Page 25

GRAHAM

Leave me? She would leave me ? My blood froze in my veins as my body throbbed. She shuffled from foot to foot with tears in her eyes, and it took everything in my power not to go fucking mad. My wolf thrashed inside me, bursting to get free. She bunched the sheet hooked around her body in her fists, studying me wearily. I was scaring her, but I couldn’t stop my reaction. She spoke about destroying me so easily. Seeing her pain buckled my knees, and if I wasn’t braced by the wall, I would have dropped to them.

I’d fucked up. No doubt. This entire time, I was the one disrespecting her.

The door rattled and opened.

“What are you two doing?” Whitlock asked and shut the door.

“She wants to leave us.”

Her multicolored eyes widened, and she shook her head so hard her hair whipped around her face. The motion bared the indents of my bites. My cock stiffened at the sight of my claim. She hadn’t accepted my claim, and I knew that for the very reason that the indents were present. I hadn’t bitten her hard, only enough for the skin to break and now she had teeth nicks that would have to scab and heal like any other cut.

She suddenly dipped and lunged out of the corral of my arms. I tracked her retreat. She wouldn’t be able to get away from me; regardless, Whitlock blocked the exit.

“There is no leaving you, I’ve never been with you.” Her lips twisted with irritation. Yet, the expression weakened me. How utterly adorable. I moved forward like there was a magnetic field. She continued to back up until she hit Whitlock. He raised an eyebrow at me.

Her sweet slick continued to linger in my nose, making it impossible for my stiff cock to wane.

“And I take it she doesn’t like that it won’t happen?” Whitlock turned to me.

“Obviously.”

“Finally, something we agree on.”

Her eyes skidded to the side. She was going to make another run for it. I didn’t have to tell Whitlock, his arm wrapped around her stomach, dragging her close. She gasped and slammed her heel down on his foot. He winced briefly, but it couldn’t have hurt much, she didn’t have shoes on. She fought against Whitlock’s grip, but he easily handled her. He tightened the sheet around her body until her arms were stuck under it and swept her into his arms. She panted and thrashed, trying to escape.

With everything she’d been spewing, I had feared things would end up this way. We’d have to keep her locked up until her ire calmed. She would understand that she was it for me, that anything that could have been with Hester paled. Not even, nothing would ever come near the cravings I had for my mate.

“Let me go,” she shouted, thrashing.

He didn’t even twitch.

She turned to me with a plea clear in her expression, but I was already shaking my head. I forced my shift back until I stood in my human form again.

“Bring her,” I said, yanking the door open. Whitlock followed behind me without complaint. He was just as besotted by the girl as I, so I didn’t doubt he’d do what I asked if it meant she would remain at our side.

I popped my bedroom door open, just feet from hers. The latch I’d installed outside of the door frame would keep her sequestered.

The girl had ridiculous notions. She wouldn’t leave me or my pack. I’d given her time, and still, she believed she had a choice.

Violet managed to free one arm and grabbed the door sill, her fingers sinking into the wood with as much force as she had. Whitlock stopped, but his grip didn’t loosen as she tried to yank herself free.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmured. “Let go.”

“No,” she retorted stubbornly.

A chuckle escaped. Her eyes rounded on me with shock that soon turned to anger. I worked my fingers under hers, loosening her grip until I clasped her hand. I brought her knuckles to my lips.

“Those weren’t there before,” she said, staring at the latches.

“I installed them.” Just a few hours ago. I had a sense she would need to be placed somewhere she couldn’t escape.

She scoffed and ripped her hand out of my grip. At least she was no longer crying. The sight of tears simultaneously enraged me and made me want to coddle her.

“Sneaky jerk,” she grumbled. It was just loud enough for me to hear. I grunted.

She could call me whatever she wanted, it wouldn’t change her fate, which was me. And potentially the male currently tossing her onto my bed.