Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Surprise." He smiles.

"Oh, go fuck yourself."

"Would you stay if I revealed to you my true intentions?" He didn't even react to my punch. It didn't hurt him at all. "I'm curious."

"You know I wouldn't."

"Exactly. So I had to figure out a way to make you stay. You can't blame me, Bea."

"I can't blame you? You lied to me about everything! You said you were on my side!"

"I am on your side, and I didn't lie about everything. Just about the part where I sent someone after Raphas. Why would I ever do such a thing? That ungrateful bastard doesn't deserve it."

"He's not the bastard, you are!"

"You don't know a thing, Bea. I tried to help him. All he ever did was conspire against me with that traitor. He plans on killing me and making Dantes Alpha of StoneMoon once again when the truth is that the spot as Alpha belongs to me."

"It belongs to both of you."

"He's never wanted to rule. Raphas wasn't born to be a leader. He's a coward, always has been. The only reason why he stuck to Dantes was because he never had the courage to face him. It was always easier supporting him and licking his paws. But not with me." His eyes are dark and cruel. "Don't you see that? He betrayed our pack. He betrayed our parents' memory."

"He doesn't know the truth. He believes Dantes truly is your uncle, it isn't his fault."

"I've told him countless times and he never believed me. But enough about Raphas. We need to talk about us."

"There is no us!" My tone is laced with disgust.

"Oh, but there is, Bea. Of course there's an us. I couldn't deny what I felt when I first saw you. I'd been waiting for that moment for an entire fortnight. Do you know how that feels for a male? I needed you by my side, and meanwhile you were sharing my own brother's bed!"

"He and I are meant to be together! He saw my face in the Moon, which is why he came looking for me, and he found me. We're mates."

"So did I, sweet Bea. The Moon whispered your name in my ear that very same night. Raphas and I saw the same thing that night. We saw you."

I gasp. "You're lying."

"I wouldn't lie about this, Bea. Raphas got to you first, but I never stopped looking for you. And imagine how I felt when I learned that you were already turned, and kept captive by my own brother. I knew I had to find a way to you, so I told my warriors to keep an eye on you and wait for the perfect moment, and it finally presented itself a month later."

I cringe. "You're a psychopath."

"No, Bea. I needed you by my side. Every day away from you was torture. Do you know how it feels like to be away from your mate?"

"I feel that every day."

"But you don't. That's because of me. I'm your mate, too. I don't know why the Moon chose you for both of us, Bea, but I do know one thing. I don't share what's mine. If Raphas does come for you, I won't let him take you away from me."

"That's not your call to make. I love him!"

He wraps his hand around my neck and squeezes. "Don't say that, Bea. Never repeat that again. I won't have you say his name anymore. It sickened me, knowing you were thinking about him, knowing you missed him. That'll end soon enough."

He releases me and I growl. "You can't do that."

"Of course I can. And I will. Lie still, Bea. Let's get this done and over with."

I begin crawling away from him, but he grabs my legs and my ankle sings. I hiss. He climbs on top of me and starts running his hands over my body. I recoil and I slap his face so hard my palm stings, but he simply chuckles. "Easy, my little wolf. Fighting back won't do you any good."

"Leave me alone!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "Let me go, I don't want anything to do with you."

"But you do, my Bea." He's calm and it's infuriating. "I can smell your lust from here." He shoves his head between my breasts and inhales. I push him away with my chin.

"You're a pig. You disgust me."

"Whatever you say, Bea." He lifts his head, then licks my nipple through the dress. An anguished sound escapes my throat. He's invading my body and I can't do a thing to stop him. His grip is cutting into my wrists and his knee is heavy on my legs. I can't move. I can only watch him assault me.

He tears the top of the dress with his teeth and exposes my breasts. I tell at him to stop, but it's like he isn't even listening to me. He takes a nipple in his mouth and I'm filled with pleasure and disgust simultaneously. He presses his nose to my neck and starts talking.

"I promise to cherish and love you always, and treat you as an equal. You will never know hunger or pain and I will give you everything you ask for." I know what he's doing. He's making The Promise. I scream at the top of my lungs.

"Promise to love me, Bea. Say it before the Moon."

"Go to hell!"

"That's alright," his pupils dilate and his teeth elongate. It's a hideous sight. "My love will suffice for the both of us."

He sinks his teeth into my neck and I scream. First, there's blinding, excruciating pain. Then, this wave of pleasure washes over me and I scream, but not in pain this time. It feels like a long, shuddering orgasm, but deeper than that. It's almost like it's spiritual. He retracts his teeth and smirks. "Tell me how it feels, Bea."

I can't even speak. It's like my body has stopped functioning. It's so intense tears spill from my eyes. He laughs and tears the dress. Cold air cools my body, but it isn't enough. There's a volcano erupting within me. Reed picks me up, and walks back to the house. The walk is long, but I'm not paying attention to it. I'm staring at the sky, at the crescent lighting the dark. How could you do this to me? I say to the Moon. How could you let this happen? Why choose both of them? Why this?

I see the lights of the house in my periphery. They're getting closer. It stings my eyes and when I close them, I lose consciousness.