Page 82 of The Alpha's Fake Mate

I kept walking, and turned to see the limo pulling up the side drive from the garage.

As I got to the edge of the flagstones, a strong hand gripped my arm from behind.

“Ori! Stop!”

He’d never called me that before. And in such a livid, angry tone.

I didn’t want to look at him. To see his fury. It would stop me from what I was determined to do.

“What are you doing?”

I yanked away from his grip.

When I didn’t answer his question, he said, “If you’re going to confront him, then I’m going, too!”

No! I wouldn’t do that to him. But he’d guessed correctly. I knew Bosk’s address. If I could get to him before the meeting--

“What are you going to do? Kill him? And then be brought up on murder charges?” Holland grabbed my arm again, swiftly spinning me to face him. “No! Besides, if anyone kills him, it should be me. But we’re not going to do that.”

“Why not?” I couldn’t see him clearly. My vision was breaking up. Not tears. I was too angry for tears. But rage. The blackness of it starting to hone in on the sides, and my focus continually trying to adjust.

“Orion. Listen to me. I had time to think all night and today. Even if I go with him, even if the worst were to happen to me and he forced himself on me again.” He paused. Swallowed. His eyes became shiny. “Even if that happened, I’d fight that bond. I did before. It didn’t take. I feel nothing and the agents in the blood are minimal. I’ll fight it again. Bonds are more than physical anyway. Everyone says it. They’re emotional. I feel only rage toward that man. Only hate. We would never fully bond. Never. And you can fight it in court and say that. And then you’ll get me back.”

“I won’t let it go down that way.” Gruff, hoarse, my throat threatened to close.

Holland took both my hands in his, holding them tight.

“You don’t get to choose. I do. Much as I want it, there won’t be any killing. Not today. Hopefully not any day.”

I tried to pull back from him again, but he wouldn’t allow it.

“If you do this,” Holland said. “I swear. I’ll never speak to you again.”

I blinked hard, realizing my breaths came fast as if I’d been running.

“No! I have to confront him. I want the Challenge.”

“My love.” His voice had softened. “The Challenge has been outlawed for over three hundred years.”

“I want it!”

“I know.” He tugged at my hands. “Come back inside. Please.”

I was shaking now. But I had to follow him. He commanded my every move and thought just by being alive. He was more the Alpha in this relationship than I had ever been.

I left the limo quietly humming, and blindly followed him back inside.

Everything was too bright, too painful, too much. The hormones had made my sensitivity increase, but I still didn’t feel the Burn. My skin didn’t heat. My cock remained limp inside my trousers.

Holland led me upstairs to my room. He sat me down on my bed, then crawled over me until I fell back. He pressed himself to me and held me.

He held me until my shaking subsided.

Chapter Nineteen

Holland

We lay in the afternoon shadows of Orion’s room listening to each other breathe, our hands clasped side by side. Waiting. Waiting for the moment we had to get up and go to Saben’s offices to see if we had any legal ground left to stand on.