CH7

Chapter 7

Tanya

My neck burned. So much that I didn't know what to do.

"I'm telling you, you won't be able to withstand my wrath if I decide to unleash it on you," I said, forcing steel into my voice, trying to make him think taking me was a mistake.

I needed this. I needed anything just to make him leave me back where I was. Just to make him give up the idea of taking me with him.

He began to walk towards where I was standing, covering the space between us.

The tree was still in place, holding me back and keeping me trapped. Making it impossible for me to deal him the slap he deserved, even though it was the only thing I wanted to do.

His muscles were huge. Towering.

If he wanted to strangle me with those hands, there was going to be no way I would be able to escape him.

How could I be thinking of him strangling me right now?

But somehow, that was all that came to my mind with the way he kept walking towards me. With the way his hands hovered, ready to end me for disrespecting him.

I closed my eyes, expecting what was to come.

Expecting his threats. The silent message that he was trying to pass into me—that I was now under his jurisdiction and control.

Subjected to his emotions. His pity. And whatever it was that kept drawing me to him.

Oddly, his hands didn't stop at my neck.

Instead, I felt them settle against my waist.

"What are you doing?" I forced the words out as I stared at him in surprise.

The way his hands moved. The way they reached deeper into the torn fabric of the dress I wore.

Why?

Such a pervert.

I tried to push him off, but that only made him catch both of my hands with one of his. He raised them above my head, pinning them in place while his other hand remained firmly around my waist.

"You're trembling," he muttered.

As if he was speaking more to himself than to me.

Who cared whether I was?

What did that have to do with him anyway?

I tried to push him off with my body, but he was just so huge that it was impossible.

My thoughts skittered for a while.

The mate bond.

Damn it.

I bit my lip as I forced the thoughts backwards.

How could that be?

Why was it still there?

Why was I reacting to this man when the last thing I wanted was to be in his presence?

I doubled over, trying to use my body weight to break free, but that only gave him a better grip on me.

"Don't be scared, sweet," he said softly against my ear. "I won't hurt you."

That only made me more enraged than I already was.

I leaned towards his ear and sank my teeth into it, biting him as hard as I could until I tasted blood.

But he only pulled away after I had already released him, as though my act of defiance had barely affected him.

Instead, the blood dried up.

The wound healed.

And I was left staring at his ear as though nothing had happened at all.

He smiled, a knowing smile that left me shriveling inside.

Then he leaned toward me, capturing my mouth with his.

"You have such pretty lips. They should be used for something else, don't you think? Instead of saying things that haven't been asked of them."

"Shit... you," I cursed under my breath.

But that still didn't stop him.

Nothing I did seemed to stop him.

Instead, it only made him bolder.

He released my mouth, and I let out a scream that echoed painfully through the forest before he covered my lips again.

"I won't hurt you if you're quiet," he clarified, less softly this time, though I could still hear the amusement in his voice.

He released me again and breathed deeply against my cheek as his hand slid upward to my neck.

"Stay calm, mate."

He stroked his thumb across my jaw and smirked.

"You're in good hands."

His touch drifted lower, lingering as he held me firmly in place.

I squirmed and pressed my legs together.

"Don't," I said, my voice shaking.

I could feel the heat of him behind me, and I trembled despite myself.

Goddess, this was really happening.

Why me?

And why now, of all days?

I still didn't know where Sulli was, and now a man fate had bound to me as a second-chance mate was standing here, acting as though none of that mattered.

Who thinks about intimacy when they're drowning in this many problems?

I let out a soft whimper as his touch lingered.

I didn't want this.

I didn't want to react to him.

But I couldn't stop myself.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't.

He pressed closer.

"Don't cry, mate."

His voice rumbled low against my ear.

"Don't move," he ordered.

Shock, anger, confusion, frustration—everything crashed through me at once.

I hated that my body seemed determined to betray me.

I hated that the bond still existed.

I hated that, despite everything, I could still feel it pulling at me.

"Here's the deal," he said casually. "I'm going to do this for as long as I want. If you cooperate, I'll stop there and let you go."

His gaze darkened.

"But if you keep fighting me..."

His grip tightened slightly.

"...then things become much harder for both of us."

"Just let me go," I whispered. "Why are you even doing this?"

"We're mates," he replied. "Bound together by the Moon Goddess. One of us doesn't get to decide the fate of that bond."

His eyes locked onto mine.

"If anyone gets to make that decision, it's me."

I went very still.

Perhaps this was what he wanted.

Perhaps once he got whatever answer he was looking for, he would leave.

Perhaps then I could finally force him to accept my rejection.

And even if he refused, I would still have a reason to walk away from this bond forever.

"Good girl," he crooned, and pushed his finger between my pussy lips. I gasped again, and my knees trembled a little.

My breath caught.

Every nerve in my body seemed painfully aware of him.

And judging by the whispered curse that escaped his lips, he was just as affected as I was.