Page 102 of Red

“You’re not going anywhere, and this isn’t like last time. You’re to stay in this house until I tell you different.” Pure control over himself, he slides his hands into his pockets.

“No, you don’t get to do that.”

“I do. You’re safer here.” How is he so calm?

“I’m not breakable. Stop treating me like I am.” My voice rises enough to be heard outside the room. Heat fuels in my extremities, and I breathe in to cool it. I am at the edge of turning. I rest my burning palms on the desk.

This is infuriating. I thought maybe since we have been unofficially mated, he’d trust me more to make decisions for myself.

“Red, you’re not getting a choice in this. There’s no need for you to risk yourself. You can’t run or attack. You’ll be defenseless.”

My hands lift off the wood slab, leaving dark handprints on the surface. I don’t even care. At this moment, I’d burn the room down.

“No, you’re not in charge of me. I don’t belong in a cage.” I can’t help but think that this was exactly what Scarlett was afraid of in her diary—if they didn’t kill her, maybe they’d entrap her to study. No prison even this nice is going to hold me in.

“Cage?” he falters.

I move around him to leave, but he beats me to the door.

“You’re mine, mate, and I’m keeping you safe.”

Safe? I’m the one with magic coursing through my blood who can heal broken bones and two-inch cuts in moments. If I can figure it out, I am faster than everyone else too. I’m larger than every other wolf here except for him. I can choose whose mind I speak into and who I hear. There’s so much more I can do. Strength isn’t everything, and I’m tired of being treated like a breakable piece of glass.

“Maybe I’m not.” Maybe you don’t know me at all.

Those damn blue eyes narrow. “Not what?” The icy, controlled Alpha voice has been replaced by one deeper.

“Yours. You don’t even know me.”

Stark’s mouth hardens, and he backs up.

I grip the door handle and storm out of the room.

Fuck this.

Fuck him.

I am going.

I dig through my clothes for long sleeves and pants. Ready to blend, I sneak to the rear of my SUV where Kiya and Nikolas will meet. We’re leaving first, as we have to go the long way, driving up through human territory. I can rest here until it’s time to go.

“Aloka.” I turn to see Jocko running around a truck.

I keep my face flat. “If you’re here to lecture me about Stark, I don’t want to hear it.”

“I’m not. What happened?”

I scoff, knowing that’s bullshit. He’s avoiding eye contact. “He wants me to stay here.”

“That’s not—”

My hands reach back for the metal on the bumper, still colder than the air. “I get I’m not some werewolf like you, but that doesn’t mean I’m useless.”

Jocko’s curls bounce when he steps forward and leans beside me. “I doubt Stark thinks you’re useless. He wants you safe, and so do I. You’re the one who matters to him.”

“He cares about you, his best friend,” I say.

He laughs, but it cuts short. “Sure, but I bet you he’d kill me if I hurt you. If you hurt me, he wouldn’t blink.”