24- Bound by Blood and Shame
POV Edric Eldoria:
The alpha maintained business with the pack out of pity for the females, who would suffer without the suppressant, giving them one more chance.
So, I wasn’t surprised when Lunara told me about her arranged marriage, right after revealing which group she belonged to.
For a moment, I thought she was a traitor—a she-wolf sent to conquer my territory and let enemies into my home. I still didn’t understand what had made me lose control with her, marking her as mine and, worse, letting her mark me. No wolf, none, ever came near my neck.
But I saw the truth in her eyes, along with the terror she felt. She was afraid of me—of who I was and what I had done to her.
I dodged a tree, picking up speed. Her scent grew stronger. I focused, ignoring the chirping of birds, the rustle of animals, and the wind through the leaves.
That was when I heard it.
A racing heartbeat, ragged breathing, delicate, careful footsteps snapping dry twigs as quietly as possible. It was her.
I smiled and surged forward.
I liked this game of cat and mouse. She entertained me almost as much as she infuriated me.
Lunara was running with her backpack, truly ready to flee and try her luck far from me. She wore one of the new outfits Nicoleta had gotten her, oblivious to my approach, too focused on escaping.
I seized her arm, yanking her against me, pressing our bodies together. She screamed, not expecting to be caught. But I noticed—though faint—a flicker of relief in her eyes.
Interesting. She feared being caught by her ex-fiancé’s thugs more than falling into my claws again.
“Where do you think you’re going, little wolf?” I whispered, gripping her hair tightly and tilting her head toward me.
Sweat gleamed on her forehead under the silver moonlight. She panted, dragging in air in heavy gulps.
I leaned in, inhaling deeply, drinking in the scent of dew and wild jasmine.
“But the real question is: how did you escape?” I asked, brushing the tip of my nose against her cheek.
The door was solid wood, hard to break, especially for an omega like her. And the room was high, far beyond a safe distance to jump.
“Heavens, what did you do?” she asked, staring at me with wide blue eyes.
I recalled my chaotic, blood-soaked image after killing our enemies. I gave her a wicked smile.
“I took care of our enemies. Isn’t that what you asked me to do?” I asked mockingly.
She blinked, as if realizing in that moment just how cruel I could be. She shivered, though I felt no fear coming from her.
“My God…” she murmured, swallowing hard.
I tightened my grip in her soft hair.
“Now tell me exactly how you managed to escape.”
A vein pulsed along the side of her slender neck.
“You didn’t lock the window.”
I arched a brow.
“The ceiling of the house is very high, I didn’t think you could jump...”
She stared at me, smiling with deep satisfaction. I narrowed my eyes at her. “You despicable little wolf, I can’t believe you actually jumped out the window.”
“It was the only way to escape.”
I didn’t know if I felt furious with her, to the point of wanting to kill her, or... impressed by her courage and boldness. Not all the she-wolves I knew had Lunara’s stupid stubbornness.
“And you didn’t think you might crack your skull open in the process?”
She shrugged. “It would have been a fatality.”
I had to breathe calmly before I strangled her again. How dare she speak so casually in front of me? If she died, I would also be a dead male, because of the damned bond. And dying before reaching five hundred years was not in my plans.
“How dare you?” I growled through clenched teeth. “I should punish you for this—for being so irresponsible and stupid.”
“STUPID?” she shouted, stepping away from me. “You strangled me, used your command against me, then threw me in a room, locking me inside and treating me like I was nothing. Living with you is not so different from what it would be like living with Alessio, Edric. And I ran from him because I didn’t want that life for myself. So tell me, what’s the difference?”
I took a step forward, my fur bristling as I lost control to my rage.
“Don’t you dare compare me to him...” I whispered, the threat clear.
“There are plenty of similarities between the two of you. And I won’t be controlled, not anymore.”
“Then who are you really? Since you came into my life, you’ve brought me nothing but trouble. Nothing else.”
“Then set me free!” she shouted, throwing her arms up and letting her backpack fall to the ground.
“While our lives are bound together? Never.”
“And the ritual? It’s an option... I...”
I lunged, wrapping one hand around her slender neck and slamming her against a tree trunk. My hands slid down her arms, pinning her in place.
I felt the golden glow of my eyes. Hers blazed green like emeralds, betraying her inhuman origin.
“I will never allow it...” I whispered, brushing the tip of my nose along the thin skin of her neck, listening to the pulse of her vein. The mark of my teeth was still visible, my claim etched on her flesh.
“Then I’ll force you,” she retorted, gasping for air.
My animal nature responded instantly, the most primal part of my being. I lifted my face, giving her a crooked half-smile before lowering my mouth to her neck and sinking my fangs into the same spot I had bitten before.