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He said nothing, just continued to study me.

I struggled on. “I guess that depends how old you are?” I said, musing out loud. “Well, I have this task and a trial—”

“I’m three hundred and sixty-two years old, I know a lot of things,” he said.

Well, shit. Wolf shifters weren’t immortal, but they were long-lived. How long, I wasn’t sure, but Draven looked like a male in his late twenties or early thirties. “That makes it a little easier,” I said and tried not to fidget. Then I mentally kicked my own ass because I was not going to let this guy make me feel like crap. Brody had done a good job of destroying my self-confidence, my sense of self, but I was not some meek female. I was strong. I’d always been strong. This would be a business arrangement, right? I wasn’t going to grovel. Our working together would benefit us both.

I straightened my spine, and he watched me, eyes narrowing.

“Look, I know you dislike me. I mean, you don’t exactly try to hide it, so I’m probably wasting my breath here…” I let that hang between us, desperate to know what his deal was. I waited for him to try to deny it or tell me what his problem was. He said nothing. I took him in, that granite jaw still tight as hell. “Wow. You really do hate me, huh?”

The muscles in his forearms flexed, his gaze still locked on mine. “You repulse me.”

I blinked, stunned that he’d just said that out loud, then I threw my head back and laughed, startling us both. I laughed so hard tears ran down my face. I guess I should be hurt or offended? I couldn’t work up the energy this time.

He didn’t move, just watched me, his expression growing darker by the minute. Awesome. I was pissing him off even more. It was hard, but I managed to pull myself together. “Please, don’t hold back on my account.”

Again, he said nothing, the fucking weirdo.

Why did that make me want to push him into reacting? His self-control seemed tenuous at best, I doubted it would be that hard. Aggression and lust now saturated the room, so thick it was impossible to ignore. Except this time, I wasn’t dumb enough to bring it up. I could pretend it wasn’t there if he could. I could pretend my body wasn’t humming for the unstable male across the room, which only told me I was as unstable as he was. And considering I’d just laughed in his face, I’d say that was an accurate assessment.

The male had me behaving in all kinds of fucked-up ways, and apparently, I was just going to go with it.

“Fine, let’s just get to the point, then. So every two hundred years, the Keeper of each coven has to complete a task set by the mother, then win against another witch in a magical combat trial or lose the powers she gifted them. Willow did this, she won, but for reasons, the mother wants my sisters and I to complete a task and trail as well. I’ll need help with my task when the mother calls me. Things often get dangerous and the rules say no members of my family or coven can assist me. I’m fairly powerful, but there are places I might need to go that I shouldn’t go alone. I’m not helpless, but I’m not a fighter either. Warrick said you might be willing to trade services? I would get the backup I need, and you would…well, you tell me what you want, and hopefully, I can provide it for you. Wards for your home or land, spells, potions, an IOU for a later date? Whatever you want within my abilities.”

“How about giving me the last three hundred and twenty-nine years back?” he gritted out cryptically.

I frowned. “Um…that one’s beyond my skill set. So I take it that’s a no, then? I guess I expected it, but…”

He moved, quick, and took my jaw in his rough-skinned hand. “Stop,” he barked out. “I won’t play these games with you anymore, witch. I have waited, bided my time, but I am done with this play acting of yours.”

That wasn’t the first time he’d said something like this. The first time I met him, six months ago in the clearing behind our house, he’d acted like I’d personally wronged him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The ice in his gaze sent cold dread down my spine. “Who do you think I am?”

He walked me back, pressing me against the wall, trapping me with his body.

“Come now, Selene, you forget me so easily?” he said, fury making his voice shake.

I froze.

He thought I was… “Selene?”

He snarled.

The painting of her in our library flashed through my mind, her face so like mine. God, he’d known her. “I think I can explain—”

He snapped his teeth. “No more lies. Admit what you did.”

“I-I didn’t do anything. You have me mixed up with someone else. Where have you been the last three hundred and twenty-nine years, Draven?”

He leaned in, his nose sliding over my cold, blackened cheek. “Where you left me, witch. Where you left me and my warriors to fucking rot.”

Oh goddess. What had Selene done? “I’m not her. My name’s Iris. Selene died a long time ago.”

“Lies,” he growled. “And if you do not break this spell you have over me…” He shook his head as if he was trying to shake something loose. “Making me want you again, making me think about you, dream about you.” He snarled. “End this hold you have over me right the fuck now, because it won’t save you this time.”

“Draven…”

He shoved away from the wall and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.