Page 6 of Forsaken Devotion: Part 2
“Stop with the act, Alpha,” I spat. He stiffened even more. “I remembereverything.” My voice broke, and my lower lip wobbled.
His shoulders dropped, and his eyes widened to the point that it looked like he was in pain. His eyes flicked from side to side, likely replaying our first meeting.
When we met, and he immediately rejected me before sauntering off with his mistress.
No, hischosen.
“I-The-I will explain—” He opened and closed his mouth, shoving his hands through his hair, disheveling the locks even more. Fuck, he looked like he hadn’t slept in days, but he still looked good.
It hurt to breathe.
“Explain?” I spat. “There’s nothing to explain.” I couldn’t stop shaking my head. That woman’s behavior with him . . . “Cierra was right.Itook fromher,” I rasped. All I could focus on was the pain in my heart.
Lucian shook his head. He stepped forward, obviously forgetting the bed between us, which shuddered upon meeting with his legs.
“What are you talking about?” he bit out. “You’ve taken nothing from anyone.”
“No wonder she made that announcement to your pack. You even admitted to letting her take over because you needed time.” I shook my head. The circumstances had been murky, but I’d believed every lying word that dripped from his seductive mouth. “What? Did you needtimeafter she tried to have me killed?”
“What?”
She’d admitted it to my face. Admitted trying to have me killed. I’d been weakened by whatever she drugged me with. Myheart thrummed, quick and hard. She had tried to kill me again. Calculatedly, since she’d come while the house was empty.
He looked so confused.
“Back then,” I snapped. “Cierra tried to have me killed.”
Lucian’s expression twisted with confusion. “She didn’t know about you?—”
“Oh, your precious Cierra would never have,” I gasped dramatically, clutching my chest. He dared defend her?
“That’s not—” His nostrils flared. “She will die for what she did to you?—”
“Did you have something to do with it?” I spat. Was Lucian the mysterious ‘he’ she mentioned? I narrowed my eyes. “Did you help her get rid of me?”
He looked stricken, like I’d taken an axe to his face. I desperately wanted to hurt him as much as he’d hurt me. He opened and closed his mouth.
“I would never harm you,” he sputtered.
“Lies. Youhavehurt me.” A pained bitterness laced my words. “Get out.” My molars hurt from how hard I gritted my teeth.
“Josephine.” He sounded shocked. And that was even more maddening.
“Leave,” I snarled. “I never want to see you again.”
He staggered, but remained in the room, frozen—stricken.
“If you won’t leave, I will.” I ripped the needle out of my arm and tossed it on the floor. As much as my body hurt, nothing was worse than the agony in my chest.
As soon as I took a single step, he was suddenly in my face. He cupped the back of my neck, squeezing with a stern grip as if I were a pup.
“Enough,” he bit out, enunciating every syllable. His other hand lifted to my face, and compared to the anger seeping from him, it was gentle. “Listen to me.” His voice softened.
My ears rang with a high-pitched buzz, the thrum matching the beat of my heart.
“I don’t want to,” I cried, meeting his gaze. “I want you to leave me alone.” The hazel eyes went cold and harsh, like a veil had fallen over them.
“You will never leave me.” His voice was like velvet. Soft, careful, and articulate. I lifted my chin. Rage reflected deep in his cold stare. Had he always been this cruel and I’d been blinded?
