Page 19 of Dark Prince's Mate

Once he’s gone, I seal the exit.

On cue, Elsie’s lashes lift, and then I’m staring into those arresting blue-green pools.

“How do you feel now?”I ask in a voice gruff from uncharacteristic tenderness.

“Like my old self,” she says with a small smile.“Thank you.”

“Of course.You didn’t think I’d let you suffer?”

“Not only for healing me.”

“For what else?”

“For saving me.”She looks away and says under her breath, “Again.”

She doesn’t sound entirely pleased about that.

I climb onto the bed and, stretching out on top of her, keep my weight on one arm while gripping her chin in my free hand to turn her face toward me.“Why did you run away, Elsie?”

She purses her lips.

I search her eyes.“Did I not give you pleasure?Did you hate it that much?”

“You did,” she admits, averting her gaze.“I didn’t hate it.But you were disappointed.”

“I was.”

Her mouth drops open as her gaze snaps back to mine.She tries to pull free, but I hold fast.

“I was disappointed that the bond hadn’t been completed.You clearly rejected me.”

“Oh!Oh—” she splutters, fighting me harder.“Are you saying it’s my fault?”

Gripping her wrists in one hand, I pin them above her head.“Calm down, Elsie.”I make my voice hard.“I wasn’t the one who had a problem with accepting our bond.”

She arches her back, writhing beneath me.“Last time I checked, you came inside me.You said consummating the mating would secure the bond, and it was fucking consummated.”Animosity glows in her eyes.“There was no resistance from my side, you know that.Well, not at the crucial point.”She stops her futile efforts to escape and says through gritted teeth, “Let me go.”

“Never.”Never again.

Her chest moves with rapid breaths.She’s not shouting, but the soft words she throws at me have a more potent effect than any outburst could’ve.“I hate you.”

My smile is sardonic.“And there you have it.”

“Go to hell,” she spits out.“Maybe you should look inside yourself before pointing a finger at me.”

“I don’t hate you.”

“Why should you?”Her face twists.“You’re not the one who was stolen from your home.”

“Thisisyour home.”

“You really have a way of making me feel welcome.”

I’m fast reaching the limit of my patience.“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“For crying out loud, Aruan.A glacier has more warmth than what you projected after fucking me.”

My frustration mounts.“I wasn’t cold toward you.I needed a few moments to think, and you made it obvious that you didn’t want me around.What did you expect after showing your regret so openly?”

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