Page 47 of Alpha Queen
"I never asked for any of that," she said. "I had a home. I had safety. I had a purpose with Ares and Apollo."
Titan whirled to face her, his eyes flashing. "They can't give you what I can. Power. The freedom to reshape our world."
"Is that what this is really about?" River asked, a spark of understanding blooming inside her. "Power?"
Titan's eyes darkened. "It's about creating a better future for our kind. One where we don't have to hide or bow even to human laws. Where we can live freely, as we were meant to."
Whoa. What? Not bow to human laws? What the hell did that mean?
River shook her head, her silver hair catching the morning light. "You're talking about tearing down everything our people have built, everything we've worked for."
"Sometimes you have to tear things down to build them back stronger," Titan growled. He stalked towards her again, his powerful form radiating aggression. "I'm offering you the opportunity to be part of that. To stand by my side as we create a new world order."
World order? What the hell was he talking about? River held her ground, even as her heart raced. She searched Titan's face, but his eyes stayed cold, his jaw set in a hard line.
"I don't know what you are doing right now, but trying to scare me is a hell of a lot worse idea to get me to your side."
For a moment, something flickered in Titan's eyes- a flash of uncertainty, quickly masked. "Being nice didn't work, did it? Didn't make you like me one ounce more. And if I'm being frank, it was exhausting being that guy. I didn't realize it until I let loose. I ran. Ran and hunted and killed last night. I haven't let myself go like that since I found you. And it felt so fucking good. Freeing. It reminded me who I am and what I wanted in the beginning. Before you. When it was just me, my mom, and Kane. I'm fully awake for the first time in years. This hold that you've had over me these last years is gone. And now it's time to get back to who I was before."
"And who is that? A tyrant? A conqueror? Because the Titan I've seen glimpses of, the one who cares about the rogues, who wants to make things better, he wouldn't act like this."
Titan's nostrils flared, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "You don't know anything about me, River. You've seen what I've allowed you to see. Nothing more."
"Then show me," River challenged, taking a step towards him. "If this is who you are, prove it. Because right now, all I see is a man lashing out because he's scared."
Titan's eyes flashed. "I'm not scared of anything."
"You're scared I'll never choose you willingly. Scared that no matter what you do, no matter how much power you gain, it won't be enough to make me love you. This is you protecting yourself from being hurt."
The words hung in the air between them, charged with tension. Titan's chest heaved, his breathing ragged. For a long moment, neither of them moved.
Then, with a low growl, Titan's hand shot out, tangling in River's hair as he pulled her roughly against him. His lips crashed down on hers in a bruising kiss, demanding and possessive.
River's body reacted instinctively, a jolt of heat racing through her despite her best efforts to resist. The red ribbon attached to her wolf's leg tightened momentarily.
She shoved him away, and then her hand connected with his cheek in a resounding slap.
Titan staggered, his eyes wide with shock. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by a snarl.
"You dare strike me?" he roared.
River's heart pounded, but she stood her ground. "I told you not to touch me without permission."
Titan's eyes flashed gold, his muscles tensing as if preparing to pounce, and then he did. His lips on hers again, demanding, claiming.
River struggled in his grasp and brought her knee up to the balls.
Titan grunted and doubled over, letting go of her.
"Do you want to know how I know you aren't my mate?" she spat. "When I first saw Ares and Apollo, my wolf went crazy trying to get to them. Even when I ran from Ares and wanted to reject Apollo's claim on me, she was the one who wouldn't let me. She claimed them the first time she smelled them. Mine. My Alpha. My mate. But do you know what she said when she first saw you? No. Not him. It doesn't matter how much you push me, or what you try to do to make me yours, I'm not your fated mate. Just like your mother wasn't your father's fated mate, and that will never change."
Titan straightened. "Fated or not, you are mine. I am the rightful Alpha King. And I will never, ever, let you go. Ever."
She prepared herself for him to kiss her again, but he didn't.
Instead, he moved in close, his hot breath tickling her neck. "You will have to kill me if you want me ever to let you go."
Ice trickled through River's veins. She looked up into his black eyes. "And I'll die before I give in to you."
