His Silent Temptation

Chapter 21 - Didn't Die

K I L L I A N

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I don’t tolerate weakness. I’ve prided myself on perfection, made a man out of myself from the sinner's blood that stained my brutal father’s hands, and in the first year of my reign as Alpha at eighteen, I took revenge on everyone that stood and watched the abuse. Born and bred for perfection meant no room for weakness, certainly not from a d*mn woman. Especially not from Selene Yves Thornov.

Her new surname, my surname hangs with greed from my mouth. I informed Walter of what I intended from this marriage. From accepting her dash to freedom that day in my arms. But now, I strut into the room with Selene’s grip tight as a koala, and I see Nicolas’s first complaint.

“Jasper has the menu,” I inform a fearful Selene. Her grip tightened on me, but she reluctantly set her feet on the ground and walked in his direction.

Instantly, Jasper passes the menu to her, careful to not touch her as if she had an illness. I narrowed my eyes. Did he think she was dirty? She shakingly accepted it, but flinched away when their fingers nearly brushed.

Taking a threatening step in his direction, Nicolas grabbed me by the shoulder.

“We should talk,” Nicolas muttered.

“You don’t have to jump every time,” Jasper said loud enough for everyone to hear. The youngest out of us all, I always tolerated his tantrums. He refused to run in his wolf form with us, refused to bond as a pack, and preferred books over training. Today was the day to discipline him.

Nicolas tightly squeezed the spot he held.

“I’ve never killed anyone before,” Jasper admitted with a slight frown. “My hands are clean.”

Now, Jasper had everyone’s attention. We all glowered at him as if untainted hands were something to be proud of. We were Thornov men for god’s sake.

“So you don’t have to worry about me, I’m predictable and I don’t get angry.” Jasper picked up the nearest book next to him and began to read, ignoring her starstruck expression.

Then, Selene revealed a slight smile, one I barely saw. And just like that, the bubble of anger popped. I saw clarity. Jasper was attempting to lower her guard. Muttering curses under my breath, I turn to Nicolas.

“I already know what you’re going to say.” I pressed my lips together and eyed the television, where the news anchor from last time had disappeared. Good. They’d find his body soon.

“All I want is the truth,” Nicolas responded, crossing his arms across his chest. He stood in front of me now, blocking my line of sight from Selene, but I could still see her in the corner of my eyes.

Selene curled her knee to her chest, eyeing the menu like it was a physics textbook, then frowned and passed it back to Jasper. She signs something to him, but he doesn’t understand. Somehow, the boy had a pen and paper, slid it to her, and her eyes lit up in delight.

Maybe disciplining Jasper could wait.

“I’ve never lied to you,” I finally told him. “She’s family now. I want her protected like one. I want her safe. I want her cared for. She’s Thornov, and she’s mine.”

Nicolas’s hardened expression cracks slightly. He weighs over the words again, opens his mouth, but pauses when Jasper lets out a chuckle and scribbles something for her in return.

“She’s not deaf, you know,” I called out, causing Jasper to jump, his ears bright red. I glower, wondering what they could be joking about. A tick in my jaw. Something dark slithered in my veins.

“It’s been a while since he’s laughed around us,” Nicolas said, his tone slightly off. “I dare say its’ improvement.”

“It’s because you’ve been too soft on him.” I scowled deeply. Our mother left the twins with us when they were just a baby. I was just a child taking care of another one. Nicolas did most of the teaching and I, the disciplining.

“He should’ve improved long ago,” I continued. “He’s turning eighteen soon, but still refusing the pack mark. And you know what we do to the fools that deny such a privilege.”

Not many were lucky enough to have the Thornov Pack’s tattooed onto their skin. They were a symbol of unforgiving loyalty to the Alpha. Only the highest-ranking officers had the true Thornov symbol, whereas all of the other werewolves in our pack mainly had the actual words in writing somewhere on their bodies.

“Are you going to make Selene take it?” Nicolas asked. It was a genuine question. Even so, I nearly saw red. At the thought of something discoloring her skin again, of pain inflicted upon her, I was ready to snap.

“She isn’t capable of self-protection,” I warned, lowering my tone and turning to mind-link.

‘She doesn’t have a wolf,’ I mind-linked Nicolas whose brows shot up in disbelief, almost doubting how I knew. I just did.

‘Yeah, thanks to me,’ Knox scoffed, rolled his eyes, and retreated into the darkness of my mind.

Nicolas was quick to protest. “Then, she’s not—”

“You actually noticed?” Jasper exasperated, his excitement cutting our conversation short. I see Selene retreating a bit at the loud noise, but his attention was glued to her.

“The men in our house never care about the flowers. But yeah, I do treat the soil with a different PH so the hydrangeas bloom different colors. I never thought about only watering the flowers and not the roots, I’ve gotta try that tomorrow!” Jasper eagerly explained, pulling his book to reveal it to her.

