Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 152666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 763(@200wpm)___ 611(@250wpm)___ 509(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 763(@200wpm)___ 611(@250wpm)___ 509(@300wpm)
He reached what seemed like a random spot and stopped, delicately uncoiling my feet from around his waist and setting me down gently. Weston was back to the chivalrous gentlemen so at odds with the vicious alpha marching me to my doom.
His hot and cold routine had me spinning in circles. I couldn’t handle the dichotomy of him hating me one moment and treating me like gold the next. I didn’t know what to do with Weston, the kind, caring man. It weakened my resolve to hate him and then I was left angry and hurt when he switched back to being Alpha. I was left ashamed and embarrassed when I remembered he was the bad guy.
I wanted to scream in frustration. My nerves were frayed from being in his proximity for so long without relieving the overwhelming sexual tension.
Or hell, maybe I wanted to cry. My heart hurt from the revelations about Granny and my village, I was scared about my future, and felt beyond frustrated that these people would not believe the product wasn’t dangerous.
Basically, I was not handling this abduction very well. Not even a little. I was at my breaking point. Someone was going to go down with the ship. It would not be me.
“You’re no better than Granny, you know that?” I shouted as he steadied me, standing close and with the utmost patience even though I could see a crowd of people standing by, waiting for his direction. I jabbed him with a finger. “You’re really sweet and amazing some of the time, but otherwise, you’re a huge asshole. Just like Granny, apparently. She gave me gifts and made me sticky buns. And then, yes, she punished me, but only when I broke the rules. You said she was keeping me caged? Well, what are you doing? And let’s not even go into you hate-fucking your prisoner. You’re using me just like she did. The only difference is you’re just doing it for your own pleasure.”
I winced as I said it, my heart feeling ragged. I doubled down on my anger to compensate.
“She kept me in the village to make product, and now you’ve captured me with the intent to kill me so I’ll stop. She at least consulted me about the product. She listened to me about it. You? Not a chance. I’ve proven it is not dangerous. You’ve seen my village; you know it isn’t running rampant with addiction and death. Yet you will not listen to me about its properties. You want to kill me, and come hell or high water, you plan on doing it. So how different are you, really? I said it before and I’ll say it again, Alpha, you are not the good guy in this story. And like when you worked for this king and queen, stealing people and ruining families, you’re not the powerful guy who is just. You’re just the guy with power.”
He leaned down until he was directly in my face, his body coiled tightly and his breath coming quickly. The air heated between us with his wavering restraint, his lips inches from mine but coming no closer. He was barely in control of himself.
I was not in control of myself. Not at all.
“She gave you presents to keep you happy. She punished you to keep you in line. She spent all her time manipulating you, obviously so. I have not done any of that. I don’t give two shits if you’re unhappy. As far as how I’m handling you, I have my reasons.”
“Screwing a prisoner you constantly threaten with death is a pretty immoral fucking situation.”
“If I was forcing her, sure. I’m not forcing you. You screw me of your own free will.”
My face burned red and I balled my fists, my core pounding and the energy between us zipping with fire. We were so close our breaths mingled. Our chests rose and fell quickly, each of us teetering on the edge.
“You do care if I’m unhappy,” I ground out, fighting fire with fire. “You make that abundantly clear when you put in the effort to make sure I come. Repeatedly.”
His gaze burned into mine. Lust sparked hotter between us, growing like a brush fire. Passion coiled within me as my unbearably wet core throbbed.
He didn’t respond. Instead, he about-faced and walked away, taking his heat and mouth-watering scent with him. He started barking orders at his people with cool efficiency. His authority and command couldn’t be rivaled. It wasn’t only his magic, but an obvious natural talent. A love for his pack. I realized that I admired him for it, for the way his people revered him. For the community he fostered and unity he nourished.
I stood alone in the aftermath, suddenly chilled and silently nursing the sting of his dismissal. I was so horribly turned around. Upside-down. Confused. Despite our situation, it felt like he was chipping away at my hatred of him. The more I learned about the alpha and his people, the more I grew to like them. The more I forgot about the precarious situation I was in.