Well then wasn’t he a fool.
“You know, if things are really bad with you and your dad, we could both talk to him and try negotiating you coming to stay with me for a few days.”
At one point had she given him the impression that she was gullible?
He sighed. “Come on, Taryn, you can’t tell me you wouldn’t like getting away from here for a while. You could see where you’re going to be living, meet some of the wolves from my pack. You’ll soon be their Alpha female. Don’t you want to get to know them?”
No, not even a little bit. And she would never be their Alpha female.
“They’re eager to meet you. In a few days I’ll then be going to Australia, you could come.”
“Is there no way you could just go sit on a cactus or something?” He actually smiled at that. What was wrong with this guy? Surprising her, his hand slid around her neck; a gesture of ownership. Enraged she jumped to her feet and kicked his chair out from under him. She snarled down at him where he was splayed out on the floor. “Don’t you ever touch me like that! I don’t belong to you, I’ll never belong to you!”
What made the whole thing even worse was that he was smiling. He had wanted her to lose control. He was enjoying being able to get her so incensed. Cursing, she stormed out of the room, ignoring the gasps, the horrified mumblings, and her dad’s bellows. She didn’t stop marching until she was outside.
The cool evening air was like a soothing caress – one she so desperately needed. She took several calming breaths, trying to not only ease her own anger, but that of her wolf. Her wolf was raging over how that male had held her with proprietorship.
It was only minutes later when she heard footsteps approaching and his scent drifted toward her. He sighed as he halted a few feet behind her. “Taryn, it really is time you stopped fighting me. I think we’ve proven who the more dominant one is.”
She turned slowly, clenching her fists. “All you proved when you bit me is that you can physically overpower me and you have sharp teeth, just like I proved that I can deliver some serious pain to your groin whenever you use them on me. None of that has anything to do with dominance.”
“Oh you might want to know that your father and I have arranged the mating ceremony to take place on the next full moon, which is a week from now.”
She couldn’t help but gape. “You know, I can’t work out whether you have selective hearing or just don’t give a shit about a single word you hear. I do not want to mate with you. In fact, I would rather have a porcupine brutally shoved up into my rectum than mate with you.”
He shrugged. “I’ve already claimed you.”
“I don’t accept that claim.”
“Your father does.”
She shook her head incredulously. It occurred to her that getting angry with this wolf never helped her cause. Maybe if she tried being diplomatic? “What is all this really about? You don’t even like me, why would you want me as your mate?”
“Of course I like you.”
“If it’s an alliance with Lance you want, I’m pretty sure you could get it without mating me.”
He looked at her curiously. “You truly don’t see your own worth, do you? I wasn’t sure if it was an act at first.”
“You don’t need a pack healer, you already have one.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not talking about your worth as a pack member. I’m talking about your worth as a person, as a female. You’re a very beautiful, sensual, refreshing female. Totally without artifice. You have just as many alpha vibes emitting from you as any other female alpha, latent or not. And as for your iron will…I never thought I would meet a person more stubborn than me.”
So he recognised that she was more stubborn than him and yet they were still having this discussion? She failed to see the logic in that. “Look, you and me…we don’t sing from the same hymn sheets, we’re not even the slightest bit compatible. You need a nice submissive female who’ll say and do what you tell her to and make all the right noises at the appropriate times. Me…I’m just going to piss you off.”
“You’re right, Taryn, I do like my females submissive. And that is exactly what you will be when we mate.”
And he really believed that, she could tell. “You must seriously be smoking crack.”
He laughed. “The delusional one in this situation is you, Taryn.”
“I’ll never mate with you. Never.”
His look was sympathetic. “It’s sad that you actually think you’ll win this battle.”
“It’s sad that you even started this battle. Why would you want me when you know I don’t want you? Why would you want me when you know I’d fight you every step of the way?” The chilling smile he gave her made everything suddenly click into place. “You don’t want me in spite of those things. You want me because of those things. You get your kicks out of forcing yourself on women.”
“No, not forcing myself on them. I’m not a rapist. But I love a challenge, and I love to be in control. Power is a heady thing for me. What greater power is there than to be able to own someone who doesn’t want you; someone whose will you can break bit by bit until they have gone from a spirited, dominant, independent individual to a person who is totally submissive to you?”
It took a few seconds for Taryn to be able to speak. “You’re sick.”
He jiggled his head. “Maybe I seem that way to you now, but just think, Taryn. A year from now you will want nothing more than to please me in every way I want to be pleased.”
“Never,” she bit out.
“I won’t need to force you. You will crave my dominance and my direction. I’m looking forward to you moving into my home. Then we can begin your training.”
“Sick, delusional and suicidal. That’s what you are.”
“Suicidal?” He sounded amused.
“I’d kill you before I let you touch me.”