Chapter 136: Power Game

If he confessed…

She wouldn’t allow him to proceed if he did.

Julian was sure of that.

How the hell was he supposed to convince her that this was the only option? Would she even hear him out?

Based on past encounters, he was skeptical she would heed his words. Damn it.

She shouldn’t be the one laying down the law and taking the reins. He should be the one calling the shots.

He was the Alpha, after all. He should be the one determining the course of action and how it should be executed. So why did he feel so powerless and under her thumb?

He needed to stand his ground.

Julian had to take action or he would lose Maya.

He was certain she meant every word she uttered—she would break this fragile connection between them, and they would never be anything more.

The mere possibility of losing his mate triggered a low growl in his chest. It was ridiculous.

He was ready to undertake a damn suicide mission where he would never get to be with his mate.

So what did it matter if she rejected him and pushed him away?

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

Maybe it was the sting of rejection. Maybe the alpha within him couldn’t stomach the thought.

It was one thing to die and never get the opportunity to claim her, but it was another to have her outright reject him.

A powerful roar welled up within him, demanding that he rectify this situation. Maybe he should, really.

And so there he was.

Poised to knock on the door yet hesitating.

Maybe he shouldn’t knock. Was knocking even necessary? It was his room too. He shouldn’t have to knock.

If she wanted a showdown, if she wanted to go toe-to-toe with him, maybe he should give her exactly what she wanted.

And so he did.

Julian pulled the door open.

On the other side, Maya was sprawled on her stomach on the bed, engrossed in flipping through pages. She didn’t flinch, didn’t acknowledge his presence.

~Damn it.~ She was determined to play this power game to the bitter end.

“I don’t owe you any explanations,” he said, shutting the door behind him.

“No, you don’t,” she replied, her gaze fixed on the pages, never bothering to look at him.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“So you’re ready to talk then? Tell me what stupid fucking stunt you’re about to pull?”

“No.”

“Hmm, then it seems like Alex is about to show you the door.”

“Maya.”

“Julian.”

“I’m not playing this game.”

“What game?”

“Why do you have to be so damn exasperating?”

He saw her shoulders shake, probably from the laughter she was trying to suppress. “See, you wouldn’t enjoy being mated to me. I’m like this all the time. You can ask anyone.”

“Maya.”

In a flash, she turned around, slamming her hand down on her book. “I don’t give a damn about your little Alpha tantrum. I’m straightforward.

“You either talk to me, or you get the fuck out. This isn’t up for debate. I don’t care what your wolf is telling you.”

Maya slid off the edge of the bed, her feet landing firmly on the ground. “So, unless you plan on forcing me to mate with you, this is how it’s going to be.

“You tell me the truth, or you leave,” she stated, gesturing toward the door.

Julian’s frustration surged through him, causing his nostrils to flare as he confronted Maya. “Why do you have to do this?” he asked, his voice laced with irritation and confusion.

“Why do you have to keep secrets from me?” Maya shot back, her tone defiant.

“Because it doesn’t involve you,” he retorted, feeling the burden of her deception weighing heavily on him. It was a lie and he knew it, but what could he do about it?

“Why do you have to be so fucking stubborn?” she snapped, her words echoing his own frustration.

“Pot calling the kettle, don’t you think?” Julian countered, his voice edged with sarcasm. He refused to back down, matching her obstinance.

“No, because I’m fucking ~here~. I’m ~here~, and I’m being honest,” Maya asserted, her voice holding a hint of desperation.

She wanted him to understand, to see the sincerity in her eyes.

“Really? Is that so?” Julian’s disbelief hung heavy in the room, his words laced with doubt. “So, when you claimed not to care about Willow, you were serious?”

“I was!” Maya responded nonchalantly, her voice echoing with indifference. “I couldn’t care less about what happens to her.”

“And what about what happens between her and me?” Julian’s words were a cocktail of accusation and vulnerability.

“Why? Are you planning to sleep with her?” Her frustration bubbled over, her voice sharp with bitterness and hurt.

“Maya, please,” he implored, desperation coloring his voice, hoping she would understand. But she was having none of it.

“No, you please, Julian,” Maya retorted, throwing her hands up in frustration. “If you want to talk about things, let’s talk.

“If you want to make the decisions, go ahead. Be the big, strong alpha and tell me, your obedient beta, what to do. What do you want, Julian?”

Julian’s anger swelled, a storm brewing within him. He wanted to punch a hole in the wall, to release the pent-up rage that had been simmering since he first met her.

The burden of his forgotten memories, the desire to claim his mate, and the constant threat surrounding Maya fueled his fury.

