A gloating smile of triumph spread across Shelley’s face. Yep, she’d known that Taylor was there and that entire conversation had been for ‘her benefit. Taylor felt sick to her stomach. Images of Shelley and Cliff flashed through her mind, and she desperately pushed them aside.
Then Shelley saw James bearing down on them, and a look of alarm flashed over her face. She took a few steps backward. “We’ll talk more later, when we can be alone,” she told Cliff, speaking quickly and shooting a nervous glance at James before looking at Cliff again. “Just remember – the future of our pack and maybe our species depends on you making the right decision. Selecting her over me will cost you everything.”
“Enough!” Cliff bellowed as James came to a stop at his side.
Shelley turned and started to jog off, and he shouted, “Get back here, now!”
She stopped and stood still, shoulders slumping.
“Turn around and walk back here.”
She did, walking slowly. Her expression had gone from pleading to angry and sullen.
“James,” Cliff said. “Compel her.”
All of a sudden, Taylor had the oddest sensation. She felt waves of power flowing through the air. They pulsed through her and made her dizzy. Cliff quickly moved next to her and put his arm around her waist, and despite everything – despite how angry she was right now – she felt that familiar throb of attraction.
“Ask her when we were last together,” Cliff ordered James.
“Say it,” James said to her. “When were you and Cliff last together?”
“Five years ago.” Shelley was panting, and her pupils were huge. Her face had gone as white as a sheet, and beads of sweat popped up on her forehead.
“How many times were we together?”
Shelley gritted her teeth and stifled a whimper. She frantically shook her head.
“Answer him!” James barked at her.
“Twice!” she groaned. She was clearly struggling not to answer, but somehow, James was forcing her.
“What did I tell you before we had sex?” Cliff demanded.
“You said we…you said we…”
James glared at her. “Answer.”
“You said…you said…that it if I wanted to do it with you, I had to understand it would just be a casual thing and you…you doubted it would happen again and…it would never lead anywhere and…I definitely wasn’t your mate…” Shelley looked at Taylor with pure hatred in her eyes.
“And why, four years ago, did I finally tell you to move off pack property except for full moons?”
Tears of humiliation glittered in Shelley’s eyes. “I won’t…”
“Answer. Him. Now,” James gritted out.
“Because I wouldn’t stop stalking you and following you around and harassing you, even after you told me not to! And because I sneaked into your bed and took all my clothes off and waited for you! And I tried to kill one of the other girls you were sleeping with!” It came out in a furious whine. Now, black, mascara-stained rivers of tears were running down Shelley’s face. She was bright red with embarrassment.
“Leave the property immediately and go back to your house.” Cliff ground the words out, his eyes blazing with anger. “Do not come back until the day of the full moon. And stay away from both me and Taylor when you’re here. You will be on the far east side of the property when you shift, and we will be on the west.”
“Cliff!” Shelley wailed. She turned and started to storm off.
“Shelley?” Cliff called after her.
She spun around. “Yes?” she said eagerly, eyes shining with hope.
“If you ever call me honey, babe, or sweetheart again, I’ll have you banned from the pack for good.”
“You motherfucker,” Shelley spat. She started to walk off, but turned and glared at Taylor. “You whore! He’s mine!” she screamed. “I’m the Alpha’s mate, not you!”
