The Alpha forbidden mate

la'

un

air, quiet and forceful, sen

earthed in the dusty west wing of Silverwood Manor. My heartbeat

e again, low and full of su

ood Lucian Grey. His glittering eyes flashed like molten steel, his body tight, as if barely holding himself back. He

was

e ripped through my words, as shar

shook, my voice held its ground. "You cannot keep driving

ar all around. "The truth?." His laughter was

y frustration drivi

I saw regret there. suffering? But it

er, tinged with something I couldn quite identify. That dairy is

ould not back down. "Then why let anyone di

een us in two quick steps. "To attract those unable to

g fiercely. Now he was so close; I could feel the heat radiating o

in this," I said softly. "I

tant his burden was exposed. From me, this curse has claimed everyth

r and something else-something I couldn'

gh it was feather-light, it burnt through me like wildfire. His

I could not ignore the magnetic attraction between us, the way his presence occupied every vacant place within me. It

lled. Lucian was poised on the brink of something primordial for all his c

asn't sure what, my voi

like a deep growl, and his hand fell away to cr

the lump in my throat and demanded.

not right. I have little worth worth saving.

y up against his chest. "I am not a damsel you could imprison

a sobering reminder of the beast hiding behind his fle

brary off the old stone walls. Tell me the truth; stop

At last, his voice raw, "You," he said. "I worry about what I would do

s, a wire too tightly poised for a

ly, not sca

ught t

e, the distance between us vanished. A war drum dro

he murmured, "You should hate me.

uivering with the weight of the truth.

d stood still. And then h

y waist, pressing me toward him as if he could shelter me from the world-or maybe from himself. I c

suddenly as it b

voice thick with grie

pled through the library. The shadows seemed to

red, worry creepi

nse and ready for a fight. "Stay behind me," h

alized with a sinking feeling that whatever wa

massive, dark-furred wolf charged in. Its eyes glowed an

ed, his voice harsher

an replaced it. He was tall and skinny, and

ellow eyes fixed on me. This is t

ippled with barely restrain

y from me. Oh, I wouldn't. not yet.

rius fled into the darkness, his laughter boomin

rnal to my chest, as the weight of what I'd