Page 7 of Cruel Alpha: Season One

“I’m a reasonable man,” he interrupts, leaning deeper into his seat while he studies me. “This wasn’t the plan, but in light of your uncle’s deception, I’ll allow it.”

“Thank you.”

“One night and not an hour more,” he says coldly, shattering that smidgen of hope I dared to entertain.

My breath hitches, hearing the loud tick-tock of an imaginary clock counting down my fate. “Understood.”

“I’ll send my men to collect you in the morning,” he continues, making sure to hold my gaze. “After that, I won’t stand for you spending another night outside of this house.”

Anxious to leave this godawful place, I brace both hands on the chair and push off. But before I can stand…

“One quick thing. Since I’m bending the rules for you, I’ll need a bit of insurance,” he says. “A small token to guarantee you’ll be a good girl while you’re out of my sight.”

My gaze shifts toward Caspian, and I want to take off running when he beckons me toward him with his finger.

“Come,” he says, his tone sounding low and gravelly.

Once again, I’m aware of there being nowhere to run, and no one under this roof would be on my side even if I did. So, reluctantly, I do as I’m told.

As I round the corner of the large desk, Caspian’s eyes never leave me. The moment I’m close to where he remains seated in his chair, his hands engulf my waist, pulling me in his direction. My weight is easily shifted toward the flat surface in front of him, making his strength apparent.

“Sit,” he commands next, and I lower my bottom onto the desk, shoulders heaving in fear, anxiousness, and a million other feelings I can’t name.

Staring down on him, where he sits at eye-level with my torso, I gasp aloud when he grips both my knees, and then forces them apart.

Uncertainty fills me and a desperate, “Please,” falls from my lips.

He peers up from beneath dark lashes, annoyance in his gaze as he growls a single word meant to silence me. “Relax.”

I’m completely still as he leans into my space, and then draws a deep breath, inhaling the scent between my thighs. He breathes me in again, this time nearly burying his face into me as I ball both hands into fists.

“So sweet,” he groans, eyes rolling back as he releases an audible growl. It resonates from deep within his chest and there’s no hiding that I’m shaken, trembling from head to toe. He either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care, because the next second, he stands, towering over me at a height of maybe 6’5”or 6’6”, wedging himself between my legs. I’m trapped, held prisoner as his wicked shadow looms over my skin. I swear I’ve forgotten how to breathe, because my chest has completely seized, refusing to fill with air as that same rough grip brings me to him again.

So close that there’s no space between us.

“You and me? We’re going to havesomuch fun together,” he croons with a dark grin.

The next second, he lowers his mouth to my throat without warning, dragging his tongue up the length of my neck, effectively marking me with his scent. I can assume this is theinsurancehe spoke of. The effects will last an entire week and guarantees that no man within the clan would even dream of touching me.

Not with the harsh punishment that would follow.

The trail of saliva slowly cools in the air when he brings his lips to my ear next, speaking low and firm.

“Either fall in line and be treated like a queen, or rebel and force me to show what a beast I can be. Heaven or hell, Annalise… the choice is yours.”

My breaths comein small bursts, silently leaving my lungs. When his grip loosens, I’m allowed to ease away, but his gaze stays trained on me.

“When you make it home, don’t be too hard on your uncle,” he adds. “Mitchell is a man of limited means. At the end of the day, and for the right price, a good man will do what he must to provide for his family.”

I stop in my tracks halfway to the door, letting that sink in. Letting it settle within me that, until tonight, I thought Iwasfamily.

“One night,” Caspian repeats as I exit, coming to a firm conclusion.

Wherever I go from here, whatever happens next, I willneverreturn to him.

3

Run

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