Hope Is Not Optional — Manuel Flores 93
931 The demon of the West
93 The demon of the West
Selene
If anyone saw me like this, they would think I was so in love with Adrian that I couldn’t even control myself, but I wasn’t.
Fuck.
My heat had worsened, reacting violently to his presence. Not because he was special, not because I wanted him, but because of the mate bond, that cursed instinct making him harder to resist than anyone else in the room. It made my body betray me, no matter how detached my mind was.
Unaware of what was truly happening, Adrian leaned even closer, his voice low and possessive.
“I don’t know what you think you’re doing,” he said harshly, “or if you believe pulling this stunt will make me more interested in you, but listen carefully.” His eyes burned into mine. “I’m never rejecting you. You’re my mate. You’re mine, whether you like it or not. Is that clear?”
The heat hit me harder, crashing through my body in a suffocating wave that made my vision blur, and I glared up at him through it, fury burning brighter than the haze crawling under my skin.
Damn him.
Who did he think he was, standing there and claiming me so casually, as if my will meant nothing, as if I were some object he could simply decide belonged to him. The arrogance of it made my chest tighten, my nails digging into my palms as I fought to stay upright.
Inside my head, Mira’s voice cut through the fog. ‘Get out of here, Selene. You can’t control yourself anymore.
I swallowed and nodded faintly. She was right. I could feel myself slipping, my control unraveling, and if I stayed here any longer, things would spiral beyond what I could contain.
Gathering what little strength I had left, I placed my hand flat against his chest. The contact made my skin prickle, and my body reacted traitorously. Adrian’s gaze dropped to my hand before lifting back to my face, confusion flickering across his expression.
I shoved him with all my strength, but he didn’t even budge. My voice came out low and strained, raw with frustration. “Get lost, Adrian.”
He frowned, clearly not expecting that. “What?”
I leaned back against the wall for support, my breath coming in short, uneven gasps as heat pooled low in my body.
“I said get lost,” I repeated, my voice sharper now. “Get away from me, are you deaf or what?”
His grip on my wrist loosened, uncertainty creeping in as he tried to understand what was happening.
“What are you-” He stopped mid-sentence, inhaling sharply, and I saw the exact moment realization hit him. His eyes widened, shock flashing across his face. “Fuck,” he muttered. “You’re in heat.”
I bit down on my lower lip, frustration and dread twisting together in my chest.
Ah. He knows.
The surprise vanished quickly, replaced by a surge of anger that made his presence feel even heavier. “Are you insane?” he snapped. “How could you come to a place full of men while you’re in heat? How could you dance with an alpha like that? Do you have any idea what your scent could have made him do to you?”
His words barely registered. All I could think about was getting away, putting distance between myself and everyone else before my scent grew any stronger. Summoning every ounce of strength I had left, I shoved him away from me. He stumbled back a step, clearly not expecting it, and I turned, intent on leaving immediately.
I didn’t get far.
His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back against him, and the sudden contact forced a gasp from my lips. I twisted in his hold, glaring up at him despite the way my body reacted against my will.
“Are you out of your mind?” I hissed. “Get your hands off me right now.”
He didn’t loosen his grip. Instead, he held me tighter, his voice dropping, tense and possessive. “I’m not letting you go. If you walk out there like this, do you know how many men will sense you? How many will want you?” Moonborn or not, you’ re still a woman. They won’t control themselve
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I scoffed weakly, irritation cutting through the az And your think you’re my better?”
He shrugged slightly, unapologetic. “That doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’m your mate.” His eyes locked onto mine.
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931 The demon of the West
And I won’t let any other man even look at you like that. You’re mine, Selene. You will stay with me tonight. With my scent on you, no one else will dare come close.”
My heart dropped in my chest as his words echoed in my ears, and all I could think was how desperately I needed to get away, before he crossed a line.
No.
I would rather die than let this bastard touch me again in this lifetime.
Just the thought of his hands on me, after watching me die, after standing by while I was destroyed in every life, made bile rise in my throat. Disgust crawled under my skin.
I stared at him, my voice coming out hoarse but firm. “Let me go, Adrian, I don’t want to spend the night with you.”
He didn’t answer. Instead, his hand slid into my hair, sweeping it aside to bare my neck. His grip was firm, leaving me no room to turn away. Panic surged through me as his eyes darkened, something cold and possessive settling into his gaze.
“For now, I’ll mark you.”
I watched in horror as his fangs lengthened.
My heart plummeted.
gods.
He was really going to do it.
Fear coursed through my limbs, making them heavy and unresponsive. I tried to move, and fight, but my body betrayed me.
I couldn’t even hear Mira anymore, she was weak too, overcome by the heat.
I thrashed weakly as he leaned closer, my breath coming out in broken gasps, dread clawing up my spine. I couldn’t stop him. I couldn’t-
“You must have a death wish trying to mark her.”
The voice was deep, and cold.
I froze.
My eyes flew open at the familiar voice.
Adrian’s eyes widened too. “What-”
He never finished the sentence.
In the next instant, his body was ripped away from me and hurled across the garden like he weighed nothing at all. He slammed into the wall with a thunderous crack, stone exploding behind him as the structure partially collapsed.
I stumbled forward, staring in shock.
Impossible. There was only one man strong enough to throw him like that.
Slowly, I turned, and there he was.
Standing tall and broad, crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark. His presence alone was commanding, and terrifying in a way Adrian never had been.
My chest tightened.
The demon of the West.
My executioner.
Alpha Damien of the Crimson Pack was standing right in front of me.
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