Page 53 of Rejected By My Shadow Alpha
She looked away, lips parted like she wanted to speak but couldn't.
"I want to build something real with you, not apart from you."
Still, she said nothing, but something in her eyes had softened. Just enough..
"I've been gathering evidence," I continued gently. "Hard proof, financial trails, criminal dealings, and international operations about your father's empire. He isn't untouchableanymore. I'm not coming to you with just promises anymore, Ruby. I'm coming with a plan."
Her arms wrapped around herself, like she was trying to keep from splintering. "You think you can bring him down?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Drew, you don't know how deep his claws run. He's been untouchable my whole life."
"I know exactly who he is," I said, stepping closer but not touching her. "I've seen the darkness he hides behind charm and legacy, but I've also seen what's possible when people fight with truth. I'm not alone, Ruby. My pack, my team, we're close. Closer than ever to bringing him down." I paused and fixed my eyes to hers, hoping what I would say next would make her see the steps I have taken to protect them. "I have set some traps in place to fish out the moles in my pack, and soon, Ruby, I will give you the life you deserve as my Luna and my mate. Please believe me."
Her eyes met mine, doubtful and hurting, but something inside her was cracking, letting light in.
"I want to believe you," she whispered.
"Then do," I urged, my voice thick. "Believe in me. Believe in us."
A silence stretched between us, alive and tense.
"Tell me you don't feel what I feel," I said quietly. "Tell me you don't want this, and I'll walk away, but don't lie to yourself, Ruby."
Her lips parted again, but this time she didn't speak. She searched my face, every inch of it, like she was trying to connect to the part of me she could trust. "You're impossible, Drew," she whispered. "Knowing you're Wolfsbane22 makes me want to trust you, but this is not…"
"I mean every word, Ruby. Believe me this one time," I said softly, my eyes locked on hers.
She sighed, her eyes soft, then, with a sudden, aching tenderness, she rose on her toes and kissed me. It wasn't rushed.It was intentional, full of silent yeses and buried longing. Her lips moved over mine like a memory coming to life. I responded slowly, cradling her face, anchoring myself at the moment she chose me.
She deepened the kiss, pressing into me, and I let her take the lead. Her arms wrapped around my neck, her fingers threading through my hair as her body melted into mine. The kiss turned hungry, tasting of want and missed time. I pulled her closer, one hand at the small of her back, the other sliding along her side.
She gasped against my lips when I moved my tongue deeper over hers, her hands gripped the back of my shirt like she needed me to stay.
I will stay forever, Ruby, never to leave or abandon you again.
My hands skimmed under her shirt, her skin warm and soft beneath my fingers. She arched slightly, pressing her chest against me, her breathing ragged and eager. Her legs wrapped around me instinctively, hips grinding against mine, and a low growl escaped my throat. The contact was fire. My cock strained against my jeans, painfully hard, aching for her. I let her feel how badly I wanted her, grinding slow and deep as my lips traced her throat, then lower.
"Drew…" she gasped.
"You're mine," I whispered against her chest. "You've always been mine."
Her body trembled, her hands tangled in my hair as I moved my kisses lower, then back up, nibbling her earlobe, tasting her skin.
"Say yes," I said again, my voice hoarse, lips brushing hers. "Let me build this life with you."
Her eyes fluttered shut, her lips swollen and parted, her voice barely audible. "It's not that simple."
I pressed my hips against hers again, harder this time, and she gasped. My wolf surged forward, desperate to claim her, but just as I felt her surrender completely, just as I was about to take her up in flames with me, my phone buzzed.
I ignored it. The vibration came again, louder, longer, and persistent. I growled in frustration, my lips still on hers, and my breath panting. "Don't move," I whispered, reluctantly reaching for the phone without letting her go.
I glanced at the screen and everything in me froze. The message on screen hit me like a bullet.
"SAFE HOUSE UNDER THREAT OF ATTACK. NORTHWEST QUADRANT BREACHED. MULTIPLE ASSAILANTS.
"Drew?" Ruby asked, still breathless. "What is it?"
I looked up at her, brushing a kiss against her temple with a sigh. "I have to go. Someone has launched a strike against my pack. I need to handle it."
Her face fell. "Is it my father?"
