Adea
In the blink of an eye, Shane was around his desk. My fingers trembled as I held my head high defiantly. He made his way toward me purposefully and I fought the need to lower my eyes. The last time he’d raised his hand to me at the Crescent Moon Ball flashed through my mind. I was the Luna of the Desert Moon pack and I was not going to tip my chin. I would bow to no one, not even the monster before me.
Sooner than I wanted, Shane was in my space and his scent in my nose. I couldn’t stop the way my body flinched but I prevented the recoil as I felt it start to happen. Shane has always been the villain in my fairy tales. The witch with the red apple, the troll under the bridge, the big bad wolf who wanted to eat me.
In those stories, they’d been ugly, evil creatures, but those stories didn’t prepare me for the sex on two legs that stared down at me like he had a few placed in mind that he’d like to plunge his wet tongue.
My heart beat a little faster at his proximity and my breath caught. The way his eyes darkened, I knew he misunderstood my reaction. He reached out and his fingers caressed my cheek. His eyes tracked the movement of his skin on mine. His tongue slid out and dragged along his bottom lip, wetting it.
“This is the gift, Alpha,” Duke said from my right. I didn’t need to look to know the two that had brought me in had their heads bowed.
“Is the gift satisfactory?” Pan asked.
Pan’s voice was dripping with greed and hope. I closed my eyes as I tried to block out what he was hoping for. Shane remained quiet, he didn’t move to look at them or show any signs of hearing them. He didn’t utter a word as he looked down at me.
After disobeying his order, I was expecting him to grab the back of my neck and crush his lips against mine or punish me. When he didn’t do anything but remain still, my anxiety edged a little higher.
Finally, Shane moved and what he did next caught me off guard. He did grab my neck but it was gentle and he didn’t pull me in. No, slowly, he leaned down and pressed his forehead against mine. I blinked at the affectionate way he held me and we were close enough that I could hear his breath as it shuttered.
“I’m so fucking happy you’re here,” Shane said.
No anger, no malice, no orders. My forehead wrinkled as I tried to figure out what that emotion in his voice was. I had to be wrong or confused. Shane almost sounded as if he was relieved.
I’m speechless as he leans back. His hand was still on my neck. His grip was gentle and his fingers rubbed little circles into my skin. I tried my best to remain still as my shoulders relaxed and I fought the urge to let my eyes roll in the back of my head.
“What is this?” Shane asked, his voice coming out angry. His fingers stopped moving and his eyes were on my neck.
I blinked. I was dumbfounded. He’d seen it yesterday, he knew what it meant. Did he really want me to say it? I wouldn’t lie, it was clear as day.
“It’s my mark.”
My voice was firm as I looked at him. My shoulders trembled but my voice did not. This time it was Shane who blinked as he stared at me. If he hadn’t been so angry, I think he might have smiled.
“I’m not talking about that. Although we… will discuss that later,” Shane said as he leaned forward. I swallowed but didn’t move back. His eyes searched the back of my neck. “You’re bruised.”
Is he seriously worried about me? He’s bruised me before. This has to be a joke. When Shane straightens, I arch my neck back and lift my chin so I can look into his eyes. Low and behold, he’s dead serious.
“Already?” I asked.
I can feel the other two go deathly still behind me. Shane’s gaze trails down my body and his other hand grabs my wrist and pulls it up in front of his face. Slowly, he turns my wrist left and right. Freezing only when he spots the bruises.
His fingers lightly skim over them before dropping my wrist. He peers past me and levels them with a look of pure hatred. I note that he hasn’t broken his habit as he cocks his head to the left. Shane has always had an aura of danger around him. But there was something about the way he cocked his head that made him look as crazy as he was dangerous. He uses his Alpha aura on them and they both fall to their knees.
“Explain,” he demands.
“That wasn’t me, I didn’t touch the bitch. I just wanted to play with her a little. I was only joking,” Pan stutters out. His hands were up in front of his chest. He turned and pointed at Duke. “He was the only one that touched her.” When Duke didn’t respond, Shane turned back to face me. His eyes promised blood would be shed today.
“Tell me, Ady. Who hurt you?”
My lips parted as I realized that I had the lives of two men in my hands. Shane’s question needed an answer and that answer would seal their fates. Someone is dying today. The question was, could I save one?
“The blubbering one wanted to sample the goods. He said he’d break me in before offering the gift to you. He said I looked sweet and he wanted a taste,” I said, reciting the words Pan had spoken earlier.
“Did he now?” Shane asked as he leaned back from me.
“What do I do to those who touch what belongs to me, Duke?” Shane asked.