Page 3 of The Alpha's Forbidden Heir

"That's not how this works, little girl." The endearment slips out before I can stop it, and I watch her eyes narrow in response.

"Don't call me that."

"Then give me a reason not to treat you like one." I'm aware of every breath she takes, every slight shift of her body. "You're in my city, surrounded by my pack, and you're Vittorio Sorrenti's daughter. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't end this right now."

Her chin lifts, defiant. "Because you can't."

"Can't?" I growl.

"Look Mr. Big bad wolf… what do you want from me?"

"Oh, princess." I click my tongue. "We're going to have so much fun answering that question."

"Go fuck yourself."

"Only if you watch." I wink at her, just to see that furious flush crawl up her neck.

Against every instinct in my body, I reach out and brush a strand of hair from her dirt-smudged cheek. She flinches. I pretend not to notice.

"My medic is on her way… She'll get you cleaned up."

Aria stares at me in disbelief. "You're kidding, right? First you abduct me, then threaten me and now you're playing nurse?"

I shrug. "Don't get excited, princess. You're no good to me if you bleed out."

She snorts. "How chivalrous."

"Now shut up and let me look at you."

For half a second, she gapes at me, outrage etched in every lovely line of her face. Then her eyes narrow, and I swear I can see the exact moment she decides to make my life hell.

"Make me," she hisses.

Heat explodes in my veins, a blast of pure lust strong enough to incinerate me where I stand. I lean in, one hand cupping her nape, the other hovering just above the delicate silk of her ruined blouse.

Mine, my wolf snarls again, and this time, I can't find the will to deny it.

Mate.

I stumble back, reeling from the force of it. From the undeniable truth that the woman I've sworn to destroy is my fated mate.

Aria stares at me, confusion and wariness warring in her eyes. "What's wrong with you?"

I shake my head, trying to clear the fog of lust and bewilderment. "Nothing," I rasp, my voice rough and foreign to my own ears. "Nothing at all, princess."

But as I turn and stalk out of the room, my wolf snarling in protest with every step, I know it's a lie.

Everything is wrong. Because Aria Sorrenti, is mine.

And I have no fucking idea what I'm going to do about it.

Chapter Two

Aria

The chair beneath me is hard and unforgiving. My wrists sting where the ropes have rubbed them raw, and every time I move, the fibers dig in deeper. I’m sure it’s designed this way on purpose. Psychological warfare. Or maybe they’re just cheap bastards who can’t afford more comfortable kidnapping equipment.

I twist my wrists again, because apparently, I’m both a masochist and an optimist. The rope holds firm, of course. My shoulders burn from the strain, and I want to scream in frustration, but that would only give him the satisfaction of knowing he’s gotten to me. Instead, I shift in my seat and blow a strand of hair out of my face.

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