“I don’t want it. Or has my dumbness turned on you and you’ve caught it whole? Is that why you’re unable to hear what I’m saying?” Priya sneered, not liking even the tiniest attempt to manipulate her like this.
And yet, her body was betraying her. She felt a heat crawling up her skin, a readiness to give in that had nothing to do with her will. Maybe it was the mate bond, something she didn’t fully understand but couldn’t ignore. The effect his touch had on her lately was no joke. But that didn’t make it right.
“You’re making this so hard for me. You know that, right?” Priyank’s voice was crisp and curt as he grabbed her by the neck. Not with too much force, but enough to startle her, enough to make her whole body shake.
“Ahmmm,” Priya whimpered, his grip on her neck tightening just shy of pain. His chest rubbed against her forehead as he towered over her, a predator watching his prey. His eyes, dark and intent, seemed ready to devour her.
“Just like that, moan for me,” he growled, his thumb caressing her neck in a parody of tenderness. “These lips should moan for me only, like they have no other job to do.”
Priya’s breath caught in her throat, a mix of fear and unwanted arousal. His command-or was it a warning?-sent shivers down her spine. “What are you doing? You’re hurting me,” she managed, her voice shaky.
“Your denial is hurting me too,” Priyank countered, desperation dripping from his words. “I just asked for a kiss. Don’t you think you’re making it too difficult? It’s not like I’m asking for your life.”
“Asking about my life seems easier than what you’re doing,” Priya said with difficulty. Her mind raced, trying to understand this sudden shift. “What happened to you? All week you were behaving fine, and now this?”
Priyank laughed, a low, dark sound that chilled her more than his grip. “Just because I behaved doesn’t mean I’ll keep doing it when you push me away like an ant.”
His words hit her like a slap. So this was the real Priyank, lurking beneath the polite facade. The one who thought good behaviour was a bargaining chip, not a basic decency. Anger flared in her chest, burning hotter than her body’s lustful desire.
“So that’s how it is?” she spat, finding strength in her fury. “You play nice for a while, and in return, I’m supposed to let you do whatever you want? That’s not how this works, Priyank. I’m not a prize you earn by pretending to be decent.”
His grip on her neck faltered, surprise flickering across his face. He’d expected her to cower, to give in. Her defiance caught him off guard. “You don’t understand,” he snarled. “It’s driving me crazy. I need you, Priya. Can’t you feel it too?”
“Of course I feel it!” she cried, tears of frustration welling up. “Every time you touch me, it’s like my body’s on fire. But that doesn’t give you the right to force me. A bond doesn’t erase my will.”
For a moment, they stood there, chests heaving, eyes locked. Then, slowly, as if it pained him, Priyank released her neck. She gasped, gulping air, as he stepped back. The loss of his touch was a relief and an ache all at once.
“I… I didn’t mean…” he started, then stopped, running a hand through his hair. The gesture was so human, so at odds with the predator he’d been moments ago. “This isn’t how I wanted this to go.”
“No?” Priya challenged, rubbing her neck. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you wanted to take what you thought was yours.”
Priyank flinched as if her words had physical weight. “It’s not that simple,” he said, his voice low.”I am your mate, we have a bond.”
“I give no shit,” Priya said quietly, steel in her voice. “Bond or no bond, my body is mine. My choices are mine. And right now, I choose not to be claimed or taken or… or whatever it is you think you need to do.”
He stared at her, a war of emotions playing across his face. Desire, anger, and something else… respect? Shame?
“You are still mine ,” he said finally.
“No. Keep your boundaries with me, I am not yours.”
“Boundaries,” he repeated, as if committing the word to memory. “I’m not good with those. But… but I want to be. For you, I’ll learn.”
Priya let out a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. This wasn’t forgiveness, not yet. But it was a start. “Good,” she said. “Because whatever this bond is, whatever it might become, it has to be built on respect. Not force, not manipulation.”
Priyank took a step towards her, then stopped, his hand half-raised as if he wanted to touch her but didn’t dare. “Can I… can I still ask for that kiss?” he asked, his voice soft, almost vulnerable. “Not because of the bond or… or any of that. Just because I want to, and I’ll accept your answer, whatever it is.”
“My answer is still, no,” she said firmly.
He nodded, disappointment clear in his eyes, but there was something else too. Hope, maybe.
As he walked away, giving her the space she desperately needed, Priya slumped against the wall. Her body still thrummed with the aftershocks of his touch.
Her whole body shivered at the mere thought of what might have happened if she’d surrendered to the desires screaming through her veins. What had suddenly changed within her? Before, rejecting him had been as natural as breathing. But now, it felt like some invisible force was holding her back, making every refusal a battle of will.
The curse was still in place; she was certain her wolf couldn’t seize full control. Yet somehow, it felt like her wolf was leaking through the cracks, trickling into her consciousness. How else could she explain this newfound madness, this yearning that defied all reason?
‘I need to control myself,’ Priya whispered, steadying her trembling hands against the wall. ‘I can’t let myself be swept away like this. Even today, his behaviour changed on a dime. What guarantee do I have that he won’t change again tomorrow? If I give in now, he might do worse next time. I have to stay strong, for my own sake.’