Page 43 of Rogue Alpha Prince
Why did the hidden fact in his question hurt me? I don’t love him either!
Well, the wolf part of my consciousness probably does—unconditionally—because he is my true mate, but I don’t dwell on it. I try not to feel it. I try not to think about it. Ignoring it so it won’t spread to the rest of me.
I realize he looks at me expectantly.
“I don’t know,” I shrug my shoulders. “No one back home marks anyone that is not fated to them, and I think that’s love by definition.”
Oh, my Goddess. Does he love me back? No, wait. He doesn’t feel the mate bond yet, and hopefully never will—so he definitely can’t feel the still non-existent love of his wolf.
He wouldn't have been able to attack me back in the woods if his wolf had felt the bond.
“You still know more than me, but I guess we’ll just try and see someday,” he says, and it takes me a full minute of staring at him to realize he’s talking about trying to mark each other either way.
I don’t like it at all. I don’t want to be bound to him even more than I already am.
“We would get all the perks of being mated.”
“Despite the scent,” I say, trying to think about other differences between a true mate bond and a chosen one. Maybe I could make him believe it’s not worth it.
“And super healing, right?” he asks, and I realize that making him knowledgeable is not safe for my secret at all.
Especially if he learns that wounds inflicted by your true mate can be lethal after the marking. I don’t need to be seen as a weakness and a threat.
I just nod to finish the conversation and look down absently, instantly regretting it.
His cock is back to being hard and ready, and I don’t think I can handle him again. I’m too sore. Apparently, even a werewolf needs a little bit of healing time after their first time with someone that big.
He bursts out laughing.
“Why do you look so terrified? I thought you liked your first time.”
I’m instantly back to being annoyed.
“Do you seriously think you can tell if I have ever had sex before?”
“Well, if you insist on being difficult here—I don’t—just a hunch, but I have a way to be one hundred percent sure.”
I can feel I will regret burying myself deeper in this stupid not-a-virgin lie, but I am committed to it now—so I just huff at him and start making my side of the bed so I can go to sleep.
It was an eventful day, and I am fucking tired.
I move to my side under the covers, ignoring my lack of underwear, wetness, and all the lemon pieces. I’m used to the smell after sleeping beside Cain for a few nights now. His t-shirt, which I still have on, smells like a lemon to me anyway.
I can hear some rustling and then I feel the dip of the mattress behind me. He spoons me and wraps his arm under my shirt around my waist, pulling me closer. He inhales the smell on my neck and then throws his alpha aura on me, which makes me gasp in pain. It feels nearly as strong as an alpha king’s would, and I wasn’t aware he had it in him. Was mine as strong before he made me pledge to him?
“Who wasyour first time with?” he asks with an alpha command in his low, husky voice.
Shit! The question almost opens my lips, drawing his name in answer, but I am committed and smart, so I turn it in my favor.
“My true mate,” I’m putting everything on one card, lying without actually lying. He is my true mate. He just doesn’t know it.
I feel his body tense when he hears that, and I have to actively remind myself to breathe… waiting for him to ask more questions, exposing my not-lie and my biggest secret. I start to regret this stupidly bold choice… it could cost me my life.
“Hmm, interesting,” he relaxes after a moment and burrows his head in the back of my head.
Surely, he thinks my elevated pulse is caused by thinking he would be jealous, which works in my favor.
I wake up in the middle of the night, horrified by the sticky fluid leaking between my legs. We didn’t use any protection! I guess we should have talked about it first, but it was too… spontaneous.
