Chapter 4

~Jared~

I watched as her eyes darted everywhere. I knew she was looking for someone—probably her brother. Standing from my seat in the midst of the celebration, I followed her. I saw her drag her brother to a secluded place and hid in the shadows while she spoke to him.

My heartbeat dropped when I heard her question, and a pang of guilt crushed me like a raging storm. There was no way I was going to tell Lael that her wolf was dormant because of my curse. She was like this because she was my fated mate, and the only way she could get her wolf back solely depended on her.

She needed to fall in love with me without feeling the mating bond.

The next minute, I balled my hands into tight fists when her brother said their father was going to rescue them. That bastard knew he couldn't get into my territory and leave unscathed. He knew the moment he came here, I was going to tear his limbs apart and make sure he never saw daylight again.

"Come out," she muttered, but it was more of an order. My little lamb had so much fire inside her. I recalled the day I met her—Lael's eyes had widened in horror. I had just finished taking care of a rogue, and she was so young that she fainted on the spot. But my wolf recognized her. I had to leave her in the woods because of my curse; she was sixteen then, and I couldn't touch her, or she would lose her wolf early. But I sent a signal to her pack members before leaving so she wouldn't be in danger.

"Manners? Too late for that, little lamb," I taunted.

"Don't call me that. I have a name, and it's Lael," she corrected, her voice laced with spite. I stepped closer to her, and she took a step back. Our eyes locked in a fierce stare until she collided with the wall. I caged her with my hands as her back pressed against it.

"Too late for that, sweetheart. I prefer this endearment," I uttered softly, my fingers playing with her long auburn hair. The texture was silky, and I liked the scent of her shampoo.

Her hands flew to my chest as she tried to push me away. "It looks like you have an obsession with my chest," I teased, and she glared at me.

"Back off," she snarled, and I took a step back.

"I think we've had enough fun. Let's go," I said, taking hold of her arm. She tried to remove her hand from my grasp, but my grip was firm. She was so stubborn, and I knew how interesting this would be. The moon goddess knew what she was doing when she gave me Lael as my mate.

"If you don't stop struggling like a child, little lamb, I'll carry you," I warned. She stopped then, but her glare remained. We were in the wing leading to my chambers when she asked, "Where are we going?"

"To our room," I answered. She stopped in her tracks, my hand still on her wrist.

"You must be kidding, right?" Her eyes searched mine as she waited for my answer.

My lips tilted up in a grin. "We are mates, Lael. You're my luna, and you should sleep in my room," I reminded her. Her eyes widened. "No, no. There must be something you can do about this. I can't stay in your room," she protested, her lips quivering.

"Well, I don't want rumors spreading in my pack, so you'll have to swallow your pride and stay in my room. Think about it—there's nothing wrong with having me beside you. I mean, you have a handsome Alpha beside you," I said proudly, my fingers caressing her face. She swatted my hand away. "In your dreams, Jared," she snarled while I chuckled.

We reached my room, and she walked in, her eyes taking it all in. My room was dimly lit, with a massive bed and dark wood furnishings, exuding power and masculinity.

"We're not sharing the same bed, Jared. You either sleep on the sofa or find another option," she stated firmly. I looked at her in amusement—she was literally trying to banish me from my own bed.

"Not possible, little lamb. You either sleep with me or find somewhere else to stay," I retorted. Her lips parted slightly, her face reddening in shock.

"You—you can't even be a gentleman for once, you evil thing," she hurled at me while I rolled my eyes.

"Don't you ever get tired of calling me names? You somehow find ways to come up with new ones. Aren't those sultry lips of yours meant for other things?" I moved closer to her. "Like kissing me," I whispered.

She snorted. "You think too highly of yourself, Jared. If I wanted to do anything to you, it would be to kill you. Trust me, you'd better watch your back because you won't know when I'll strike," she threatened, and my eyes darkened.

"I can't wait to see you try, little lamb. But first, I need to warn you about something—you need to be stronger before you can even touch me. Look at yourself; your body shows how weak you are. Get some rest, little lamb," I remarked, walking into the bathroom without waiting for her response.

I could sense how livid she was. I pulled off my clothes as I stepped into the bathtub that had been decorated romantically. A smile found its way to my lips as I remembered the taste of her blood, how her body shuddered when I touched her, and the sound of her moans in my ears—so enchanting. I felt myself harden, and a low growl escaped my lips.

"Oh, Lael, you have no idea what you've done to me."