16. MATE

Kayla.

I headed straight to my room, my steps quick and heavy as irritation continued to burn inside me because of Scott’s reaction earlier. The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I became. His expression, his attitude, the way he had acted—it all replayed repeatedly in my mind, making the frustration settle even deeper into my chest.

I didn’t want to think about him anymore.

I just wanted to get to my room and shut the door behind me before my anger completely consumed me.

I hadn’t even fully turned toward my room’s direction when someone suddenly pulled me sharply from behind.

A startled gasp nearly escaped my lips as my back collided against a hard chest. Strong arms immediately wrapped around my waist, holding me firmly in place before I could even react properly. The grip was tight, possessive almost, leaving no room for escape as the person behind me leaned closer.

I felt him inhale my scent sharply, the sound low and deliberate against the side of my neck.

“Let go of me!” I protested instantly, struggling against him as I tried to pry his hands away from my waist.

My body twisted slightly in resistance, but his hold didn’t loosen even a little. Instead, his grip only remained firm and unyielding.

“Stay still!” His voice came out husky, deep and rough enough to send a slight chill down my spine.

For a second, I thought it was Scott.

The suddenness of it, the familiar strength behind the hold—it made my heart jump to that conclusion immediately. But the moment he spun me around to face him, I realized it wasn’t Scott at all.

It was Seth.

The instant his eyes landed fully on my face, his expression changed completely.

His face paled instantly in disgust and irritation, his features twisting as though my identity alone offended him.

“Why is it you?” he asked annoyingly, his voice sharp with immediate disappointment.

My irritation flared instantly at his reaction.

“And why did you grab me?” I shot back without hesitation, completely forgetting all my plans to act weak or timid around him. At that moment, annoyance outweighed everything else.

Seth scoffed loudly, his lips curling with mockery.

“You should be grateful I actually held you, pathetic human,” he said coldly.

“Well, I am not!” I snapped back immediately, rolling my eyes as I turned away, fully prepared to leave before the conversation became even more unbearable.

But before I could take another proper step, Seth suddenly grabbed me again and spun me back toward him.

This time, something about him felt different.

The irritation on his face darkened into something heavier, something far more dangerous. His expression hardened intensely, his eyes fixed on me with a look that made him appear less human and more like a monster barely restraining his inner desires.

Before I could react, he pulled me flush against him by my waist.

Then, in the very next moment, he claimed my lips instantly.

I froze completely.

The suddenness of the kiss stunned me so badly that I lost my breath for a moment, my mind going blank from pure shock. Seth tilted my head slightly, both of his hands gripping my face firmly as he deepened the kiss without hesitation.

I pushed hard against his chest, trying to resist him, trying to force space between us, but he didn’t budge at all.

After a while, frustration finally pushed past my shock.

Without thinking properly, I bit his lower lip hard enough to make him jerk back instantly.

Seth released me at once, his eyes narrowing sharply as his hand moved to his mouth. He stared at me with obvious disbelief, like he couldn’t process what I had just done.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, clearly surprised by my actions.

I immediately wiped my lips harshly with the back of my hand, anger rising violently inside me.

“Weren’t you taught to behave properly?” I shot back with annoyance, glaring at him without holding back my irritation anymore.

The words had barely left my mouth when Seth’s hand connected with my face instantly.

The slap echoed loudly.

My head snapped slightly to the side from the force, and for a moment, everything around me seemed to freeze completely.

I slowly turned back to look at him, my eyes wide with pure shock.

How could he be so shameless?

He had kissed me against my will, held me down like I had no choice, and then somehow still found the audacity to slap me afterward.

The humiliation burned hotter than the sting on my cheek.

And to make everything worse…

That had been my first kiss.

“Don’t forget your place, human!” Seth yelled furiously, his voice cold and sharp enough to cut through me instantly. “You are my personal maid, and whatever I do to you, you only have to accept it,” he added, his eyes dark with anger.

Before I could even react to his words, he suddenly grabbed me again.

And as if he wanted to prove every single word he had just said, he claimed my lips once more.

This kiss was harsher, more possessive and more brutal.

He kissed me like a predator devouring helpless prey, leaving no room for gentleness as he held me firmly in place. My body stiffened immediately, my hands pushing weakly against him even though I already knew he wouldn’t move.

The moment he finally pulled away, I gasped for breath instantly, my lungs burning as I tried to steady myself.

Seth’s fingers suddenly gripped my chin tightly, forcing my face upward until I was looking directly at him.

“Don’t think too much about this, human,” he muttered coldly. “You taste awful!”

His words stung almost as much as the slap.

I clenched my fists tightly at my sides, my nails digging painfully into my palms as I forced myself to endure the humiliation quietly.

“Yes, Alpha,” I said softly, bowing my head slightly even though it was one of the hardest things I had ever forced myself to do.

The satisfaction on Seth’s face returned instantly.

“Good,” he said.

His fingers brushed my hair backward slowly before he suddenly froze.

The change in his expression was immediate.

His hand pulled away from me at once as if he had just touched something impossible.

“No way,” he muttered under his breath.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair before staring at me intensely, confusion and disbelief flashing across his face.

“What the hell did you do?” he demanded.

I raised my brows slightly in confusion, completely unable to understand his sudden reaction.

Then Seth spoke again, his voice lower this time, almost disturbed.

“How can you be my mate?” he asked.