“Give me a good reason why I should pick you.” I finally tell him, folding my arms across my chest, “and no bullshit either. You need to make me WANT to pick you. Not just because you’re my fated mate, but because you feel something towards me as well.”

He is watching me curiously now, as if he is trying to decide what to say to me. I couldn’t be completely certain of where this is going but I know what I want to happen. I know how I feel about him, and I know what makes me ache for more. Everything that is Mateo is coming to light, but I can’t just trust his word. He needs to prove it to me.

“What do you want me to do?” He asks me softly, running his fingers through his hair, “I will give you whatever you want.”

I’m not sure what he wants or even how well this is going to go but what I do know is that I’m not going to back down. I couldn’t be completely sure of my feelings towards him and the whole situation but what I do know is that I’m not going to be able to back down. He needs to prove all of this to me.

After what feels like an eternity, he reaches out and gently cups my face in his hands, rubbing the pad of his thumb along my lower lip. I let out a startled gasp as I hadn’t expected it and I felt the tingle between my legs once again. I think he just knows what he is doing, and he knows how to drive a girl wild. I wish that I was able to tell him to f-off, but I know this wouldn’t do me any good. I am completely at his mercy.

“You can hate me all you want.” He explains to me softly, shaking his head, “But I can assure you that everything that I have done has been for you. I might not be a perfect mate, but you will be happy by my side. We will grow to love one another… But it is your choice.”

I don’t get why he is allowing me to have a choice. If I decided to say no, would he actually let me go? But do I even want to go back? I know they will marry me off.

I don’t want that at all.

The only question is if I can trust Mateo to do the right thing. I don’t know if I even want him. I don’t know if I can really trust someone like him as my mate. I have been through so much in my life and I have gone through some scary things. I have done things that others would only dream about since being out here. I know that Mateo wants to create a pack but is Dad even going to allow that? Are we going to be safe out here? I couldn’t even be completely certain of what because I already knew what I had been through, and I knew what might end up happening to us if a war happened.

It immediately dawns on me that it isn’t Mateo making me choose. It is dad. He is trying to see what I decide and if I’m going to turn my back on my people. On my kingdom. He never will could get pissed off if I end up choosing Mateo and I’m afraid of what that might end up doing to us. Would I be able to protect everyone that I have cared about? Is Mateo going to protect me from those who are probably going to hunt me down? Will he even be able to? I don’t like thinking like this and wondering because that is just as scary.

“I guess you need to show me why I should pick you.” I murmur a little more huskily than intended and his eyes narrow.

His lips twitch slightly as he takes a step towards me, “Your wish is my command.”

Chapter Eight

Addison

I let out a small gasp as I was thrown onto the bed as Mateo had taken me from the cell and to his home. I just ignored the people glaring at me, they have a right to be a bit upset, and I continued to do my own business because I couldn’t allow them to get to me like that. I know what I’m dealing with, and I know what I have been through. I couldn’t be completely certain of everything that has happened and it’s becoming clearer that he might end up devouring me before the night is over.

I let out a shaky breath as I looked at him nervously, wondering what he might end up doing to me. I can see how dark his eyes are, and his eyes are looking me up and down, as if he is trying to decide if he should devour me right here and now. I don’t know if I like that idea but I’m okay with it. I just fiddle with my fingers as I watch him lock the door and stalk closer, a promise of what is to come.

“If you don’t want this or you want to stop at any time, just tell me.” He assures me softly, pinning me down onto the bed, “and I need you to make sure that I hear you because all I want to do right now is rip off, you’re clothing and have my way with you in any way that I desire. And I know you wouldn’t like that so much.”

All I can do is tremble from the nerves as I meet his gaze head-on, “and how are you so sure about that?”

His eyes glimmer with mischief as he just smirks and leans closer. I wasn’t sure what he was doing until his lips met mine in a very heated kiss. I let out a small gasp of shock, having not expected it yet. He is kissing me like a man possessed, as if he can’t get enough of me. I don’t think that I can get enough of him, and I end up devouring him right then and there.

I wrap my arms around his neck, and I kiss him back, trying to gain some kind of control but I think that I’m feeling. He is kissing me, making me fall right into his trap. He’s growling softly, his wolf pushing through a little bit and making himself known. My body is trembling with such delight, enjoying every second of this and wishing that it would never end. I couldn’t be completely certain of where all of this is going to go but I do know that I’m not going to let it go so easily. I just hope that he knows what he is doing. If not, this might come to bite me in the ass. I just hope that it doesn’t because I don’t want to clean up the mess.

Letting out a sigh of frustration and running my fingers through my hair, I continue to do my best to get through this and not let anything get to me. It’s a bit easier said than done when I feel him pressing right against me, hard as a rock and leaving me a whimpering mess. Of fuck, just what is he doing to me? I don’t know what I’m going to be able to do about this because I honestly feel like I might end up going crazy if I don’t do anything about it. Fuck me.

I grind my hips against his, hearing his soft groan at the sudden touch. I don’t know if I’m doing it right, but I want to make him squirm just as much as he is making me. I think it is working though when he opens his eyes and looks like he might try to eat me.

“You better watch yourself; you’re asking to get burned.” He grumbles hoarsely, shaking his head back and forth, “I’m going to eat you up.”

I just smile and shake my head, half-daring him to do that, “I’d love to see you try then.”

He leans closer and I thought he would kiss me again but instead, he bites on my shoulder, leaving a very visible mark. The shockwaves course through my body and I let out a gasp. What the hell? Why is he doing this? Is he trying to drive me crazy? I think he is doing precisely that. I think that he wants to make me beg and plead for mercy, but I won’t do it. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction.

Although my heart is racing in my chest, I end up leaning closer and I lightly bite him right on the nape of his neck, hearing his soft growl in response. I totally thought that he would try to devour me right then and there, a part of me aching for it. I couldn’t be completely sure what is going through his head now but what I do know is there is no way in hell that I’m going to be able to back down. I just hope that I’m able to do something and quickly.

He's hard against my belly, almost showing me just precisely what he wants to do. A part of me is curious to challenge him but there are these little warning signals going off in my head telling me that I might end up regretting it. Feeling like my entire body is going haywire, I just know I can’t do much about this for long.

“Make love to me.” I whisper to him hoarsely, watching his eyes flash in response, “shit, you really need to do something to me.”

I wonder if he just knows what he is doing because everything inside of me is screaming for more. I couldn’t be completely sure about what he is thinking but another part of me is eager to find out. I keep thinking that maybe I should do everything in my power to win him over and make him mine. If I don’t end up doing that, I could very well lose everything and then I would have no choice but to make him mine in the long run.

I run my fingers through his silky hair, my heart rate quickening as I am tempted to do such vulgar things to him. I know what he is capable of, and I know what he might end up wanting to do to me. I know that he knows what happens between us and how everything ends up going but the other part of me isn’t completely sure of where I want this to go with him. I know this could very well turn very ugly but the other part of me doesn’t give a damn at all.