His hand circled her neck. He applied no pressure, but she knew he wanted her to know that the threat was there. All she could feel was the fire of longing, though. It zipped through her veins, bubbled in her cunt.
“What did I do?” She shook her head, seeing rage in his eyes, rage and lust and a spark of pain. “I didn’t do anything, Wolfe. ”
She couldn’t understand the rage she glimpsed in him as she denied betraying him. How could she betray him? Even her soul knew she belonged to Wolfe.
“You betrayed me with another man,” he snarled. “Don’t bother to lie to me, woman. You have lain beneath others. Took them into your body and let them fuck you rather than waiting for me to come to you. ”
Hope felt the blood drain from her face.
“That’s not true,” she gasped, horrified. How could he believe such a thing? “I swear it’s not, Wolfe. I’ve never been with another man. ”
He shook his head with a sharp negative movement. His lips twisted with bitterness, with bleak fury.
“You would think I could still smell the betrayal on your body, the scent of another’s seed. I am so captivated by your beauty, by my own need, I can’t even smell the traitorous scent. ” He seemed angrier with himself now, as though his senses refused to see what was there, merely because he did not want to believe it.
“Because there is none,” she bit out, furious. “What do you have to do, rape me to figure it out? Damn you, I’m still a virgin. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. ”
She knew well his possessive instincts. After his refusal to take her, her mother had taunted him outside the cell. Two of the Lab’s soldiers had held her, fondling her as Wolfe was forced to watch.
Wolfe had sat in the cell; cold, hard, the shifting colors in his eyes dangerously alive. Her mother had finally relented and had Hope released. After Hope was thrown back in the cell with him once again, she stalked away from them.
Wolfe had held her, comforted her, but still refused to take her. The next time he was released from the cell, the two soldiers who touched her had died.
“You are no longer a virgin, Hope,” he finally said heavily, his expression filled with disgust. “How do you even hope to convince me of such a lie?”
His gray eyes glittered with anger. He stared down at her as though she had just informed him that he had mistaken her for someone else. She shook her head, anger building inside her.
“How can you say that? Do you think that just because you forgot so easily about me, that I could do the same thing? Too bad I couldn’t mark you as well. Maybe then you wouldn’t have forgotten so easily. ”
“And you think you did not?” He growled. “I have the proof of your betrayal, Hope. The pictures the Bitch sent me of you trapped between their bodies, your face twisted with pleasure. ”
The possessive rage was thick, dangerous. His body was tight with it, his eyes glowing in fury.
“Pictures can be faked,” she threw back at him furiously. “I am still a virgin, the proof is there—”
“And do you think I did not check that first thing?” he asked her coldly. “Do you think I am such a fool I would not know if the obstruction was there or not? I have checked, Hope, and there is none. You can stop lying this moment. ”
Hope stilled. She stared up at him, uncomprehending. His rage was a tangible thing, and yet so was his pain.
“What do you mean?” she whispered in confusion. “It’s there. ”
He shook his head, a snarl of fury on his lips, though his voice stayed level this time.
“Why do you think your pants are open? Why do you think the demand of your body is so much worse than before? I checked. I slid my finger easily inside you, Hope, deep inside. Your sweet pussy gripped me tighter than a glove, but there was no obstruction. You are no virgin. Did you not think I would check to be certain? Do you think I would not give my mate the benefit of a doubt where that bitch’s claims are concerned? I beg you to cease your lies. Tell me what I want to know, now. ”
And Wolfe wouldn’t lie. Of course, he would have checked first. He never made claims he wasn’t certain of. He was coldly logical, always in control of himself and his facts. It had been one of the things that drove her mother insane at the Labs. How easily he could show her for the vicious, incompetent monster she was. She had lost nearly all support for her control of the Labs within the Genetic Council that backed it, before the raid had taken it apart.
“You made a mistake. ” There was no other explanation, though she feared there was.
She felt tears gather behind her eyes. She wouldn’t shed them, not now where he could see and would ridicule them. Pain bloomed in her heart, in her soul. She knew as sure as she lived that if what Wolfe said was true, then her mother had somehow arranged the hymen to be broken during her last visit to the doctor. She remembered being more tender than usual, more uncomfortable during the physical exam than she normally was.
Her scream of denial was a silent one. She stilled, fighting to breathe, to get through the pain one second at a time. That was all she could do.
“There is no mistake. ” He punctuated his words by ripping the shirt from her arms then tossing the tattered remains to the floor.
After the first flinch, Hope merely lay still, staring up at him. He was so coldly furious, enraged at what he saw as her deception. It wouldn’t matter if she had found a way to be with another man, she wouldn’t have done so. Wolfe held her heart and soul.
Her breath hitched in her throat as he stared down at her now. She wanted so desperately to allow her tears to fall, but she couldn’t. Not yet. Not now. Later, when he no longer watched her, when she could no longer see the cold detachment in his eyes.