The Unruly Luna

Chapter 3

The pair walked slowly along the garden path.

The girl stubbornly remained silent, though her anxiety had eased slightly. Now Ruslan sensed something else — sadness. As if she had remembered something long forgotten and deeply precious. Maybe he reminded her of someone she once knew.

The garden really was fresh and unexpectedly cozy. Well-kept paths, carefully planned placement of trees, soft lighting — all of it created a calm, unobtrusive atmosphere of relaxation. There was no one else around. Ruslan didn’t catch any foreign scents.

Somewhere nearby, his brother was close, ready to help him steal his mate. Alec had already taken care of the car. Everything now depended on how the girl would behave. The Alpha himself didn’t want to begin their story with an abduction — but it was still an option.

“How long have you been working for Amir?” — Ruslan decided to start a conversation.

“Hm… let me think. About two years,” — she replied calmly.

“That’s a respectable amount of time,” — Ruslan commented approvingly.

Amir was a womanizer, and assistants rarely stayed long. Alec had told him about it — Amir always arrived at meetings with different companions.

“I like this job. He’s a wonderful person, and we found common ground almost immediately. Although before me, assistants changed every month or two,” — Polya recalled.

“So you’re quite resilient,” — Ruslan said and deliberately switched to “you.” He was curious whether she would follow his lead.

“I just did everything he asked. To be honest, at first it was difficult,” — Polya admitted.

“But after I handled a few urgent and important tasks, Amir stopped running me over trivial things. It turned out we also have similar tastes in music. So I’m allowed to listen to music in the reception area. Sometimes I even share playlists.”

The wolf snapped.

Ruslan barely managed to regain control — but he still pressed her against a tree. In the shadow of the branches only their silhouettes were visible, and Polina didn’t see how the color of his eyes changed.

She froze instantly, frightened by his sudden action. For the first few seconds, she didn’t even think of resisting.

“What are you doing, Ruslan? Let me go. Immediately,” — she exclaimed, pressing her palms against his chest.

“Polina, I liked you right away. Let’s leave this evening together. I have champagne waiting for you at my place — and a large, comfortable bed with silk sheets. I promise we won’t fall asleep until dawn,” — Ruslan leaned slowly toward her lips.

She didn’t let him kiss her and turned her head away. He didn’t stop — instead, he kissed her neck. His hands slid down her thighs, one arm wrapping around her waist. He pressed her harder against the tree with his hips.

“No,” — Polina said sharply.

Fear gave way to hurt and indignation.

“Your offer doesn’t interest me. I find it insulting. There are escort girls here. Choose any of them — or several. Amir personally made sure there was variety.”

“No, little one. I want you,” — he breathed in her scent and kissed her collarbone.

He could no longer force himself to stop. The scent of his mate acted like a drug, clouding his mind.

“No,” — she repeated coldly.

Now she radiated anger; fear had faded into the background. Polina had taken his pressure too aggressively. Ruslan realized he had offended her with his proposal. He would have to change tactics and take the long road — a pity.

“All right. Let’s try a different way,” — he said peacefully.“I want to see you again. Let’s have dinner tomorrow. I know a place with excellent steak. We can talk calmly.”

“No,” — she snapped angrily.

She hadn’t expected that and was outraged by Seversky’s audacity.

“You’re a stubborn little one. What if I force you?” — Ruslan continued kissing her collarbones and traced his tongue over her chest.

Her heart was pounding. She tried stubbornly to push him away. Her nails dug into his shirt, scratching as they slipped — teasing the wolf even more. The Alpha felt that his touch angered her.

He leaned up to her ear, exhaled softly, traced its outline. Ruslan was aroused. He wanted her.

“And how exactly are you going to do that?” — Polina asked, furious, resisting with all her strength.

It was clear she wasn’t used to such blunt attention. He felt her indignation — even anger.

“Amir will order you to,” — Ruslan answered immediately.

“He would never do that to me,” — she shot back.

Polina struck his chest several times in outrage, but he was stronger. Her resistance only amused him.

“More than seventy-six percent of the holding’s capital belongs to my brother and me,” — the wolf said smugly.

“He’ll order you to, little one. He’ll even send his own driver. Tie a ribbon around your neck if I tell him to. His entire holding will collapse if he doesn’t. So he won’t quarrel with me. He’ll order you,” — Ruslan whispered confidentially into her ear.

Then he traced his tongue along the sensitive vein behind her ear and lightly bit the skin.

“I’ll quit,” — Polina answered without hesitation.

“And what about your family?” — Ruslan decided to change leverage.

“What could happen to them?” — she asked, her voice trembling.

Ruslan felt the weakness. She wouldn’t bend herself — but through her family, it might work.

“Half the region is mine. A quarter belongs to my brother. Another quarter to my uncle,” — the wolf said with satisfaction.

“So. Are you ready to accept my offer now?”

He was already smiling, deliberately easing the pressure.

“Let’s just have dinner first. I understand I rushed things. I didn’t mean to offend you. Your beauty simply intoxicates me.”

“No,” — she answered dryly at once.

She no longer had the strength to resist; he was stronger. Polina turned away, staring off to the side. The wolf liked that she exposed her neck.

