Chapter 54: Chapter 54

~ NYSSA

The large meeting room felt abnormally small with just Rowan and I inside.

I took a step back, hoping that the distance would make it easier to stand his overwhelming presence, but it didn’t. If anything, it only made me more aware of the distance between us.

“I have other things to do,” I said, choosing to speak first. “If you can wrap this up as quickly as possible, I’d be glad.”

It was important for me that I had the advantage in the conversation.

It was bad enough that his presence had caught me unaware and that the mating bond affected me in ways I didn’t want to think about. It was imperative that I kept my wits about me.

“You’re a manipulative little wolf, aren’t you?”

My brows rose in amusement and shock.

Of all the things I expected to hear, this was not one of them. I’d done everything he asked. I left without protest, I didn’t even fight him on that goddamn contract.

“You’re in my

pack,” I reminded him. “If anyone of us has been manipulative, it sure as hell hasn’t been me. You’re the one playing games.”

He chuckled dryly. “You know exactly what you’re doing.”

“I’m not doing shit!” I yelled, unable to keep the annoyance out of my voice. “You’re the one who is acting like an ass. Make a goddamn choice, Rowan. Do you care about me or do you not? It’s getting fucking exhausting.”

“Sure, that’s why you’re getting close to my guard,” he hissed. “Eric works for me. You would do well to put an end to whatever shit you both have going on. A relationship between you two will be disastrous for him.”

I blinked, wondering if I’d heard right.

My first instinct was to yell at him and call him every name under the sun for insinuating that there was anything untowardly going on between Eric and I, then I replayed his words over again in my head, and it hit me.

My lips curled up in a slow smile as the reality of the situation settled and I couldn’t help but laugh.

His jaw clenched in annoyance. “You may think it’s funny, Nyssa, but I promise you that you will not be laughing when his head is on the floor for openly disrespecting me.”

At that, I laughed harder, not because I thought he wouldn’t do, but because of how comical it was.

He’d acted like a dick the entire time; asking me to leave and being an ass, but here he was, jealous over someone that I had no romantic inclinations towards.

“You are such an idiot,” I managed out once I managed to catch my breath. “Green is a good color on you.”

He rolled his eyes. “I have no reason to be envious. We have a contract, and you are my mate.”

“Am I now?” I mused, crossing my arms over my chest. “The contract is valid for six months. After that, I can do whatever I want. Eric seems like a patient man, don’t you think?”

With each word, his jaw hardened further and the veins atop his forehead pulsed.

Pushing his buttons was a dangerous game, but watching him squirm was a great reward. He’d put me through so much shit but it was only to hide the fact that he wanted me and he was too much of a dick to admit it.

“Besides,” I continued, my voice a low whisper. “There is nothing in the contract that says I can’t take lovers in the meantime. You know Eric better than me, do you think he’ll be happy to be my dirty little—”

I didn’t get to finish my sentence.

One minute, I was speaking, the next, Rowan grabbed me by my shoulders, pinning me flush against the wall behind him. His hands caged me in, his body pressed up against mine and his knee wedged between my thighs.

My heart hammered and for a moment, my brain short-circuited. I momentarily lost the ability to speak as something wild and violent swirled in my blood.

“Don’t,” Rowan growled, his voice low. “I’d be careful if I were you.”

The heady feeling of arousal briefly gave way to annoyance, and it was enough for me to regain some of my common sense.

“Why?” I snapped. “You made it clear from day one that you wanted nothing to do with me. You have treated me like shit and you asked me to leave so I did. Make up your damn mind, Rowan, because I’m not some toy that you can play with when you get bored.”

“Stop it,” he ground out but I ignored him.

I was done playing his games.

If he wanted this, then it was going to be on my terms.

“No! You don’t get to decide where this goes! I don’t give a fuck about the contract or about you. I’m a person, and the mating bond affects me, even if it doesn’t for you. I have let you do whatever the fuck you want and I am sick of it.”

He laughed humorlessly. “You think this is what I want? You think this has been a fucking fairytale for me? You think I asked for this?”

His words stung, like a knife going right through my heart.

“Well I didn’t ask for you to be mated to me either,” I snapped angrily. “Don’t act like I had a hand in this.”

He sighed. “That’s not—”

I cut him off, not wanting to hear whatever bullshit explanation he was about to pull out of his ass.

“I’m not asking you to fall in love with me in five minutes, but if you’re not going to treat me like a person then I’m going to find someone who fucking will and yeah, Eric is a good—”

“Shut the fuck up,” he snapped.

Before I could get the chance to retort, his fingers tangled in my hair and his lips slammed onto mine in a bruising kiss.

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