My mate Jaxon.
MY MATE.
No. No. No! This could not be happening!
I glance between the two alphas, one looking cheery, the other a bit impatient. Both of their expressions changed to confused when I let out a bitter laugh, "Well sorry, bud, but I don't want a mate, so..." I shrug, clicking my tongue, then turning to continue on my way.
Before I even make it up a step, I hear a dominating, cold voice, "No." I shiver at Jaxon's tone, realizing that he's using his Alpha voice on me. Little does he know, that voice doesn't work on me. I take another step, completely ignoring his demand. "I said, no," He states, his voice becoming stronger.
No response.
"As Alpha of the Moonlight Pack, I command you to stop right now. You're mine, Isabelle," He basically uses my name as a weapon against me. "And you will come back with me. I don't care if I have to drag you kicking and screaming. An eighteen year old girl will not reject me. Understood?" As his words spill out of his mouth, my anger rises, my nails biting into my palms as I ball my fists up.
Oh, no.
No way he's talking to me like that!
I turn around to face him. "You order me? Just because you're the big bad alpha of some pack in our territory doesn't mean you can tell me what to do! And if I want to reject you, I will! And you'd hate that, wouldn't you? Have your pride and power stripped from you by an unshifted, eighteen year old girl."
He raises his eyebrows in surprise, probably expecting me to submit to his overpowering voice. His question catches me off guard, however, "Unshifted?"
I shy away from the question, feeling somewhat ashamed of my status. He comes up a few steps, stopping at the one before mine. Although he's shortened, he's still several inches taller than me. I shrink away from his demeaning gazeâwas he always this intense? A half-smile breaks out on his gorgeous face, his hand softly caressing my cheek, "I've never had someone so... innocent and.... inexperienced."
I look into his gorgeous blue eyes, seeing his evident mockery of me. "Yeah, me neither," I shrug nonchalantly, knowing the comment will spark a reaction from him; sure as the world, it does.
He growls threateningly at me, "You're walking on dangerous ground, pup," he says lowly, his eyes darkening from anger.
I stare up with childlike eyes, "What's wrong, Alpha? Did I do something to upset you?"
He growls again, mumbling, "Mine." under his breath before hauling me over his shoulder.
"Hey!" I scream out, slightly beating at his back. "Unless you want me to flash everyone in view, I suggest you put me down!"
"Call Hails and tell him to pull the car around. We'll be leaving a little earlier this year," He acts oblivious to my objections, speaking to one of his whipped pack members.
Jaxon shifts his arm around my legs so he's holding my dress down so I won't accidentally flash everyone within radius.
"Put me down!" I scream, hitting his back with remarkable force. However, my hits are like nothing to him, small hands merely bouncing off of a toned physique. I groan in frustration as my hair hangs lazily in my face.
"I wanna go home!" I whine, hoping to pull out the guilt card. "Please," I sniffle, pretending to be on the verge of tears.
"Don't worry princess," He says happily. "You'll be home safe and sound with me in no time." I frown as I realize what he's saying, and I cross my arms the best I can as I'm upside down.
So not what I meant.
After we've reached the pavilion, he walks through it, coming upon a waiting limo. A man in a tuxedo opens the door for him, not uttering a word at all.
Jaxon places me inside the car, sitting in beside me right after. The man shuts the door, then hurries around to the driver's seat. He revs up the engine, and begins the drive from Tennessee to South Carolina.
"What about my stuff?" I question whilst I violently yank on the door handle next to me.
Jaxon merely sighs and pulls out his phone, scrolling through what I assume are emails. "You lost the right to pack your things when you refused to come willingly."
"What? That doesn't make any sense! I won't have any clothes," I persist, still pulling on the handle.
He cocks his eyebrow at me, "Child lock is on. You're not getting that door open so you might as well quit."
"I'll stop when you let me get my things!"
"I have sisters. You can borrow some of their clothes until we can get new ones."
"I don't want new ones, I want the ones I own now."
"Are you always this whiny? No wonder you've yet to be claimed by anyone."
"'No wonder'? What do you mean? This was my first ceremony since being old enough to have a mate. How could anyone have claimed me?"
"Perhaps, our definition of 'claimed' is different, yes?" His eyes flit over from his screen to me. "No wonder you've yet to be fucked by anyone."
I sputter out noncommittal sounds at his words. "Y-You don't know that."
"I can tell you've never been with anyone. I can smell it on youâor I suppose you could say it's the lack of scent."
"Does that bother you? Sorry I wanted to be a virgin for my mate. Now that I've met him, I see that he wasn't worth the wait."
He growls and his eyes flash between cerulean and black, indicating his wolf is attempting to take over. "Don'tâ" He begins, stops himself, inhales deeply, then continues, "ever speak to me that way. Do you understand?"
"I don't understand, no."
"What don't you comprehend about that order?"
"What I don't understand is how the rumors about you could've been so spot on."
"The rumors are that I murder innocents and take everything away from those I spare. How is that applicable here? If that were true, I would've killed you by now. I would've killed you on the beach the moment you dared to flee from meâme. Then, I would've pillaged your pack, killed your alpha, and absorbed it into mine. Anyone who resisted would die and the living would have to pledge allegiance to me."
I hesitate for a moment, my voice lower, "It seems like you have it all planned out."
"I have backup plans in case of emergencies. I don't randomly pillage and kill just because it pleases me."
"The first I'm hearing of thisâ"
"You don't know me. You only know false rumors spread about me and my pack because of the power and control I hold in this region. I doubt my enemies would be whispering compliments about me. They spread lies so that they can amass enough hatred in order to destroy me."
"Well, you don't know me either, Alpha. It seems like you think you've got me pegged?"
"I do."
I scoff, "Prove it."
"Eighteen year old, unshifted. Probably due to trauma in your lifeâI would say the death of your father and the disappearance of your mother. Jaded from the harsh world around you, a borderline alcoholic, has a guy best friend because 'girls have just never liked you,' and rebels against authority because no one ever taught you any manners. Likes to act like you're experienced but has never even let anyone get to first base because you're afraid they will reject you. Is that close enough?"
I open my mouth and close it, unsure of how to respond. His analysis, though brief, was fairly accurate.
"Twenty-six year old, shifted. Thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Hardened from war. Pompous. Pretends to be cold so no one will use emotional vulnerability against you. Man-whore. Doesn't want a mate because it is too taxing for you to deal withâwhich is why you hate me. My inexperience, young age, and status as unshifted makes it even more work for you in the long run."
"No one said I hate you," He mumbles. "Don't be dramatic."
"I'm not being dramatic. I'm just calling it as I see it."
"Well, you implied arrogance twice."
"Because you're that arrogant."
He huffs, "I didn't give you permission to analyze me."
"I don't need permission to make an observation."
"Get comfortable, sweetheart," He says, not addressing my comeback and reclining slightly in his seat, seemingly giving up on conversing with me. "We have six more hours to go."