Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
“Then I’d be shocked. Yeah, a little disappointed, though I have no right to be. I’ll get over it. Doesn’t matter because you’re mine now and that means nobody ever touches you but me until the end of time. But I think you saved it for me. And that makes me very fucking happy.”
“Hmpf.”
He’s being such a callous asshole right now.
“So… did you?”
“Honestly, it’s none of your business.”
He’s not only being incredibly jealous and possessive right now, there’s an edge to him right now that’s downright mean.
“Ya think?”
“I do. I also think you’re a sex-obsessed man whore.”
“Maybe I was. But this man whore now belongs to just one female until the end of time and I’m more than good with it. Just sayin’… I have a feeling once I finally get to have you, finally experience the knot after you denying me all this time… guessin’ I’ll be more sex-obsessed than ever. Best of luck with that.” He flashes a wide smile. But he’s still got that angry edge.
“I can’t believe you,” I mutter.
“Believe it. Smell you, Bailey. Can’t wait to fuckin’ taste you. Find out if you taste like you smell. Like sweet apple pie.”
He slowly inhales and gives me a wide smile, all that angry edge gone. The dimples pop and I look away.
As angry as I am, now he’s getting to me. And it’s infuriating.
Argh. Why does he have to say things that set my clit on fire? And why does he get to know it?
My clit isn’t just on fire this time, it’s also throbbing. And it feels like my body is betraying me because I’m angry. Very angry. Yep, I’m way more angry than aroused.
“If I have my way, you won’t ever touch me,” I state coldly.
His expression drops.
“You hate me that much?”
“Yes!” I exclaim.
And we stare at one another for what feels like an eternity.
I’m breathing hard. My chest hurts. My head hurts.
The anger has left his face. Now I’m looking at pain. And so is he.
And I’m not enjoying this. Not at all. And I can tell he isn’t either.
He leans in so close our noses nearly touch, and though I know he can’t touch me, my heartrate is picking up pace as I shrink against the door.
I refuse to give headspace to the fact that part of me wants to close the gap. It’s a strange, inexplicable, broken part of me.
With more pain on his face than I can stand, he says, “The fact that you’d follow me around for nearly two decades like I’m the man of your dreams to suddenly deciding you want nothing to do with me tells me a lot about you, Bailey.”
“What’s that?” I manage to rasp.
He backs away.
“That you’re immature,” he practically spits. “That it was just a stupid crush you had. If it had any depth at all, you wouldn’t be acting like this. All I’ve done is live my life. I knew I’d find a mate some day but had no idea when it’d happen until the council members started droppin’ like flies. No idea if it’d be a perfect stranger or someone right under my nose. The other four all fell for strangers so odds were I would too. Did I handle things badly? I know I did. Stress made me act like an asshole. Giving a shit about your feelings made me hurt them. I fucked up and I’ve apologized repeatedly. Telling you I want you. I want us. And I do, even though you’re being so fucking heartless. Being unlike the Bailey I know.”
“The Bailey that irritated you like a pest for so many years,” I add.
He frowns. “I didn’t love you like a fated mate before this but I sure fuckin’ did for who you were. Though you’re showing me you aren’t who I thought. Everyone’s saying you’ve been pining for me in a way that’s deeper than a schoolgirl crush. But if you felt something real, wouldn’t you be ecstatic that it’s you for me?”
“You hurt me. You hurt my heart and you hurt my pride repeatedly, humiliating me, dismissing me callously. You weren’t trying to spare my feelings. You wanted me out of the way when you met your dream girl. So I wouldn’t annoy you. So you wouldn’t have to feel bad. And I’m mad as hell about all of this. I’m sick of this bullshit around here where the alpha gets what the alpha wants, fuck what everyone else wants or doesn’t want. Tyson got away with rutting Ivy in front of the pack and she had to suck it up because they’re mates, because she’s bonded to him. I saw how badly he devastated her. If she wasn’t biologically tied to him, do you think she’d be here? Your own sister is mourning an asshole who treated her horribly. Would she be grieving him without the stupid mate bond? You treat me like shit for weeks and suddenly now I’m just supposed to be like… oh! Jason wants me now because of how I smell. Yay! I’ll just open my legs and my feelings don’t have to matter because I’m so, so lucky to land a super-alpha. Which is such bullshit. And that’s why I want the laws changed, so biology doesn’t have to mean forever. Love shouldn’t be unconditional. It should come with conditions, including respect.”