Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
She waits. When I can’t get the words out, she finally nods.
“How long have you known?” I ask.
“I found out not long ago. But… I suspected as much when my sister stopped me from letting him kiss me by how Vivi was acting. She was keeping it to herself, hoping we wouldn’t get involved and knowing Erica would stick her oar in. I hope you don’t hold this against me. Nothing happened between Jase and me and it wouldn’t have even gotten to flirting territory if I knew you two were fated mates.”
I shrug, unsure of what to say.
She keeps talking. “Erica adores you. And she wanted to help. Vivi let us know it was imminent and that she had the sense it had to happen outside your village, so Erica put the fake wand and cauldron in his bag, and I picked up the correct ones. I dropped you off to let nature take its course. I was planning to call before the second leg of the trip and say he didn’t need to go to Bucharest. I was thinking I might send you two on a fake mission that would bring you to a romantic boutique hotel in Venice for the weekend as my mating gift to you.” She shrugs.
“I do not want to go on a honeymoon with Jason Creed,” I practically hiss.
She waits for me to elaborate, so I take a deep breath and search for the words to explain.
“He’s been a dick. Such a dick. It’s made me question everything I thought about him. The dream Jason I was in love with doesn’t seem to be anything like the reality Jason and I would love for him to not be able to get anywhere near me. I would love for him to feel a sliver of the pain I’ve been feeling. I know that makes me sound awful, but I can’t help it. I don’t want him to get out of that bubble unless I’m somewhere he can’t get to.”
“Serious?”
“Very. In fact, I’d like to run away where he can’t find me, then petition the SCC to change their laws about females having no say over who claims them, which I’ve already been thinking about organizing a petition for.”
“We’ll talk.”
I straighten up. “Meaning?”
“Let’s get that flower out of there, get the poor guy fed and watered, and we’ll talk some more before we let him out. Lead the way?”
I’m a little shocked, but I’m also feeling relieved. “You could be my savior here with this situation,” I whisper.
She waits for me to elaborate, so I pull her hand to tug her outside, hoping Jase can’t hear. She follows me to the end of the driveway.
“The last thing I need is for Jason Creed to go into the rut the minute he’s free, roughly taking my virginity on that cold basement floor. He’s been locked up inside that bubble and it’s got him mad at me. And it’s got me freaked out.”
She winces.
I continue. “I don’t know what level of control he’ll have after all that time. Brody Savage demonstrated self-control with Addy because she was sexually assaulted, but Jase is pissed at me. And pissed that I’m pissed, which is just so… male of him.”
“Ain’t that the truth? It’s a default emotion for alphas of any species to get mad at women for having the audacity to be angry with them.”
“And he’s being a cocky jerk. He thinks the minute he gets his hands on me I’ll give in. And I’m really mad at him, but what if that does happen?”
“He’s pretty hot. You probably will,” she whispers.
My face contorts with disgust. Because that’s the last thing I want right now. To let him just have his way.
“I don’t want to just melt when he gets his hands on me. He gets to be a complete asshole to me for weeks and weeks and then he gets to just growl and soak my underwear and take me? That’s not fair. I don’t want to be a doormat. He hurt me!”
“Erica got Brody some help. Because Adelaide really isn’t ready, Erica whipped up a concoction for him to help him with his urges. Maybe we can do something similar.”
My eyebrows fly up. “A concoction?”
“What is it you want, Bailey?” she asks. “Want it so he can’t make his dick work? An alpha male prides himself on his cock. Giving him a limp noodle for a while would certainly knock him down a peg.”
I shake my head. “I want space. Distance from him. I need a minute to myself when this is all over to figure some stuff out. I was thinking about moving to Alaska to work for the SCC for six months in order to avoid being here to see who he mated with. I had given up hope it’d be me. And now that he says it is. It’s a disaster!”