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I can’t look at them. Whoever it is … I can barely deal with myself. Let alone my mates …
Part V
The Claiming
Grace
I pound my white-knuckled fists against Devin’s solid, chiseled chest. A low growl tears through his throat, but I don’t care. A small part of me knows this is stupid because I’m pissing off a beast who could easily crush me. Another, much larger part of me knows it’s stupid because I’m only going to hurt myself; his body isn’t reacting at all even though I put every ounce of strength into each blow.
He swore to me. He promised. And what I just saw is horrific. How fucking dare they! I would scream but his hand is over my mouth, his arm wrapped around me, trapping me, preventing me from going to her.
They tied her up. They took from her. I swear to God I’ll kill them.
I ignore the voices screaming in my head for me to stop.
My breathing hitches as I recall the sight of those two monsters hovering over her small body. My body is weak and my efforts useless. Tears stream down my hot red face in wretched anger as I put every bit of energy I can muster behind what little resistance I can manage. My breathing is shallow and desperate. I’m vaguely registering his command for me to stop, but I don’t pay his words any attention. He saw and did nothing! I hear him yell louder but again, I ignore his demand. My only need is to get back to Lizzie.
I swear I try. I do everything I can, including scratching and biting, the last resorts I have. Nothing seems to affect him.
I attempt to push past his massive frame to get to her. I scream out her name, but Devin’s large hand covers my mouth again, silencing my call for her. A growl of my own rumbles in my chest as I open my mouth in an attempt to bite him. He sees my attack coming and forces my head back causing me to stumble, banging my shoulders and back against the wall. One hand pins my wrists above my head and the other has a firm grasp on my chin and mouth, effectively silencing me.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve let you hit me, sweetheart.” Devin’s sneered words at the shell of my ear are dripping with menace. His warm breath on my neck sends a wanton heat rushing through me. Tears well in my eyes. I hate my treacherous body; I hate him. I hate all of this. “But it’s the last time I’ll let you get away with it.”
“Fuck you!” I scream at him, unbothered by his tone. My body shakes with tremors from fear, but I don’t care anymore. I thought … I can’t even say out loud what I thought I felt for him. How could I be so stupid? My body pleads with me for his touch, to rub against him and beg for forgiveness. I won’t do it. I won’t lower myself to this pathetic “heat.” I’d rather die than let them hurt her.
His hard erection digs into my stomach as he presses his body against mine. A whimper is forced from my lips and I wish I could take it back. I don’t want him to affect me. I don’t want to give him the pleasure of knowing he can affect me. A sob heaves up my throat. Lizzie. My body goes limp in his hold. I’ve failed her. Another sob wracks through me. There’s nothing I can do to help her.
How could they hurt her? How could they do that to her?
“They’re her mates; they won’t hurt her.” His authoritative declaration echoes in my ears. I’m overwhelmed with self-loathing and hatred that I fail to register his words. I let the tears fall freely and stare at the rug lining the wood floors of the hall.
“Look at me!” His demand shoots through my body with an inhuman force. Immediately my eyes find his. Sadness grips me harder than he does. If he fails to see that, it’s his own demise.
His silver eyes penetrate mine with a power that makes me want to bow to him, but I won’t fucking do it. I stare back with hatred and defiance. He breathes in deep as he relaxes his hold on my chin. I don’t take my eyes off of his, and somehow the piercing silver of his gaze softens. It’s subtle. He’s still a dominating brute, a powerful force not meant to be denied, but somehow diminished. The sickening churning of my stomach lessens slightly, but his eyes still hold a command.
“Listen to me.” Although his words are harshly spoken with barely restrained anger, I hear desperation in his voice for me to obey him. I continue to stare into his eyes, relaying my decision to give him my attention. Even if my fists have yet to relax, the skin tight across my knuckles.
“They’re her mates. They love her and won’t do anything to hurt her.” I part my lips to utter my disagreement with his explanation but his eyes narrow, warning me. I’m tempted to push him. Go ahead and hurt me; show me who you really are! My heart clenches in agony and my throat closes at the thought. His hand gentles against my throat and his thumb rubs against the line of my jaw. I close my eyes and enjoy his touch for a moment. Just one. Only one moment to feel his caring devotion.
“Come watch, but you will keep your mouth shut.” He growls his command in my ear and it cracks the bit of peace I’d hidden behind in that small moment. My anger comes back with a heaving breath. As I part my lips to berate him, Devin jams his thumb into my rebellious mouth, scraping his skin along my teeth, once again silencing me. The force of his hand shoves my head against the wall. A snarl forces its way past my lips and I sink my teeth deeper into his flesh while my eyes narrow in a threat.
“Go ahead and bite me.” His eyes meet mine. “I won’t interfere with the way they handle their mate. For the first time since she’s been here, she’s relaxed and content.” His words settle in me as I let them burrow into my head.
Mates.
“They are devoted to her. Caleb and Dom will be by her side however she needs. And if this is how it had to happen … then it’s how it happened and you will not harm them.”
My pulse flickers. Harm them? But more than that, mates? Mates. The word resonates deeply.
It’s hard to weigh the truth in his statement. The moment I saw her tied to the bed with Caleb and Dom surrounding her, Devin snatched me away, leaving only a blip of an image rattling in my memory. I shake my head. She wouldn’t do that. There’s no way she would’ve wanted it.
“If she’d seen us earlier, do you think she would’ve realized what was going on between the two of us?” he asks as though he read my mind.
“If she walked in on us while I had you against the wall, would she have known how much you fucking loved it? How you wanted me to pin you down and hammer into your hot cunt to prove you belong to me?” My breathing hitches as his dirty words are whispered into my neck, just before he gives it a gentle kiss. The softness of his touch is at odds with his tone, but I cling to it.
“Look at me.” His command is softly spoken, nearly a whisper. I tilt my head as he removes his hold on me altogether and steps back. My body instantly misses his warmth, his touch. I want what he’s saying to be true. It means they didn’t hurt her. Please, God, I want that to be true.
“I want you to see.” It takes a moment for me to register his words and I have to blink away the hazy desire clouding my vision, my thoughts, my self-respect. I hate this. I hate this damned heat. I hate the effect he has on me. Anger rips through me. Devin pinches my chin, forcing my eyes to focus on his. I clench my teeth but stare back into his heated silver gaze.
