Chapter 32: Chapter 32

SCARLET

Lucian laughs as he walks closer to me. “No, she’s not. She is not marked. If you want an alliance with Silver Shadow Pack, you can still get it. And it seems to me with these witches running about and killing your men, that you need me. But I want her. She’s the only thing I want,” Lucian insists, and his tone just further angers me.

“You can’t have me. I’m not a prize to be won or property to be sold. Neither of you have any say in that matter,” I snarl out as I try to keep myself as calm as possible.

“Surely you care what happens to your friends in the Scourge and the Crescent Moon Pack? My military is at least five times the size. I could help you in whatever threat is happening with the witches. If you came with me and were my luna, I would do everything in my power to protect them and to make you happy. Doesn’t that sound like a fair compromise?” he asks in a businesslike tone.

“No. It sounds like taking advantage,” I retort with a snarl.

“Crescent Moon wants us as allies. I was fine with that as long as my daughter married into the luna position of a strong, well-known pack. But there is nothing else they can offer me that I want, except for you, my muse.”

“Why me?” I demand as I narrow my eyes at him.

“Because you’re the most gorgeous creature I have ever laid eyes on. And now I must have you.”

I stand there in silence, stunned. ~I don’t want him. I want Ethan. But am I really willing to risk the Crescent Moon Pack losing this alliance? ~

I’m snapped from my thoughts as fingers lightly grip my elbow and turn me. My eyes meet Ethan’s sapphire gaze, and he pulls me slowly toward him. His hands move to my shoulders as he stares into my eyes. “I love you, Scarlet.”

“I love you too.”

He lifts his head and turns to face the room. “I need to speak to Scarlet in private,” he states before guiding me to the door. All of the guards stay close as they protect us from all sides as we exit the conference room.

He leads me to an office at the far end of the hall. He goes to sit on the edge of the desk and pulls me to him so that I’m standing between his legs.

“I need you to know something, Scarlet.”

I give him a soft smile as I nod at him to continue. He gives a tight grin back. It’s clear that he’s worried about the situation.

“I wanted you my whole life, but I never imagined that I would love you as much as I do. I know that at times I can be a real asshole, but I also know that I would do anything for you. And that means I’m willing to go to war without the Silver Shadow pack as an ally if I need to. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, and there is no way in hell I will give you up.”

My smile widens as he reaches up and cups my cheek, sweeping my hair behind my ear. I nuzzle into his warm palm and close my eyes for a moment, letting his touch further relax me. I open my eyes to meet his mesmerizing blue orbs staring back at me.

“I feel the same way, Ethan, but what are you saying exactly? What do you want to do?”

“I want to make it clear where we stand. That I am yours, and you are mine. I want to say fuck the alliance. And I want to mark you,” he states determinedly.

My grin stretches, and my cheeks begin to hurt. “Okay.”

“Okay?” he questions, the surprise clear on his face which just makes me laugh at him.

I nod at him as I reach up so that my hands can play with the short hairs at the nape of his neck. “Yes, Ethan. Okay. You can mark me.”

The ecstatic smile that appears on his face warms me up and sends butterflies fluttering in my stomach. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into him, his lips crashing into mine.

My arms tighten around his neck as I kiss him back. Our lips mold together perfectly as we allow our current problems to melt away for a moment. I can’t believe I even considered agreeing to Lucien’s absurd request. There is no way that I could be happy without this man by my side.

After a while, we finally pull away. He grabs my hand and leads me back to the conference room where everyone is still waiting for us. “So, did you guys decide on what you’re going to do?” one of the lawyers asks as we reach the center of the room.

“Yes,” Ethan replies as he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into him so that I’m pressed against his body. He buries his face in the nook of my neck before I feel his incisors pierce my skin.

Searing pain shoots through me before warmth and pleasure take over, causing a moan to escape my parted lips as my head falls back. The whole world seems to fade away so that it’s just me and Ethan.

“NO!” I hear someone yell as I remember we aren’t alone.

Ethan slowly releases me from his bite, running his warm tongue across my tender flesh. I lift my head to meet his gaze, seeing his determination unchanged. We stare at each other for mere seconds, though it feels like hours.

Finally, we turn to look at Lucien who is clearly livid. His lips are pursed tightly, and his jaw is clenched and twitching. His face has taken on a purple tinge as though he has stopped breathing in protest.

“This will not be the last you’ve seen of me! You don’t care about an alliance anymore? Fine! Maybe when I march onto your lands with fifty thousand warriors, you’ll realize what an idiot you are!” he growls.

Ethan snarls back, “You have until eight o’clock tonight to have your entire pack out of my territory. Anyone still here after that will be executed for trespassing.”

Lucien seethes before I decide to add, “And take your daughter too.”

Ethan wraps an arm around my waist, his hand gripping my hip as he pulls me to him. Just the feel of his body seems to calm me. We watch as everyone files out one by one until it’s just the two of us left in the conference room.

Ethan’s eyes glaze over as he’s clearly mind-linking people, his facial expression occasionally changing because of something that was said. Eventually, he focuses on me and places a gentle kiss against my lips.

When he pulls away, I question, “Do you think that was the best thing to do?”

“He didn’t really leave us much of a choice. He knew there was no way I’d agree to his terms. If it’s a war he wants, then it’s a war he’ll get.”