“What. Do. You. Want?” Maya repeated, each word pronounced with precision, as if demanding a clear answer.

“YOU. I WANT YOU,” he retorted, the intensity of his desire slicing through the tension. It was a raw confession, an admission of his deepest yearning.

And in that moment, propelled by a potent blend of desperation and longing, he acted on his words.

He bridged the gap between them, pulling her into a fierce embrace, hoping his actions would communicate the depth of his feelings better than words ever could.

His lips claimed hers, finally silencing her. No more words, just silence.

Just savoring what was once his.

His inner wolf was howling in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist and spun them around, pressing her back against the door.

His grip was firm, almost painful, as his fingers dug into her skin.

He pressed his arousal against her, letting her feel his desire. She moaned into his mouth, and he bit her lower lip. He wanted her to feel pleasure, but he also wanted her to feel pain.

Julian pulled back from her lips and began to trail kisses down her neck. He was far from gentle as he nipped at her skin.

Julian hadn’t said anything yet.

~He knew she knew.~

~Why else would she taunt him about this?~

He couldn’t stop himself.

Julian had restrained himself once and it was more than he could handle. ~Why couldn’t she be his~? His primal side couldn’t comprehend why there was no mark on her neck.

~Her neck.~

He wanted to focus on it.

Instead, he moved his hands higher on her body and cupped her breasts. She licked her lips and threaded her fingers through his hair.

He expected her to resist, to push him away, but she didn’t.

She was, however, pulling rather hard on his hair, but he could handle it.

Last time, Maya had been in control.

This time, he was flipping the script, asserting his alpha dominance and forcing her to submit. ~He needed it~.

He shouldn’t—he knew that. The plan worked best when things stayed as they were, but she—she was ~so damn infuriating and demanding~.

His inner wolf was growling, demanding her submission.

Julian felt his hands were rough on her body, likely leaving marks, but she didn’t seem to mind as she writhed beneath him, moaning in pleasure.

Damn, why did he want her so much? He ground his arousal into her clothed center and hissed. He grabbed the hem of her pants and yanked them down to her ankles.

Meanwhile, she clung to his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin.

~She wasn’t stopping him~.

As she bared her neck to him, he seized the opportunity to press his lips against her throat.

He trailed his teeth from the front of her throat down to her breasts and pushed her shirt down as he went.

She lowered her hands and gripped his shoulders as if she wanted to keep him there. He slid a hand up and ripped open her shirt, revealing her bare breasts to him.

~Of course she’d been waiting for him here without a bra.~

Another way to torment him.

Maya grasped his face and tilted it up before leaning down to kiss him. She arched her back when his hands traveled to her rear, and he squeezed.

His nails pierced through the fabric of her underwear and brushed against her skin.

“What do you desire?”

“Honesty,” she murmured, her words brushing against his mouth.

Her gaze locked with his as she gently bit his lower lip. Maya held it there, letting the blood rush to the surface before releasing him.

“Why?”

“~Why not?~” she countered.

“~Plead for it~.”

“I won’t.”

Without uttering another word, he seized her legs and forcefully wrapped them around his waist.

He pressed his body against hers, trapping her as he struggled with his pants. He lowered them just enough to free himself, then shifted his attention back to her.

His fingers traced a path along her inner thigh, caressing the skin, teasing her, before he reached for her underwear. He didn’t bother to take it off; he simply pushed it aside.

He positioned himself at her entrance, his eyes challenging her to look away.

She didn’t.

She held his gaze, waiting as he entered her. She kept her eyes on his as he filled her completely. She whimpered in anticipation as he began to move.

His hands were flat against the door, leaving her to support herself. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs clung tightly to his waist.

Each thrust threatened to break her hold on him.

Julian leaned forward, groaning against her breasts. She was already wet for him, too wet.

Her arousal coated him, splashing onto his thighs with each thrust.

He couldn’t think straight, not like this. His teeth ached to mark her neck. He quickened his pace, thrusting harder, and her cries grew louder.

Her nails dug into his back, leaving trails of red marks on his skin.

He moved his hands to her knees, spreading her legs wide. She had to release her hold on his waist as he used his strength to press her knees against the door.

Seeing her in this position pleased him, and for the first time, he let a new part of himself emerge.

His eyes glowed red as he bared his fangs, taking her clothed nipple into his mouth. He bit through the fabric, his fangs piercing until they reached her skin.

She arched her back in response, pulling away from him. He continued to suckle at her nipple, but tilted his hips forward, filling her once more.

Her arousal was dripping, and he knew the only thing keeping her upright were her hands pressed against his chest.

