Page 40 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf
“I may be from the place you hate, but that doesn’t make me evil.” She gulped down a trembling breath. “Any more than having Lars for a blood relative makes me behave as hedoes.”
“Lars went insane, drunk with power. It’s what happens to those in the Dark Kingdom who venturehere.”
Jumping off the sofa, she started for him, to take his hand, to explain, but he backed off. Cold, his dark eyes were pure ice Gone was the warmth and understanding thereearlier.
Then again, Adrian hadn’t planned on the woman he’d planned to make his mate being related to his worst enemy, the Lupine who’d attempted to kill him and destroy everything dear tohim.
“Don’t dothis. Don’t shut me out,” shewhispered.
He flung out his hands. “You lied to me.” Turning, he braced a hand on the fireplace mantel. “Go to bed, Darcy. We leavetomorrow.”
She had to know. “And then what? After we visit the Mitchell Pack ,are we returning to yourhome?”
“I am,” he said in a low voice. “But I cannot bring you with me. I free you of your obligation tome.”
Grief and fury twined together. Darcy slammed a hand on the table, making the mugs rattle. “After all we shared, and you’re willing to judge me on the basis of my birth. You’re no better than the shifters who refused to share dinner with me simply because I’m not one of them.” Pride and grief welled within her. “And I thought you were different, Adrian. You’renot.”
He turned hisback to her, and perhaps that was the cruelest cut of all. “I must protect mypeople.”
“From what?” Darcy raised her voice. “From the threat of me? The same woman who helped you kill Lars, who found the snow crystal? I proved myself to you. And yet you won’t trust me. All because I was born in the wrong place, at the wrongtime.”
“You lied to me,” he said softly, staring at the fire.“You said your family washere.”
Helplessly, she shrugged. “They did visit here. For a while. But they hated living on this plane of existence. They returnedhome.”
He said nothing. Desperate, she pointed out the obvious. “You gave me your mating mark, Adrian. You can’t take thatback.”
He made a gesture with his hand. “The mark means little until the union is consummatedand the couple is formally mated. I did it to protect you, Darcy.” Now he did turn. Gaze fierce, he confronted her. “I’d do it again to protect you, as I did in the mine. Butyou…”
How terrible was it that she understood? “Because I faltered in killing Lars. Because I hesitated, you can’t trust me. But I did go through with it, Adrian. He’s dead. We both killed him. We’re strongertogether.”
Warmth filled her as he lifted a hand as if to cup her cheek. Anger and a helpless grief swirled in his dark eyes. “I want to trust you.” Warmth fled as he dropped his hand. “I cannot bring you back to my people. That is my word. There’s nothing I cando.”
