5

Tears burned my eyes as my fingers circled faster, shame mixing with a heat I couldn’t stop from consuming me. My breath came in sharp gasps, soft whimpers escaping against my will. Each sound seemed to delight him, pulling another low growl from his chest.

“Pathetic,” he said darkly, though his jaw was tight, his eyes drinking in every twitch, every shiver. “Sobbing and wet all at once. Do you see it now? You’re mine, Leah. Even your hate can’t hide that truth.”

“No,” I gasped, though my body betrayed me, hips rocking against my own touch, chasing the wave that built with every second. “You’re wrong. I’ll never be yours.”

He chuckled cruelly, leaning back against the vanity.

“Then prove it. Stop.”

The command urged me, but I couldn’t. My wolf whimpered at me, dragging me forward, begging for release. My hand moved faster, shame and pleasure a blur until the tension snapped. A broken cry left my lips as I came hard, trembling violently, my walls clenching around nothing as I slipped my wet fingers out. 

Ares’s raw and hungry growl filled the room, but he didn’t move toward me. His fists clenched at his sides, his eyes black and gold as they blazed with hunger. 

I collapsed back against the bedframe, sobbing from the pleasure, the shame that I couldn't control the lust, and the sadness that I was doing this just moments after Seth died. My own release stained the sheets with humiliation, burning hotter than any pleasure.

The silence was heavy as I struggled to put myself together, his eyes once filled with desire, staring at me with hatred and disgust. He pushed away from the vanity, taking steps towards me until he was just inches away. He didn’t touch me. He didn’t have to. He bent closer, his lips grazing the air just above my trembling mouth.

“You think you won tonight, little wolf? That you still have your pride?” venom dripped from every word as he whispered.. “No. This was only the beginning.”

His eyes burned into mine as he trailed his fingers from the side of my face down my neck, causing me to tremble.

“One day, you will beg me. Not with words of hate. Not through tears. But with your body, your voice cracking as you plead for my hands, my mouth, my cock. For me to grant you the pleasure your wolf cries for.” 

His words twisted a knife into my gut. He took the fingers that were just in me and gave them a sniff, the sight causing me to clench in need once more.

His dark eyes flashed with amusement. “And when that day comes, it will be because you can’t breathe without me.”

He leaned in until I swore the heat of his lips brushed mine, though he still didn’t touch.

“That will be your torture, Leah. Knowing you belong to me… and waiting, starving, until you’re desperate enough to beg for what your wolf already knows is hers.” 

I shook my head, choking on my sobs. “Never.”

He chuckled, pulling away. “You will beg, Leah. You will beg while your father bleeds away in my cell. You will beg while your fiancé rots away in the soil. You will beg despite being reduced to nothing.  Until there is nothing left of you but the need for me.”

“Never!” I screamed, but he watched me, unfazed.

“And the worst part is, you would hate yourself for being a traitor. You’ll despise yourself for it. Because you’ll know I’m the monster who killed your future. For being your father’s worst shame. For being my toy. Because that's all you would ever be.My toy. My ruin. My little wolf.”

“I said, never!” My hand shot out, aiming to slap his cocky face.

But he had jutted out to stop mine before I could land a slap, and his eyes turned black with rage.

“Get out,” he snapped, his voice final, cutting through him like a blade. 

In shame, I clenched my hands around the nightdress nd made for the door as fast as I could. He stood, his back to me, tense and angry, and I pushed out of the door, only breaking down as I was away from him.

How dare he? How dare he?! My sobs echoed in the hall, and I didn't realize when the guards pulled me towards the dungeon once again as I sobbed at how I let my father down and let Seth down. 

Why would the moon goddess make that monster my mate? What did I do to deserve such a fate? Why couldn't I control my need and desire for him, despite my burning hatred?

The questions went unanswered because a shadow walked past me, making the guards disappear, and in a second, a hand clamped over my mouth, silencing my screams.

I found myself in a pitch black room, the hand clamped over my mouth falling immediately. I tried to find the door, but my eyes could barely focus in the dark. 

My eyes found a figure in the dark, and dread erupted on my skin as I backed away from it, my kidnapper. 

“Who are you?” I cried out, my voice shaky. “Did Ares plan this?”

The room brightened as a torch came to life, and I took in my captor. A tall man, handsome and commanding, with the rogue symbol imprinted on his arm, like all the others.

“My apologies for taking you like this, princess.” he gave a mock bow, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Who are you? What do you want from me?’ I asked, forcing steel into my eyes.

A smile widened his lips. 

“I need a lot of things, Princess Leah. But what I need from you is the greatest of them all.”

I folded my arms across my chest, skepticism filling me as I watched the weird rogue man in front of me. 

“And what is that?”

He let out a sharp sigh, his eyes growing sharp. 

“I’m Julius,” he said smoothly. “The King’s right-hand man.”

My chest tightened. The enemy.

His smirk deepened, and the firelight caught the rogue mark carved into his arm.

“And like you, Princess…” His gaze lingered on me,  heavy with unnerving  danger. “…I want Ares dead.”

My breath hitched. “What?”

Julius leaned forward, his words echoing.

“I need your help, Leah.” his voice lowered. “You’re going to kill the King.”