“Where am I?” I whispered into the air, my voice quivering with fear.
“You’re safe,” I heard Ryder’s voice from a distant corner, his voice low and calm. My head snapped to the sound, and squinting my eyes, I saw his figure in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on me with an unreadable expression.
“Safe?” I repeated, my laughter bitter. “You call this safe? I don’t even know where I am!” I slapped my forehead in despair.
Ryder was seated on a wooden chair not far from where I stood, his eyes never leaving mine. The little light that slipped into the room cast a warm glow on his face, making his blue eyes appear warm and brighter.
“You’re in my home,” he said warily.
I felt a surge of rage at his words. “You can’t keep me prisoner!” I spat, trying to keep my voice steady.
But Ryder just smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Oh, but I can,” he said, his voice now playful yet firm.
Blinking twice, I saw him clearly as he stood up from the chair, his shirtless torso on full display-well-defined and tanned to bronze perfection against his olive skin.
His abs were chiseled, each muscle defined and toned. His chest was firm, beautiful lines accentuating every part. My gaze lingered for longer than I’d intended. Hot? He was way hotter than… I couldn’t even think straight.
My mouth hung slightly open as I gawked at him, my brain struggling to process the sheer perfection of his body.
Aware of my thoughts, his face curled into a smirk, as if he was taunting me, enjoying my reaction.
“Go ahead, drool all you want,” he said, his voice low and husky. “Sexy. But I’m not touching you. Not yet. You need to rest first.”
I felt color rise to my cheeks as I realized I was staring at him like a total idiot. I tried to speak, but my voice caught in my throat. Instead, a sound somewhere between a cough and a breath escaped my lips.
Ryder chuckled slowly, clearly amused, his blue eyes glinting with amusement. “You’re cute when you’re speechless,” he said, his smirk widening.
I finally found my voice, and my words tumbled out in a rush. “What do you want from me? Why am I here?”
Ryder’s expression shifted to something more serious, his eyes narrowing. “You’re here because you’re mine now,” he said firmly. “And as for what I want… let’s just say we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” His tone, though light, carried a cocky undertone that made me want to roll my eyes.
A shiver ran down my spine at his words, a mix of fear and anticipation. What did he plan to do with me? And why did I feel a twisted sense of excitement at the prospect? Hell, I was supposed to be sad. I’d just been dragged away from my family, from everything I knew…
I frowned, my mind racing with defiance. The hell I would let him touch me! I wasn’t his whore, his plaything to be used and discarded at his whim. And the pride he spoke with, like everyone was caught staring at him, meant they wanted to get down… Oh please, I scoffed.
Taking steady strides toward me, his eyes locked on mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat.
“Are you sure you’re not dying to know what I feel like, vixen?” he purred.
I wanted to scream “no,” to tell him he was the last person I wanted to touch me. But then his closeness hit me, his intoxicating cologne wrapping around me like a warm blanket on a winter night. Ryder was driving me insane-his ocean-blue eyes, his sharp, angular jawline, his full lips…
He leaned in close, his breath whispering against my ear, sending a wave of heat coursing through me. “Vixen,” he whispered, his hand grasping my neck. As if a spell had broken, I snapped out of my trance, my anger resurfacing.
“Don’t call me that,” I spat, trying to shake off his grip.
“My name is Jasmine. I’m not a vixen,” I weakly protested.
Ryder’s brows arched, his eyes glinting with playful amusement, but he released my neck, his hand falling away. “Jasmine,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’ll make sure to remember that.”
I glared at him, trying to keep my distance. But he just smiled, his eyes never leaving mine.
“You can’t resist me forever, Jasmine,” he said, his voice confident. “I’ll wear you down.”
I shivered at his words, a mix of fear and anticipation coursing through my veins. I knew I had to keep my guard up, to resist his charms-the very ones that had gotten me into this mess in the first place-at all costs. But a part of me wondered… what if I didn’t?
With his hand still on my neck, Ryder trailed his cool fingers slowly down the nape of my neck, making swirling motions with the tips of his nails. The effect sent a hot wave rushing between my thighs. I couldn’t help but shut my eyes, intent on savoring the passionate sensation he was offering.
I was beginning to relax when the door flung open, and a voice boomed into the room.
After the door slammed, I took that as the cue to leave my hiding place. My chest was on the verge of exploding with anger as I crawled from under the bed, my eyes fixed on the door Jason had just exited. That smug, self-righteous bastard! The nerve of him-thinking he could waltz in here, dump Jasmine like trash, and then try to marry her off because it was convenient for him? Again? After I had already claimed her as mine?
It was the audacity for me. The fact that they thought they could outsmart me… I gnashed my teeth at the thought. So desperate to make sure I didn’t have her, they were willing to replace her with Jason’s fiancee. No one dared to struggle for anything that was mine, and to make matters worse, Ace was involved.
“I told you these people couldn’t be trusted!” he growled, the sound of his voice echoing in my head.
“I was only giving them the benefit of the doubt,” I said angrily, defending myself.
My eyes burned with fury, the rage spilling over as I lay there, listening to their absurd plan. Jasmine’s expression was filled with so much fear. Her lips barely moved, her eyes just watching me closely. She was probably too frightened to say anything. This was the first time she’d seen me angry-very angry.
My lips twitched slightly, and I thought of saying something… anything to her, but then I thought against it. I was only going to end up doing something we’d both regret.
Leaving as I had come, I eased myself through the window, a solid plan forming in my mind.
There’s an old saying: when your enemy knows all your moves, you can’t win the battle unless you change the battlefield. That’s exactly what I intended to do. I wasn’t a Lycan just by name; I was a force not to be messed with. I got what I wanted, who I wanted, and when I wanted them. All the packs around feared my name-Ryder Kael.
And even if they didn’t acknowledge my name, my father’s name was more powerful. It sent people moving quickly and shuddering with respect or fear.
The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual, determined to get started on my plan. The earlier, the better. With a few phone calls and negotiations, I had all the legal documents ready. What would have taken an average person weeks took me only a few minutes. My Lycan influence made it easy to get things done quickly.
After the necessary documents were drafted and delivered to me, I headed to the Pack house, knowing they’d be having breakfast. It was the perfect time and opportunity to make a statement.
As soon as I entered, the room fell silent. All eyes were on me, and I could smell their fear. Good.
Jason’s grating voice welcomed me first, reminding me that I wasn’t welcome for breakfast. If I didn’t have something to shatter his ego, I would have dealt with him right then and there. Jasmine’s eyes followed me, full of guilt.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply