heat, it's going to feel as if you are burning inside. And with every minute we don't act on it, it will get worse. I wish there was something I could do to simply stop it until you are ready, until you know more. But there is not," I said, as her eyes scanned mine before darting around the room.

I could tell what she was looking for without asking. She wanted her phone, her ability to speak. I moved, reaching for the nightstand, and handed her my phone, unlocked, allowing her to type. "What do you mean by 'act on it'?" she typed and showed me the screen.

"I have to claim you, Erin. The heat won't calm unless we have s*x, and it may not even calm after one time. It could take a while," I admitted to her. She looked into my eyes again for a moment.

“I can try a few things to help calm your heat, Erin,” I explained, “but they won’t provide lasting relief or stop it. Ultimately, we will have to surrender to it soon.”

"You're not disgusted by me," she typed, catching me off guard.

"No, Erin. Far from it. You are, by far, the most beautiful creature I have witnessed," I said to her.

"This can't be real," she typed.

I took her hand, placing the phone down, and placing her hand against my beating heart in my chest. "Feel my heart, Erin. This is very much real. Now, I'm going to try and temporarily calm your heat. Push on me or pinch me if you want me to stop," I said to her.

She pushed her hand forcefully against my chest, causing me to stop in my tracks. As she reached for my phone once again, her fingers trembled slightly, opening up the messaging app. I watched as she typed out the words, "I'm scared."

"I know you are, I wish I could simply stop this right now for you I really do. I know you still don't understand and there is much you need to learn, but you are the most important person to me. I will never do anything to hurt you. Everything I do is to protect you, to keep you safe, and to make sure you aren't in pain. I don't like trapping you in this room, but it's to save you from yourself. I don't think you are as broken as you believe yourself to be. I think someone did something to you, something that is causing you to panic all the time, something to bring you down to the point you question life. Now, I can try and help, but to do so, I have to be intimate with you. I have to touch you. I won't claim you; we will hold off as long as we can, I promise. And if you don't want this, you have one other choice. You can reject me, something I hope you choose not to do, but you have the right to know you can." I said as she typed again.

"I don't want to reject you. You're the first I've wanted to be with. I just thought you didn't really want me," she typed. My heart ached, knowing that if I hadn't stopped myself earlier, maybe she would not have felt this way. Yet, I feared moving too fast.

"Erin, earlier I stopped because I was losing control of myself. Your heat had started already. I didn't want to mess up and claim you without permission," I admitted to her. "I don't want to do any of those things without your consent," I said, looking into her eyes, hoping she believed me.

She closed her eyes tight for several seconds and then opened them again looking at me, she opened her mouth for a moment and then closed it and shook her head before taking my phone again “Are you really the voice as you said, my mind It's really not tricking me you turn into a wolf and have been speaking to me mentally” she typed

"I am the voice," I said to her mentally, her eyes meeting mine once again. They shimmered with a brighter shade of gold this time, as tears welled up in them. I reached out and gently brushed away a tear as she tapped her finger on the smooth surface of the phone screen. She typed away for a few minutes, pouring her thoughts onto the screen.

"I thought I made the voice up. I needed something to cling onto, someone, as I have been so alone. That Voice, your voice, it has saved me so many times. You saved me again from myself today, just like you have in the past. I don't want to be this way. I don't want to be consumed by fear and plagued by these thoughts. But I feel so trapped, imprisoned within my own mind and body. When my family died, when my twin died, it felt like a part of me was stolen with them. I don't feel whole. I don't know if I can be fixed, if I can ever change, or if I'll always be held captive by my fears," she typed, her hands trembling.

As I read her words, I could feel the weight of her pain. "I promise, Erin, we will uncover the truth behind your family. I believe that something was done to you, and if you allow me, I will help you find healing. If you want to get better, to become stronger, there is a way. You just need to start believing in yourself. You're a wolf, like me. I sense your Shifter nature, and when your wolf emerges more, you may begin to feel more whole. I am here to try and help you as much as I can," I assured her.

She shifted uncomfortably, her inner turmoil evident. Her hand hesitantly rested on my chest before quickly retracting. "It's okay to touch me, Erin. I want you to feel at ease with me. I am your mate, and my body belongs to you," I said, hoping to offer her comfort in our connection.

She typed again, her fingers trembling.

"Please Help," she typed. Gently, I took the phone from her, my fingers brushing against her trembling hand. I pressed my lips against hers, feeling the softness and warmth as our mouths met. I knew I had to restrain myself, for both our sakes. Even Max understood that we had to take things slow. Erin was putting her trust in us, and we would not let her down.