Arthur looked at me like my rejection had short-circuited something in his brain. For half a second, his mask slipped. Then the pressure in the room shifted as he let his dominance out on purpose, as if he could force me to reconsider through sheer intimidation.
The air thinned, but I held my ground. My wolf pressed against my ribs, annoyed rather than afraid.
“No one has ever told me no,” Arthur said. His voice was low, measured, like he was holding back something sharp.
“Maybe they should start,” I said.
He stepped closer, enough that the dominance in his aura was an actual physical weight. “My proposal is the only chance you and your wolf have. You should be smart about this instead of…”
“Ungrateful?” I finished for him. He hadn’t said the word yet, but it was sitting right behind