“Little one, don’t make me angry,” — Ruslan bit the pulsing vein on her neck, then ran his tongue over it, as if licking a nonexistent wound.

“You have no choice. You’ll come to me on your own. I can take everything you have — if I want to. The longer you resist, the worse it will be. I won’t touch you — but I’ll shake up everyone around you.”

“No,” — Polina answered immediately.

He didn’t like that she wasn’t reacting to his actions at all. She no longer resisted — but there wasn’t a hint of arousal.

“Oh? Fine. In five weeks at most, you’ll come to me yourself,” — Ruslan issued the ultimatum.

“No,” — her voice was strong and hard. Polina was unyielding.

“Then listen carefully, you stubborn little pest. During the first week, you and your family will lose your finances. Layoffs will rain down one after another. Money will vanish from accounts. Then we’ll add minor inconveniences. Someone will get into an accident and owe a lot — a very large sum. Someone else will suddenly discover debts to the bank. In the second week, houses will be robbed and cars will disappear. Starting from the third week, relatives will begin to vanish. Then friends. One person — or several — every day. In the following weeks, you’ll start receiving their bodies. Or parts of them.”

“You’d really go that far? Why do you even need me?” — Polina didn’t notice when she switched to “you.”

Fear for her family drowned everything else. Ruslan concluded that family was the only pressure point that would work.

“I want your life to belong to me. Believe me, little one — no one will protect you from me,” — Ruslan stopped harassing her, but still held her firmly.

“There are no hopeless situations,” — Polya replied vaguely.

“Running from me is pointless,” — menace crept into his voice.

“You’ll be mine — or no one’s. Do you understand me, Polina?”

“Yes. I understand,” — she said quietly.

“My answer is no.”

“We’ll see, Polya. Five fascinating weeks lie ahead. Starting Monday, your family and loved ones will suffer because of your stubbornness. Every time you look at them and hear their stories, you’ll know it’s your fault.”

“I’ll manage somehow. I’m not a child,” — she snapped.

“You’re very small. And completely defenseless. And so sweet,” — Ruslan murmured.

“I’m already looking forward to the moment you come to me to surrender. Don’t make me wait too long.”

“No,” — Polya repeated stubbornly.

“That makes it even more interesting,” — the man released her.

Polina didn’t immediately realize he was no longer holding her. Ruslan felt her fear in every cell.

“Run, Polya. Just remember — you’ll come to me on your own.”

She bolted from the spot.

The shifter greedily inhaled her scent. His palms smelled of her. He remembered how he had touched her body. Regretted not checking her panties. Better yet — taking them off. What a trophy that would have been.

“So, brother — she ran?” — Alec asked mockingly, dropping down from a nearby tree.

Ruslan was the Alpha of the clan. He couldn’t simply be refused like that. And yet his mate had fled from him like the plague.

“Shut up. I’m already on edge. Barely holding myself back from chasing her,” — Ruslan snapped angrily.

“You’re going to Amir now. Order him to send that stubborn little pest to me — or fire her. Otherwise his company will go bankrupt fast. Then we move on to her parents. Then siblings — whoever she has. Dig up everything on her. I want to know everything. I’ll turn the whole world upside down, but she will come to me. On her own. Got it? Five weeks max. After the third week, start abducting relatives. By the fifth — killing.”

“Got it. Hide your claws — you look too dangerous. Your eyes are glowing, phosphorescent,” — Alec agreed.

“Calm down. If she refuses to come to you tomorrow, Marcus will handle it.”

Then, after processing what was said, he added:

“Don’t you think this is too much? Try talking to her properly again. Invite her to dinner. She’s not a shifter — she won’t understand your power and authority.”

“I’ll lose my mind and tear everyone apart if she isn’t mine,” — Ruslan growled.

“The wolf is already eating me from the inside. You can see it — the beast is clawing its way out. She’s not just someone the wolf liked. She’s ours. You understand the difference? A private date could end in tragedy. I need Polina compliant. Ready for at least minimal closeness.”

“Moon?!” — Alec whistled.

“So she’s not just a mate — she’s a true one.”

“Then why didn’t you take her by right? She’s human. You could demand her. The federals wouldn’t dare refuse you. She’d be delivered to you within hours. Especially since we know her name. Amir would hand over all the information himself.”

“Yes… that’s the Moon who ran from me,” — Ruslan said with a smile.

Thoughts of his mate both pleased and enraged him.

“Alec, she’s not a she-wolf. Just a girl. Polya is afraid of me. I was stunned by the wave of her fear. I shouldn’t have attacked her like that — but her scent shut my brain down. She’s hurt now. Let Amir send her to me on Monday. I’ll try talking to her again.”

“That’s bad, brother. So there’s no pull on her side?” — Alec said thoughtfully.

“That’s unfortunate. I’ll talk to Amir. I’ll try to apply pressure carefully. Do you think it’ll change anything if she comes on her own?”

“I don’t know. All I can think about right now is her scent,” — Ruslan said dreamily.

“And regretting that I didn’t knock her out and take her immediately. She’d be sitting on my lap now — unconscious, maybe — but at home, I’d lay her in my bed. I need her as soon as possible. I’m leaving. I need to blow off steam. Hopefully, a hunt will calm the wolf.”

“Good hunting, brother,” — Alec said, watching him walk away.