That thing in my chest coiled tighter, as his command continued to seize my burning limbs. Givinghimthis kind of control over me… after everything I had done, proved. Hot unbridled rage radiated through me. I would make him pay for this, make him bleed. The promise of it sang through my veins.
I bared my teeth at him, still immobile in his meaty grasp. The blood on his chest soaked into my shirt, my clothing as he continued to press me to his chest.
“You didn't think she would trust you after mating that brute, did you? Someone has to keep you in line,” he drawled, his rancid breath washing over me. “And who better than me? It’s what we always wanted, wasn’t it? To be together?”
“You are deranged.” The words lashed from me as I tried with all my strength to push away, to stand, but I still couldn’t move.
The silver flashed in his eye as he breathed, “Ah. This is about him, right?” His hand slid to the back of my head, twisting into my hair. Atticus yanked backward sharply, keeping control of my skull as I hissed in pain.
Atticus leaned down, his nose raking across the side of my neck, the very spot Xavier had bitten only last night. His lips landed softly against the still sore mark, and it made me want to scream. “I can smell him on you even now.” He leaned back up, glaring down at me again. “I told you we had to rectify that.”
His gaze was alight with bloodthirsty hunger, lust, and I could do nothing as his mouth crashed onto mine with a brutal claim, his tongue forcing its way past my lips. My stomach flipped and disgust coiled deep within me. His other arm locked me tightly against his blood-soaked chest, but I could do nothing.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.My eyes began to burn. My entire being, my soul screamed the words as Atticus’s mouth continued to violate my own.
Atticus’s hand moved from around me, and I felt them reach for my waistband.
Something woke inside of me, a primal roar that tore from my chest. A tear fell down my cheek, and like a breath of fresh air, my magic rose to the surface. Rage like I had never known before flooded my system. Like an explosion, shadows burst from me, slamming Atticus in the chest, hurling him backward through the air.
Atticus’s hulking body smashed through the banister and fell into his entryway below with a wicked crash. His roar of rage filled the halls, but I only heard my heart as it thundered in my chest.
Seeing red, I stalked toward the balcony edge, wanting,needinghis blood, his pain.
My palm rose as I peered over the ledge, ready to attack, to strike—to kill. But another pull suddenly yanked me inward.
Come.
“No!” I roared, and my body twisted in on itself, darkness filling my vision.
Atticus was wiping blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, a cocky, blood-curdling smirk on his lips as he watched me get dragged away.
*
There were only two people who could have pulled me from that ward, and I did not want to see either of them.
My breath came back to me in a large huff as I stumbled and appeared on the outskirts of a village. A lush forest ofpines surrounded me, and it was familiar in some ways, but I couldn’t place it through my blinding rage.
I spun around, searching and finally spotted who had called me, who had done this to me.
Summoning a sword, I roared, shadowing behind her and swung. She wasn’t there when I appeared and I spun again, swinging my sword but it once again sliced through empty air.
Morgana was now twenty paces away, her purple travel cloak a stark contrast against the green landscape. A cruel smile was plastered on her face, as a sword materialized in her palm.
“And what, may I ask, has you so riled up my dear?”
Morgana's yellow gaze danced, and it was clear she already knew. She was inside my head, always inside my head, inside my body. The sarcastic brow she raised had me coming undone, as if she found my rage amusing.
“Atticus,” I spat, and I shadowed again, my blade meeting hers with a clash.
Our blades met again and again as my rage propelled me to attack faster, harder.
Each impact rattled my bones.
“You gave him the ability to command me—control me?!”
Morgana moved lazily, meeting each of my attacks with perfect precision that made my blood boil further but I finally got within her defense and was about to draw blood when my muscles seized and I froze mid attack. My blade was mere inches from striking across her smug fucking face.
“That will be quite enough. I could use some of this rage. Perfect timing for it really,” she said smoothly, calmly. My breaths were labored, my muscles straining to push the blade further, but they didn’t budge.
