Page 42 of Consort

“Did she not like it?” he asks, raising a brow at me. “Should I bring her a different one?”

“What?” I ask, distracted by the fullness of his lips. I close my eyes and shake my head. “No. She doesn’t need it. Here,” I say, shoving the jug at his stomach. “Take it and be on your way. We owe you nothing.”

“Of course you don’t owe me anything,” he says, taking the jug in a large, bronze hand. “It was a gift.”

“We don’t want your gifts,” I snap. I may be hooked on the adrenaline, but I still remember what he did to me.

He smirks. “Well, maybe your mother does. She took this one,” he says, holding the jug up. “Why don’t we ask her?”

“No!” I growl, terrified by his interest in my mother.

I’ve been an idiot. I should have told her about the heat from the beginning. She could return any moment and unknowingly walk right into whatever trap this might be.

The fae’s face grows serious. “She’s not here… You’re alone, aren’t you?”

I’m thankful my mother is safe from him at the moment, but he knows I’m vulnerable. A blush creeps across my face as I realize he’s seen me in far more vulnerable positions. How silly I must look, trying to act tough after whatever mess I was withhim during my heat. It’s humiliating.

But it makes me think. I was at his mercy during my heat. He had full control over me and my body. When I woke, I found no bruises or dried blood. I was only sore between my legs, which I’d expect from a heat. He also fed me and gave me water. It doesn’t seem like he hurt me in any way. As long as he’s known where we are, he hasn’t done anything to harm us. And something about his face looks more concerned about me being alone than excited.

I really don’t think he wants to harm me.

He’s quiet, letting my brain work things out before I answer. His stunning eyes watch me curiously, but I can’t find a trace of wickedness in them. Perhaps he hates the nobility like he claimed. Maybe he’s different than the rest of them.

Still, if he’s not going to hurt me, his continued interest can only mean he’s hoping for another heat. Alphas go mad for Omegas. After experiencing a heat for himself, it’s not hard for me to believe it could have had a similar effect on a fae.

All this daydreaming over another selfish, horny bastard.

My heart sinks, and my eyes drop to the ground. This isn’t fun anymore. I feel trapped, like I did in my pack. A prisoner, existing only to serve ravenous beasts who are stronger than me. As I watch a line of beetles crawling along the dirt, I can’t help but feel more respected by them than any high fae male in this realm.

White, leathered knees hit the ground in front of me with a thud, narrowly missing the beetles. The bright fabric is instantly stained and no longer fit for a noble. The fae’s large, perfectly formed hands reach out toward mine, silently asking to take them. We both know he’s already touched whatever parts of me he wanted. Asking for permission for anything seems ridiculous at this point.

His blue eyes seem to glow as he peers up at me withsurprising compassion. It’s a look too endearing for my father to ever offer my mother. Too sweet to imagine a fae ever offering anyone at all. His expression tugs hard at my heart, but my suspicion steps out in front to shield me from it. I have no reason to let this fae touch me.

My emotions are a mess. I shove them all away. This is just a game to him. A bigger game than I could have prepared for.

“You’re an empath, aren’t you?” I ask numbly, ignoring his outstretched hands. “How cowardly, manipulating emotions to get what you want.”

“No. I’m no empath,” he says, letting his hands drop to his sides. “The only thing I can manipulate is temperature. My magic cannot deceive you.”

I cross my arms as I rack my brain for a way to get him to leave.

He stands and flexes his jaw in irritation. I guess he’s done with the tender act. I knew it couldn’t be sincere.

“I’ve only ever tried to help you. I didn’t mean for you to see me today,” he says. “I came to get the wine before you found it. I planned to leave you in peace.”

“If you planned to leave me in peace, why leave gifts in the first place?” I demand, pointing at the berry bush.

“I couldn’t help myself,” he yells, running his hand through his bright blue hair and taking a step away from me. “I…” He sighs. “I wanted to get to know you.”

“I think you alreadyknowme well enough,” I huff, bitter that he remembers things I can’t. I shouldn’t trust him. I can’t let his pretty words sway me.

He reaches out, grabbing my wrist with unnaturally warm fingers. I try to shake him off, but his grip is firm. I can only stand there and wait for whatever he plans to do to me.

He holds my stare and loosens his grip, letting heat flow through his fingers. It runs up my arm to my shoulder, thenacross my chest and along my throat. I barely contain the shudder that ripples through my body at the indirect touch. It should feel unpleasant, but it simply feels incredible.

I get why he’s doing this–to prove he’s not an empath. But he’s still able to fuck with my emotions, and he still hasn’t given me a reason for his interest in me other than the obvious. So, I have to assume that’s why he’s here.

“My heat must have left quite an impression,” I huff, jerking my hand away. “You can stop wasting your time. Wine won’t trigger one. I need an Alpha for that. You have no reason to stick around. Just leave.”

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