Page 6 of Rituals & Runes

I eyed the plate. “You’re not trying to get rid of me, are you? I know who you are, and you know what I am.”

He leaned his face close to mine, his nose brushing along my cheek. His mouth stopped next to my ear and his warm breath fanned over my ear. Goosebumps spread over my skin. He whispered in a menacing voice, “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

My body tensed. I stopped breathing. My primal needs called to me. Butterflies quivered in my stomach and my center warmed. I had only days before my heat would peak on the full moon. Unable to move under the spell he had me under, I only side glanced him, and uttered throatily. “No.”

“You should be.”

“Why?”

“Because I can make you feel things you’re fighting. Things you fear. I can make you come with a lick of my tongue.”

Desire pooled in my core. My mouth watered as his insinuation. I swallowed a moan creeping up my throat. It had to be my crazy heat and my wolf. She rubbed against me sending the message she wanted me to straddle his lap and submit to him on the cushion we shared. Dear me, she had to be out of her wolf mind. My brain forced her to stay back. As long as I didn’t know what was going on, I couldn’t allow her to follow her animalistic whims.

He moved in front of me again, a smirk on his too-kissable lips. “I do know who and what you are but I have no interest in poisoning you if that’s what you’re asking. Not with this much at stake. We have a long evening ahead of us so I suggest you enjoy your food.”

The rich, savory scent of the food tickled my nose and made my empty stomach growl. He threw me off balance and the warmth lingered between my thighs, yet I had no idea what could be in store for me. I needed to eat. As I brought it up to my face making my glasses fog with the steam, Kaden tracked my every move, his pupils dilating but otherwise, he gave nothing away about his intentions.

I picked up the fork and took several bites. It tasted rich and delicious. “Thank you for the food, Kaden, it’s really good. Your pack chef is great. Or should I call you, Alpha Kaden?”

From behind a few strands of black hair, Kaden hadn’t moved, hadn’t said a word, and only watched my mouth and my throat work as I swallowed. He licked his lips and pressed his fingers into his knees. I wanted to press him for answers about why he’d brought me to his pack and how long I’d been here, but he seemed to have no interest in answering my questions. His predator-like authority had me keeping my mouth closed until I found the right time to get him to speak.

Under his gaze, the warmth flared and shot straight to my core, eliciting a low burn in my center. My heat’s flame once again surged, especially in the presence of this raw, alpha male. I could hardly focus on the food anymore but I didn’t dare look up at his face. Only because I was a submissive which made his gaze deadly to me. It’s how he could more easily use his alpha strength against me.

I sensed his penetrating gaze that made shivers roll over me. Given his reputation that he’d been involved with the deaths of his pack mates, I should be quaking with fear next to him. As a submissive, he held supreme power over me. Oddly, fear didn’t come up but I couldn’t decipher what I did feel.

I only knew getting close to him as my wolf wished remained out of the options.

As attractive as he was, I had mountains of reasons to remain guarded. I’d stayed hidden for a reason. I valued my life. And no way would I submit to any male who didn’t make his intentions clear. What he meant by his actions, not with the stakes so high.

Abruptly, he stood, and with his full height, he loomed over me. He lifted my chin with an index finger to force me to look up at his masculine face. “Finish your food. I’ll be back in half an hour to present you to my pack council.”

His finger traced a lazy line down the side of my throat stirring a craving in me I had never experienced. My pulse raced and I sucked in a breath. I’d never been with a man before but he brought new sensations to my body. Something sensuous, though I couldn’t be sure if my heat created it or if something deeper.

And another layer, too. He put my wolf at ease.

Which totally confused me.

With a mouth full of food, I shot a glance at him to ask him why but he’d already left the room.

After scarfing down the plate of delicious dinner, I examined the room I had been left in to figure a way out. Every window had been locked but also blinked with red lights as if they’d had them alarmed. I needed to come up with a solid plan for escaping. At the right time. His words about meeting the council piqued my curiosity. Plus, when he took me out of the room, I could analyze the building layout.

For reasons that I couldn’t understand, I had an innate lack of fear when Kaden neared. Still, I didn’t trust any crotchety, old council of wolves.

I plunked back down onto the couch to wait when Kaden waltzed into the room again. “Kaden, explain why you brought me here and how long I’ve been at, I’m guessing your compound.”

His deep green eyes glinted and an irresistible smirk curled up on his too-kissable lips. “Come, the council is waiting.”

He took me by an elbow making me stand. His warm, firm grip sent electric tingles up my arm. His proximity filled my limbs with warmth. My wolf relished it, whining and rubbing against me as if she wanted my womanly body to be grinding against him.

As he led me down a hallway with polished oak wood floors, my mind flashed with images of our sweaty, nude bodies intertwined under silk sheets with Kaden above me, his hips thrusting, his hard heat filling my thighs. Then he leaned down and did something so beautiful that I never imagined a male would do to me—but I couldn’t admit it to myself so I blocked it out.

By the time we reached a great hall, my cheeks had flushed and my entire body burned with an indescribable need that made me ache. My wolf panted and threw herself against me, urging me to follow through. A bad boy grin cut across Kaden’s hard jaw as he sniffed the air.

Oh my dear, I could scarcely recognize myself. It had to be my heat driving me mad. Driving me to need Kaden.

I shook my head to focus on the filled room that we entered, decorated with crystal chandeliers and portraits of people I assumed were past Alphas and their alpha mates. At the end stood a half-moon-shaped table made from moonstone where five males sat on one side and five females sat on the other.

Breathing deeply to gather my wits, I scanned the room as he marched me down the middle of an aisle lined with pack members seated in rows of chairs on either side of the room. I couldn’t decide which was worse—having them all want to kill me for being their enemy, my half-human side, or that once again my arousal flared with the presence of a multitude of males nearby.

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