Twenty two

DEARIL POV

The world was a hazy red and the snapping in my head drowned out the rational part of me that told me I was going to kill Jade in my anger. It was even mind-boggling that I was reasoning at all.

Jade shifted back, her stance alert and ready for my attack. She should have run, because smelling another's wolf scent on her aggravated my wolf to the point of madness, and I knew that there would be no going back once I let go.

"I wasn't doing anything wrong, I was just teaching the little shit a lesson"

Roaring, I took a step in her direction, and before I can think about my actions, my hands were wrapped around her throat and squeezing.

"YOU. ARE. MINE" I yelled then shoved her without any control over my strength and watched, heaving wildly as she was flung into the air before she crashed against the drawer, the pressure of her fall knocking down all the items on top of it.

Her groan reached my ears, and I felt a toe-curling pain singed up my spine. It didn't make the anger go away, instead, it fueled it, urging me to do more. Maybe the pain would finally drown out the anger I felt.

I picked her up and she groaned, her nails digging into my arms as she tried to shove me off and at the same time try to get air into her lungs.

"Your lips are mine. We had a fucking agreement. You submitted to me, how dare you let that filth lay a hand on you" I roared and her eyes flinched close before she forced them to open.

Even in my anger, I was scent-marking her, wiping the filthy acrid scent of the dead wolf and replacing it with mine until she reeked of me. If my wolf was crazy enough we would have pissed on her, that way, everyone would know who she belonged to.

As my scent took, the action caused the hazy red in my gaze to dissipate and for my mind to start working almost normally again.

We stared at each other, my hands around her throat, and her nails scratching my arms without a pause, her breathing hard and heavy.

"My lips are not yours" she got out with a smirk despite the situation and I swore, applying more strength to my hold. Her eyes were challenging, and it drove me near the point of insanity.

"Well, allow me to rectify that error on my part" I growled, then yanked her by the throat and crushed my lips against her. Fireworks exploded even as the taste of the Omega that lingered on her lips hit my taste bud. The fury burned within my very soul and Jade whimpered as I crushed her against me, my tongue in her mouth as I kissed her wantonly, furiously.

I didn't feel remorse for killing the Omega, and I would gladly kill anyone else that dared to touch what was mine. Even if she wasn't my mate and she didn't bear my Mark, they all already knew that I'd laid claim to her, and yet, he'd dared kiss her. He deserved worse than death. I was too hasty, I should have tortured him, I should have killed slowly, savoring every moment of the last painful breath he took.

Kissing Jade was both heaven and hell. I wanted to destroy her, and at the same time wanted to burrow deep within her skin until she didn't know where she began and where I ended. I wanted, needed to get rid of everything that wasn't me from her. She was mine, mine until I was ready to let go. And I'll never be ready. Jade was never leaving me. Period!

I could taste her blood mixed with mine as she bit harshly on my lips, and the action just made my blood roar with a feral passion as I kissed her wilder, harsher, and deeper. Her lips tasted like they were meant for me to feast on, and the little sound she made got me so hard that I almost came in my pants. Jade couldn't fight it, couldn't stop it and she definitely couldn't stop herself from sharing in my passion.

Pulling her closer against me until it felt like our skin was branded as one with hot coal, my hands skimmed down her dress, over her breast which seemed to swell underneath my touch then over her hips, my fingers trailing and teasing her flesh. Feeling more clothes in my way, I growled into the kiss, then grabbed the neckline of her dress and ripped it all in one strike.

A moan escaped her throat that shot straight to my groin, and the next thing I know was a sharp jarring pain as her knees connected with the said groin.

I broke the kiss, letting go of her throat as the fog of lust and anger cleared. We were both breathing harshly, our chests rising and falling to match.

Her hands left her side and smacked across my face harshly, her tongue darting out to lick at her swollen lips.

"Damn you!" Her voice shook, and her whole body trembled. "You have no right to kiss me when you haven't won any part of my body yet. Is this how you go about keeping your word, huh? I guess dead Aiden here was right about you being the worst leader he'd ever served. If I had a gun, I'll kill you where you stand" she yelled, her eyes fiercer than a starving animal.

