“No one. Styles have altered so there isn’t much to do. My curls are impossible to manage anyway. Do not look at me like that, Syon,” she snapped. Our eyes met in the mirror. Mine burned with passion. Hers showed little of her thoughts, but the slight crease between her brows was eloquent. She was thinking hard. “We cannot do this again. Not like this. Syon, you know I speak the truth. To… To continue as we have is madness. It will ruin us both. And I… I am nothing, but there is so much for you to lose. And I could not let that… I…”
“You are all I have to lose,” I growled. “You think that everything is so complex. You would complicate the natural act of breathing if you put your mind to it. The fact remains, I am an alpha. A strong, powerful one. One who can exert control over his instincts. For if I wished, I could take you now. You know that is within my power. Yet I exert restraint. Hold myself back as a sign of my respect, my regard. But make no mistake, you are mine. For as strong as I might be, even the smallest look from you makes me weak”.
She groaned. I grinned. There was a special kind of torture in knowing her well enough to recognise when she knew I’d won an argument. It made me love her more.
“I do notthinkit is simple! Iknow, better than you, how complicated…” she spun about and in her anger took a step and then another closer to me until she could prod my chest with a finger. The fierceness in her look so enchanted me when contrasted to her much smaller size. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“I will look at you how I choose,” I clasped the hand poking my chest and held it above my heart.
“Let me go, Syon. Let me go. Leave for Ayleigh just as you planned. You say I am too young, very well. But leave now. Forget me. I will endeavour to do the same. You will regret this. Perhaps not at once, but once your ardour cooled? Marry Olivia. She will make you a good duchess. Give you alpha children and not complicate your life.”
“Have you not been listening to what I have said? However you are, you are mine. Damn the dukedom. Why should I care for its future?”
A whine escaped her and without meaning to, I reached up to place a comforting hand about her throat. The racing pulse smoothed out, and I breathed a sigh of relief. She might reject me with words, but her body responded to mine perfectly. Just like it had every other time I chose to touch her as an alpha would touch his mate.
“I will let you go this time on one condition,” I purred.
She nodded.
“If I ever wish to see you again, you will permit it.”
“I—”
“Do not deny me this,” I tightened my grip and felt her pulse flare.
“Syon, I would not deny you anything that is in my power to give you,” she purred and stroked her hand over mine, which relaxed, mollified by her words. “But no one, not alpha, beta, or omega, can promise the—”
“You deny me now?” I growled.
“Because I must. Anything else… It would dishonour you and me. I must go.”
“Say your goodbyes, then return to me.”
She gave a defiant shake of her head and slipped back into the hall. I followed my Hartwell, who sought to rebel against me. I would permit her to return to the drawing room without interference.
Then we would go to the duchess’ nest.
Then I would speak to her mother.
Then she would be mine in the eyes of the law.