''Better?'' My mate asked, and I nodded and looked down.
Once I was calm, I realised what I'd done. I didn't care that I'd hurt Niketa, she shouldn't have touched my mate, but I was horribly guilty I'd threatened and scared the pack.
''Don't worry about it,'' Caspian said, his voice a low rumble against the sudden, ringing silence. His thumb stroked my cheek, his touch both a balm and a brand. ''I'm actually proud that you didn't kill anyone.''
The words struck me like a physical blow. Proud? For restraint? It felt like a condemnation. I growled, the sound raw in my throat, and shoved him away. My hands, still buzzing with the aftermath of shifting, pushed against the solid wall of his chest. He let me stumble back a step before his arms closed around me, not to restrain, but to draw me
