007
1474 Words
KAEL
Her beautiful golden eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets now, her jaw slack. There was something about her that made it so difficult to look away. I was fighting so hard not to lose my s**t. But it had been what? Two days? And I was already down bad for her. Guess I was ultimately screwed.
"I...belong to you?" She echoed, disbelief dripping from her voice.
I saw the shift in her posture before she moved. I knew she was going to hit me. And when I caught her fist with my palm, inches from my face, she narrowed her eyes at me.
"I belong to no one, you jerk. Especially not to you," she hissed, pulling away to rise to her feet. I grabbed her hand, pulling her back down into my lap, a gasp slipping from her lips.
"You were so keen on tempting me earlier, what changed?" I deadpanned, and she scowled at me, refusing to look me in the eye.
I groaned in annoyance at the absence of the full intensity of her scent.
Evander had probably asked one of the attendants to inject her with a scent nullifier. I could barely f*****g smell her now.
That rich milk and honey scent. It had been haunting me since the first time I smelled it. If she knew this, she'd probably mock me. But at this point, I was past caring.
"Ravaya, do you really not know what's going to happen next?" I asked, and she bit her lower lip, distracting me with the way her teeth lightly scraped over the pink flesh.
Damnit.
"You tell me, Mr. All-Knowing," she sassed.
"My brother isn't patient enough to wait for the wedding. What he needs is an heir," I told her, and she stiffened as though she'd just been slapped across the face.
"You're saying he would force himself on me?" Her tone was steely, but I easily noticed the tremble underneath.
"You think he wouldn't? See how far he went to make a point. Do you really think he's not capable of doing something worse?" I asked.
She exhaled shakily through her nose, looking away from me.
"What do you want then?" She said through gritted teeth.
Cute.
Fuck me, I wanted to pinch her cheeks even though I was more than likely to get a black eye in the process.
But I decided to tease her either way.
"I could get you pregnant before he does."
Her head whipped towards me, her eyes flashing with rage as she smacked me in the chest. And I let her. Anything to let her touch me again.
"It's not funny, Mr. Steel," she hissed, rising to her feet.
Mr. Steel huh?
I've had worse nicknames.
She turned her back to me, and rage sizzled inside of me once more at the sight of the burn marks from the silver whip on her soft, pale skin.
All the more reason I needed to behead the bastard who had hurt her.
"The door is right there. Get the f**k out of here," she hissed, and I rose to my feet, moving over to her.
I cupped her face, brushing her silver blonde hair out of her face. She glared at me, but I kept my expression schooled.
"I will let you decide, kitten. But, you must know this. I am not your enemy."
She gulped, clenching her fists tightly at her sides.
"You know who I am, don't you?" She hissed, and I shook my head slowly.
"But I know that you're pissed at me because you think I killed the omegas at Omega Howl. I'll give you the whole truth if you come to me," I said, and her expression faltered.
"Really?"
The corner of my lips twitched, and I pulled away from her.
"Let's make a bet, kitten."
Her heart rate accelerated, and I nearly purred with satisfaction at the thought that I had incited that much reaction from her. And it was not because she was afraid.
"What bet?"
"In three days, you will run to me in surrender," I said, and she frowned at me, clearly offended.
"How are you so sure?"
I turned towards the door, burying my hands in the pockets of my leather coat.
"Wrong question. You should be asking me what happens if I'm right."
"I can't believe I'm actually listening to your bullshit," she hissed as I brought my keycard to the scanner on the door.
"If I'm wrong, I'll back off. I'll eat my words and never breathe in the same room as you ever again," I uttered.
She let out a shaky breath, but I continued either way, pleased with how flustered she was.
"But, if I'm right, kitten, I'll consume your very soul. I'll take every piece of you. Your fire, your fury, your surrender. I'll carve my name into your essence until there's no room for anyone else. Not Evander. Not anyone."
With that, I slid my keycard through the scanner.
The door beeped, and I glanced over my shoulder just once, catching the storm in her golden eyes.
"Three days, Ravaya," I said softly. "Try not to miss me too much."
By the time I stepped out of the room, the smile ghosting over my lips had faded. Because now, I could no longer smell her. The next three days were going to be torturous for me, I could tell. But I wasn't going to sit around and wait. It was time to set things into motion.
...
"Cap, I heard about the new omega. Heard she's the famous Lycari heiress that has been missing for years," Nico, one of my men, said as he practically waltzed into the infirmary.
I ignored him, concentrating closely enough to inject the large needle into my bicep.
Fucking suppressants.
My father wouldn't let me step into family meetings or anything important if I hadn't taken these. I knew he was afraid. Afraid that one day, I would lose control of Fenrir, my wolf, and cause a m******e.
I couldn't blame him, though. It was a fact that I was more or less a ticking time bomb.
"She's off limits, Graves. Mind your business," I said, and he scoffed.
"Honestly? I think you have reached the level of godhood because no sane Alpha would carry an omega in full-blown heat and not want to screw her," he drawled.
I snorted. "You heard."
"You're impossible. I feel sorry for you, though. Even if you do meet your mate, Fenrir has been suppressed for too long, you'll never be able to recognize your mate. And that means you'll be lonely for the rest of your life, Cap."
He was right. And that's why I had been shocked when she had touched me and I had felt it. My senses had been muted for years. Nothing arouses me. Nothing stirs me.
Not even the giant needle piercing through my body right now.
Absolutely nothing bothers me.
Except her.
My mate.
"Right, the Don asked me to tell you to meet him in his private suite for dinner," Nico informed me, and I nodded, slowly discarding the needle and syringe.
I rose to my full height, and Nico stepped aside for me to pass.
"Let me escort you, Cap," he said, and I nodded.
...
We soon arrived at my father's private suite, where Evander was already waiting. The bastard was all snugly-eyed the moment he saw me. My father's blue eyes rested on me before darting to my bicep, a silent question about my 'medication.'
"Sit down, son," he finally said.
And I lowered myself onto the empty seat beside Evander. A feast was practically arranged on the table, but I could barely smell it.
"Kael, your brother has informed me of his plans to set the mating ceremony in three days."
My gaze met Evander's silver ones. Three days, huh?
"To further strengthen the empire, I would like you to finally settle down with your betrothed, Sonia. She will be returning from London tonight."
I stared at him for a moment, unblinking.
My father's words were law. Always had been. But this time, all I saw was her golden eyes burning into me. Ravaya. My mate. My undoing.
I slowly leaned back in my chair, making sure they understood the gravity of my response.
"No," I said flatly. My gaze cut to Evander, then back to my father.
"Sonia is weak."
A tense silence coiled in the air. My father’s jaw tightened, but I didn’t give him the chance to interrupt. I leaned forward just enough, letting the weight of my wolf simmer in my voice.
"She’ll never survive Fenrir. If you want me to settle, it won’t be with her."
Anger flashed in my father's eyes, his face turning red. "Kael!" He barked.
- Writer
