moment Darrin and his m

he turned to face me, his voice filled with frustration. "What the hell is wrong with you

a result of that, I had no will to defend myself... to reply wittily as

t instruction. A simp

ical summit with literal Lycan mafia present... and

use

ugh his dark hair, pac

spread rumors about the Alpha's bride disrespecting him before she's even earned the title

im exactly what he wanted... an opportunity to twist this to his advantage. Y

spered. "I didn't

ys meant to! Have I ever been unkind to you? Have I ever treated you harshly? All I have ever d

was, the air felt suffoca

Maybe then you'd learn the 'error of your ways'. Maybe the

tering the wood. It gave way immedia

on my hands. Today was supposed to be a negotiation. A chance to r

things are worse. Thanks to a cer

d myself replying, "You were the one who called off th

me squirm in fear, falling a st

led, stepping closer, "when

y regrette

he insulted you, my future bride, right to my f

ained

nded. "You're one

uttered r

his is a game, Lyla? That men like Darrin

ad sadly. "No

ng down at me, but I didn

you," he said aft

urning quicker tha

y human did. The basics of werewol

lesh... of the mating bond taking hold, bindin

d, there was no escapi

en after marking, but not without consequ

urious, towering Lycan before me. I was powerless to r

te you stepped foot here." He said. "If I had, Darrin wouldn't

ith a response. The

ver me, lingering on my bare shoulders, then d

he explained, gently inspecting my neck. Soon, his fingers started to trace t

?" I ask

it would for a wolf. And if it's in a visible pl

idered my feelings in this. That d

int? Of 'marking'? So pe

at people can see. It's

rowned. "He said he

ark doesn't mean it wasn't there. For all he knew, I could've m

you mark me, then?"

ne. "Somewhere o

n his voice caused a

ve my collarbone. "Here would be traditional," he muttered. Then, his hand slid lower

ocess. I shut my eyes against the sensation, my body reacting to

eat gathering b

ath my bra, though it wasn't exposed. His eyes,

, his voice raspy. "S

of my stomach, and I choked back

eneath it simmered something else...

was alive

en, gently, he low

" he said. His voice had softened

d, swal

him kneeling before me, one large hand around my waist, steadying me, th

his fangs before his li

his mouth on me, the warmth of his tongue against my

slipped pa

it th

ay anger and lust infused the air, the way a man as huge a

w offici

many times I deni

ment e

cent will cling to you. Any wolf who gets too close wil

f they

'll kil

m. I was still trying to get over the feel of his mouth on m

ty. "As punishment for what you did today, your m

sank. "Wa

nd that, you're limited. The greenhouse and the immediate grounds are the

arted, but his g

t under

my cheek, frustratio

during the marking, I'd assumed I was

ded that my actions st

I muttere

ed, frown dee

ling into fists at my s

ou're di

room, making sure to s

t stayed in my room. Now, not only was I stuck in t

Lyla Gray.