Chapter Thirteen
1312 Words
Adrian's pov
A murmur swept through the terrified guests still gathered in the ballroom.
I looked over my shoulder and noticed the room had gone still once again.
"Luca," I said coolly. "What's going on?"
Luca tightened his grip on the girls arm and my wolf snarled at that. He hated how close my beta stood next to our mate. He wanted to shred him into pieces.
I gritted my teeth trying to keep him in under control. Behave, I warned through the link we shared.
"He claims she's his mate," Luca nodded to the man standing next to the girl.
I frowned. Confusion flickered through me. How could she have two mates?
It was unheard of.
Did she feel the bond with me too? Did she know I was her mate as well? And why doesn't she have a wolf?
I found myself looking at her.
She looked pale and exhausted, tears staining her cheeks not that I give a s**t.
"I won't let you take her," her mate said, taking hold of her wrist.
My wolf snarled once again.
Mine.
The possessive instinct was immediate and unwelcome. I ignored him putting up a mental wall between us. He wanted her but I didn't. All I have for her is nothing but pure hatred.
She yanked her hand back, narrowing her eyes at him.
"No," she said firmly. The single word echoed through the hall.
He stared at her.
"What?"
She swallowed hard, I could hear her heart beating frantically from all the way here.
When she spoke again, her voice trembled with rage.
"I'm done letting people do as they please with me."
I frowned. What did she mean by that?
She drew in a shaky breath.
"I, Claire Winters..."
The entire ballroom held its breath.
"...reject you, Cole, as my mate."
Cole's expression twisted in disbelief.
"No," he growled.
"It's over," Claire whispered.
I was confused why was she rejecting him? Did she do it because of me?
Rage exploded across Cole's face.
"You ungrateful—"
He lunged toward her, raising his hand.
I moved before I realized it. My fingers closed around his wrist.
Cole froze, turning toward me.
I looked at him coldly. "Accept the rejection."
His eyes widened.
"What?"
I tightened my grip. "You heard me, accept it."
"No I won't!"
My gaze shifted briefly toward Claire.
"She's mine now," I said and she paled looking at me with wide fearful eyes.
Mine to torture, to hurt and do whatever the hell I want with her. I'm going to make her pay for what her father did. She's going to wish she'd never been born.
The words left my mouth before I could stop them and my wolf surged with satisfaction.
He had no idea what I had planned for his new mate.
"You think you can take what's mine?" Cole snarled.
I met his furious stare.
"I don't think," I said, my voice low but sharp. I twisted his arm away from Claire and shoved him back.
He stumbled, nearly losing his footing.
"Reject her now!" I said, pulling out my gun. "Or if you don't you will be joining your alpha and the others."
His jaw clenched as he glared at me. "You will pay for this," he muttered, his gaze shifting to Claire.
"Are you sure this is what you want?"
She nodded, her expression hard.
"Fine," he gritted out. "I accept your rejection."
A scream tore from her lips as she leaned forward, clutching her chest.
My wolf snarled at me to comfort and ease her pain.
I turned toward Luca.
"Let's go."
I reached for Claire's hand and the moment our skin touched electricity shot up my arm.
My wolf surged forward, desperate for more. Behind me I heard Claire gasped softly. For the briefest moment, the chaos around us disappeared.
I hated it. Hated the pull.
Hated the way my instincts immediately wanted to protect her.
She was Michael's daughter. She shouldn't have been my second chance mate.
Ignoring the sensation entirely, I tightened my grip and dragged her toward the exit.
I yanked open the back door of one of the vehicles.
"Get in."
Claire looked up at me with wide eyes.
"Please—"
"Get in."
She hesitated only a second before climbing inside.
I shut the door harder than necessary.
Behind me, my wolf snarled in outrage.
You frightened her.
I ignored him. I wasn't going to comfort Michael's daughter. I wasn't going to acknowledge the bond and I wasn't going to forget why I came here.
Without another glance toward the SUV holding Claire, I walked toward a different vehicle.
Luca raised an eyebrow.
"You're not riding with her?"
"No."
Because being near her made my wolf restless, touching her had awakened something I didn't want and
because if I sat beside her I wasn't sure I'd remember that she belonged to the bloodline I had destroyed not too long ago.
_______________________________________________________
Claire’s pov
The SUV slowed as it crossed the border of an unfamiliar territory.
I pressed my hands against the window before I even realized it, my breath fogging the glass.
The Night Stalker territory stretched endlessly beneath the dark, rolling sky. The territory was surrounded by the mountains.
The pack house was a fortress carved into stone. It rose high above everything else like it had been built to dominate the entire territory.
Surrounding the pack house were smaller cottages, neatly arranged in clusters, each one lit with warm golden lights.
I swallowed hard as the SUV rolled to a stop. This place was magnificent.
Before I could process anything, the door opened and I lost my balance instantly.
My foot caught the edge and I fell forward onto the ground. A sharp gasp escaped me as I hit the gravel.
The men standing around me laughed.
Heat rushed to my face. I scrambled upright quickly, dusting myself off with shaking hands.
From my peripheral vision I saw Adrian getting off the vehicle that just pulled in a moment ago.
He adjusted his jacket slightly and walked past me like I didn't exist.
Something twisted in my chest but I shrugged it away.
Before I could think too much about it, Luca approached me.
“Come,” he said flatly.
I hesitated, then followed him.
We walked toward the massive pack house.
Up close, it was even more breathtaking. At the center of the garden stood a water fountain, elegant and still commanding attention. Surrounding the fountain were neatly arranged flower beds, bursting with color—roses, lavender, and small white blossoms that swayed lightly in the breeze.
The two guards stationed at the door nodded at Luca and looked at me as if I were beneath them.
I followed Luca and entered the house. The house seemed quite with no one around.
"Come," Luca murmured.
I followed him down a narrow staircase. The stone steps disappeared beneath the ground, the air grew colder with every step I took.
My stomach tightened.
“Where are we going?” I asked quietly.
Luca didn’t answer at first.
The deeper we went I realized it was the cells.
My breathing started to quicken.
Luca finally looked at me, his expression hardening.
“This is where you’ll be staying,” he said.
My heart dropped.
“What?”
He opened the gate, grabbed my arm and threw me inside of the cell.
I stumbled forward, barely catching myself before I hit the ground.
“Please!” My voice broke. “I didn’t do anything."
Luca ignored me and walked away, leaving me alone in the cold cell.
I exhaled, leaning my back against the wall. Was this how my life is going to be from now on?
Why did Adrian bring me here? He should've just killed me instead of locking me in here.
- Writer
