“Three. Which is more than you deserve.”
“How generous of you,” she says sarcastically.
“Yeah, well. That’s me,” I say before bending down and picking her up. “Up you go.”
It isn’t until we make it up the dungeon stairs that I put her down. Once her feet are on the ground, I dig into my back pocket. The leash and collar clatter to the floor—made of genuine onyx leather. It’s the closest I could get to matching her soul.
Her eyes travel across the collar. “Oh, come on. You can’t be serious,” she says.
“Deadly.”
Appalled, Jay’s protest is automatic. “Uh-uh, no. No way, I’m not wearing that.”
“You’ll wear what I tell you to. Put it on.” I hand her the collar, and she takes it with a shaky hand. Once it’s fastened around her neck, I reach out, hooking my finger into the silver loop and jerk her toward me. With her looking up at me, a hum rumbles deep in my throat. “Mmm... Pretty, don’t you think? I picked it outjuuustfor you.”
She gulps, and I smile wide. It feels so good to be feared. I can see why the king likes it so much. I could get off on it.
My eyes are transfixed on her as I attach the leash. After a satisfyingclick, I give it a demonstrative tug.
“You’re coming with me.”
“Am I allowed to ask where we’re going?”
“I’m glad you asked. Eligible bachelorettes have traveled from all over the realm to present themselves as a mate for me.”
“Why do I have to be there?”
If I were one hundred percent honest, it’s a punishment. Her wolf doesn’t recognize me, but early signs would still create jealousy. But I can’t tell her that. Instead, I relay a partial truth.
“Thanks to you, people may start to get the bright idea that our grounds are penetrable. You are a show of my force. A threat of what happens to those who think to cross my people. And a promise to my pack and future mate that they will be protected.”
And hopefully, the beginning of reparations to Bloodhound’s reputation, I think to myself.
The scowl on her face says it all. She hates me as much as I do her.Glad we’re on the same page.
“Now let’s go.”
She stomps with a huff, and I tsk.
“Uh-uh. Crawl to me.”
Her jaw drops, and the mask she tried to hide disappears. “W-What? You want me to crawl on my hands and knees?”
“Exactly.” I grin.
I approach her, dwarfing her with my size. She doesn’t move or protest. I have to hold my breath at how she looks.
Who’s being tortured here? Me or her?
I lightly tug on leash clipped to the metal ring resting on her clavicle.
“They’re going to demand my head when you announce what I’ve done. You know that, right?”
“Don’t worry. No harm will come to you. That job is solelymyhonor. In the meantime, you’re mine to play with. And we’re going to have so much fun together.”
“Go to hell.”
Her nostrils flare. But the scent from her arousal tells me heat is greater elsewhere.
