Page 69 of Never His Mate

“What did you say?”

“Not the only option,” I repeat. “I’m here. I can help you.”

And help myself too while I’m at it. Watching him sneak hungry looks at me just now, like I’m a fancy cut of steak and he’s been without meat for ages, I can’t help but notice how achy I feel. How empty. Now that I know what it’s like to be skin to skin with Ryker, I’m starved for his touch. I want him inside of me more than I’ve wanted anything else in my life.

It’s just sex, I tell myself. A biological urge.

Too bad Ryker doesn’t see it the same way.

“No. I can’t.”

“Sure you can. If you’re worried about the chains—”

“It’s not the chains I’m worried about,” he bites out. “It’s how you’ll react come tomorrow. You’ll run.”

I try to make light of it. “How can I? I’m locked down here with you.”

“So? You’ll still run. And I’ll chase you again, like I’ve been chasing you this whole last year. Only you won’t be able to get away from me.”

“You can chase me all you want,” I scoff, some of my nerves from earlier tonight returning. I’ve never once thought that Ryker would hurt me—for Luna’s sake, he didn’t retaliate even when I had my claws stuck deep in his chest—but I have to remember that I’m still pretty defenseless. Sure, he’s chained, but I don’t even have my claws right now. Still, I’m an alpha, and we both know it. “You can’t catch me unless I let you.”

“You don’t get it, Gemma. Listen to me. For once, just listen to me. If I fuck you, I’ll mate you. You won’t be able to get away from me because you’ll be mine. For good. Forever.”

I blink. “You don’t mean that.”

He drops his head again, like he’s too weak to hold it up. “Tell yourself that if you have to, but I’m not lying. You know I’m not.”

He’s right. I do.

But it doesn’t make sense.

“It’s just sex.” With Ryker, it’ll never be just sex, but he doesn’t need to know that. “I know it’s the full moon, but couples mate all the time during the moon fever. We’re down here. We might as well make the best of it, right? I want you.” No denying that after our last time together. “I’m pretty sure anyone will do for you right now in your state. Unless—”

I’m looking at Ryker, but in my mind’s eye I see Trish walking boldly inside of the Alpha’s cabin. Maybe she got the wrong message. Maybe she forgot that Ryker would be in his old cabin tonight instead of the one belonging to the Alpha.

I shake my head. “Forget it.”

He’s miserable, but he’s still an alpha. Peeking up at me through the fringe of his eyelashes, I look into his eyes and see his wolf simmering below the surface. “Unless what?”

It sucks. You’d think that, as a fellow alpha, his command would roll right off of me like water down a duck’s back.

Nope. Not when he uses his pack Alpha stare.

“Unless there’s someone else you’d rather have relieve your need.”

His muscles bunch. It’s the only warning I get before Ryker pulls against the chains in the wall, making them creak. Cinderblock dust explodes from the point where the chains are anchored. He’s not loose, but I get the feeling that it’s only because the powerful Alpha restrained himself just in time.

Okay, then.

He grits his teeth as his predator’s gaze locks on me again. “Let’s make something clear. I want no one else but you. You are my mate. My wolf will accept no other, and you’ll only provoke him by saying otherwise. Do you understand?”

I’m speechless.

He snaps his jaw at me. “I said, do you understand, Gemma?”

“Uh. Yeah. I get it.”

“Good.” He stops pulling against the chains, sinking back down to his corner.

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