by Leia King
“Looks good. Smells good.” She took a bite. “Tastes… amazing. Wow, you’re talented.”
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
“I didn’t think you did regular human things.”
“I’ve lived in the human realm for two hundred years. I’ve picked up a few things.”
He leaned against the wall, watching her eat.
“What?” she asked, between mouthfuls.
“Ryan will not be happy about what we discussed last night.”
“Did you contact Michael?” she queried, sidestepping his comment completely. She didn’t want to think about Ryan. She had to remain focused and whenever she let herself think about him, all bets were off.
“He will meet us tonight where we discussed.”
“If he tries anything, I will kill him, Luca. No hesitation.”
“I don’t doubt it. I’ve seen you try to kill him before. I know the intention is never very far away.”
“What we are doing here… this means that all wolves are off limits.”
“I have already lifted the threat.” He leaned across the breakfast counter towards her, his face just inches from hers. “You don’t trust me?”
She met his gaze head on. “I don’t need to trust you.”
“And why is that?”
Her gaze hardened. “Because I hold the power. I don’t need to be worried about you. You need to be worried about me.”
He grinned and ruffled her hair, before pulling away. “You are no longer the naïve girl I met all those months ago.”
“Do you miss her?”
He shook his head. “No. I’ve spent my life around weak women. Sycophants. Women who would do anything to please me. You… you’re strong. Now that you’ve grown into your power, you are stronger now. Freer.”
“Not a trait that sits well with a wolf,” she murmured quietly to herself.
Luca shot her a look. “You forget I am a vampire, princess. I heard that.”
“Yeah, well,” she said, pushing back her chair and getting to her feet.
He glanced at her plate. “You’re not finished.”
“I lost my appetite,” she said, turning away from him.
In a flash of vampire speed, he stood before her. “You are right, you know? About him. He will never be able to relinquish control. It is not in his nature.”
“You don’t know that. You’re just jealous.”
“As blunt as ever, aren’t you? Yes, I am jealous. There’s no point me denying it. But, I am also right about him. If you don’t believe me, test him.”
“Test him?”
“See if he can relinquish control. Sex is always a good gauge.”
“We’re barely speaking.”
Luca scoffed. “That won’t matter.”
“What?”
“He’s male.”
“Luca, I don’t think—”
“Then, I’ll guess it will always be nagging at you then.”
She breathed a heavy sigh. “It doesn’t matter. We can’t split up anyway. We are mates.”
“There are always ways.”
He turned away from her and strolled over to the couch. He lay down and pulled the blanket she’d given him last night over him, making himself comfortable.
She followed him over. “What does that mean?”
“What it sounds like. There is always a choice, Cora. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, because I’d bet my life that they’re only telling you that to control you. Remember what I told you up at the mansion. Everyone has an agenda.”
“What’s yours?”
He pulled himself up into a sitting position. His eyes locked with hers. “You.” He gripped her arm, pulling her down onto the couch beside him. She yelped in surprise.
He laughed at her reaction. “You thought I was going to do more than that, didn’t you?”
She shook her head and avoided making direct eye contact with him. “What? No.”
“Did you want me to?” he asked softly.
She scoffed and climbed to her feet. “No.”
“Look me in the eye and deny it,” he challenged.
“I have stuff to do, you know,” she said, walking away.
He chuckled. “Coward.”
“Whatever!” she called back, hurriedly stepping into the bathroom. Shutting the door and locking it quickly, she slumped against it and breathed out a sigh. Things just kept growing more complicated every damned day.
23
Cora strode through the garage of the wolf compound, eyeing her bike in the far corner.
She’d spent a few hours with her son, which had eased the awful ache of being away from him. The relief would only be fleeting, though. As soon as she left, she knew the heartache would return in full force.
It was all Ryan’s fault.
He wouldn’t let her take Orion with her. But, she also couldn’t bear to stay at the wolf compound, not while Ryan was there. She didn’t want to be around him. Not after what he’d done. The way he’d treated her, disrespected her.
He’d changed.
He’d always been controlling, to a certain extent. But since accepting his role as Wolf King, it’d spiraled out of control.
At the same time, she’d grown more powerful, detesting that control, the stronger she’d become.
It made for an impossible situation between them.
How on earth could they hope to find a middle ground?
She was putting space between them at the moment. She’d even told him that they were over. But, could she truly walk away from him, cutting all ties? They were destined mates. She loved him. There was no denying that. Maybe, if he could just relinquish some control, then she might be able to accept that. Maybe. She wasn’t certain it would even be enough.
Luca’s advise to her about testing him came to mind. She hated playing games, but, maybe, there wasn’t an alternative, given the current screwed-up state of things.
She blew out a breath, as she settled herself onto her Harley.
“Cora!”
She shot a glance over her shoulder and cringed. Ryan.
Dammit! She’d managed to avoid him for the entirety of her visit, because he’d been in a meeting with Nathanial and some other guy from the Dark Realm.
