Chapter 16

“K!ss me.” The command washed over me like a tide.

I expected him to tell me to kneel or get out or for him to scold me but not that. My legs froze to the ground while my cheeks turned crimson. His words embarrassed me but when I dared to look at him, he looked nothing but serious.

“I – Alpha –“ I swallowed down bile caused by nervousness.

“K!ss me. I’m sure you know how to do that.” My skin felt too hot for my body, as if I was burning from the inside.

“I –“ I’d never initiated a k!ss in my life. In fact, I’d only ever k!ssed Lucien and I didn’t think he would want to know that.

“You must have k!ssed someone before, am I right?” When I looked into his eyes, I had no choice but to nod because there was no point lying to him. He already knew about Lucien and I and he hated lies.

Admitting turned out to be a grave mistake.

He grabbed my nape with strong hands and hauled me to his chest in one move with his dead eyes alive with anger. The white around his eyes turned red and his l!ps pulled back in a snarl.

“I will kill that bastard. Every single man that has put his hand on you or around you will taste my wrath. I will slaughter all of them!” I shivered at the force of his words. He would kill every one of them without a backward glance or a lick of remorse. The alpha’s word was law and he would do whatever he wanted without any repercussion or anyone holding him accountable. If he wanted, he would do it.

“Y – yes, alpha.” I agreed without question because I didn’t want his wolf to get angrier than it already was.

He k!ssed me as soon as I agreed, his l!ps domineering mine once they came down. He had full soft l!ps, l!ps that were always set in hard lines but they were soft against mine as he k!ssed me, pulling me closer to himself by my neck.

I gasped as he sucked harshly against my l!ps, a sharp sting making me wince. He took the opportunity to push his tongue into my mouth, dominating me further.

“You’re not allowed to do this with anyone else.” He growled into my mouth, his hand moving into my hair to pull at it. I g*****d, nodding as my senses started to desert me.

“I’d kill them. That’s a promise.”

“Y – yes, alpha.” My words were muffled as he k!ssed my throat. I cried out when he stopped abruptly, raising his head I saw his eyes heavy with lvst but he blinked once and they were cold once again.

“When it is the two of us, you will call me by my given name,” he declared. I nodded again. “Use your words around me. Your voice calms my beast.”

“Yes Al – V – Valens.”

“You are obedient. That is good but you should defer to no one else but me.”

“Y – yes.”

“Not even Jabari. You’re my Luna. Conduct yourself as such.” I nodded again. “Jabari will do his best to protect you but until I’m sure you can at least hold your own to an extent, we will keep our mate bond a secret.” I didn’t have the courage to argue with him.

“Can I – I want to ask you something.” He hummed which I took as an invite to speak further. “Are you going to mark me? I mean, I’m not much so I can understand if you decide you don’t want me. I won’t hate you for it. In truth, I won’t be surprised but I want to know if – if I should have any bit of hope left. You’re my – you’re my mate and I want to know if I’m getting – maybe you will mark me?”

Truthfully, my wolf was already riding me hard to be with him. She loved his presence and I knew his wolf felt it too. I could already feel our bond which was already stronger than the bond I ever had with Lucien. It may be because Valens was a powerful man but whatever reason there was, our bond was strong.

When he was around, I became hypersensitive and aware of his movement, almost as if our heartbeats were in tune. I knew he was about to enter a room before he entered and I knew who he was speaking to in the room even with my back turned to him.

“I mean, I’m not questioning what you’re doing or how you want to –“ I continued to rant but one word had me quiet in a second.

“Silence.” My mouth snapped shut like it was remote controlled to do so immediately he spoke. His words reverberated with power that washed over me and made me obey before my brain fully processed his command.

“You may speak now.” I was confused at him but I spoke anyway. His quiet voice didn’t leave me much of a choice. The Alpha’s words were law so I started to speak.

“You can discard me if you want or – or maybe you want me to be a secret. I mean, I get it if you’re ashamed of me but –“

“Silence.” Like before, my mouth snapped shut. Then again, he commanded me to keep speaking. “Speak.”

“I – I –“ I realized what he was doing as I stuttered and it made me angry. It made me angry to tears.

Why would the goddess pair me with such a man? As if Lucien wasn’t bad enough, I got the prince who now wanted me to be his puppet! What did he mean by silencing me and then asking me to speak? Controlling me in such a simple way?

“I said you may speak.”

“I don’t have anything to say.” My wolf snarled at him. Quickly, before I could see the wrath in his face, I bent my head, waiting for the reprimand that would come after I used a disrespectful tone on the alpha.

He gripped my chin with force and raised my head up so I looked him in the face.

“I don’t tolerate defiance.”

“What do you want from me?” I cried out when his grip felt like it would bruise. “You won’t mate me but you don’t want me mentioning rejection around you. You don’t want me to be docile but I’m not allowed to speak. What do you want?”

“You will respect me or I swear to the moon –“ His grip tightened on my chin. “Whatever I want with you, you’ll give me. You don’t know how long I searched for you. Nothing gives you the right to disrespect me. I am your prince, your alpha and your mate and you must treat me with respect.”

“You’re not my mate yet.” He had me on my back faster than I could blink. “W – what?”

He shoved my legs apart and settled between them with a menacing scowl on his l!ps. “I can have my mark on you in a second. It will take me nothing.” I swallowed at the real, unconcealed anger in his tone. “I am holding back for you. I can let go for you too.” I nodded without understanding.