Page 19 of Her Arranged Alpha
Her elbow slammed back, connecting with my jaw, as I grabbed hold of her arm. I tightened my hold as a sharp pain went over my jawline where she had hit me.
"Let go!" She screamed, throwing an arm back. She quickly fought, trying to get free, and I blocked every hit she threw. She yanked, and we both stumbled backwards.
I landed on her and quickly pinned her down to the floor. She jerked, and it was like a replay of what happened in the woods the first time.
"Jillian, stop." I shoved her wrist down tightly, trying to work my jaw and move past the pain.
Jillian panted, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to breathe. My body seemed suddenly aware of the position I had put us in. I was hovering over her, my body inches from hers. I was aware of how much skin was showing on her body, aware of how easy it would be to take her and make her mine.
My wolf growled, aching to get closer. I wanted to, Jesus did I want to. But why? Why out of everyone did I want her? What about her made her any different from all the other women? What was it about Jillian that drove me crazy?
Her wrist sagged, and she huffed. "I wish I had hit you at least once."
I laughed. "Better luck next time."
I watched her jaw clench together before she tilted her head. "Or maybe you enjoy doing that. Enjoy watching someone suffer."
I let go and leaned back, needing space between us.
"You think I like having to put energy into restraining someone? You think I like having to watch you like this?"
She shrugged. "I don't know what kinks you have."
"Really? You want to talk about kinks?" I asked sarcastically. My eyes went to her mouth, and I stared at her light pink lips. I wondered how they would feel pressed against mine. She did kiss softly, or did she kiss with power behind it?
I swallowed, suddenly aware of just how this looked. Jillian was practically naked, and we were so close. A blush rolled over her face, and I knew I needed to put distance between us before something happened.
I ran a hand over my jaw and leaned back on my heels. I shook the moment off and looked back at her with a serious expression.
"What do you want me to do, Jillian?"
"Let me go." She stated. "Let me leave."
"I can't," I said, pulling myself up. "And you know that. I have little control over this, just like you."
I watched sorrow flicker across her face, and I wanted so badly to change it. I wanted to take it away and make things better. But why? She tried killing Frank not too long ago? Why did I feel such an urge to be here for her? Why did I care?
Chapter 8 - Jillian
I stared at myself in my simple white dress. This was the closest I was going to get to a wedding, and this wasn't even that. I wasn't even in a wedding dress. It was just a simple white, knee-length dress with a sweetheart neckline. I happened to find it in the back of my closet when Maddox took me home to look for something to wear.
"You look great," Nina chirped behind me, looking as radiant as ever. She had bounced back quickly since the attack and put it behind her, while I seemed like a shell of a person.
"Thanks," I whispered.
"So, how is a mating ceremony different from a wedding?"
My stomach twisted up. A mating ceremony was about our wolves, about them finding each other. This was a shame about that. Anyone who had a mating ceremony knew that. I'd heard stories about how it was supposed to go and how beautiful it was.
"It's a deeper level than a wedding. Not that weddings aren't beautiful. But this is a bond, a connection with our wolves. It's linking them for life. Done properly, we can feel each other's emotions, sense danger, and just…the love is deeper."
Nina nodded. "I wonder if it bothered Frank that he didn't have that."
I smirked. "You're a human."
"Yeah, but it's not like he wanted me. He was just given to me."
I softened my smile. "Frank doesn't care because he loves you. He really loves you." We could all see the change in Frankafter he let Nina in. He became a better person, a softer person. Frank had always been a more stoned-faced leader, but with Nina at his side, he'd become better.
