Valeria's POV
After storming into the bedroom, I collapsed onto the bed and wrapped myself tightly in a blanket. Half my face was buried, my gaze drifting somewhere unfocused as my mind went blank.
Eric had done it on purpose—forcing that kiss on me just as I tried to push him away. It was a power play, his way of reminding me who held the higher ground. He was flaunting his dominance, telling me that no matter how much I resisted, I'd never escape if he didn't let me.
Fated mate or not, any feelings I had for him were now tainted. He'd crossed a line. The move was clever but utterly despicable.
Besides the reality of Eric's unyielding control, one image haunted me: the moment he'd hit the wall when I shoved him, his hair falling over his face. The memory took me back years—to a boy I
