Page 45 of Cruel Alpha: Season One

“Do you havenothingto say for yourself?” My voice sounds shrill, brought on by the sheer frustration of himclearlynot giving a shit that I’m upset. “Isn’t it enough that you’ve already made a fool of me? Made me out to be the type of woman who’d settle for a man who’s declared that he’s taking onseveralmates?”

I’m panting, struggling to breathe as my rage flares, as it becomes obvious that I’m having this argument with myself.

“Are you finished?” he asks in his usual calm, deep timbre.

“Not even close.”

Staring at one another, we’ve reached a stalemate, neither one willing to bend. Eventually, he takes a deep breath, and his eyes soften.

“Follow me.”

He doesn’t wait for a response as he stands from his seat, trudging toward a dark corner that leads to a hallway lined with doors. Behind them, strangers moan and cry out in pleasure, and it’s impossible not to imagine the carnal acts taking place just beyond our line of sight.

Caspian twists the knob leading to a room on the right, then pulls me inside, locking us in alone. We’re surrounded by soft, red velvet walls. A circular, neatly-made bed with red sheets are the centerpiece of the room, and an odd leather harness hangs in the corner.

My eyes flit back to Caspian as his glare settles on me. I hate how my wolf cowers beneath the look. LikeI’mthe one in the wrong.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Dimitri told me where I’d find you.”

His eyes flicker up toward the ceiling. “Of course, he did.”

“How I got here is beside the point.”

“Then, tell me, Annalise. What would you like me to say? Are you looking for an explanation as to why I’ve resorted to ducking into a seedy gentlemen’s club under the cover of night?”

It’s a rhetorical question, so luckily, I’m not expected to answer. In truth, he’s incredibly intimidating when he’s angry.

“A man can only be turned on to the point of experiencing actualpainso many timesbefore something has to give,” he admits, gritting his teeth as his chest heaves. “So, yes, I came here because I’m desperate for some sort of relief. Relief not brought on by the touch of my own hand.”

My cheeks are suddenly warm when that image fills my head—him pleasuring himself, his head falling back, his lips parting as he comes. I force the thoughts out and focus on the real issue at hand.

That I’m wounded, although I don’t fully understand the true scope of my feelings.

That my heart aches with a new kind of disappointment, having found him in such a compromising position.

“Why do I even care?” I speak the words out loud, but I’m mostly speaking to myself as I zone out. “This is how it will be. This is a glimpse into how I’ll feel every day of my life moving forward.”

I’m not asking a question, not seeking understanding. It’s more of a revelation, clarity as to what I’ll face once I’m forced to observe Caspian savoring the company of other women.

This is my fate.

I take a step away, but he catches my wrists, keeping me in his space.

“Annalise…”

My heart feels heavy at the hint of a quiver in his voice. Tears blur my eyes a second later, but I keep my composure. At least, I do until I’m brought to the warmth of his chest, and then kissed with so much heat and passion, it takes my breath away.

He squeezes my wrists tighter as his tongue breeches my lips. He fills me with fire in more ways than one, but as I’m overcome by lust, I have to admit that it’s nearly more powerful than the anger, the rage.

Nearly.

But not quite.

His eyes open when I pull back, reclaiming a morsel of strength he didn’t manage to steal with that kiss. We stare into one another, silent as wave after wave of emotion slam into us.

“I’m not an unreasonable man, Annalise. Nor am I unaware of our circumstances,” he says. “You’ve never been with a man, neverpleasureda man, and I can be sensitive to that. But… I do have needs.”

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