“Hey,” she said, forcing an amicable tone.
He came to a stop at her bike, looked her up and down for a few seconds, then told her, “I just finished a meeting with Nathanial and Haraz. One of the boys told me you were on your way out. I wanted to catch you before you left.”
“Why?”
“You’re my wife. I want you here.”
“You made that pretty difficult, Ryan.”
He shifted his weight and folded his arms across his chest. “Look, I was upset about you fucking about with Luca. I’m trying to move past it.”
“Fucking about with him?” She threw up her hands. “You really think that—”
“All right,” he cut in. “I might have been a little harsh.”
“You overreacted, big time. And the way you spoke to me, the way you treated me was—”
“I know. Just the idea of you and him… it gets to me.” He moved closer. “Where are you staying?”
“Does it matter?”
“Damn straight, it matters. I want you safe.”
She scoffed.
“What?” he snapped. “What was that for?”
She released a heavy sigh and adjusted her weight on the bike. “You really don’t see me, do you? I’m the most powerful sorceress in all the realms, Ryan. Is that something you’re just incapable of understanding, because of what you are?”
“What I am?” he hissed.
“A misogynistic Alpha wolf.”
“That’s what you think of me?”
“Yeah. You claim you like strong women, but you always have to be in control.”
“You’re wrong.” His expression softened and he took her hand in his. “Everything I do is to keep you safe. Power, or
not, you’re my wife. It’s my duty to protect you.”
“Ryan—” she protested as he closed the distance between them.
“You think I’m all about control, but it’s not that, my love. It’s the danger around us. So many forces are aligned against us right now. I just want you safe.”
Before she could respond, his lips crashed against hers, capturing her in a kiss so intense that she could barely breathe.
Despite everything, the physical connection between them overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t pull away for the life of her. She gripped the back of his neck, holding him tightly to her, as she kissed him back, matching his aggressiveness.
They poured all the pent-up frustration between them into it, until they were both fighting for breath, and breaking from the kiss.
“Lay back,” Ryan commanded, climbing onto the bike with her, straddling it.
She shifted and rested her head back against the handle bars.
He slipped his hands under her tank top and kneading her breasts with that perfect, experienced touch of his. He had her moaning and arching her back in a silent plea for more.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you,” he breathed, grinding his erection between her legs, creating a delicious friction that sent pleasure sparking through her.
And then he snatched her wrists, raising them above her head, and pinning them down. He leaned in to kiss her, but she jerked her head away.
“What’s wrong?”
“I want to switch.”
“What?”
“I want to switch,” she repeated, eyeing her wrists above her head.
He laughed. “I don’t think so.”
“Come on, Ryan.”
“You want to hold me down?” he asked, incredulous.
“Yeah.”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because.”
“That’s not an answer.”
He released her wrists and moved back, blowing out a frustrated breath. “What is this? You’ve never complained about the way we fuck before. In fact, you were out of your mind with pleasure. Fucking wild for it.”
She sat up and adjusted her clothes. “I want to be in control sometimes.”
“You are. When you suck my cock, you’re in complete control, aren’t you?”
“Not really. You still control the rhythm.”
“That’s what guys do, Cora.”
“Why are you so against this?”
“Because, I’m the dominant one here, Cora! I’m the wolf. It’s how it’ll always be. Understand that!”
She looked away, filled with sorrow. His reaction was worse than she’d imagined. And it told her all she needed to know. He wasn’t ready to meet her halfway. There was no hope of compromise. He was making it clear that it was his way, period. “You know, when we first got together, I didn’t realize the extent of your control issues. Sure, I knew you liked to be in charge in the bedroom. I was okay with it, because I didn’t know anything else. But then it extended outside the bedroom. Now that I’ve come into my full powers, I can’t accept that anymore. You cannot control me, Ryan. I’m not another one of your wolves. I’ve tried to make you see that, but you just don’t. You can’t accept it. You just brush it aside whenever I bring it up.” Shaking her head sadly, she settled herself on the bike and reached for the handlebars. “I can’t live like this. Everything is different. I’m different.”
She started the bike and called over the roar, “I… I can’t do this, Ryan. Not anymore.”
“Cora! Wait!” he cried, as she started to peel out of the garage.
She didn’t stop. What was the point? There was nothing left to be said.
“No! Don’t do this! Come back, my love! Cora!”
She cringed at the break in his voice, the pain there. It mirrored her own. But, she couldn’t turn back around. He wouldn’t let her be who she was. He was too controlling, too suffocating. If she stayed, it would destroy her. Hell, it would destroy them both.
And so, even as tears filled her eyes, she kept riding.
FATED LOVE
Book 4
1
Josh studied Ryan worriedly.
He’d never seen him in such a state before. Come to think of it, he’d rarely ever seen him emotional, because he always played things close to his chest. But, when it came to the subject matter at hand, all bets were off. He couldn’t swallow it down, like he usually did. His pain was too great. Tears glistened in his eyes and he slumped dejectedly against the headboard of his bed while stroking his son on his lap.
