Page 8 of Brutal Alpha's Sold Mate
For a moment, neither of us moves. The tension between us is palpable as I glare up at him, my breathing shallow. He stares right back, unmoving, unflinching. The bastard doesn’t even blink.
Eventually, though, he moves, releasing my wrist and pulling back just enough to let me breathe. I roll onto my side, clutching my arm where his grip left faint red marks. My pride is bruised more than anything else, but that doesn’t stop the wave of anger washing over me.
“You’re lucky I’m not at full strength,” I hiss, glaring at him as I push myself into a sitting position. “If I were, you’d be bleeding by now.”
His lips twitch, almost like he’s fighting back a smirk. “I’d like to see that.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
He straightens up, towering over me like some immovable mountain. For a second, I consider rushing at him again, just to see if I can land a solid hit this time. But the logical part of me—the part that’s not completely consumed by anger—knows better. I won’t win this fight. Not now. Not like this.
“Are you done?” he asks. His tone is calm, infuriatingly so, and it only stokes the fire inside me.
“For now,” I reply through gritted teeth. “But don’t get comfortable.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
The silence between us is suffocating as he gestures toward the black SUV parked at the edge of the property. It’s sleek with tinted windows, looking more suited for a high-stakes heist than ferrying a reluctant captive.
“This is your ride?”
“You were expecting a carriage?”
I roll my eyes but don’t move. My legs are still shaky from the lingering effects of Malcolm and Wiley’s potion, and the last thing I want is to face-plant in front of him. Not that he’d let me forget it.
“I’m not getting in that thing with you,” I say.
“Suit yourself,” he says, shrugging as he pops the driver’s side door open. “Stay here. Maybe Malcolm and Wiley will comeback for you. Maybe they can find you a buyer who has more… reliable methods to maintain control of you.”
The mention of those bastards makes my stomach churn, and my wolf growls in the back of my mind. I hate that he’s right, hate that he knows I don’t have a better option. “You’re such an asshole,” I mutter, forcing my legs to move.
“Noted,” he replies, climbing into the driver’s seat without so much as a glance in my direction.
I approach the passenger side slowly, and every step is a reminder of how weak I feel. The potion has dulled everything—my strength, my reflexes, even my wolf’s presence. It’s like I’m moving through a fog. When I finally reach the SUV, I wrench the door open and climb in, slamming it shut behind me.
He doesn’t react to my little show of defiance. His focus is on the road ahead as he starts the engine.
“Seatbelt,” he commands without looking at me.
“Excuse me?” I shoot back.
He finally glances over with one dark brow arched. “Seatbelt.”
I glare at him but reach for the seatbelt, snapping it into place with more force than necessary. “Happy?”
“Ecstatic,” he deadpans, turning his attention back to the road.
We pull out of the clearing and onto a narrow dirt path, the tires kicking up dust as the trees close in around us. The interior of the SUV is uncomfortably quiet, the only sound the steady grinding of the engine and the faint rustle of branches brushing against the windows.
“So, what’s the plan?” I ask after a few minutes. “Are you taking me back to your secret lair? Or do you just drive around abducting people for fun?”
His lips twitch, but he doesn’t look at me. “You’re not my prisoner, Kai.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
He sighs, and the sound is heavy with exasperation. “We’re going to my pack’s territory. It’s safe there.”
“Safe for who?”
