Mated To The Alpha Bully

4

“Fine,” I said but tried to convey just how much I didn’t want to with that single word.

If Jordan noticed my acidic tone, he didn’t acknowledge it. He gave me a cocky smile as the three shifters worked behind him, setting up the table and two chairs, then spreading out the plates and silverware. My stomach gave a quieter grumble at the sight of the food, and once again, the smell made me begin salivating. The only benefit was that my hunger made me forget the mate bond's pull just enough to make it almost bearable.

Jordan nodded to one of the guards, who stepped forward with a set of keys that jangled as he selected the right one. I took note of which key he used, a slightly bigger, brighter one, as if the locks had been replaced recently on this cell. When he let me out, I noted that the other guard stood at attention, and felt his eyes boring holes into my back.

I shot him a glance. “Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to try and run right now."

"If I thought you were going to run, I wouldn't have let you out," Jordan said, as he held out a chair for me, acting like the perfect gentleman. "But we both know you're not going to do that."

I sat down and looked at my plate, which had a thick steak covered in dark gravy, roasted potatoes, and a side of garlic green beans. I dug in and took a few bites before looking up to see Jordan watching me with far too much satisfaction. He poured a glass of red wine for each of us, almost like this was a date or some s**t. Maybe to him, it was.

I took a tentative sip of wine, knowing my shifter metabolism would stop the alcohol from having any effect. "Do you treat all the ladies you're courting like your prisoners, or am I just lucky?"

"I don't want to keep you prisoner," Jordan said, his voice even and calm. Was this the same shifter who had snarled and growled at me, who'd chased and beaten me at the Convergence? I didn't trust this new amiable Jordan one bit, but I couldn't keep my eyes off him either. He looked damn good tonight, with another of those white button-up shirts open just enough to show off a glimpse of his hard chest, and the sleeves rolled up to reveal sexy masculine forearms. A wave of lust made my thighs clench, and I shoved another bite of food in my mouth before I did something I'd regret.

“I plan to release you from this cell the moment you’re free from the brainwashing those snakes did to you,” Jordan continued.

“I’m not brainwashed,” I said. “If anything, I'm finally seeing things clearly. My time with the Ophiuchus pack opened my eyes to everything that’s wrong with the Zodiac Wolves.”

Jordan arched an eyebrow as he swirled his wine. "Let me guess. They told you that you're special. That only they can help you reach your full potential. They offered you revenge on the people who wronged you. Then they gave you a sob story about how they were cast out unfairly, and how the Sun Witches are evil. Does that sound about right?"

I opened and closed my mouth, trying to think of a good reply. I couldn’t find one. Everything he'd said was true, and I looked back down at my plate, disturbed.

Jordan let out a snort. "In a nutshell, they told you everything you wanted to hear, all so they could use you, Ayla. You were the bait, and now that you're no longer useful to them, you've been discarded. We both know none of them are coming for you."

Ouch. The truth of his words burned inside me. "The Sun Witches are evil," I finally said. "What they're doing to us isn't natural. Ophiuchus pack members gain their wolves as toddlers, and they find their mates on their own. The Moon Curse doesn't affect them at all."

"They also use dark magic from the Moon Witches. Did you ever consider that might be the reason they've managed to escape the Moon Curse?" He leaned forward, meeting my eyes. "Can you deny that the Ophiuchus pack plans to wage war on the Zodiac Wolves to force us to submit or die?"

"Are the Leos not doing the same thing? I seem to remember my pack screaming and dying all around me not too long ago."

Jordan's jaw clenched. "Like I told you before, that wasn't my doing and I don't want that to happen again. Can you say the same for the Ophiuchus alpha?"

My heart clenched at the thought of Kaden. "He's not the monster you think he is. None of them are."

Jordan's eyes narrowed and his voice turned cold. "Is he the one you f****d during the full moon?"

I froze, a shiver going down my spine. How did he know about that? "What are you talking about?"

Jordan's fingers tightened around his fork and I worried he might stab someone with it. Possibly me. "I felt it when you went into heat that night—and I felt you f*****g someone else for hours. It was agony. I've never felt such betrayal and desperation in my entire life. I nearly tore off my own skin."

My mouth fell open. He'd felt that? Oh s**t. I'd never even considered what Jordan might have gone through during my heat, or how it would affect him. For a second I felt a small twinge of guilt, knowing what he must have gone through, but then I pushed it aside. I looked him dead in the eye and said, "Good. Now you know what it felt like when you rejected me."

For a split second, a hint of pain crossed his face. "I suppose I deserve that."

His words surprised me and I took a long sip of wine before answering. "Yes, I slept with Kaden that night. He kept me from losing my mind and f*****g every male I could find since I couldn't get to you. But it was just s*x. That's it. And we never did it again after that night."