Twenty

DEARIL POV

Jade Alvarez was choosing me and as I let my finger trail her skin, my heart hammered against my ribs. The feeling was insane, but I loved it, it was a change from the usual rejection I received every waking hour.

For the first time, someone had chosen to stay with me. Jade had chosen me and that was her undoing because now she was mine. I was never going to let her go, and if I had to kill everything that breath to make sure of it then I would do it without blinking an eye.

My wolf howled its consent and if it wasn't for the fact that our bite could kill her, we would have marked her as ours. Her scent was divine, but I wanted the whole world to know she was mine. I wanted her to reek of me so that they all knew who she belonged tom

Jade stared at me from under her lashes. "Do you really think that you can keep me here forever, away from the world? Away from my family"

The question grated on my nerve but the docile way she'd asked me made me furious. Where was the fire that always roared in her gaze? Where was the fierce challenge in her eyes? This was not her, and I knew she was holding back. I could sense it coming off her in waves.

And why did my twisted mind which thought her submission would tame the roaring within my soul, was now striving for her defiance?

My hands curled around her short hair, the tendrils soft against my palm before I yanked on it. She yelped, her gaze crashing against mine in a flash.

"You are mine now, Jade. I mean what I said. You're never leaving this place".

"Let go of my hair, dog!" She gritted out, her face a pure mask of fury that would have scared a mere mortal shitless.

I smirked, soaking up her reaction as if they were the air I needed to breathe. Leaning towards her doesn't change her expression, instead, they harden further.

"That's not the way a Pet addresses its Master is it?".

She inhaled sharply before a sweet smile touched her lips. "I'm being very respectful Dearil, if I wasn't, you wouldn't still be yanking on my hair, matter of fact, you wouldn't be breathing, so let the fuck go".

I tugged harder. "But you're at my mercy now aren't you. I can do whatever it is I choose to do with you. You gave your consent".

"Did I? Where is your proof"

The question made me let go of her hair, and she smirked. I glanced at her kneeling between my thighs, a devious glint in her alluring eyes.

"You're on your knees".

Jade paused, then glanced at her knees on the floor as if she thought I was lying.

"We had an understanding Jade, so don't ask me for any stupid proof. That law might apply in your world, but it doesn't In mine. You got on your knee willingly, so you shouldn't try to manipulate things that are already set in stone. You are mine now, argue further and I'm going to show you how far I'm willing to go to keep my pets".

Jade scoffed, her dainty finger coming to rest on my thigh. The little touch sent my heart into a drumming frenzy, and I could feel myself start to harden in my pants.

"I am no one's Pet".

I smiled. I was definitely going to enjoy taming my little vixen. Jade thought she could pretend to submit, but because of the way she grew up, she couldn't help being on top and I could see it. It was clear as day that she had a plan, but whatever it was she wasn't going to succeed no matter how hard she tried. It was also only a matter of time before I found out what it was.

"What's so funny?"

"You Jade Alvarez, you're amusing. But I have to admit, you'd have made a perfect Alpha for one of the clans".

"I was always a born leader" she bragged with a cocky smile and it made me want her even more. Jade was so confident in herself, it was enviable.

My wolf was quiet and that made me ponder some things. It was as if after she submitted, all his blinding rage cleared off, and now just spending time In her company assured us that she was not going to go anywhere.

I grabbed her hands off my thigh because they were distracting and the air reeked of sexual pheromones that were messing with my head and urging me to claim.

I had to remind myself that she was not my mate and that when my mate finally showed up, I'd have to decide on what to do with Jade Alvarez, but with the way I was obsessed, I doubted that I'd let her go even if I found my mate.

The thought of it alone, the thought of having to send her away, or to let her be In the arms of another had my wolf rearing its head in rage.

"You're crushing my hands!" She yelled, then yanked them out of my hold. "What the fuck is wrong with you".

Jade glared at me and I growled, rising to my feet. Fuck! Fuck this! Fuck it all to hell. "You're what Is wrong with me. You're never going to leave this place, and I need you to accept that, got it!" I roared, yanking her up from the floor and slamming her into me.