Selene nervously nodded. Like a cautious fawn, she slowly peered down at the writing and brushed her hair back. Despite her easily-shaken nature, she was trying her best to get along. And just like how she managed to worm a tiny hole in my heart, she dug a larger one in Jasper’s.

I had never seen him this bubbly for months now, not since I told him he’d get the full Thronov symbol tattooed onto him. He spoke to her with great animation, his hands moving quickly, and his mouth uncontrollable.

Jasper was finally alive again.

“She’s not what?” I pressured Nicolas, shooting him a glower. I had my suspicions.

“She’s not ready for it,” Nicolas lied, shaking his head. Suddenly, he tensed. “Chester!”

Chester plopped himself onto our coach, dripping in sweat and still shirtless. He shrugged, resting his wet hair on the couch, despite Nicolas’s barking voice. Selene had completely clamped up again, frozen and her fear clinging to every tension in the room.

I make my way to her. I didn’t have the intention to touch her, just to reassure her the brothers were harmless. But the second I approached, I found myself itching to grab ahold of her. I didn’t know what to do with her. I never did. All I knew was that my blood always burned a bit hotter around her, my chest tightening like I’d get a heart attack any minute.

“I told you to not dirty the sofas with your disgusting sweat and stench, go take a shower!” Nicolas hissed, grabbing the boy by his ears and yanking him off the sofa.

“Ow, ow!” Chester cried out, clutching it as he was pulled away.

“Selene.” I found myself entangling my fingers in her hair, causing her to stiffen and stare at me in shock. Then, I ran my hand down the strands. F*ck they were soft. Why was it this silky? What the hell was I doing?

“Did you order what you want to eat?” I turned to Jasper who was watching our interaction closely. Almost a little too close. I quirk a brow. His face was filled with accusations. Once again, I wanted to discipline him. He needed to pick his battles better. He knew her for less than ten minutes and was already intent on protecting her.

Funny.

I developed my protective instinct for her in a millisecond. One look. One glance. That was all it took from her.

‘I didn’t understand the menu,’ Selene signed with her hands.

“It’s fine,” I said upon seeing her sign to me she never tried any of the food and didn’t find it appetizing.

“Was last time good?” I asked.

Her face tinged red a bit, and I grit my teeth. This woman. Despite not smelling arousal coming from her, I had finally seen a different side to her today. Dirty-minded, now, was she?

‘Yes, but I want to try Jasper’s recommendation,’ she signed.

I glanced at Jasper, saw his obvious confusion but attention, and nodded. “Jasper likes vegetables. You two can go ahead and nibble on that salad like bunnies together.”

Jasper scowled. Selene laughed. Like, genuinely laughed. It was brief. Almost nervous and breathless, as if she wasn’t sure the sound was capable from her mouth. Then, she had the nerve to smile at me. And I dared to share a dark grin of mine. Instantly, her face burned red and she ducked, averting.

What?

“You’re extra ugly when you smile,” Jasper commented, grabbing the phone to order. I picked up the nearest thing and debated chucking it at him. Nicolas returned a second later with Chester in tow, so I placed the remote down.

Jasper had sparring lessons with me tomorrow morning anyways. Tomorrow is a good day to teach him how to get out of a chokehold.

Crossing the corner, I sit beside Selene. I see her fight her hardest to keep her expression blank, but she was like an open book on her lap. Her fingers trembled when she turned the pages.

“Let me see the paper,” I muttered, referring to the one on the table with her messy writing and Jasper’s fancy script.

Selene listened without hesitation, passing it along to me. A twinge in my chest. Heat running to my groin. The Alpha position in me wondered just how obedient she really was. And the Thonov in me wanted to see her limitations.

I was screwed.

“Chester does sound like a clown name,” I read out loud.

“Hey!” Chester cried out, turning to Jasper in accusation, already knowing he would be the one to imply it.

Selene gasped when she realized I read her writing out loud. Then, she lunged herself at me, reaching and grabbing for the paper I dangled over her head now. I was trying not to get hard. But the second her plush body was on mine, her soft scent filling my nose, heat burst in my chest.

“And Nicolas—” I snickered, only for her to clamp a hand over my mouth. I paused, feeling every cell in my body respond to her. I was hot-blooded for her as a challenge to pin her to the couch arose.

With her on top of me, knees on either side of my body, all I could think about was plunging deep inside of her. To wonder if she’d make a sound when pleasured. To wonder what other noises she could produce based on my actions.

In my distraction, Selene snatched the paper out of my hands, her face bright red, and her lovely breasts rising from her panic. Seizing the opportunity, I ensnarl her waist and bring her onto my lap. Her breath hitched, but I tightened my grip. She was going nowhere. Not when I had a growing tent, one that pressed into her thighs.

I was screwed. And god d*mn it, not in the literal sense.

“Stay,” I growled in her ear, in the corner of my eyes seeing Chester and Jasper beginning to bicker over the cuisine, Nicolas was occupied by his phone whilst the two of us were in our own world.

Once again, Selene obeyed. She relaxed in my grasp, only momentarily, and we remained in my lap. My erection for her didn’t die. Not even once.