Page 44 of The Wild Moon
My long legs easily carried me up the driveway. I was past the trees and had entered the house’s shadow when a giant, black object shot out from the side of the house. It snarled in fury, the Alpha command washing over me.
On instinct, I started to fight it. Sheer principle said I had to shrug it off and resist because submitting to Lars was just about the most unappetizing thing I could think of.
Fake it! You have to fake it!
Lars was almost on me, his wolf covering ground at terrifying speed, and I forced myself down to the ground. I showed my neck, hoping he wouldn’t tear my throat out anyway, just to spite me. I wouldn’t put it past him.
“You,” a human voice came as Lars shifted back. It was full of derision and hatred.
Which I guess made sense. He didn’t have any reason to like me.
He shuffled closer. “Look at me.”
I grimaced. He was doing his macho masculine dominance shit again. Bracing myself for what I knew I was going to see, I turned my head, trying to open my eyes after they were past his groin.
I failed.
What the fuck, dude? Why you gotta shove your junk in everyone’s faces? Hasn’t a girl ever told you that a penis is really not attractive or impressive when it’s just limp and flopping around like a deflated string balloon?
“Why are you back?” Lars growled down at me.
I focused on his face, ignoring the pint-sized anteater inches from my face.Apparently, some things run in the family.
“The Wild Moon is almost here,” I said quietly, trying to play the part of the meek and subservient woman. Anyone with a shred of intelligence would know I was faking it, but Lars was so caught up in himself that I’m sure heexpectedthis out of me to the point that he would never consider I could be faking it. He didn’t believe anyone could be strong enough to defy him.
Or stupid. Most definitely stupid. Don’t go inflating your own ego here, either. This is a plan born of sheer stubbornness and idiocy. Nothing more.
“So it is,” Lars smirked as he looked down at me. “And?”
He wanted more. He wanted me to say it.
Fine. Whatever it’ll take to convince you.
“And,” I said, trying to make myself whimper as I spoke, “I can’t run forever.”
Lars nodded.
Holy shit, is he buying this?
I cast my eyes down, not wanting him to read the hope I could feel blossoming inside me. This might work, after all. Maybe I’m not a terrible actress!
“Good,” Lars said, nodding once sharply as if making up his mind. “I’m glad you came to your senses.”
“I did,” I told him, steeling myself. This next part was the trickiest of all. “But I’m not here willingly. I still don’t want this, so if you expect it to work, I have some terms.”
His teeth clamped down on my neck. I whimpered and yelped for real, caught off-guard by the sudden attack as I was pinned to the gravel driveway, the sharp stones scraping roughly against my face.
Even when he released me, I stayed like that. There was no point antagonizing him further.
“Youdareto dictate to me? The Alpha of your pack?”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “If you want this to work out, then yes, I do dare.”
Bracing myself as I finished speaking, I prepared for his next attack. I doubted he was going to just kill me at this point. I knew at a minimum a part of him would be interested to hear what I was going to propose.
“Interesting,” Lars growled, standing up and taking a half step away from my curled-up form. “Good. I like it. An alpha’s mate should be strong. Unyielding. What do you propose?”
I got to my feet, proving not just to Lars, but also to myself, that I was as strong as I was pretending to be. Hopefully.
