Page 27 of The Alpha's Forced Bullied Mate

I didn’t want to be a virgin anymore. I didn’t want to hide behind a lie. I wanted to be Faye Lynne Spears, the woman who was proudly curvy and did whatever she wanted. And right now, what that woman wanted more than anything was to have Hector Shaw obliterate every presumption she had about pleasure and replace it with something even better.

Something unbreakable.

Something that forever lasts.

As the sensation crested, he unexpectedly stopped worshipping my throat and stepped back an inch. And then another. And then one more. A gaping space sat between us, tinted with flakes of gold and lavender like surreal snow. He inspected the strange light for a second before fleeing into the living room.

I was left gasping for breath as I gripped the edge of the table, struggling to stand upright on wobbly legs. How could he do that to me? We were just getting started. I was just getting used to the idea of giving myself to him completely.

Still gasping, I touched my lower lip that felt swollen and bruised from his affection. This was a feeling unlike any other. The way he took liberties with me while reading my body was unique—and I didn’t think I would find that anywhere else. But was that because he cared for me, or was it because he wanted to keep my forgiveness?

Disappointment soon replaced my desire as I remembered what he had done by inviting my parents in here. He was parading my forgiveness around. He was showing off his new mate and the control he had over her—overme. I wasn’t in the mood to be used as a prop, nor did I think it was wise to get lost in my feelings for Hector.

Because there weren’t any feelings. Whatever I thought of him had everything to do with the past and nothing to do with the present. His apology was just an act. He probably didn’t mean it. Not in a way that mattered to me. I closed my eyes as my heart thundered in my ears, the realization completing a cycle in my mind.

I was just used for showmanship. Nothing more.

When I finally snapped my eyelids open, I took a calming breath and fixed my stance. My legs weren’t shaking anymore, yet I could still feel the internal sting of my desire for him. Maybe our connection was purely physical. Because I sure didn’t feel like I could fully trust him.

No matter how many times my brain tried to tell me to do it.

I wobbled to the sink where I caught myself on the counter, trying to ignore the mess I made in my panties from just beingkissed. For all I knew, that was abnormal, too, a byproduct of being too riled up as a virgin.

My features contorted as I stared at the kitchen window, observing my light reflection in the glass.Why would I care about what he thinks of me? He’s just using me for alpha clout. That’s all it’ll ever be between us.

But despite how logical it seemed to me in my mind, my body yearned for his approving touch. My throat longed for his lips to return. My slit throbbed at the thought of his hardness repeating its journey. Maybe if I broke the seal, I could control my feelings. If it was me in control, then nothing could change my mind. Nothing could convince me that he was the one for me.

Not him. Not a ritual. Notanyone.

Chapter 9 - Hector

The second floor gave me some space from Faye. Her scent, her softness, herlips—everything had been too tempting. One moment longer would have destroyed our mating ritual, and I would have started my reign as alpha by perverting a long-time tradition. That was unacceptable. I was here to challenge the sexist traditions, the ones no longer useful to us, not destroy the very basis for our mating.

I frowned as I stood like a statue on the second-floor landing with my bedroom ahead of me and the FROG to my right. Somewhere deep within, my wolf howled for me to run downstairs and take Faye on top of the kitchen table. He wanted it. I wanted it. What was the use in fighting my instinct with someone I logically knew was my mate?

With a shake of my head, I walked to the FROG, sighing as I opened the door to the sparsely decorated room. It had its own sink in the corner where the roof tilted toward the center, and it was lined with wallpaper the shade of a pale maroon color that reminded me of pottery clay. Along the center of the walls ran a three-dimensional white border that enhanced the space.

A futon sat to the right near the spherical window that overlooked the front yard, complete with multicolored striped pillows and a feathery-soft orange blanket. Soft carpet sponged underfoot, resembling the dark navy waters of a pond under a sliver of moonlight. Other than the compact wood-colored desk with the lamp to the left, nothing else occupied the space. No one really used it.

I scratched the back of my head. I shouldn’t have left Faye downstairs without explaining what I was doing, but I was embarrassed at how much I had gotten carried away. Her safetyand sanity were important to me. That meant I had to keep my urges under control. If she slept in here, then I wouldn’t be tempted in the middle of the night to take her without caring about the consequences.

Three firm knocks interrupted my thoughts. I turned around to see Faye hesitantly swaying between the landing and the room. She looked around and raised her eyebrows at me. “Am I staying here?”

“If you want.”

“I think we’re past what I want at this point.”

Her tone felt sharp and accusatory. Didn’t she get what I was doing? This was for both of us to get ahead in life. Her public acceptance of my apology would put us both on the map. Neither of us would ever have to worry about the future.

Didn’t she want her life to be easy? “I just want to make sure you’re comfortable.”

“That didn’t seem to be a concern when I was tied up in the back seat of your car.”

“Would you rather be gagged?”

Her expression shifted from vicious to curious. She raked her lower lip between her teeth while her eyelids drooped, reaching for a lock of hair to twirl around her finger. “I didn’t say that.”

“I think you want it.” I walked toward her with my shoulders pulled back and my chin up. By the time I reached her, I was peering down my nose at her. “I think you like being tied up, held down,dominated.”

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