She was talking about our little game. I stepped closer to her, my heart pounding in my chest. "Tell me, was he the one you submitted to, did he play the game with you? Did he win and claim your lips as a reward, or are you just a cheap slut who doesn't know how to stay loyal" I said and a terrible ache settled in my guts as Jade's eyes narrowed. What was this fucking feeling? I wanted to hurt her and not myself.

Jade's fist clenched, her lips trembling in undiluted rage before she bit on it, took a sharp puff of air then all the emotions that had been vivid on her face disappeared and it was replaced by an icy stare that rivaled mine and a cocky twist to her lips.

I could see bruises forming around her neck where I'd choked her. It made my heart clench. Fucking hell. I was supposed to be mad as hell, and not feel guilty about putting my hands on her.

"He didn't have to do anything to kiss me Dearil, and no one kisses me. I kissed him. And I did that so you'd get mad and kill him for me. I used you to do my dirty work and if that makes me a slut, well, that's that".

"Why?" I got out and resisted the urge to grab her by the shoulders and shake her or kiss her. It was a fucking rollercoaster.

"I don't have to tell you anything" she spat, then her fist rammed into my jaw, then there were more hits, her punches landing like a flash until I captured her hand in mine, shoved her around till her back was turned to me and I was hunched over her wriggling form.

"Enough! Stop fighting" I ordered, using my Alpha voice and her body seized, then stilled against me, her shoulders sagging.

"Fuck your stupid mind control" she snapped but stayed still.

Her punches had been loaded, and they had hurt too, but the internal pain I felt was worse and there was something that told me that it was all connected to her. It was as if I felt her pain.

"Tell me everything that happened" I ordered again, using my Alpha voice and she shook her head, trying to resist. "Tell me!" I insisted.

"He was fucking disrespectful and talked crap about you. I'm a fucking Don, do you think I was going to sit back and listen to people talk shit to me. You're the Alpha of this pack right, so he should have respected that I was off-limit, but he didn't care, and I knew I couldn't kill him myself so I kissed him because I knew you would come charging in and that's exactly what happened. I also anticipated you trying to snap my head off, but it was a fucking risk I was willing to take to get rid of that freaking brat" she yelled, her voice becoming angrier the more she recounted.

Hearing the whole story almost made my jaw drop, because there was no way she was pissed off that someone had been speaking ill of me. I'd always endured, always tried to rein in the anger to keep my pack. I'd snapped today, and an Omega lay dead at my feet. The council was going to be pissed, but I didn't care. That all faded in comparison to what Jade had risked, even If she'd also done it for herself.

No one had ever defended me or try to fight on my behalf. Jade had, despite knowing that I could kill her in a fit of rage. The pain and anger in my chest intensified but breathing her scent and being so close to her soothed some of it away. I was mad, mad at myself, mad at my wolf, and mad at the fucking world. Shoving my massive Alpha ego down my throat, I let out the words I knew wouldn't change what I'd done.

"I am sorry. I was wrong"

Jade stilled in my arms, her breathing evening. "Are you apologizing?" She asked, almost as if it was an unbelievable concept.

"Yes. I shouldn't have gotten so angry. I shouldn't have hurt you when you were just trying to defend your Master".

She scoffed, a laugh escaping her lips. "I guess even if you apologize it doesn't change the fact that you own me".

"Yes, Jade. I am a very jealous man, and my wolf is worse than I am, so, don't go kissing anyone just to rile me up. I cannot control myself when I get into a rage. I do shit before I'm able to stop, and I do not want to kill you".

"That is really reassuring".

I turned her to face me sharply, my hold on her arms tightening without me meaning to.

"I need you to take this seriously Jade. You are mine now. I do not share what is mine with anyone. Got it".

Jade stared into my eyes, the feeling she evoked In my chest a mixture of warm yet suffocating. It fucking messed me up. I needed her to say yes because the thought of her touching anyone or anyone touching her was starting to mess with my head.

It seemed she could feel what it was I was going through because she suddenly stepped close to me, her lips pressing against mine as she kissed me chastely, then she went down on her knees and took my breath away.

"Yes. Master".