Ronan's Pov
Walking through the cleared paths to the woods, I see the wolves gathered by my father.
I can smell their fear, as their eyes glinted with curiosity.
“Ronan, you’re here” my father says as soon as he sees me. “Where is your brother?”
“He should be here anytime soon” I reply knowing Eric was attending to the destabilization of pack treaties, he had been busy. There has been whispers of a Witch at the helm that has been making everyone nervous. Not me, though.
My father gives a brief nod as he continues “We have been discussing the recent attacks on the borders of our territory.”
“Ah, yes,” I grunted. “I was briefed on the attacks. Has there been any progress?” I asked directing the questions to the head of the army.
“It looks like an Alpha attack.” He responds. “Er, so you’d know, we’ve increased the patrols as you ordered, but—“ he hesitated, clearly nervous about how I would react.
“Spit it out, man!” I snapped. My nails dug into my skin as my fists clenched, fueled by the frustration at their incompetence and the thoughts of Rionne that plagued my mind.
“There’s been another attack, Alpha,” he stammered. “One of our own was killed this time.”
“Idiots! You’re all bloody useless!” I roared, my anger boiling over. They flinched under my wrath, their heads bowed submissively. “If you cannot
handle this situation, then perhaps I wouldn’t mind replacing every single one of you!”
“Ronan, please,” my father spoke up, placing a hand on my shoulder. “They’re doing their best. They just need more time.”
“Time is something we don’t have father. Do you not understand the danger we’re in? If these attacks continue, it won’t just be one or two of us that die —it’ll be all of us!”
“Brother,” Sebastian called from the side, his voice a calming anchor in the storm of my fury.
“Perhaps we should continue this discussion inside.
You seem to be on edge.” Father says as he dismisses the army with a wave.
“Fine,” I spat, glaring at the useless army leave one last time before turning on my heel and stalking toward the house.
Inside, Eric closed the door behind us as father studied me with concern.
“You’re on edge lately, Ronan,” he said. “What is eating at you?”
“Nothing,” I muttered, unwilling to admit that my growing obsession with Rionne consumed me. It had been a week. A week! And she hadn’t given us an answer.
Father looks at Eric, hoping he’d say something, but Eric keeps a straight face.
“Whatever this is, sort it out. Don’t take it out on the pack” father says as he walks out of the room.
Eric turns to look me in the face with a brow raised, waiting for me to say something. Normally, Eric would have gone after Rionne, hounding her for one, All my time was spent watching her from a distance.
“Ronan,” he pressed, his blue eyes searching mine. “We’re brothers. We share everything. Just tell me, man.”
“Fine!” I gave in to his persistence. “It’s Rionne. She’s all I ever think about, and it’s driving me mad!”
“Ah,” Eric replied, his face twisting into a smirk. “She has a way of getting under your skin, right? But taking your anger out on the pack won’t help anyone. Besides, it also pissed me off, too, that she hasn’t gotten back to us, but there’s nothing really we can do. It’s not like we can force her to accept our mark.”
“Then what do you suggest?” I asked.
“Talk to her,” he offered. “Find out why she’s resisting us. Get to know her better. Maybe then, you’ll find some peace.”
I frowned, mulling over his suggestion. It was true that I had been avoiding confronting her about her reluctance to accept us as her mates. I’d opted for the healthier stalking method. It may be time to change that.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Good man.” He clapped me on the back, “Now let’s go take care of this s**t pile, yeah?”
* * *
I couldn’t get the image of Rionne out of my head. She invaded my every thought. Her stunning red hair framed her delicate face, and those blue eyes sparked a fire in me that I couldn’t ignore.
My body craved her touch, ached for her warmth, and longed to possess her completely. I knew it was wrong to obsess over her like this, but the intensity of my desire only grew with each passing moment.
Returning to my quarters after a long day of pack duties, I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower.
The scalding hot water cascaded down my body, doing little to quench the burning flames inside me.
As the water washed away the dirt and sweat, my mind wandered back to her.
I imagined her standing there with me, her soft skin glistening with water droplets as she pressed against me.
The thought sent shivers down my spine and stirred a deep hunger within. Unable to control my primal urges, I wrapped my hand around my throbbing erection and began to stroke myself slowly.
My mind drifted further into the fantasy, imagining her wrapping her slender fingers around my shaft and guiding it toward her sweet entrance.
Her body pressed against mine, and I leaned in to capture her soft, full lips with mine, tasting the sweetness of her mouth. Her tongue danced around mine, and our tongues tangled in an erotic dance that sent shockwaves of pleasure coursing through my body.
“Ah, Rionne,” I moaned, my voice barely audible above the sound of the rushing water.
The mere mention of her name sent a jolt of pleasure through me, and I quickened my pace.
Each stroke ignited another wave of pleasure, bringing me closer and closer to the edge.
My hips bucked against her, pushing deeper into her warmth, and she moaned into the kiss, arching her back against me.
My other hand roamed over her silky skin, tracing delicate curves and every inch of her perfect body.
I nipped at her jawline, teasing her neck as she gasped and purred like a contented kitten. Our breathing became ragged and harsh, each pant and moan fueling the fire between us.
“Ronan,” the phantom voice of Aurora gasped in my ear, and that was all it took. With a guttural groan, I released my pent-up frustration, the thick, hot seed spilling from my trembling body and washing away with the water.
As I caught my breath, the reality of my actions crashed.
What was I doing? I couldn’t continue like this; it was driving me insane. I literally felt like she was there. God, I’m pathetic. The only way to resolve this torment was to confront her about her decision. Or lack of one.