Page 21 of Brutal Alpha's Sold Mate
His tone drops. “I don’t need to capture or force a woman to be mine.”
I let out a laugh. “Could’ve fooled me.”
He stalks closer. “Did I ever use that binding spell on you? I have the power to command you. I haven’t said a single word to force your obedience.”
“So you want credit for not controlling my mind?”
He closes the distance, stomping forward until he’s an inch away from me. My heart thuds as he leans in. “Why would I bother when I could seduce you instead?”
His boldness pisses me off, but it also sends heat needling up my spine. “You think you can just—”
He cups my face, and suddenly his mouth is on mine. I gasp, grabbing his shirt in anger and need. He’s confident, insistent, and my head spins at how easily I want to respond. Part of me wants to push him back, slap him, anything to show I won’t be intimidated. Instead, I tighten my grip on his shirt.
For a moment, I let the kiss deepen. A rush of something dark and thrilling coils in my stomach. Theo presses me against the wall, and every sense is electrified. I hate how good it feels when he slips his tongue across my lower lip. His body is solid and hot. Every very muscle seems hard and unyielding.
My own wolf responds.
Theo nips at my bottom lip, and a growl rumbles in his chest. He moves his mouth to my throat, and my skin tingles at the scrape of his beard. A small whimper escapes me, and his breath is hot against my neck.
And then he stops.
He lifts his head, staring down at me. The sudden pause throws me off-balance. My brain tries to catch up with what just happened, and the haze in my head is slow to clear.
Theo doesn’t say a word. He simply steps back and storms upstairs.
I remain where I am, stunned and annoyed.
With him.
And with myself.
Chapter 8 - Theo
I can’t get the memory of her taste out of my mind. It follows me through every part of my routine: checking on our elders, fielding questions about the banquet debacle, and making sure patrols stick to their schedule. Normally, I’d give each task my full attention, but I keep picturing Kai’s face when I pushed her against that wall. Every time the image drifts into my thoughts, my heartbeat picks up.
I try distracting myself by going over supply inventories. One of the watchers, named Amber, pulls me aside to mention some dispute about territory lines. I stand there, nodding, hoping I look attentive. My focus wavers, and she notices.
“You okay, Theo?” she asks with a wary frown.
“I’m fine,” I answer too quickly. “Just handling a lot. I’ll look into those boundary issues.”
She still looks concerned, but I manage to slip away. The rest of my morning is the same: me drifting through duties on autopilot, refusing to acknowledge how restless I feel. A fight with Reed or a round with Jacob used to be my biggest headache. Now, my own mate consumes most of my thoughts.
Eventually, I wrap up the errands and head toward the forest. I tell myself it’s just to patrol, maybe spot any trouble, but deep down, I think I’m hoping I’ll find Kai somewhere amid the trees.
I push aside a branch, looking for signs of life. Something rustles beyond a cluster of evergreens.
I move closer, half expecting to find a rabbit or something innocuous, but no. It’s her—again. Kai’s in a small meadow, running through fighting forms on her own. My curiosity spikes.She’s graceful, though there’s an obvious frustration in her moves, like something’s limiting her usual power.
I clear my throat and inadvertently step on a twig to announce myself. She spins, and when her eyes land on me, her shoulders slump. “You spying on me?”
“Hardly. I’m doing my rounds.” I pause, giving her a once-over. “That’s a nice side kick.”
She raises her brows. “You want a demonstration?”
My wolf stirs, pleased by her confidence. “I was going to offer to show you a few techniques if you’re up for it.”
She folds her arms, skeptical. “You think I need lessons from you?”
