“You literally just said it was!” My grip tightens on her wrist. “In there, you threw my words back at me—about you being weak, about being useful—”
“And?” She lifts her chin, defiant. “Maybe I want to prove something to myself. Did that occur to you?”
“Bullshit.” I lean closer, crowding her against the stone. “You’re walking back into Zane’s scheme, letting him think he still has a chance—”
“What is your problem?” She tries to yank her wrist free, but I don’t let go. “Why do you suddenly care what I do?”
“I’m trying to protect you!”
“I never asked you to protect me!” The words explode from her, sharp and cutting. Then, a barrier slams down behind her eyes, and something cold takes over. “Besides, if we hadn’t marked each other, if it was just the fated mate bond, you’d be more than happy to use me as bait. Don’t pretend otherwise.”
The accusation stings. My wolf snarls in furious denial because she’s wrong—completely wrong. I’ve been watching over her for months, even when I kept my distance. Just because I avoided speaking to her didn’t mean I wasn’t tracking her movements across every room, noting who approached her, making sure she was safe. I would have fought against this plan just as hard before the mate marks. The fated mate bond has been a constant burn in my chest since the day we met, and no amount of denial could change that.
“You’re wrong,” I growl, the words rough with emotion. “You think I wouldn’t have fought this before? I’ve been watching over you since the moment I felt the bond, Selene. Even when I was keeping my distance.” Helplessness wars with fury in my chest. I release her wrist only to plant both palms against the wall on either side of her head, caging her in. “What will it take?” My voice drops and sounds raw, almost pleading. “What will it take for you to believe that I do care about you?”
She meets my gaze steadily, her features relaxing slightly. “I know you care, Seth.”
Relief floods through me.
“But I also know it’s because of the mate bond,” she continues, and the relief shatters. “The marks we gave each other. That’s what’s making you feel this way.”
“It’s not—”
“I have no expectations of you.” Her voice is flat now, carefully neutral. “And you shouldn’t have any of me, either.”
My brow furrows. “What does that mean?”
She shifts under my arms, creating what littlespace she can between us. “It means I’ll turn a blind eye to your activities, Seth. As long as you leave me alone to mine.” She extricates herself and starts walking away.
The words don’t make sense at first. I stare after her, trying to process what she said. It takes a moment for me to realize what she’s offering. What she’s giving me permission to do. And what she wants to do, too.
Seek a lover.
Rage explodes through me, hot and vicious. I catch up to her in three strides, whirl her around, and slam my mouth onto hers before she can take another step.
She gasps against my lips, her hands flying to my chest—not to push me away but to clutch at my shirt. The kiss is fierce, bruising, my tongue demanding entry as I pour all my frustration and desire into it. When I finally pull back, we’re both breathing hard.
“How dare you,” I growl softly. The scent of her arousal hits me, thick and sweet, making my wolf howl with satisfaction. “How dare you tell me to take a lover when you’re standing here getting wet just from my kiss.”
Her face flushes deep red. “Seth—”
“I haven’t had anyone since you stepped foot in this capital,” I snarl, my hand sliding to the back of her neck, holding her in place. “Since the moment I met you and felt the fated mate bond. Every woman who’s approached me, every offer, every flirtation—I’ve turned them all down because of you.”
Her eyes widen, shock flickering across her features.
“So, don’t you dare tell me to seek someone else.” I lean closer, my lips brushing her ear. “You’re the only woman I want. The only one I’ve wanted for months.”
She trembles against me, and I can smell how much my words affect her. The mate bond sings between us, hot and insistent.
But then, jealousy claws through my chest, sharp and ugly. “Is that why you offered to help with Zane?” The question comes out rough, accusing. “So you can stay close to him? Have you fallen in love with him, Selene?”
The slap cracks across my face before I can register her hand moving. My head snaps to the side, and when I look back at her, her face is flushed with rage and humiliation.
“I’m not so desperate for affection,” she hisses, her voice shaking with emotion, “that I’ll fall for the first man to offer me a few kind words.”
The words hit me harder than the slap. Because I know what she’s really saying: that I drove her to it. That my months of cruelty and rejection left her so starved for kindness that it was easy for Zane to manipulate her. I open my mouth to respond, to apologize, but she’s already pushing me away.
“Let me go,” she demands, her blue eyes blazing.
