Page 35 of The Silent Mate

“My greatest victory, sweet Aria—” He purred my name, and my gut curdled. “Lies in taming the beast you now call your mate.” My heart thundered in my chest, and he continued. “It lies in molding that twisted creature into something worthy of theIntonat NoctePack. Don’t you agree?”

Twisted creature. Beast.

Bile crept up my throat, and tension blanketed the room, so thick I could’ve choked on it. I hated this man. I didn’t know if I’d ever hated someone before. I couldn’t even claim to dislike more than a handful of people prior to arriving at theIntonat NoctePack. Hate did not come naturally to me.

But IhatedRoman. I wanted him to suffer.

Before I could open my mouth and damn myself further, Roman rose from his seat. He towered above me, and I resisted the instinctual urge to bow my head in reverence. I wouldn’t bow for this male. Thisfalsealpha.

“Malik,” Roman called, his voice like shards of ice. He didn’t look over his shoulder at his brother, eyes never leaving my face. “Take your mate home and teach her some manners.”

Finally released by his brother’s command, Malik came to my side in an instant. I pushed away from the table, nearly tipping my chair over in the process, to rejoin my mate. I managed to keep my arms from wrapping around his thick waist, but scarcely an inch separated our bodies once more.

My skin warmed where his hand pressed against the small of my back, seemingly just as eager to sweep me out of this Goddess-forsaken dining room. Before we made it halfway to the door, however, Roman’s voice pierced the silence.

“I trust you’ll…rectifyher poor behavior before our next meeting,” Roman mused, cruelty laced in every word. “Otherwise, I’ll be forced to take sweet Aria’s discipline into myownhands.”

Malik stiffened. His lips pulled into a silent snarl as he slowly turned to face his brother.

The room went still, and every occupant seemed to collectively hold their breath. Throughout the entire evening, Malik dipped his head and accepted Roman’s abuse. But the moment Roman turned his threats towardme,Malik’s control hung on a precarious thread.

The two males stared at each other, and several beats passed before I realized that they were having a silent conversation between them. And though I had no idea what was being said, a flicker of fear passed over Roman’s features.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two of Roman’s guards shift closer to us, undoubtedly prepared to leap to their alpha’s defense if the need arose. Malik could easily fight his brother and win, but if another opponent joined the fray…

I wrapped my hand around his wrist, hyper-aware of the pound of his pulse against my palm. His skin was hot—feverish.

“Malik,” I whispered, tightening my grip. He didn’t move. “Malik,please.Let’s go home.”

He released a ragged breath, the muscles in his jaw rippling beneath his scruff. For several long moments, he held his brother’s gaze, before, at last, he took a backward step toward the exit. Then another. I trailed after him. He never turned his back on Roman until we entered the empty hallway.

As soon as we were out of the pack house and on the shadowed path away from the monstrous structure, he pulled his arm out of my grasp, only to tug me into his chest in an impassioned embrace. I gasped but recovered quickly, standing on my toes to wrap my arms around his neck.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured against his chest, resting my forehead against the hollow between his pectorals. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed him. I was just so angry?—”

Malik silenced me with a hand in my hair, gently tugging onthe strands at the base of my neck to coax my head backward, away from his chest. I complied, tipping my chin up so that I might look in his eyes.

The pupil in his good eye dilated until the gray became the darkest shade of graphite. His gaze trickled to my mouth, then back to my eyes again. His heart still thundered against his ribcage, practically vibrating into my own chest, and I sensed that he wanted—needed—to kiss me again.

Our kiss before dinner had been short. Truthfully, Malik pulled away before I truly knew what was happening, but that didn’t take away from the beauty of it. In fact, that small, tender peck meant more to me than I could’ve ever put to words.

Now though, Malik’s gaze held a certain ferocity that warned of brimming need and lapsing control. If he kissed me now, it wouldn’t be gentle. And,Goddess,I didn’t want gentle.

He shifted forward, our breaths mingling, and I held painstakingly still to allowhimto take the lead. Even so, my eyes roamed to his mouth as he bent closer. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, and the look on his face was some combination of fervent lust and uncertainty. Anticipation curled into a tight ball in my belly. Flames spread through my veins, sending warmth to my core.

When his mouth met mine, I nearly moaned in relief.

He paused, our lips pressed hesitantly against one another’s. I half-expected him to pull away again, but he pressed his lips firmly against mine. My eyes fell closed, and, this time, I couldn’t contain the soft, breathless noise that bubbled up my throat.

That only encouraged him. His grip on my hair tightened, fisting my locks to tilt my head back and ease his access to my lips. His lips were impossibly soft, with a small ridge where the bottom of his scar met the corner of his mouth.

Malik experimented. He kissed me firm and deep, then withdrew to brush against my bottom lip before pressing again.

I clutched at his shirt, my fingers curling into the fabric and scraping against his muscled chest to draw him closer. My movements must’ve sparked something in him, for his tongue boldly swept across the seam of my lips. They opened on instinct.

His tongue breached my mouth in a tentative stroke, and a spark of electricity shot straight between my legs. I clamped them together to satiate the sudden warmth.

I exhaled, passing breath from my mouth to his as I surrendered to his exploration. Though I didn’t have experience, my body knew what to do in response to every touch. My own tongue tangled with his, meeting every thrust and sweep in a sinful, erotic dance. I wanted to weep from happiness. From the sheerrightnessof this moment.

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