Jade came upright, her eyes fiercely determined as her skin rubbed against mine. It was a delicious distracting feeling.

"Whatever you say Master. Does that calm the animal inside you".

"Watch your mouth!" I warned, my wolf messing with my head.

Jade pressed closer against me until my cock was pressed between us. It was both pain and pleasure. "Watch your temper! I didn't choose to submit just for you to crush me in a blind rage all because you have issues".

Inhaling deeply, I tried to calm down. My fist clenched and unclenched as I put some space between us. My wolf was so fickle that whenever it went into one of its rages, it was hard to bounce back, and I knew if it was rage mixed with pleasure, it wasn't going to end well.

Warm hands cupped my cheeks. I blinked, then stared at the human who had to go on her tippy toes just for her hand to reach and caress my cheeks.

"We had a deal. Can I trust you to be Human enough for the unforeseen future. Can I trust you not to strangle me in my sleep".

Her voice soothed and analyzing her words calmed my wolf. She had said the unforeseen future, which meant that she was accepting her fate.

"If you don't piss me off, I'm pretty sure I won't go near that tempting neck of yours". It was a lie. I wanted to wrap my hands around her throat and choke her, but not to kill her.

"I don't quite believe you. You have the lying look In your eyes".

"You're wise not to" I got out and was on her before she could blink. My hands wrapped around her throat. Her flesh was warm and her veins thudded against my palm rhythmically.

Her eyes held mine, a challenge in them and we just stood there, breathing each other in.

"Did I submit my flesh to you too Dearil, was that part of the deal?" she asked, her voice gaining a husky edge to it.

The insane current flowing between us, she felt it too, it wasn't just me. But I knew it would only end with one outcome. Disaster! I was going to kill her in the end, if it wasn't by my hand it was going to be my bite. The thought made it difficult to breathe, but still, I couldn't let it go.

"I'll be fair," I told her instead, my lips grazing against her shoulder blades and I watched mesmerized as goosebumps beaded over her pale clear skin.

"How will you be fair? You've invaded my space without asking my permission. If I didn't think you were super hot, I'd have jabbed you right here" she indicated with her palm pointed at my throat. "You would have probably been wheezing like a dying cat right about now".

"I wouldn't have felt it". My hold tightened against her neck, but she didn't acknowledge it, there was no fear in her gaze, only dark curiosity.

"If you're going to choke me, you should squeeze harder".

Grinning, I pressed down harder, and she gasped in shock, her eyes widening in sudden panic.

"Be careful what you wish for baby. I'm known for being very generous".

Jade tapped at my hands twice and I let go immediately. She coughed, her glare digging into my skull as she tried to gulp in the air.

"I'll remember that the next time I have a mind to ask you something, matter of fact, I do now. I want food!" she got out after getting her cough under control.

"That sounded like a command, and I don't see you on your knees," I said just to rile her up and it works beautifully. Her cheek reddened and her eyes narrowed with riotous outrage.

Jade glanced at the floor as if they were the most despicable thing in the world. She seemed to have an internal battle within herself, but in the end, she went to her knees.

It was a heady feeling, the way her obedience made me feel, but it got headier when I saw the fire in her eyes.

"May I please get some food to eat and possibly have this chain removed"?

"That is two requests complied into one and all you've done is kneel at my feet. What are you willing to do to have your chains removed Jade".

Jade glared, then bit her lips and I could almost see the wheels going around in her head.

"You said, you'll be fair. We skipped that conversation without concluding".

She was witty. "Fine. You'll get your food tonight and your chain will also be removed. But to make things more interesting and fair, how about for everything you need, we play a game of spin the bottle for it".

Jade scoffed, then rolled her eyes. "What are you, twelve".

I frowned, and she sighed. "And what are the rules".

"If the bottle lands on you, you get to ask me for anything you want except leaving of course".

"And if it lands on you," she asked skeptically and the smile on my lips stretched wider.

"I get to claim a body part".