Page 20 of Bite Me Alpha Cole

Cole sighs and steps closer, the sudden nearness of such a huge person – a full predator, really – stealing my words. But with the way he keeps his blue eyes on mine, I’m not sure that he realizes what he just did.

God, we’re just completely different species, aren’t we? And the way he moves with such ease, completely oblivious to the power of his size and lethal grace…I just think I’m so much more aware of it than he is. Which iscompletelyunfair.

“Please, Nadia,” Cole says, his voice lowered nearly to a whisper now. “Please stay. Don’t give up on wanting to help people – it would break my heart if I knew you gave up something like that because of me.”

“But how can I?” I whisper, still squeaky and frustrated even though I don’t move my eyes from his face. “When you’re…fucking around! Talking aboutbitingyourmate!”

He works hard against a smirk here and, begrudgingly, I give him credit for trying. “Listen, Nadia,” he says, his words slow like he’s speaking them even as the thoughts still form in his mind. “I give in, all right? Completely. Everything – absolutelyeverythingfrom here on out is on your terms. Okay?”

I scoff, leaning away from him. “What the hell doesthatmean?”

Cole just slowly smiles.

Chapter 12 – In Charge

Nadia

“However you want this experience to go, Nadia,” Cole says, his expression cool as he keeps his eyes fastened, unblinking, on mine. “That’s how it will be.”

I just stare at him, kind of…baffled by the offer.

“You say it and I do it, all right? You’re in charge. You want me to fuck off and leave you alone and never talk to you again? I’ll do it. You want me to tell the guards to never say a goddamn word to Shayne and Grace and the rest of the nurses – hell, the rest of thehumans? It’s done.”

My eyes widen as I realize the very real power he’s handing to me right now.

“You want me to get on mykneesand grovel for forgiveness –“

I gasp, snapping out of my shock as he starts to lower himself to the ground as he speaks.

“Would you stop that?” I lash out my arm, backhanding him across the shoulder. Cole grins and straightens as I sneak a look around the room. Some eyes are on us, but most are engaged in their normal conversation. “You’re making a scene!”

“You want me to make a scene? I’llmakea scene –“

“Oh, you stop it,” I say, whipping my eyes back to him, my brows lowering. Cole’s smile deepens as he realizes that he’s made some progress – that I’m no longer trying to run away. I still for a moment, looking him over, taking in his too-handsome face, his powerful body, theeasewith which he takes up space.

Or…no. I tilt my head to the side, taking a moment to consider. Cole straightens his shoulders, content to let me look, but I realize that it’snotease that’s lining his body right now. He’s trying to pretend that it is – but there’s a great deal of tension in his muscles right now.

Suddenly, I realize that he’s…kind of desperate to get me to agree to this.

“Why do you want me to stay so bad?” My words are low, a whisper.

He takes a moment too before leaning forward. “Becauseyouwantto be here, Nadia. I want to support you while you do…whatever it is you want to do. And, yeah, it’s a priority for me to keep you safe while you do it.” He shrugs. “But if the way I’m acting makes you want to go home and abandon your dreams…that’s the opposite of the role I want to play in your life.”

I exhale long and slow, my shoulders loosening as I think again on how excited I was to volunteer for this program – how eager Istillam to do some good for people who really need it.

And he’s right. I really don’t want to go. We have to find some sort of compromise.

“Well, what about what you said?” I snap, raising my chin, not ready to give in yet. “About my place being at your side, at the palace, that I can’tleave.”

He shakes his head, sorrow coming into his eyes. “I was so wrong to say that, Nadia.Pleaseforgive me – I was in a complete panic about the mating bond – and I wanted you to stay. I talked to Iris alotabout it – and I swear, none of it is true. I don’t want to lock you away in the palace. I want you to liveyourlife. Just…let me hang out with you while you do. Let me stay close by.”

I frown at him, studying his face,lookingfor some kind of trick.

But he just looks so…earnest. I don’t know. Something in me just…gives in.

“All right,” I whisper.

Cole’s face breaks into a wide grin that’s so happy it looks almost silly.

---