I didn’t care.
“You bastard. This is insane. I don’t care what you say or how much danger I’m in, this is insane.”
“I suppose it’s a good thing I don’t care that you think my orders areinsane.” His jaw clenched.
“You are not in charge of me.”
He smiled, and I didn’t know if that was worse than the heavy scowl he’d worn before. “The curse may have taken your memories, but I’ll remind you that you are bound to me through your father’s sins. So, I will do as I see fit with you.”
A tremor shot through me. I couldn’t believe someone who claimed to love me would do this. How could he?
“I have said repeatedly that my family need me, but it means nothing to you.” My throat went dry. “They’re going to die. If I don’t return to the mortal lands, they’re going to die. Thayden will see to it.”
“I will do what I must to protect your family fromhere.” He pointed down at the stone beneath our feet. “I will not give in to the demands of a villain who tried to steal you from me. Never.”
"It was you who stole me in the first place," I hissed.
"I don't fucking care about that." His voice made my nerves scatter.
“But you took me, and you’re doing it again. I?—”
Something snapped in his expression. Before I could blink, he moved toward me with that inhuman speed, and shadows erupted around us like living smoke. I didn’t even realize I’d moved until my back hit the stone wall hard enough to steal my breath. Then suddenly, he was there, mere inches away from my face, caging me in with his hands braced on either side of my head.
“Do you seriously expect me to hand you over and not fight for you?” His razor-sharp tone stole the little breath I had left, each word cutting through the space between us.
“This shouldn’t be about fighting for me,” I rasped.
“Yes, it is.” His eyes blazed with something fierce and unhinged, burning brighter with every second that passed.
Caught between his writhing shadows and the hard planes of his body, I glared up at him, unable to keep the tremble out of my body. I searched aimlessly for a spark of compassion in his eyes but found none.
His shadows writhed around us, cutting out the light, making the world disappear until there was nothing but him. Nothing but those burning blue eyes boring into mine.
This close, heat radiated from his body, and that intoxicating scent of cedar and storm paralyzed my senses.
"You. Are. Mine." His voice turned dark and claiming, each word landing with devastating certainty.
My heart drove against my ribs, responding to his proximity, but I still lifted my chin in defiance. "I'm not yours."
He leaned closer, his breath ghosting across my lips. "Yes, you are. You may not remember, but youaremine.” His gaze pinned me, and a treacherous part of me wanted to surrender to his darkness. Surrender tohim. “I told you, you could never leave me. That the only way you could leave my side is if I allowed it. So, here we are, Elariya Grayson. And I’mnotallowing it. End of discussion."
Blessed Mother. What had I done?
I’d walked right back into a trap, falling prey to the devil once more.
And what could I do?
Nothing.
Not a godsdamn thing.
I was weak again and at the mercy of someone worse than Thayden.
Wolfe’s shadows pressed against my skin, a juxtaposition of silk and chains. I shook my head, forcing back the tears. "I hate you for this, Wolfe Nightblade."
That uncanny smile returned, revealing sharp canines, but something raw flickered in his eyes—a flash of genuine anguish beneath the predator.
He pressed his thumb to my jaw and traced along my skin with devastating gentleness. "Hatred is better than the void, Ziyka.” His voice cracked almost imperceptibly on the pet name he’d christened me, and he searched my eyes with an intensity that bordered on pleading. “I'd rather look into your eyes and see hate than nothing at all. It hurts less."
