Page 46 of Alpha Queen
He grumbled and lay back on the bed, stretching out every inch of his large, naked frame.
"When are you going to stop complaining about that and just move on?"
His cold tone shot right through her. He could not be serious.
River stared at Titan in disbelief, her mind reeling from his abrupt shift in demeanor. Gone was the man who had carefully prepared an elaborate dinner, who had tried to win her over with art supplies and promises of a better world. In his place lay a cold, demanding Alpha, his muscular body sprawled across her bed as if he owned it- and her.
"Move on?" River sputtered, her voice rising. "You bit me without consent, kidnapped me, and now you expect me to forget all that and what... fall into your arms?"
Titan's eyes flashed dangerously. "I expect you to honor the bond between us. To take your rightful place as my Luna and help me build a new future for our kind."
River shook her head, backing away until she hit the wall. "There is no bond. I rejected you. And even if there was, that's not how this works. You can't force someone to love you."
A muscle twitched in Titan's neck as he stood, seemingly unconcerned with his nudity. River averted her eyes, her cheeks burning despite her anger.
"I'm done playing nice, River." Titan stalked towards her. "I've given you time. I've tried to show you the benefits of what joining me can offer you. But my patience has limits."
River's heart raced as he approached, her wolf snarling. She wanted to lash out, but the suppressants still dulled her strength and reflexes.
"What happened to you?" she demanded. "Last night, you practically begged me to accept you. Now you're acting like... like..."
"Like the Alpha I am," Titan finished, his voice low and dangerous. He braced his hands on either side of her head, caging her in. "I realized something at dinner, River. I've been weak. Trying to win you over like some lovesick pup. That's not who I am. It's not who we are. We aren't weak, and we don't beg; we take. You and I both."
His scent enveloped her- earth and pine and something wild, tinged with the metallic tang of blood. River stiffened as memories of their first encounter flooded back. The primal hunger in his eyes. The feel of his fangs ripping into her flesh.
"I'm a Lycan," Titan said, his breath hot against her ear. "The rightful oldest son of the former king and I will not be denied my right to take the High Luna as my mate."
River shoved him, but it was like pushing against a brick wall. "I am not yours," she hissed.
Titan's hand shot out, gripping her chin and forcing her to meet his gaze. "You are. Whether you want to admit it or not. I feel it, River. The pull between us. Stop fighting it."
River's mind raced, staring into Titan's cold, demanding eyes. The abrupt shift in his demeanor left her feeling like she was finally seeing the real him. The man underneath the mask of civility. The monster that she'd met that night in the pantry closet of her old pack.
"I won't stop fighting. Not now, not ever. Whatever you think you're going to accomplish by acting like this, it won't work."
Titan's grip on her chin tightened, his fingers digging into her skin. "I'm not acting. Not anymore. This is who I am. Who we are meant to be together."
She searched his face, looking for any sign of the man who had earnestly tried to win her over just hours before. But his expression stayed hard, unyielding.
"What happened last night?" she asked. "After you left the dining room?"
A dark smile curved Titan's lip. "I remembered who I am. What I'm capable of."
A chill ran down River's spine. "What does that mean?"
Titan’s hot breath fell against her ear. "It means I'm done holding back. Done pretending to be something I'm not just to make you comfortable."
River's heart raced. "You're lying," she said, more to convince herself than him. "This isn't you. The real you wouldn't-"
"The real me?" Titan interrupted with a harsh laugh. "You don't know the first thing about the real me, Princess. But you're going to learn. Just like all the rogues that live under my roof, you will learn to respect me, and if you don't respect me, then I'm fine with you fearing me."
He stepped back suddenly, releasing her. River sagged against the wall, her legs weak with relief.
Titan strode across the room, his muscular form silhouetted against the early morning light streaming through the fake window. He paused at the dresser but didn't look at her.
"I've given you everything," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "A home. Safety. The opportunity to be part of something greater than yourself. And still you resist."
River watched him, her mind working furiously to understand his motivations. Was this all some elaborate manipulation? Push her away to make her want him? Or had he given up on winning her over gently?
