Page 66 of Who Owns You?

“It’s none of your business,” he snaps, crossing his arms over his chest to mock me.

The new golden scar on his dark skin is beautiful in the same way a banshee is.

Whatever was strong enough to nearly rip Atlas apart is a problem for all of us, and he knows that, but he’s being a stubborn arsehole.

Atlas leans against the door to the nest, his wings tucked neatly behind him as he continues to glower. He is still the same headstrong youngling he was all those years ago, when he finally showed us who he is.

“It’s all my business. I am your alpha, unless you’ve forgotten,” I snipe.

Atlas scoffs. “As If I could forget with the chokehold you keep on our magic.”

“To protect you?—”

“From what? Being able to learn for ourselves how to control it? Are you so insecure that you keep the power born to you and forged into me held so tightly we can hardly draw on it?” His questions are laced with venom and sting me viciously.

“You are being hurtful on purpose. We will discuss that later,” I growl. “Where did you go?”

“And what if I don’t tell you? Will you punish me?” He snickers, tail whipping back and forth.

I know he’s goading me. I’m strong enough not to rise and meet the anger as it swells in my chest.

“You are a fucking brat. I’ve only ever tried to help you,” I grit out.

“Because you are a guardian, a savior. Helping the weak is what you do.” Atlas shakes his head.

The expression on his face makes my gut sink. It’s something like pity.

“I’m not weak anymore, and neither are Julius and Marcus. You need to get over your complex and come back down to earth. We are a team.” He shoves an index finger into my chest.

My mouth drops open, words on the tip of my tongue, but nothing comes out.

He thinks I have a complex?

“You are our leader. I won’t even fight you on that, Darius, but you need to understand that sometimes enough is enough and just drop it,” Atlas snaps, whipping away from me and toward the door. He presses his palm flat to the door as if he could reach through and touch Charlotte.

“That was an eye-opening conversation,” I mutter, rubbing my chest lightly. “but it’s good to see you’ve had a change of heart about Charlotte.”

Chapter 30

CHARLOTTE

My body feelsheavy and light and loose all over. My joints buzz from unleashing my magic, but slowly, the sensation is beginning to calm.

I groan, turning my face into the softness below me. I didn’t know I was capable of whatever that was, but it felt so good. Magic felt more than natural.

“We should put a blanket on her. She’s covered in goose bumps,” Julius murmurs from above me, gently combing his fingers through my hair.

“We need to towel her off a bit first.” Marcus argues lightly before something soft runs over my bare breasts.

My back arches toward the sensation, my nipples growing tight with want.

“Are you awake, little witch?” Julius asks, mouth against the shell of my ear.

I moan as Marcus gently pinches one of my nipples with the towel.

“I think so,” I say without opening my eyes.

My head is floaty, and if I open my eyes, I’m afraid I’ll have a spell of vertigo. I know I’m lying down so I won’t fall. Even so, it would be embarrassing to puke all over them and the blankets.

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