Tallen doesn’t respond. He just looks at me. His jaw tight and nostrils flaring like he’s barely keeping himself together.
“You embarrassed me in front of your father,” he finally says, stepping into my childhood bedroom. “That little comment about my pack?” He closes the door behind him. “That was rude, Autumn.”
“I’m not yours,” I say, voice shaking. “I’m not your mate.”
He snarls—low and guttural. The sound hits me like a whip, and I flinch without thinking. My legs move, backing me up until my butt hits the edge of my desk.
Tallen’s eyes flash with something dark and hot. “You are mine. Your parents already gave permission.” He reaches into his back pocket, pulling out a folded slip of paper. “I have the claiming form right here. Signed andsealed.” He opens it, showing me both my parents’ signatures.
Shock, then defeat, slaps me in the face, and my whole body goes numb.
Tallen takes in the look on my face, then the bastard smiles, slow, like he’s loving this. “All I have to do is drop this off with the Beechworth administrators, and you’re officially mine.”
I flinch, struggling to believe this is really happening.
“Do you think the academy will stop me?” His eyes flash like he’s feeding off my fear. “At your age? With parental consent? They’ll hand you over before the ink dries. ”He smiles like he’s already won. And maybe he has. Maybe hewillwin.
Because everything he said is true.
I’m twenty-five. Unmated. Legally, with my parents’ blessing, there’s almost nothing standing in his way.
A sob claws up my throat, and my vision blurs. “I don’t want this,” I whisper, voice tight with the threat of tears.
Tallen’s smile fades.
“I don’t wantyou,” I manage to say.
The rage that consumes his face is blinding. But worse than that—he doesn’t even yell. He steps forward again, slow and deliberate, not stopping until we’re nearly nose to nose. I push hard into the desk, feeling the hardwood cut into the back of my thighs. I press my palms to the top, trying to steady myself. They slip over letters and little slips of stickers, but then my fingers brush something hard, and I snatch it.
Without thinking, I raise the letter opener, ready to defend myself.
Tallen’s hand immediately wraps around mine, forcing me to squeeze my pathetic weapon hard, and he jerks myhand away from his face. “You’ll learn to want me,” he snarls, his breath hitting my skin, hot and sour. “And if you don’t,” he moves my hand, bringing the letter opener to the front of my throat, “you’ll still be mine.”
Tears spill over my cheeks. I’m trapped—pinned in place and forced to hold a blade to my own neck—and I don’t know how to get out.
“Why?” I ask through a high-pitched whine. “Why me?”
Tallen smirks at my question, that arrogant curl of his lips sending a fresh wave of disgust through me. “I’ve been searching for the right omega for ages,” he says, voice hollow with entitlement. “But they’re always too stuck-up, too mouthy, or too fat.” His gaze drops to my chest, lingering in a way that makes me cringe.
Shame flares hot in my cheeks, and I drape my free arm across my breasts, trying to hide my body.
“You, though…” His lewd gaze moves even lower, to the hem of my skirt. “You’re sweet. And you’ve got...great assets.” He smirks at my breasts. “And I can’t wait to taste them.”
Still holding the blade to my throat, Tallen moves. He shoves his other hand between my legs, palming my sex and squeezinghard. He’s so fast, it takes my mind a full second to process what’s happening.
Horrified, my mouth falls open to scream, but before I can make any noise, Tallen crushes the letter opener against my throat—so hard it nearly cuts off my breath.
“You will be a good mate for me,” he snarls, shoving my underwear to one side. “Fucking obedient.” His rough fingers probe me, hitting my most private places. “And if you don’t…” His voice drops to a dangerous growl. “Then I will destroy your parents’fucking lives.Do youunderstand?” He jabs his hand forward, shoving two fingers into my body.
I begin to cry, trying like hell to squeeze my legs together, to keep him out. But he’s too strong. “Please st-stop.” Tears roll unbidden down my face, slipping down my neck and soaking into my shirt. “Don’t, don’t hurt them. I’ll do any, anything.”
His teeth flash as he repeatedly shoves his fingers into me, pumping over and over again. Sharp pain cuts from deep inside me and a distressed whine leaves my throat.
“No more being rude,” he commands with a thrust of his hand.
It’s not a question, but I nod anyway.
“No more talk of rejection.” He jabs again.
