She hated this. “And if I refuse?”
“You leave.”
“You’re not giving me any options here.”
Damon laughed. “You’re not in any place to have options. You think I should just allow you to stay here out of the goodness of my heart?”
“Yes.”
“The world doesn’t work that way.”
“Didn’t you ever have a pack? Don’t you understand that bond?”
“I understand that packs are fucking vicious.” Damon growled each word. He no longer looked calm and collected. Now he looked ready to kill. “For you stepping on my land, I had the right to kill you all.” He snarled each word, and she felt the heat of his anger.
This man was strong and powerful. He displayed alpha tendencies clearly, and Holly sank to her knees.
“Please. I’m begging you,” she said.
“You will beg, Holly, but those are my only conditions. For your pack to stay, you belong to me.”
“Do I have time to … answer?” she asked.
He snorted. “Your family comes with a price. I should have known.”
“You’re asking me to give my body for my family and I don’t … I can’t even go and tell them?”
“Do you think they’ll allow you to give yourself to me?” he asked. “Are your pack selfish enough?”
“No,” she said without hesitation.
“So, they won’t allow you to come back. They will move on and risk death and chaos because of their feelings for you.” He chuckled. “And you need to think about it?”
She hated this man so much. He was cold. Unfeeling, and such a cruel man. Hatred consumed her.
Her family and pack were her world. At twenty-three years old, she had devoted every waking moment to the pack. Even before she turned, she’d been there helping, guiding where she could.
Wrapping her arms around her waist, she stared at the coldness surrounding her. His home was massive, but it wasn’t lived in, not truly. This man, this lonely alpha, was all alone. There was a story to him. She didn’t know what it was, but she had a feeling deep down, there had to be a heart beating within his chest, even if it was filled with ultimatums.
“I have some … conditions,” she said.
“You think you’re in a position to tell me what you want?”
“Yes.”
“Fine. Entertain me then.”
“You can’t hurt me. You can’t cut me or break any bone.”
He wrinkled his nose. “You misunderstand me, I want you to fuck, not to break. If I wanted to hurt something, I’d take it out on a punching bag or go and find a local bear to piss off. I will not hurt you, but I will make you beg for more.” He moved from the table, coming toward her.
Holly kept her back straight, staring at him as he advanced. The scent of him got stronger the closer he got. He didn’t touch her, and she tilted her head back to look at him. Damon was much taller than her, standing at over six feet.
He reached out, stroking one of her blonde locks and tucking it behind her ear. He did this without even touching her.
Heat flooded her body.
Her reaction annoyed her. How dare she find any part of this man appealing? She intended to belong to him, but anything else, she would never want him or crave him. He’d get her body, but that would be all.
“Do you think I can’t smell your reaction to me? Your pussy is so wet for me right now, and I’ve got to say, Holly, I want to taste you.”
He didn’t touch her.
Seconds passed.
Minutes.
She hoped he didn’t take away his offer. He was so close, and the temptation to touch him was strong. What the hell was wrong with her body?
She’d never been with a man. Had never even desired sex or touch. During the full moon, when she ran, she’d witness couples coming together. Within her father’s pack, there was no hiding love. Every single member embraced it. Seeing couples together made her yearn for her own mate. Finding her mate wasn’t as easy as the books claimed to be. Some matings took time.
“I accept your conditions, Holly. You will not be harmed in any way.”
“Then I accept your proposal. My body and me in exchange for my family and pack being able to safely stay here.”
She’d just signed over her fate to a monster.
****
After Holly agreed to his demands, he’d sent for his butler, Henry, to escort her to her new rooms. He needed her out of the way before he bent her over the table and fucked her like an animal.
Her scent was intoxicating.
His mouth watered, and his cock was hard as fucking rock at the lingering smell of her. The moment he saw her on the edge of the forest, his wolf had growled. It was the first time in his life a female had ever driven him to act. He’d wanted to claim her. Her pack adored her. For two days, he’d watched them without anyone seeing him. Even her alpha of a father hadn’t sensed another alpha lurking. What kind of leader didn’t detect danger?