“Are you sure that’s what she meant?”
“What else do you think she meant, huh? She rode out of here to get away from me, J.”
Josh eyed Shaye beside him and saw the same worry in her eyes.
The two of them had come to Ryan for advice on a situation that’d been developing with the female wolves inside the compound. They’d had to put a pin in it when they’d found him in such a broken, inconsolable state. It’d taken them over ten minutes just to get him to divulge what’d happened. But, Josh couldn’t accept what Ryan had said. Claiming that he and Cora had split up? It couldn’t be over between them.
“You’re destined mates. You have a fated love, Ry,” he said. Maybe the reminder would be enough to give him hope that he could fix whatever had gone wrong.
“The two of you can’t be apart for very long without it impacting your physical health,” Shaye added. “She’ll come back to you.”
“Right, yeah. That’s what I want. My wife to come back to me because she has to,” Ryan groused.
“You know what I mean.”
Josh saw an unsettling look pass over Ryan’s features. “What is it, Ry?”
“There’s a way to break the bond.”
“What?”
Shaye shook her head. “I’ve never heard of anything like that. I don’t think—”
“It’s a closely guarded secret, only known by those of royal blood. It’s never been done before because it would require a fuck of a lot of power.” He looked up at the two of them. “Power that she has.”
“I can’t believe that has been kept secret all this time, from so many,” Shaye said.
“You’d be shocked at the shit the royals keep on the down low.” He rolled his eyes. “All for the greater good, apparently.”
“Debatable, I’m sure,” Shaye muttered.
“Damn,” Josh breathed.
“Regardless, Cora doesn’t know about it,” Shaye pointed out. “The only royal we did have to worry about telling her is dead now.”
“Yeah. Nathanial fried Luca. Right, Ry?”
“Last I saw, he was ready to burn, yeah.” He lifted Orion off his lap and growled gently, telling him in wolf tongue to go to sleep. Josh smiled as he watched the tiny pup curl up and start to settle in for a nap. Ryan blew out a breath and climbed off the bed, scrubbing his hand over his face in distress.
“It’ll be okay, Ry.”
Ryan spun to him. “How? How the fuck will it be okay?”
“All couples fight.”
“Nah, it’s more than that. She left me. My wife left me.”
“You can work it out. You’ve never let a little adversity stop you before, Ryan,” Shaye said.
“This is different.”
“How?”
Ryan pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s not the woman I fell in love with. Her power… it’s changed her. She can’t accept me for who I am anymore.”
“Who you are?” Shaye queried. “What does that mean?”
“She says I’m too… controlling.”
“When you fuck?” Josh blurted out.
“Josh—” Ryan growled.
Why had that gotten a reprimand? It was a valid question. Besides, it had to be part of what Cora had meant. It was in Ryan’s nature, as wolf. “I see. She wanted to hold you down for a change. Tie you up, or whatever. I’m right, yeah?”
The look in Ryan’s eyes told him he was right on the money.
“You denied her, I bet.” Josh shook his head. “You’re still clinging to that misguided idea that a man’s not a man if he isn’t the one doing the dominating in the bedroom, Ry.”
“Damn straight, that’s what I believe. You don’t? You’d let a woman take control of you?”
Josh grinned. “Yeah. It’s hot as all hell. It really fuels their wild side and—”
A slap to the back of the head from Shaye stopped him short. Her face was beet-red. He looked away quickly. But he knew it was too late. Ryan was way too perceptive.
Sure enough, he put two and two together and gestured between them. “You two hooked up?”
Josh smirked. “I told you I wanted my own sorceress.”
“Josh!” Shaye cried.
He took her hand and kissed her palm. “We both knew we wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret for long. We’re surrounded by the most perceptive beings in existence.”
“I’m not sure how I feel about my ex hooking up with my best friend.”
Shaye rolled her eyes. “We haven’t been together for a long while, Ryan.”
“I’m sorry, Ry. I should’ve run it by you. It just kind of… happened.” He eyed Shaye. “Something I’m very thankful for.”
Ryan waved his hand dismissively. “I’m kidding. Relax. Continue doing… whatever you’re doing with one another.”
“That’s enough discussion of that subject matter,” Shaye said. “I have something for you, Ryan.”
Ryan cocked an eyebrow.
Shaye reached into the pocket of her floor-length coat.
Oh no! Josh stepped in front of her. “Now’s not the best time, babe.”
“It might be just what is needed,” she argued.
Josh sighed and stepped back. “Fine. If he loses his temper, just make sure you’re ready to heal me from the beating I’ll end up taking for you.”
“Aww. You’d leap to my defense, just like that?”
He ran his fingers down her cheek. “No question.”
“Guys!” Ryan hissed. “What the fuck? What’s not the right time, and why am I gonna lose my fucking temper?”