End of Chapter 16

And then her hands were on his chest, pushing him back and he slammed against the wall, eyes wide, breath lost. The fact that she managed to do it to him was applaudable. But the clouds were gone, mere mist in the room. And there was now light streaming in lightly from an open window, the curtains twisting in the breeze. The room was stucco and soft in palette, beige earthy tones with gold hanging from the walls.

Their room was like a honeymoon suite. And this had her crashing back to reality, a fake gag.

"Fuck you!" She snapped, mind swaying. How many kisses? How many had he taken from her? She didn't know, couldn't tell. Not when her cunt was throbbing like it needed something thick and her body strained like a climax was nearing. "Fuck you!" she repeated.

"Fuck you too," Dante answered, his voice was strangled, breathless. And like all the other Alpha's in her life—in awe. He inhaled and struggled to catch his breath. "Amazing."

"I told you he was good," Levi seemed to gloat by her side, as she panted, and swiped harder at her mouth with the back of her palm. He smirked at Dante with an almost shit-eating grin. "I told you he was glorious. That we should keep him forever and ever by our side because he's worth it."

And Rue was roaring. "Fuck that. He kissed me with tongue!" Rue snapped. "He touched my ass! That was not what we agreed on!"

"You kneed me in the balls and then you slammed me against the wall," Dante panted his reply, eyes wide, shaky. Electricity continued to fizz in his eyes, but they seemed tame."I think we're fair."

"Motherfucker!" she snapped. "You owe me!" Dante blinked, and she hated him for looking so gorgeous when he finally smiled. Dimples flashing on his cheeks, teeth all white and sparkly. She hated the electricity in his eyes and the way it stormed, flashing sparks of gold.

"What's your name?" Dante stated now, smile growing, eyes curving.

"The fuck?" Rue spluttered. Hadn't he heard it already? "Rue."

"Rue," Dante nodded, "Rue, Rue, Rue." Her name flowed on his tongue, spelt like a song, twisting from his lips like hot maple on snow. "Rue." His lips quirked. "I didn't count the number of times we kissed. So, maybe we can try again to be sure." There was something different about the way he looked at her now, calculative and bright? "I wonder…If control is even necessary with you?" He parted his lips, inquisitive. "Perhaps, an experiment is due—"

"Fuck that," Rue snarled, panic twisting in her gut. She stumbled then, rushing out of the door, almost tripping from jelly legs, tugging the door close. "I'm out of here."

"Don't you want your cash?" Levi called, his voice echoing through. "I'd like a kiss too!"

"Get away from me you horny fucks!" she snapped back through the closed door. "You said fifteen minutes tops!" She paused, eyes wide her eyes dancing up to the Alpha that stood before her eyes wide, mouth agape, dressed in all black.

Halcyon. Gorgeous, godly, beautiful Halcyon.

The handsome shifter alien stood, seething, jaw ticking. An artemis, she knew now. He wasn't merely a bunny. He could change into any animal he wanted, and that was a talent only artemis could do on the planet of beasts. And he transcended the usual alien, had appeal that went beyond all. There was carnality in his eyes, in the honed perfection of his limber body. In the slow, elegant gate only achievable by an apex predator.

His eyes which had been relatively warmer before were now stormy, a void of darkness that stretched endlessly as he regarded her before the door. And they ate at her, swallowed her whole. Rue considered the state she was in now, fingers digging tight into her sweater, fingers on swollen lips.

It must look as if she'd messed around in the sheets, fucked a couple of dudes. And his nose twitched then, sniffed long and hard. His complexion seemed to grow oddly flushed, but the anger remained, heat thick in eyes that were eerily obsidian. The piercing on his face seemed to glow.

"You're always doing this," his voice was strained, spat out through gritted teeth. There was fire in his voice, fire that wanted her burned. "Always, going around fucking everyone and anything. I knew it. I know it damn well, but seeing this, seeing you like this? Fuck!"

"Damn," Rue blinked, but her cheeks were flushed. There was an odd tension in the air and a strange embarrassment that flooded her throat as if she'd been caught taking a cock down her ass by a true lover. It felt like she was cheating. And that made no fucking sense because they had no history. All they had was a sweet little bunny that lingered behind her with soft, shy words. "So what?"

"You're loose," Halcyon replied, eyes sharp, angry, poison tainted his words. And she stepped back, confusion brimming, shock open in the drop of her jaw. "You'd do it to everyone, but the people that actually care for you. You don't give a fuck." The speech was familiar, awfully similar to the bullshit Valentino had sprouted in school. And she couldn't understand it.

"Excuse me?" She gawked at him. "And you know so much about my life because?"

"Because?" He snapped, hair curling to his eyes, he bristled, body growing taut. "Because I'm your goddamn—" The door snapped open, and Levi stood head tilted, Dante in tow. They stared at each other now, three, much taller, much bulkier Alphas. And a growl rippled from Halcyon's throat, along with a strangled gasp. "You?" He deflated instantly, and her eyes widened at how destroyed he seemed to be.

