Chapter 97: INFLICTED

Diego's POV

The morning after hit me like a hammer to the skull, and believe me when I said it was the most painful thing ever. The most self inflicted pain, if I was being specific. My head throbbed with every pulse, my mouth was dry as bone, and the taste of whiskey still clung bitter at the back of my tongue. I tried to turn to the other side of my bed, and no matter how deep I buried my head into the pillows, it did nothing to ease the dull throb forming at the back of my head. If I didn't know better, I would have said someone had rammed a huge log of wood into my head last night, but I knew that was nowhere near possible.

I was in pain and nowhere feeling like I usually did, but deep down, I wouldn't say I mind. Why? Because none of that compared to the memory, the damned memory that plagued my night and dreams.

Her lips. Her succulent lips.

Fuck.

I dragged a hand down my face, cursing under my breath as the images came uninvited. I replayed the way she’d gasped into my mouth, the soft moan that had gone straight to my cock, and the way she’d wrapped around me like she belonged there.

I never expected her to kiss me back, especially after I'd iced her out of my study a little while back. But not only did she kiss me back, she did so with meaning, and just as much want as I did, if not higher.

No, Diego. I chided myself instantly. This is not the time.

I shoved the thought away, hard, but I didn't miss the ache that was slowly coming on. Whatever had happened between us last night wasn’t supposed to happen. It was reckless. No, I was reckless.

Blame the alcohol, I told myself. That was the easy way out, but even hungover, I knew damn well the whiskey hadn’t guided my hands or my mouth. That had been all me. And the worst part? I didn’t regret it. Not for a second.

What I regretted was pulling away, and going with Leo. I tried to remember what the important thing was, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't remember the bloody excuse he'd given me, just so I could let go of Kali.

Did it have to do with the council? Or the soldiers we'd send to the neighboring packs? Or perhaps he needed us to discuss some new strategies? I honestly had no idea, and I wasn't going to take it easy on him the moment I caught him.

My wolf prowled under my skin, and I could tell he was restless, and unsatisfied. He wanted her, wanted to go back, finish what I’d started, bury my mark into her skin so no one would ever question again who she belonged to. But I didn't.

Instead, I gritted my teeth and shoved him down. That way was the only way to curb his madness.

By midday, I’d thrown myself into the training grounds, letting the clang of blades and the sweat of combat drown out everything else. Warriors sparred around me, but I hardly noticed any of them. You could say every swing of my sword was aimed at ghosts, ghosts that weren't her. Her eyes, her mouth, and that damn sound she’d made when I touched her.It wasn’t enough. Nothing burned it out.

A small groan slid past my lips as I stalked to the edge of the field, yanking a towel across my face when her scent hit me.

I froze.

It was wild, sharp, unmistakable and just the right thing to get my wolf charged up and prowling beneath my skin again.

“Running from me already?” Her voice was low, cool, but there was fire under it. I turned, slow, and there she was, arms crossed, chin lifted, and looking far too composed for someone who had been melting under me hours ago. “I never thought I'd see the day.”

“Kali.” I forced her name past my teeth, ignoring the way my wolf snapped to attention.

“So you do remember me.” She arched her brow. “I was starting to wonder if last night was just….”

she let the words linger, but in a mocking tune, she added, “....drunk confusion.”

“You've got it wrong.” I clenched my jaw. “It was nothing.”

“Nothing? That’s what you call it?”Her laugh was short, sharp as she took a step closer, too close, her scent wrapping around me until my hands itched to grab her again. “Because from where I was standing, it didn’t feel like nothing.”

“It's nothing ,Kali” Heat flashed in my gut, and I hated her for being right. I turned away, grabbing my blade and sliding it into its sheath with more force than necessary. “You shouldn’t read into it.”

“Don’t lie to me.” Her words were soft, but they cut deeper than a blade. “Don't you dare try to lie to me..”

“Careful, Kali.” I whipped around, eyes narrowing. “You have no idea what you’re playing with.”

“Don’t I?” She tilted her head, wolf glinting in her eyes. “Because I think I do. You kissed me, you wanted it, and the only person you’re lying to right now is yourself.”

“Kali.” I snapped,not loud enough to draw attention from the others, it was just the right amount to get her eyes widening by a fraction. “Don't push me…”

“I'm not.” She shook her head, her chin held high up. “You said we weren't done, is this what you had on mind? To string me up and then dangle me like I meant nothing to you?”

I parted my lips to speak, but no words came out. The silence between us crackled, and even though my wolf pressed hard against the surface, desperate to lunge, to claim, to prove her right, I subdued it immediately.

“You think you want this,” I said, my voice rough and low. My fists tightened at my sides, every muscle locked. “But you don’t. I’m not the man you should be chasing, Kali. I’ll ruin you.”

“Really?’ She stepped into me until her chest brushed mine, chin still tipped in defiance. “Then ruin me.”

Fuck.

Her challenge slammed into me like a fist to the gut, and for a breath I nearly gave in, nearly pinned her against the training wall in full view of everyone, just to shut her up with my mouth.

But I forced myself back, tearing away from her heat, from her scent, before I lost all control.

“Stay out of my way, Kali.” My voice came out harsher than I meant, but I needed the blade of it to cut through the haze.“This…whatever you think is between us, it ends here. It was just one kiss, there's no need to read too much meaning into it.”

“Sure, Alpha.” Her lips curled, not hurt, but knowing. Like she saw right through the lie.  “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

And without so much as a single word, she turned and walked away, her hips swaying with deliberate calm, and her  scent trailing after her like a fucking curse.

As I stood there, fists clenched, and watching her leave, every fiber of me knew that I hadn’t ended anything.

I’d only just begun, and this,, was definitely going to ruin me.