Chapter 15 Exquisite. Mine.
☽ Bastian ☽
I saw her twice.
Once under the warm lights of the torches lining the walls.
The second time, under the silvery moonlight slicing through the open roof.
Through a dozen bodies, the blood-red stones of her dress caught my gaze.
Though the hall bled with testosterone from a bunch of horny wolves, I caught her scent. Wild rain on stone with a tease of crushed lavender.
Mate.
My jaw clenched.
The hall hushed as the girls filed in, each dressed in clothing so scant they might as well have come bloody naked.
“This year’s line up is… dangerous.” Ashar growled beside me, twisting in his seat like a dog in heat.
“Check out the one with the jugs. Fuck…” he added with a hiss.
Gaze stubbornly stuck on my mate, I swirled the wine in my cup.
Cold. Blazing. Ethereal.
Eyes glued to the ground, she approached the raised dais.
Soon, the hall buzzed with a low, deep buzz. Males sized up the women and whispered to their friends about what they would do and with whom. Who they sensed was their mate and whether or not they would reject them.
“By the gods, that lass better be my mate or unmated tonight. I want her.”
“Shut up.” I snapped, tired of listening to his fixation on whatever poor girl he’d chosen to be obsessed with.
She was obviously not his mate if he hadn’t felt the mate pull yet, just pure, unadulterated lust. Even if he found his mate tonight, he’d still seek out the girl and risk a fight with her mate to get between her thighs.
It was tradition to acknowledge the alpha before acting on the pull of mate bonds, or lust bonds.
After the last girl reached and bowed at the dais, they huddled like lambs.
Silence closed in.
Alpha Mordane, surrounded by velvety darkness, brooded on this throne. He barely glanced at them when he flicked his wrist in approval.
Show time.
The spell of tradition and authority broke.
The feet of mates followed the pull to their fated half like magnets.
But my silver haired mate just stood there.
She looked lost and confused while my wolf tore down the walls of my mind, howling.
Mate!
Claim her. Mark her.
I fought the pull. I wasn’t some desperate green boy.
And being my mate, she should’ve been attracted to my scent, felt the pull, and at least turned in my direction.
My brows furrowed when she glanced left and right, her expression turning into one of disappointment.
Her hands clutched her dress.
Her almond eyes glistened with tears.
“Hey, where’re you going?” Ashar called as I left my seat to approach my mate.
My wolf, unable to watch her face sour for even a moment, whined at the calm strides that carried me closer and closer.
Faster. Closer!
Soon, I stood behind her.
Still, she did not perceive me.
My brows drew together as I ran my gaze down her exposed back. Sexy. Regal.
A cloud of soft platinum hair brushed against her skin so softly. I ached to sink my fingers into that lush curtain of hair.
I dragged my tongue over my barely checked fangs impatiently.
Then I caught her pale shoulder in a firm grip.
Shock shot through me from the contact.
She jumped, gasped, and whirled around to face me.
Wide amber orbs met my gaze, her perfect, rosy lips parted in shock.
Her eyes swept over my form, and I couldn’t help the sense of pride that shot through my veins when her eyes lidded. She liked what she saw.
Of course she would.
And so did I.
Skin pale as the glow of the moonlight, soft as silk even to the eyes.
Her irises burned with curiosity, intelligence. Desire.
Exquisite. Mine.
Clenching my fists, I shook the haze of the bond away.
I felt the eyes of others on us. They undoubtedly wondered what about this woman made me leave my seat to approach her.
Usually, I would lean back, beckon with a clawed finger, and secure a lay for the night.
I hated her already for making me act out of character.
My hand glided down her slim arm to her wrist, which I tugged to pull her closer.
Not close enough.
“I guess you’ll do.”
The haze cleared from her eyes immediately.
“W-what?”
“Next time, don’t keep me waiting. I will not be ignored.” I growled into her ear, taking the opportunity to draw her scent deep.
Did I already say exquisite?
“I wasn’t… I couldn’t…” she stopped abruptly, as if she almost exposed a secret. “I’m Maeve. Maeve Till.”
“Maeve.” It rolled off so sweetly. “It seems fate has brought us together.”
“It has.” Her gaze flitted to the Alpha’s throne, a hint of fear within.
Wise.
Her pearly strands drew my attention, I tucked the silk curtain behind her ear with a murmur. “Dance with me.”
“Yes.”
I hadn’t asked. But she’d get the memo soon enough. I didn’t ask for this, but I might as well go with it.
Too lovely to forsake, too young to ravage.
I’d have to control my claws around this one.
Face aglow with content, she floated to the tune. I twirled her again and again, making sure to touch as much skin as possible.
The thrill was addictive, her skin magnetic. I would claim her tonight.
At the mere thought of exploring her flesh, my pants tightened. Ah. If I wasn’t careful, this one could send me over the edge.
But I deserved a reward after the shit day I’d had hunting those leeches.
Her hair swung off her chest, exposing more of that lightly flushed alabaster skin. A single red gem bejeweled the center of her chest with no chain or strand to secure it. Strange jewelry.
I yearned to learn the dips and curves of that slim throat—
What is that?
She yelped when I cupped her neck. My other hand swept her hair aside.
A snarl burst from me.
“You are marked.”
She slapped a hand over the spot. Too late. Two crescent-shaped scars rose from her skin like a brand.
“M-marked?” She sputtered. “No, no… I should’ve healed.”
“Healed from what? Were you attacked? What leech bit you?”
My claws lengthened at the mere thought of a vampire in IronWolf. A vampire near my mate!
“I’m fine. I’m Okay. I-it was a long time ago.”
“How did this happen?” I insisted.
“Um… Blackbridge isn’t exactly the safest…”
“Blackbridge. You’re a rogue?” I spat harshly.
“Yes…”
“So you came here intending to explore but wound up being my mate instead? No wonder you looked so accomplished.”
My fists clenched at the thought of another male, a leech, touching her.
Mine!
“No! I wasn’t going to do that, I’d intended to find employment if… if I hadn’t found… you.” She looked at me expectantly.
I’d enjoyed many females from Blackbridge. All desperate and eager to please. Hoping to find favor in the bed of a pack male for security.
Rumor had it that they fucked the leeches in exchange for the addictive sensual experience they got from vampire bites. Like a drug high.
That fucking bite might have been conscensual.
I seethed.
“You’d be wise to regret your fate right now.”
Something flashed in her eyes. At once, the soft voiced nymph transformed to a sharp tongued serpent.
“Do you even care about me? What I’ve been through to be here?” She glared. “What I’ve risked?!”
“You’re obviously handling that quite well. So selfish, you’ve never even asked my name.”
She blanched.
Her eyes widened at her oversight, all the fight evaporating at once.
No wonder.
She wasn’t part of the pack. She was an outsider, else she would’ve already known just who stood before her.
She didn’t care about the bond, no, their kind only sought out means to exploit every avenue. Rogues with no loyalty whatsoever. And one was here. In my arms, my mate.
I tightened my grip. She squirmed.
“We’ll, I can’t say I mind. Let’s move this to a more private space.”
She dug her heels in. “No. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“What’s this? Now you remember your self respect?”
Her slim fingers pryed my hands to no avail. “You just met me and you’re assuming my character. I won’t be disrespected like this.”
“Then shall I reject you?”
Never.
Her breath hitched. She didn’t like the idea anymore more than I did.
“You’d be free to service any other male of your choosing.” I goaded.
I’d rip the throat of the first male to even blink her way.
She stilled.
Her eyes flashed as she met my gaze. Her chin lifted.
“Fine. Reject me then.”