ALPHA LEON; THE KANE BROTHERS TRILOGY

Episode

MAILA

“Ha!” I let out before I could stop myself. His words echoed ones Kaden had told me once so accurately that I was beginning to believe my boyfriend copied all his tactics from the Alpha.

“…You have only to tell me you don’t want to sleep with this man, and I would save you.” Then he had gone ahead to make my life a living hell.

I raised my shoulders and dared to stare the Alpha squarely in the eyes. “Why would I believe you’d trouble yourself to ‘save me’?”

He seemed surprised that I asked. “Because I’m your Alpha. It’s my responsibility.”

My laughter that followed was filled with bitter mirth.

His expression became unreadable once more. “Come closer, and I’ll show you another reason.”

Against my better judgment, I stepped closer. With each step, his scent, which hung heavily around the room, grew stronger, and something else was happening. I could feel my ever-silent wolf begin to stir.

A jolt ran through me as he placed a hand around my shoulder, then he extended his index finger.

“Show me yours.”

I did, and already, my heart was beating in mismatched patterns. I knew what he was trying to show me, but it couldn’t be! I just couldn’t be mated to—

He touched the tip of his index finger to mine, and I saw it—the glow that started from the tip of his finger and spread down mine, along my arm.

His voice was a guttural whisper when he spoke next. “You see, chérie, we’re mates.”

“No!” I shook my head, wrenching away from him and taking several steps backward. I couldn’t afford to be mated to a cruel Alpha—a man Kaden took notes from. And what would happen when he was finally tired of me? He would discard me, and Kaden would be waiting to teach me a bitter lesson for daring to have a relationship with his Alpha—never mind that he had just prostituted me out to him.

With each step Alpha Leon took toward me, I took several backward until I turned and fled.

I didn’t make it far.

His hand, firm and possessive, curved around my waist, slamming me against him. I had only a moment to process the impact of his large, hard body before his mouth was at my ear, whispering with an anger that had not previously been there.

“Don’t ever run from me again if you don’t want to get on my bad side.”

I laughed bitterly. “And how easy it is to get on your bad side.” At least Kaden had pretended for a full month before he showed me his true colors.

I shut my eyes. “I, Maila, reject you—”

“Shhh.” He pressed a finger to my mouth. “Your wolf is not strong enough to reject me. If you do that, you’ll lose your wolf.”

I shook my head, my eyes misting for some reason I could not explain. The finger on my lips moved from a restriction to a caress.

“What’s the worst thing that can happen if you let our bond bloom?” he whispered.

“Everything!” I choked out. But when he turned my head ever so slightly and pressed his lips to mine, I did not stop him.

His kiss was fierce, hungry, stirring my wolf within, and then sheer primal instincts took over.

“I don’t want to do this,” I whispered, even as his hands tore off my clothes, as my hands tore off his.

I tried to remind myself that this was exactly what had happened with Kaden, and now I was making the same mistake all over again. But that was a lie. Everything about this was different—more intense.

When he finally joined our bodies, I cried out in a pleasure that was sharper than pain. My wolf did too.

“Mate!” she whispered for the first time, and I finally knew what it meant to belong to someone.

Alpha Leon held me gently in his arms afterward as I calmly listened to his steady heartbeat.

“We didn’t make it to the bed,” I whispered softly, a smile curving my lips.

“We didn’t?” He smiled back. “You’re just so soft, I really forgot about the hard floor.”

This was everything I’d always dreamed about—everything I never had with Kaden. Maybe, just maybe, I dared to hope as he rolled off and picked up his clothes. Maybe Alpha Leon was going to protect me from Kaden. But then he turned around and dropped a bombshell.

“I need you to go back to Kaden, though. Trust me, you only have to stay with him for about a week before I come to get you—”

“Trust you?” I jerked upright. “How can you expect me to go back to Kaden after what we’ve just had?”

“Careful. You’re talking to your Alpha.”

I scoffed bitterly. “How can I ever forget?”

His expression softened a little, and he walked over, drawing me into his arms and holding me until I relaxed against him.

“You’re my mate, Maila—my soul mate. Do you know how long I’ve waited? How much I’ve searched? Trust me, I’m not giving you up for anything. Just go back to Kaden and be patient a bit. I’ll come for you. I promise.”

I sighed, letting myself draw in his scent, even though this was temporary, even though I knew deep down that he would never really belong to me.

When he pulled back so I could stare into his eyes, I chose to trust him.

“All right,” I murmured, picking up my clothes. “They say you’re

a reliable Alpha, even though you are cruel. I’m choosing to rely on you.”