With each thrust, he felt her slide down the door. If he continued, she would soon be on the floor.

“Why do you always have to be in control?” he growled.

“Why shouldn’t I be?”

Even now, with her body responding to him, crying out for him, she was trying to assert her dominance. He kissed a path from her breast, to her throat, to her jaw. “I’m the alpha.”

“Are you?” she whispered between moans.

“Yes,” he hissed.

“Then prove it.”

Was she taunting him?

Deliberately?

~Alright, he would show her~.

She didn’t believe he would. He hadn’t yet. ~But he was at his breaking point~. He had nothing left to lose.

She’d threatened to leave him. And even though he should let her go, because it would solve everything…

~Julian found he couldn’t~.

So he’d prove himself to her.

He’d prove he was worthy, consequences be damned~.~

A satisfied smirk played on his lips as he finally released her legs. As he withdrew from her, he stifled a whimper.

He turned her around, her back to him. She stood on her tiptoes as he caressed her backside, anticipation coursing through him.

Once he felt she was ready, he pulled his hand away from her rear. Then he spanked her. And again, and again. Each time, she moaned.

The sound echoed so loudly, it felt as if the room was vibrating.

His handprint was not just imprinted on her skin; her flesh was raised and red, as if he had ~branded~ her with his hand.

After one final slap to her curvaceous rear, he stopped. His hands circled her small waist, pressing her against the door.

His other hand slid down between her legs, forcing them apart.

The moment his hand touched her, he felt how wet she was for him. Her arousal flowed freely, as if she’d just climaxed.

His ego swelled with pride, and he easily slid back inside her.

Maya’s body tightened around him instantly. The more she constricted, the more he yearned to release himself within her.

He held her firmly by the shoulders, pushing her downwards. Her backside hit against him rhythmically, causing him to groan. Julian leaned over her, his chest covering her back.

His teeth grazed her earlobe before his tongue slipped out to taste it.

~Claim her, make her yours.~

~Yes, he wanted to claim her.~

~He wanted her so damn much.~

He couldn’t recall his past, but he’d never felt so affronted, so provoked. He was supposed to be in control, yet she was always the one leading.

He should do it. Now. He lowered his head until his teeth touched the junction of her shoulder and neck.

~He couldn’t.~

He shouldn’t.

Instead, he quickened his pace until she was gasping for breath. Her body hiccuped as she struggled to breathe.

He thrust into her repeatedly, his anger fueling him as he felt her tighten around him.

~He should tell her the truth.~

~But then he would lose her~.

He caressed her breasts and grazed her nipples with his nails. She moaned his name and pressed her backside into him. She wanted this.

“I should mark you,” he murmured against her neck.

“You. Wouldn’t. Dare,” she retorted between heavy breaths.

~Oh, but he would because she was daring him. Damn, she had to know what she was doing. ~

He felt manipulated, as if his actions were not his own but were instead all hers.

“Why not?”

Not like this, not in this position. Despite the pain and the struggle to control himself, he withdrew from her and turned her around.

He intended to be gentle, but he had no self-restraint left.

So he pushed her back against the door, forcing their eyes to meet. She defied him with every breath as he entered her again, meeting no resistance.

Her arms wrapped around his neck as she shook her head gently.

“You’re planning a suicide mission,” she said.

“I’m going to lure him out.”

“You’re a damn fool.”

“Yeah, I am.”

“So you’ll die.”

“If I have to, to keep you safe.”

Tears shimmered in her eyes, and he couldn’t tell if she was sad or angry. Maybe it was both.

“That’s the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard,” she countered.

“I have to.”

“You won’t.”

Before he could contemplate her words, it was too late to stop, too late to change anything. In the blink of an eye, she had done it.

Everything happened simultaneously. Her teeth pierced his neck, binding him to her forever.

And he climaxed.

He released himself inside her, overwhelmed by the sensation of her marking him as hers.

~It was too late~. She was right. ~He wouldn’t~. He wouldn’t damn well go. He wouldn’t go play the fool.

~Because then he would hurt her~.

He felt himself soften as he climaxed, and that was when he did it. With a growl, he bit her back, her blood filling his mouth as he tore her skin.

~Damn~. He hadn’t even made this decision. He hadn’t decided anything.

~Maya~ possessed him completely.

She trembled around him, the bite giving her the same intense pleasure he had experienced moments ago.

After a moment, her body went limp in his arms and he held her up, preventing her from falling to the ground.

Maya had triumphed again.

~Damn~.

The little vixen had him completely under her control.

And now his plan was ~over~.