Chapter 11: Chilling smile

The cool evening air was like a soothing caress Natalie desperately needed.

Natalie took several calming breaths, trying to not only ease her anger but that of her wolf. Raven was raging over how that male had held her as if he owned her. And the very thought was driving her so insane she was practically crawling at Natalie's brain.

Natalie stiffened as she heard footsteps approaching. Expecting it to be Mark, she turned to give him a piece of her mind but paused when she saw it was her father. He sighed as he halted a few feet behind her.

"Natalie, I think it's time you stopped fighting this. Mark is dominant, and I won't have you disrespecting him in my house. Lord knows I trained you better than that."

Natalie turned slowly, her hands clenching into tight fists.

"Do you know he tried to bite me? Tried to show his dominance by physically overpowering me with his sharp teeth?"

Her father rolled his eyes, which could only mean he knew.

Her suspicions were right. Lance was a monster.

"When I arranged this mating, I knew exactly what I was doing, Natalie. Mark is the perfect man for you. He will tame you, and believe it or not, that's exactly what you need."

Raven growled and Natalie hissed out loud. "Just like I proved to Mark that I can deliver some serious pain to his groin whenever he tries to use them on me, is the same way I will prove to you that you are wrong about me. I'm not weak, and by the time you discover it, it will be too late."

Lance scoffed. "You won't be here for me to notice anyway. Just so you know, Mark and I have arranged the mating ceremony to take place on the next full moon, which is a week from now."

Natalie gasped in shock.

"You didn't," she whispered in disbelief.

He shrugged.

"I'm sure you know I don't say things I don't mean. You can't escape this, Natalie. It's already a done deal."

"Besides, I've already claimed you."

They both turned to see a smirking Mark resting on a bench behind them.

Ice washed over Natalie as she stared at both of them.

"I don't accept that claim," she hissed.

"Your father does," he countered, and her father beamed as he walked past them and headed for the garden.

Natalie shook her head incredulously. She couldn't understand why they were doing this. Why was Mark doing this?

"What is all this really about? You don't even like me. Why would you want me as your mate?"

"Of course I like you."

"If it's an alliance with Lance you want, I'm pretty sure you could get it without mating with me."

Mark looked at her curiously.

"You truly don't see your worth, do you? I wasn't sure if it was an act at first."

"You don't need a fixer. You already have a healer."

He folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm not talking about your worth as a pack member. I'm talking about your worth as a person, as a female. You're a very beautiful, sensual, refreshing female. Totally without artifice. You have just as many alpha vibes emitting from you as any other Luna—Kage or not. And as for your iron will… I never thought I would meet a person more stubborn than me."

So he recognized that she was more stubborn than him and yet they were still having this discussion? She failed to see the logic in that.

"Look, you and me… we don't sing from the same hymn sheets. We're not even the slightest bit compatible. You need a nice submissive female who'll say and do what you tell her to and make all the right noises at the appropriate times. Me… I'm just going to piss you off."

"You're right, Natalie, I do like my females submissive. And that is exactly what you will be when we mate."

Did he truly believe that? From the look on his face, it seemed like he did. Natalie scoffed.

"You must seriously be smoking crack."

He laughed.

"The delusional one in this situation is you, Natalie."

"I'll never mate with you. Never."

The look he gave her was sympathetic. "It's sad that you actually think you'll win this battle."

"It's sad that you even started this battle. Why would you want me when you know I don't want you? Why would you want me when you know I'd fight you every step of the way?"

The chilling smile he gave her made realization click into place.

"I don't want you despite those things. I want you because of them."

"So you get your kicks out of forcing yourself on women?"

"No, not forcing myself on them. I'm not a rapist. But I love a challenge, and I love to be in control. Power is a heady thing for me, Natalie. What greater power is there than to be able to own someone who doesn't want you, someone whose will you can break bit by bit until they have gone from a spirited, dominant, independent individual to a person who is totally submissive to you?"

It took a few seconds for Natalie to be able to speak. "You're sick."

He jiggled his head. "Maybe I seem that way to you now, but just know that a year from now, you will want nothing more than to please me in every way I want to be pleased."

"Never," Natalie bit out.

"I won't need to force you. You will crave my dominance and my direction. I'm looking forward to you moving into my home. Then we can begin your training."

"Sick, delusional, and suicidal. That's what you are."

"Suicidal?" He sounded amused.

"I'd kill you before I let you touch me."

"You really would try to, wouldn't you? Even if it meant risking your own life."

"If I mated with you, I'd be practically dead anyway," she spat. "Being some little slave for you wouldn't be a life."

"I don't think I've ever met a female who has more resistance to the idea of submission than you."

"My resistance is to the idea of submitting to you."

His creepy smile widened.

"And that just makes the whole thing so much sweeter."