"Grant here," he continued, nodding in Christian's direction, "has put more than one of my guards in the hospital." He glanced at the unconscious man slumped against the wall, a testament to Christian's loyalty and strength. Jasper waved a dismissive hand toward him, as if to prove his point. The sight of that silver knife still gripped tightly in his other hand sent a shiver of dread down my spine. I forced myself to look away from the blade, meeting Christian's gaze for a moment before returning my attention to Jasper. My voice dripped with sarcasm as I retorted, "I wouldn't want to be an inconvenience to you after you've been such a good host." Christian let out a low chuckle at my words, but it was quickly silenced by the fury that flashed across Jasper's face. I could feel the tension in the room thicken, like a predator stalking its prey, and I knew Jasper's rage would soon be unleashed.
"Watch your tongue, bitch," he snarled, his blue eyes darkening with anger. "You're lucky to still have it attached."
"Is that supposed to scare me?" I taunted, refusing to back down. "I've dealt with worse than you."
"Have you now?" Jasper drawled, seemingly amused by my defiance. "Tell me, Erica, how many Alphas have you challenged like this? How many times have you stood up to those who hold power over you?"
"Enough to know when someone doesn't deserve it," I shot back, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Enough of your damned sarcasm!" Jasper snarled, suddenly lunging forward with the silver knife in hand. I barely had time to register the cold steel against my throat before he continued his tirade. "I am the Alpha of this pack, and you will respect me as such!"
"Respect?" I spat back at him, ignoring the blade pressed to my skin. "You haven't earned a shred of it! You're not my Alpha." A small smirk played on Jasper's lips as if my defiance amused him. He stepped even closer, forcing me to feel his body heat radiating through the thin material of my dress. His free hand traced down my side, making my skin crawl.
"Ah, but I could be," he whispered into my ear, his breath hot and sickening. "Be a good girl, and I can show you how a real Alpha fucks. I would make you forget about that pathetic excuse for a mate." Revulsion rose like bile in my throat, but it was overshadowed by a sick, twisted arousal that I couldn't deny. It was wrong, I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help the way my body responded to his touch. I felt Jasper's hand snake its way between my legs, brushing against my panties, and I gasped, trying to pull away.
"Get off me, you disgusting bastard!" I hissed, fury and shame mixing within me. I knew I couldn't let him continue, but my body betrayed me, aching with a need that I refused to acknowledge.
"Such fire," Jasper purred, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "But are you really so sure of yourself, little wolf? Do you truly believe that you can resist the call of an Alpha?"
"Fuck you" was all I managed to say, even though my voice trembled with suppressed emotion. I hated him, I hated myself, and I hated this situation. But more than anything, I hated my traitorous body for responding to his crude advances.
Christian's low growl sliced through the air like a knife, and Jasper froze, his hand still between my legs. I held my breath, my heart pounding in my chest as he slowly pulled away, his eyes never leaving Christian.
"Stand down, mutt," Jasper sneered. "I told you, you can have her once I'm done, and not a second before." The rage that burned in Christian's eyes was almost palpable, and for a moment, I dared to hope. But when Jasper stepped toward him, Christian's expression shifted from fury to something darker, more haunted.
"Do we have a problem, Grant?" Jasper taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. "I've taken a lot of shit from you, with the number of warriors you've injured, but I will not stand for disrespect."
"No Alpha," Christian gritted out through clenched teeth, and I could see the struggle within him, the loyalty to his pack warring with the need to protect me.
“No?” He quirked his head towards me. He walked back to me and stood in front of me, not taking his eyes off of Christian.
“So if I wanted to do this,” he placed his hands on my arms just under where the chains held me up and then slowly started running his hand down my arms, until he reached my torso. Jasper smirked, turning back to me without taking his eyes off Christian. He gripped my hips hard enough to make me whimper. His blue eyes locked onto mine, and I shivered at the hunger I saw there. He looked at me, his eyes descending on my lips, and he smirked at me and whispered.
"Or this," he whispered, pulling me against him and pressing his lips to mine. I tried to pull away, but he grabbed my hair and held me still, his teeth biting at my lower lip until I couldn't help the tiny moan that escaped me. Jasper released me, stepping back and pulling the knife from his pocket. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched him twirl it between his fingers with a sinister grin.
"What about this, Grant?" he taunted Christian, grabbing the hem of my dress and slicing a hole in it. "Would we have a problem if I did this?" He ripped the fabric up the front of my body, causing it to fall open and expose my bra and panties. The air felt cold against my now exposed skin, making me shiver involuntarily. Christian's hands clenched into fists, fury etched across his face.
"Well, Grant?" Jasper's eyes roamed over my body before turning back to Christian, his voice dripping with malice. "Do. We. Have. A. Problem?" He enunciated each word slowly, deliberately.
"No, Alpha," Christian growled through gritted teeth, his gaze flickering between me and Jasper. He lowered his head, but I could see the internal struggle within him.
"Okay, darling, where were we?" Jasper smirked at me, that glint in his eye sending shivers down my spine. As much as I despised him, there was an undeniable undercurrent of arousal pulsing through me, and I hated myself for it. "This sounds cheesy, but this really goes one of two ways." He moved closer, his hand on my hip again, and whispered, "I don't have to tell you the options, do I, darling?" I bit back a whimper as his hand trailed down onto my thigh and around to my ass, squeezing one of my cheeks. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the sensation, but the mix of fear and unwanted arousal only intensified. The shame and self-pity bubbled inside me, threatening to spill over as I tried to maintain some semblance of control.
"Fuck you," I hissed through clenched teeth, my voice trembling with anger. "You're disgusting."
"Am I?" Jasper murmured into my ear, his hot breath sending shivers down my spine. "Or is it you who's enjoying this more than you'd like to admit?"
"In your dreams, pervert," I spat, struggling against the chains that bound me, my body betraying me even as I fought against him.
"Interesting," he drawled, pressing himself against me, ensuring I could feel every inch of him. "Because your body tells a different story, little wolf. Submit to me and I can make you very happy indeed." The tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. He would not see me break. I couldn't give him that satisfaction.
"Go to hell," I whispered, my green eyes locked onto his icy blue ones. "I will never submit to you." A look of something cold and empty crossed Jasper's eyes, but then something darker and way scarier filled them.
"Ah, but there's the beauty of our situation, sweetheart," he purred, tracing a finger along my collarbone. "It doesn't matter if you submit or not. I'll take what I want either way."
Chapter 16
Erica
