Page 20 of Savage Mates (Ruthless Instinct #2)

“You aren’t in a position to make any demands, little human.”

Using her fists, she punched my chest, the light blows creating a wild twitch in my groin. My balls were heavy, the ache driving me crazy.

“I said,” she snarled. “Let me go.”

“No.” Instead of honoring her wishes, I tossed her over the stone edge of the well, allowing her to see just how deep it went. “If I were you, I’d be careful. If you fall, there won’t be a way of getting you out. I’d hate to hear your screams for days on end.”

“Don’t toy with her,” Titus said without speaking.

“I’ll toy with her if I want,” I answered out loud. “She deserves to understand we have full command of her.”

“What?” she hissed, stilling struggling to free herself from my hold. Her face twisted in horror when I brought the stick to my mouth, ripping at the bark with a flash of my canines I’d allowed to be exposed.

Since she already knew what we were, it should come as no shock we could shift partially if desired. The effect was exactly what I’d wanted.

She was stunned into submission, although I knew that wouldn’t last very long.

When I was finished peeling the stick until a nice piece of blond wood appeared, I jerked at her shorts.

“What? What are you doing?” Her moment of horror continued. She even managed a slight shriek when I managed to jerk the material past her hips and rounded buttocks.

Her skin was creamy white, her bottom a perfect fit for both hands.

The realization of what I was about to do hit her hard. She bucked and whined, almost managing to free herself.

I almost allowed her to do so, curious as to what she’d do while being surrounded by wild beasts. If she’d noticed the lionesses, she didn’t react, but their curiosity was increasing much like mine. They’d padded closer, ready to react and protect if given the cue.

The switch was perfect and should subdue her enough to allow us to interrogate her.

The moment I brought the switch across both ass cheeks, I felt a strange sense of excitement.

She moaned, her body stiffening immediately, but she wasn’t about to stop fighting for her freedom. The sound of my wrist cracking caught her attention a split second before I issued three strokes in rapid succession.

What I had to remind myself was that I’d need to control the strength used. I could mark her fragile skin, damaging it if not careful. The red lines crossing her skin were an indication I was right.

“Fuck. That hurts. You need to stop.” Her words brought a snicker in the pride.

She snapped her head toward them. That was the moment she noticed the lions. Instead of gasping or curling up in fear, she was completely mesmerized. As I peered down, I realized she was smiling.

Very slowly, I glanced toward the lionesses. They were calm, curious, but unafraid. She had a way with them, a love of our breed. Maybe so, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have malevolent intentions in mind.

“They’re beautiful,” she whispered.

I turned my head, glancing at Thor and Titus. They were as surprised as I was.

Another four cracks of the switch brought her attention back to where it should be, her whimpers music to my ears. “You will talk to us. You will answer questions.”

“No, I will not. You tried to kill me. You murdered the man protecting me. You’re criminals.”

After what she’d just seen, she was trying to convince herself that what she knew to be true wasn’t. Another fascinating moment. I rubbed the rough pads of my fingers across her heated skin, gathering her scent. When I brought them to my nose and took a deep breath, I was more startled than before.

She’d released pheromones. Her scent was much stronger.

Even from where I stood, I noticed her pussy lips were glistening. She was wet, the heat between her legs radiating. I hadn’t been prepared for the sight of her. Not like this.

The ache in my cock was even more intense, pulling at my control. Even my lion was angry, eager to break free.

Using every ounce of willpower, I smacked the switch against her upper thighs. She cursed and pushed herself up from the well, managing to sidestep me. I had to grab her by the arm, yanking her back.

This time, I meant business. She refused to surrender even when she knew there was no way of escaping.

Given her insolence, I brought the wood down in earnest, marking her skin in a way that would provide a decent reminder even as she raged against my hold. She needed to learn.

No, she needed to obey.

My mind was barely able to process the strange feelings and emotions.

“She refuses to give in.”

“She will,” Thor assured me. “With time.”

With this little human, I couldn’t be certain about anything except her sudden appearance was disruptive.

Her angry words became less frequent, her sounds now more like purrs as she ground her hips back and forth on the hard stone. Now my canines were bared completely, my chest heaving from the deep breaths I was using to control myself.

“We’ll finish her discipline inside,” Thor suggested. Maybe he was right. While I hadn’t been rough, able to control the beast, any more strikes of the switch and I might not be able to handle my lion as I should.

Her fragrance continued fucking with my mind, spiraling my thoughts out of control.

“You feel it,” Titus said as he walked closer.

“I feel nothing.” I snapped my wrist twice more, my entire body now humming from the intensity of need that would soon overwhelm me.

“Yes, you do.” He ripped at my arm, pulling me away before lifting her gently from the well. “Take a deeper intake of air, Zeus. You know what you’re sensing. Why deny it?”

“Because it’s not possible.”

She panted, her fingers clawing him while she tried to catch her breath. Her eyes were wild, her thoughts tumultuous, fearful of the desire coursing through her.

Titus was smiling as he managed to yank her shorts back in place. She didn’t bother fastening them, still so dazed from what had just occurred.

Yet there was no denying what she craved.

It was the same as I’d been doing since laying eyes on her.

The longing to taste her.

Fuck her.

Claim her.

The tightness in my chest was worse than before, my dick aching to the point of sheer agony. I took several deep breaths to try to clear my head. It wasn’t happening. Who this human was and for what reason she was here were uncertain.

But our connection was.

The electricity was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.

“You’re coming with us,” Thor said from behind me.

“No,” she insisted. “Why would I do that?”

He laughed. “I’ll say it again just so we are clear. Because you are our mate.”