"Who else? It's my room, Hal," Levi shrugged, then turned to her with a smirk. "You wanted a hundred? Sure, but this time I want a kiss too. And Dante wants another, but he'll play nice. I'll hold him back. We'd just like to see if you'd be fine if he's raising a storm, and who knows? When Kier comes back he might like one too—"

A snap, and Halcyon was pulling her along, fingers around her clothed wrist, he dragged her hard and fast. And Rue stumbled forward, struggling to follow along. Her eyes darting briefly to the two standing at the door, and then back to Halcyon. "Hey!" She called as he approached their door, pulling it open with a grunt. "Hey, you don't just get to—"

The door closed and he turned and whirled around with his eyes rippling into that of a tiger's. It shifted returned back to those dark, dilated orbs as a growl rippled from his throat, one that softened into a whine. "Don't touch him. Y-you can't touch him, it's not safe." The words tumbled out of him, so different from the ones that he'd used in the hallway.

"What?"

"Dante," he repeated, teeth snagging on his lower lip. And suddenly the concern was sharp in his eyes, the gruff, hardened demeanour replaced by a softness she'd seen time and time again back at school. He hovered over her, sniffing hard. "Dante is dangerous." He leaned into her neck, sniffing hard and she reared back. "They all are. This was a mistake."

"Stop smelling me!" Panic blossomed in her throat, but he continued sniffing, nose dragging over open skin. The tip of it grazing her. The shiver that erupted all over her was involuntary, and pressed against the wall she felt the heat of him turning her feverish with something else. Her thighs squeezed together helplessly.

"You smell sick, you smell like you're dying. I-I can't smell you," his nose scrunched, but he continued on kneeling lower, nose ghosting over her belly. She slapped his face away from her crotch. The blush was a fire all over her cheeks. He nudged her fingers away with his cheek. "You smell like them."

"Halcyon!"

He looked up at her then, eyes round, sweet, wide. His tongue ran over his lips and seemed almost parched. A pained groan escaped him, the aggression completely gone. "When I was gone…Did they hurt you?"

Rue snorted and raised a brow. "Everyone does, now quit it and get up." He ignored her, of course he did, took her hand now, palm up. The jolt was there, she noticed it now with the Alphas that she met, but with gentle fingers it was slow, bearable. A warm soup that spread softly across her skin. His lips grazed her fingers, wetness indicated tongue and she snarled. "Halcyon—"

"There are new scars," he reported, eyes flashing to slits and then back to its darkness. He looked up then, horror flashing through, pretty lips forming a pout. There was innocence in his handsome beauty, in the pouted lips and the jewel-like eyes. "You were hurt." His eyes seemed to grow wet and strange, a dulcet edge in his tone.

"The fuck? Alphas are always dangerous, this is normal," she told him. With Halcyon knelt before her, she was momentarily distracted by the flimsiness of his shirt, dark and open-necked enough to reveal the stretch of a glistening chest and solid-chiselled planes of pure muscle. It was strange that her body seemed to melt for him, pleased that he was on his knees for her.

"Not me," he told her, thumb rubbing the centre of her palm. "I wouldn't hurt you," he continued, like some sort of strange knight, with her hands in his, and a knee to the ground. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you. I was so angry, so angry from your rejection." He shook his head, the ring on his lip jingled. "I wanted to punish you a little. But that does not mean I wanted you in pain." His eyes darted to hers and now they were warm, sweet—honeyed. His brows were knitted together, concern spilling. "The room was small because I didn't want you bringing others. I didn't introduce myself because I just—I couldn't see you until I was ready." His expression grew tight, fingers twitching. "But I wanted to, so much. I thought I could hold it in, but I can't. I can't. Not anymore." He exhaled; the affection so thick in his voice it was hard to ignore it all.

"Rejection? Someone else?" she blinked, stared at him. It didn't seem like he'd gotten out of his crush. Halcyon was still after her ass. And there was no denying the want that burned in his eyes. But it wasn't lust, it was more. And Rue was scared of what she'd find in those soulful orbs that tried to draw her in, her defences crumbled. "I-I don't have a mate." She swallowed thickly after that, cursed herself for providing him with that information. And she was surprised that she'd given it up so willingly.

"I know, I know for sure, now." He closed his eyes, then opened them. "I can only smell them on you. And they've not been kind." Anger flashed through his eyes, he gulped. The apology so wet in his eyes, it seemed as if he were almost in tears. "I've been going after the wrong people."

"I don't need you," her laughter bubbled from her throat. It was nervous, it was weak. And she did feel overwhelmed by it all, trapped in the space. "I'm not some weakling—"

"I'll protect you," he stated, loud and clear, a righteous glint in his eyes. A purr erupted from his chest then, low and steady—consistent. "I'll be your bodyguard. I'll stay by your side 24-7, and you'll have nothing to fear. Trust me."

A/N: Read ahead on my patreon - https://www.patreon.com/tinyeyecat