Chapter 69 69
“Hm?”
The sound left him in a low hum, questioning.
Sofía shook her head timidly, doing everything she could to keep their chests from brushing. Her gaze dropped immediately to the wolf pendant resting against his bare skin, the same pendant that now felt like a cruel warning.
“I… I’m n-not h… hungry,” she stammered.
“You have two choices, doll,” he said calmly, his voice unnervingly even. “You eat right now… or I make you eat.”
Anger flared sharp and hot beneath her fear. Her teeth clenched hard enough to ache. In her mind, she imagined striking him tying him up, beating every ounce of betrayal out of him until her heart felt less shattered.
“I see,” he muttered coolly. “You chose the second option.”
“No—no, I” Panic rushed through her veins. “I’ll eat. I will.”
Her heart pounded so violently she could hear it roaring in her ears. A terrible thought struck her what if he shifted? What would become of her then?
“Good girl.”
The praise felt like poison.
He handed her the plate of pasta. She tried to stand, desperate to put space between them, but his grip tightened around her waist instantly. Her breath hitched as her eyes flicked up, meeting his for barely a fraction of a second before darting away again.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he said firmly. “Now eat.”
Her chin trembled, but she swallowed the reaction down. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
Her hands shook visibly as she lifted the plate and began eating small bites, mechanical, forced. His forest-green eyes stayed locked on her, unblinking, predatory. Watching her fear gnawed at something painful inside his chest, something he refused to acknowledge.
She managed only three… maybe four spoonfuls before pushing the plate toward him, signaling she was done.
“Now feed me,” he said casually.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
“W-what?”
They were back at the beginning again. Back to the version of her that couldn’t even meet his gaze.
And he fucking hated it.
“You heard me,” he snapped, irritation bleeding into his tone.
Her eyes glossed over instantly. Her grip tightened on the plate, knuckles whitening as she fought the tremor running through her body. She sat frozen.
She wouldn’t do it.
She couldn’t.
He saw it the stubborn resolve etched across her fear-stricken face. Even trembling, she was defiant.
It infuriated him.
“If you don’t start feeding me right now,” he rasped, voice dropping into something dark and dangerous, “I have other ways to make you feed me, doll.”
She shuddered, fury and humiliation tearing through her chest. Every instinct screamed to lash out, to scream, to hit him for treating her feelings like nothing more than a game.
He arched a brow slowly.
Then, deliberately, he pulled her closer. A gasp tore from her lips, but still she refused to look up at him. His patience frayed dangerously thin.
His free hand reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She flinched. His knuckles brushed her cheek in a calculated caress, coaxing a reaction
and it came, a shaky breath she couldn’t suppress.
“If you don’t feed me this pasta right now,” he murmured, almost amused, “I might just feast on my little mate instead.”
That did it.
Her head snapped up.
One second.
One heartbeat.
Green met blue.
The intensity in his gaze slammed into her like a physical blow. She dropped her eyes immediately, hands shaking worse than before.
Fear… or something else she refused to name.
Using the same spoon she had eaten from, she scooped up a portion and lifted it toward him.
“My cheek doesn’t eat, Ana,” he said flatly.
Her eyes flew up again, mortification flooding her face. She swallowed hard, leaned in, and wiped the stray sauce from his cheek with her fingers.
The contact sent sparks racing through her body violent, dizzying, overwhelming.
Her skin buzzed as she fed him properly this time. He ate everything with ease, like the giant he was, until the plate was spotless. She was certain he could still eat more.
He took the plate from her and set it aside on the bed.
Now, she had his full attention.
Her body went rigid in his arms.
“I know you’re scared,” he said calmly.
“You lied!” she snapped suddenly, words spilling out before she could stop them. “You said you h-hated l-liars remember?”
She was unraveling one moment burning with fury, the next crumbling back into fear.
His jaw tightened.
“I never lied to you.”
Her eyes snapped up, accusation blazing through tears.
“Because,” he continued smoothly, “you never asked.”
Silence slammed down between them.
What kind of twisted logic was that?
Was she supposed to ask her teacher if he was human… or a werewolf?
“Let go!” she cried, struggling against him.
“What if I don’t?” His voice turned cold as he pulled her flush against his body.
She gasped.
This—this was him.
The beast beneath the mask.
It hurt. God, it hurt.
“Leave m-me alone,” she hissed, fighting with everything she had. It was useless. She was fragile. He was power incarnate.
“This was all y-your plan,” she sobbed, tears blurring her vision. “To make me f-fall in love with you… right?”
His body went still.
For a brief second, his eyes closed.
Then he released her.
She stumbled back instantly, putting as much distance between them as she could. Without another word, he turned and stormed out, slamming the door with enough force to rattle the walls.
She flinched violently.
Tears streamed down her face as she collapsed inward, his silence piercing her heart like a dagger dipped in poison.
And this time… it stayed lodged there.