“I am more than just a man.”
“Even better.”
It took him only about a second to respond.
“No. I am not getting intimate with you.” He stepped away from her, allowing her hands to fall from his chest. “It is an unnecessary attachment, seeing as you are close to death.”
His words always made rage boil in her. Once again, she had to force a smile on her face and looked around the study just so she wouldn't show how annoyed she was by his presence.
She had to remember Arlo. She was doing this for her son.
“You are very insensitive.” She ended with a light chuckle to downplay the gravity of her words, along with the seriousness behind it.
“I only state the truth.”
Her eyes followed him immediately, as he moved around the study with a scroll in his hands, his attention on it while the lowly glowing gem in his hand provided light.
As fascinating as it was that they didn't really need lanterns but had stones like this, Aniya was more angry than fascinated and she was in no mood to be marveled by how differently they lived their lives in this Realm.
To anyone, Ikrus would look majestic in his loose fitting gray shirt that only had a couple of buttons, which were opened, and his pair of loose gray pants. But all Aniya could see through the nettings of her veil was the root of all her problems.
“And whose fault is that? The truth that you state, whose fault is it?”
He set the gem and the scroll on the table with a sigh, like she was but a mere child that he was tired of entertaining.
“Do you have other wishes, aside from being bedded? If you don't, then you should leave.”
Aniya scoffed. He was hard to read. One moment, he was acting like she had him weak in every sense of the world, then the next, he was trying her like this.
Like a pest.
She relaxed on the sofa, playing with her fingers.
“I want to learn your language. You know mine. Teach me yours. How did you even come about the knowledge of it anyway?”
“I’m a Gamma,” he shrugged. Still going through the scrolls on his desk like he was searching for something. “I go outside the Realm to ensure our safety a lot. Also It isn't only in your Realm that the language is spoken.”
Aniya rolled her eyes. This conversation was making her mad, but this was better than where it was headed before.
“Well, what other Realms?”
He grunted, and Aniya had to force herself not to hiss.
By Ignas, he was so annoying! Any other lycan as her mate would have been better, that was of her fate was doomed to this.
He brought her here against her will, why was he acting like she forced him to.
“Will you teach me how to fight then?” With all the weapons lined around the walls of his study, that should be convenient for him.
Wait, how many rooms did Ikrus have in the Pack House?
This study was different from the other one he had in his room.
He moved around, engrossed and determined to find what he was looking for.
“No?” She paused until she snapped, raising to her feet. “You cannot ignore me!”
“You will be dead before you have an understanding of any of the things you request.” His voice was oddly calm. “Combat takes time, attention, and many more things that I do not intend to give you. Learning my language is just as demanding. You don't have that time. It will be a waste as you will die—”
“Be Quiet!” She didn't realize what she had flung in his direction until he moved away from the attack. It had been one of the weapons hung on the wall.
It slammed against a frame and the glass shattered to the ground, joining the dagger.
“Stop telling me that I will die!” She laughed, rage filled in every sound. “Will it fill your heart with joy if someone keeps telling you that?!” He moved closer to her with a scrutinizing gaze, dropping the scrolls in his hands and moving around the desk to get to her. “You are like a plank! An emotionless wood, a wicked creature, your heart is made up of all the evil things in the Realm! You are worse than my mother! You—”
He took her hand too quickly and in a split second, his tongue was upon her flesh.