ek'

d in with the files I

ng, Alpha,"

I saw Melissa with that man, I needed to know what was going on between the

ed all my attention on Michael.

and Melissa have been together for years. He's also the reason she has a good

tighten, and I had to take deep breaths to control myse

arply and returned the files

small smile, bowed,

a moved on so quickly? She had always been crazy in love with

hadn't bel

ad treated Melissa horribly. I could have listened to her-give

I was ready to do whateve

e, so I tidied up

-

she had been within reach all along? I was eager to talk to her again, but she

tment. I didn't matter to her a

felt the bond. Even after

ce. Elijah hadn't marked her yet. All I need

a little, I wouldn't have pushed her away. I could have listened. I could have

t too

g like the mate I once knew.

flicker of the Melissa I remembered remained.

s until an all-too-famil

Derek? You keep forgetting you

tanding in the doorway, ar

. "Go to bed, Laura. Leave me alone.

But I don't care. It won't change the fact that I'm your mate now, and

ed out my title m

at I found out how you deceived me years ago? We were never supposed to be

elissa, you wouldn't have fallen for my lies. You have no one

ice was low, dangerous. My eyes burn

s ago. You should move on already. I love you, and in time, y

oing to get Melissa back. An

to do with you, Derek. She made that clear

like a blade, hitting woun

ming," she added wi

My voice was colde

ng her head. "You're only deceiving you

to get on my nerves. But I wasn't going to let her get to me-no

iefcase and hea

ourse, sh

her right now?" she blur

in. I ignored her and got up to

and call the attention of the Cabinet Minister. I'll tell th

, my hands clenc

een expecting an heir from me. If they found out I wa

five years and found nothing. Why not give up and have a

rned

the floor, reveali

. He had been starved for five years, and I planned

," I said flatly. "Pu

es, looking up at m

he massaged me gently, ma

I warned, my

ush her off, she too

spite my resistance, pleasure surged through me. My

lissa," I

mediatel

ge. "Melissa? You were thinking about t

n't ever call her that again, or I

r since you saw t

er against the wall. She yelped, her

till had her pinned. "Don't ever speak ill of Me

tabbing her. And from this day forward? Y