Page 24 of Magic Claimed
He smirked. “Your cook likes me. I simply asked her for a meal to show my cook at home. She was pleased to put this together for me.”
I snorted. Typical. She was a softie for hard abs and a handsome face, although I wasn’t going to tell him that. I settled for my default setting of keep-the-fuck-away-from-me. “Why are you here?”
He set the plate at the far end of my space on top of my blanket when it was clear I wasn’t going to take it from him.
“I can trace your scent wherever you are.” His deep, rumbling voice made my insides turn into liquid. Great. I can now add scent marking to my crap list of things to watch out for.
“If Esoti finds you here, he’ll hurt you,” I said. He would hurt me too and that wasn’t on my list of things to accomplish today.
Alerick’s silver eyes roamed my body. “I’ll take my chances and I want an answer. Why are you here?”
“Didn’t you hear what I said? Esoti can’t find you here. He already suspects something,” I said.
“If he does, we will handle it,” Alerick said.
“Then I think you overestimate your abilities,” I said.
His gaze fell onto me like black velvet and gods help me if a part of me didn’t like it. “Thank you for helping us.” Those softly spoken words slid into my heart sharper than any blade.
“Don’t think I did it for you. Life is easier for me if Esoti doesn’t think I indulge in treason, believe me. You should take a leaf out of my book.” I swallowed, hating my throat for tightening. Damn him and his thanks. Cursing, hating, hitting, I could take. I didn’t want his attention and I didn’t want this bond.
“And you haven’t answered my question,” Alerick said. A trace of his Alpha power wove through me. I tensed, ignoring the flutter in my belly. “Why are you here?”
I huffed when all he did was watch me with that unwavering gaze. He’d done nothing to intimidate me, other than fill my space with his presence, although that was intimidating enough. I never knew an Alpha could have a softer side to him.
“You think they hand out private rooms to slaves? I cut a hole in the staircase wall and made the space mine. Like what I’ve done with the place?” I tapped the back wall. “Tomorrow I’m going to cut through here and install a bathroom, plumbing optional.”
His lips thinned. “It’s cold and draughty.”
“It’s better than the pigsty,” I said. “Not everyone is a wolf Alpha and lives in a nice warm cabin in the woods.”
His eyes glimmered. “That is now your home. Whatever is ours is yours.”
Home. The word brought connections of things I would never have and hope was useless. “Look, Alpha. I’m no fool. If you haven’t realized this before, I’m sure you know you could hit higher on the mate scale. I mean, I’m not exactly the best option for you and there’s probably an entire legion of better suited wolf shifter girls lining up for you, panting and ready to be your mate. I’m a slave.Esoti’s slave. He will not let me go. The best thing is for you to stop interacting with me and let whatever is between us fizzle out. It would be for the best. For everyone,” I said, ignoring the pressure behind my eyes.
He reached towards me. My back slammed against the wall of the too-small-for-me-to-get-away space as his palm cupped my cheek. His hand was big enough to cover the whole side of my face. His thumb traced the bruise on the side of my face where Esoti had struck me. I’d forgotten all about it. His touch made sparks light up inside me and all the pleasure centres of my body blinked on. I was too shocked, too aware, too weak to pull back.
“Fate does not make mistakes. We’re meant for each other. I feel it deep within me. My wolf speaks to yours, and that is sacred. You’re mistaken if you think you’re not good enough for us. You protected us when you didn’t have to. You put yourself at risk to save us. If you hadn’t done that, we would be at Esoti’s whim. If you don’t believe me, believe the wolf that has woken inside you. If you don’t trust yourself, trust her,” Alerick said.
My heart tumbled as the wolf I’d locked up brushed around my insides. “No.” This couldn’t be happening. I didn’t want this. Didn’t need this. Couldn’t he see that! He…
His fingers threaded through my hair and cupped the back of my head, easing me towards him. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t fit through the doorway. He had the strength to bring me to him. He had the power to do anything to me and it seemed I was powerless to stop him and…
His breath swept over me as his lips eased onto mine. They were soft. Too soft for what I thought a man the size of him would be, but then he moved his lips against mine, nipping at me, nuzzling me, firm with insistence. Kissing me as though he enjoyed it. I couldn’t believe that this could be so…
I melted into his kiss, moving my mouth with his, letting him caress my mouth with his lips. The tip of his tongue traced the seam of my mouth and a whole body shiver worked through me. My belly unfurled with languid warmth. His fingers tugged my hair, a faint tremor working through his limb as though this kiss affected him as much as me. I shouldn’t affect an Alpha like this. I affectednobodylike this. I dug deep, found a thin thread of resistance and pulled.
My eyes snapped open. His long, luxurious lashes fanned beneath his eyelids. He was beautiful. Perfection. My wolf tipped her head and howled as she agreed with me. His eyes snapped open, his lips rested against mine, and our breath mingled.
“Your wolf is beneath your skin.” His deep voice sunk into me. I could get used to this.
My wolf whimpered, urging me to throw myself into his arms. It cleared my mind enough for me to scramble away. My back hit the wall and I curled into a tight ball. Whatever spell he wove over me was broken. I didn’t want my wolf and I certainly didn’t need her making me feel things I didn’t want to feel. “Stay away from me.”
Surprise washed across his features before they formed into stern lines. I steeled myself. I knew this look. It was the look of someone I’d pissed off and they were about to lash at me because they could.
He was strong and powerful. This was going to hurt. I closed my eyes, drew my arms over my head and tensed for the hit. Nothing came. I peeked over my arm to see his glittering stare. I licked my swollen, heated lips. “You have to leave.”
The wolf inside me spun, knocking about in the tight space I’d stuffed her into. Too bad. I wasn’t going to let her out. I grit my teeth and tensed for the worst.
