Page 28 of Crossed Fates

So tempting.

It would definitely alleviate some of the tension suffocating me. Forcing her submission, hearing her beg, fucking her hard until she screamed my name. Yeah, that would relievea lotof stress.

But I held back. Not because she didn’t deserve to be dominated—the pretty little she-devil needed a damn good spanking for stabbing me and then using my wound against me. A bratty move, yet also admirable. Because I would have done the same thing.

No, I held back because the timing was shit. And my growing feelings of possession and desire were at odds with my usual relationship preferences. I didn’t do possessiveness. I fucked and left. End of discussion.

Oh, but how I wanted to dominate this woman.

Claim her. Make her beg for more.Yes.

I took everything out on her, and she didn’t cower or hesitate, her tongue battling mine with a ferocity that rivaled my own.

Every lick and nip of her teeth felt like fate reminding me that she’d made Makayla for me. That this woman beneath me was my equal in every fucking way imaginable.

No. I refuse to accept that. I don’t want a damn mate.

I ripped my mouth from hers and rolled off of her to flop onto my back beside her. My shoulder shot a responding pang down my arm, but I ignored it.

Jesus fucking Christ. What the hell was that?I demanded of myself.What happened to my self-control?

“Ummm, so... uh,” Makayla struggled to find words, then gave up after a few sputters.

Silence descended upon us, and the tension I’d worked out began to creep back in. The aggression had lessened, but the grief and the weight of my responsibilities still threatened to crush me.

“So, yeah, we’re even now, right? I stab you… you strangle me… all good?”

Surprised, I barked out a laugh that actually held a glimmer of humor. “No, sweetheart. We’ll be even when you get down on your knees and crawl.”

Makayla jackknifed up and twisted her torso to glare down at me. Her wild red hair floated around her like fire with the rising sun illuminating it from above. Her blue eyes sparked with irritation, and it made me want to smile. If only because I knew it would piss her off. Angry and riled up looked damn sexy on her.

“I. Don’t. Crawl.”

The smirk made its way to my lips this time. “We’ll see.”

She growled, which did nothing to help the hard state of my dick.Maybe we just need to fuck and get it over with so I can focus on important shit instead of a naked and panting Makayla.My wolf rumbled in agreement with that plan. He favored any path that ended up with Makayla on her back while I rutted between her thighs.

“So, as I was trying to say earlier, you know, before you almost killed me”—she scowled—“which makes us even, jackass,I overheard something about silver while in Vex’s cage.”

And just like that, the distraction disappeared along with my hard-on. Anger flooded my system once again, and all the secrets I’d sensed in Makayla reawakened my suspicion. “Tell me,” I demanded before rolling up into a sitting position to study her features. “And for the record, I warned you what would happen if I found out you were a threat to my family and pack.”

“I had nothing to do with the silver poisoning, idiot,” she snapped.

“Hmm.” I hadn’t formed a solid opinion on that yet. “Tell me why I should believe you.”

“Don’t burn your best bridge to catching your brother’s murderer, Alaric.”

Not a bad argument. But I suppose it depends on what information she has for me.

I nodded and gestured for her to continue. Mostly because I didn’t trust myself to respond kindly out loud.

“Okay, so I overheard a call between the hybrid and some other guy about silver packages being delivered. The guy on the phone said they—not sure who, just ‘they’—would be dead by morning. I think they meant your, uh…” She trailed off, glancing away, but I followed what she meant to add.Brother. She assumed they meant my brother. “Well, Vex sent Neo off to tell the boss,” she concluded lamely.

“The boss?”

“Yeah, your expression right now? That’s how I felt when I learned he wasn’t the jackhole in charge. I followed him to learn more about the trafficking—”

“Trafficking?”