17

ALEXANDER

“What about me?” I asked her softly, eyes on my little mate.

She clearly regretted letting the question slip, but I appreciated the glimpse into her unfiltered thoughts. It was proof she wasn’t just the naive, quiet girl I first assumed her to be.

From the moment we met at that club, I sensed she had a devil tucked beneath all that softness. I’ve been trying to figure out what brings it out ever since.

Apparently, gossip might do the trick.

I nearly laughed at the thought. Me? Gossiping? The world must truly be ending.

“N-nothing,” she stammered, biting her lip.

I wanted that lip between my teeth again. I wanted to taste her sweetness, to pull her into my chaos and taint everything good in her. She was innocence personified, and that only fed the darker part of me. The monster inside wanted to ruin her, twist her into something just as corrupted, just so she’d fit perfectly at my side.

And the thought of her round with my child? That alone had me growing hard.

“Go on,” I murmured, dropping my voice a few octaves. I made sure she felt it vibrate in her bones. “What did you want to ask?”

Her body trembled, even as she tried to steady herself by biting her lip again.

I didn’t hesitate. I reached out and pinched her bottom lip between my thumb and forefinger, tugging it sharply from her teeth.

She gasped, more in surprise than pain. But the look in her eyes wasn’t fear.

It was hunger.

Desire flickered beneath the surface, unexpected and delicious. It set my thoughts ablaze.

“So many filthy things I want to do to you,” I whispered, mostly to myself.

“Do you want to be punished?” I asked.

She shook her head quickly, a little too quickly.

Her mouth said no, but her body told a different story. Now that was interesting.

Was my sweet little Alina secretly wicked in bed? Did she even know what she liked yet? I couldn’t wait to find out.

“No, sir,” she whispered, eyes falling to the ground.

Wrong move.

She had no idea what that did to me. The most innocent words fell from her lips and turned absolutely obscene. She could say something as simple as “water,” and my mind would still go places it shouldn’t.

Dragging her back to my room and making her scream my name until her voice gave out sounded like a much better plan than this walk.

Even my cock and the monster inside agreed for once. But when I looked down, I saw her digging her nails into her palms. Hard. She was nervous. Still unsure. Still afraid.

Good. I liked that she was scared of me. It gave me a rush I couldn’t explain. But I wasn’t going to cross a line.

No matter how badly I wanted her.

I’d made a vow to myself years ago, one born from watching my father ruin women like they were nothing. I’d never take a woman unless she came to me willingly.

She wouldn’t be the exception.

I sighed, frustrated with my own conscience. But if I forced something, I’d hate myself for it later.

I’ve never claimed to be a good man. I don’t follow the rules of war. In my book, women, children, the elderly, they’re all capable of pulling a trigger or setting a trap. So if I go to war, everyone falls. No exceptions. You’re either a casualty or you’re not. There’s no middle ground.

“Let’s keep walking.” The surge of bloodlust that came with the memory helped tamp down the lust.

She released a small breath, clearly relieved. I nearly laughed at her reaction.

I remembered her earlier question and decided to give her a straight answer this time.

“And if you’re wondering, no, I’m not like Kilian.”

I wasn’t making promises of eternal loyalty. I still planned to marry someone else for political reasons. That arrangement had nothing to do with desire.

And something told me I wouldn’t need anyone else once I had her.

“You won’t have to compete with another woman,” I said, letting my gaze linger on her body. “You’ll be enough for me.”

She drew in a sharp breath. A musky scent drifted into the air.

She was aroused.

I smiled.

Instead of giving in to the primal urge to claim her right there, I kept walking. She took a few seconds to catch up, which gave me time to regain control of myself.

I led her to a few places within the palace I thought she might like. We hadn’t explored much since arriving, and we weren’t leaving anytime soon. Eventually, I’d show her every inch of this place, but not yet.

She needed time. Confidence. If she wasn’t ready, the other women here would eat her alive.

We reached one of the more secluded spots in the estate, a forgotten garden with a crumbling gazebo. My mother used to love this place before she died. I never understood why. The trees were odd, the structure plain, but she always said it brought her peace.

As we approached, something in the air shifted.

A shadow moved.

I raised my hand, halting Alina behind me.

“Stay here,” I said, then disappeared toward the threat without a sound.