Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78507 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78507 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“Looks like you have more than enough spares,” I say. “Why do you want more?”
“Because good breeding requires frequent breeding.”
That’s the sort of thing that people say, and on the surface it seems like it makes sense, but if you think about it for more than a moment, you realize it makes absolutely no sense at all.
“Alright,” I say, taking in a deep breath. “I know you’re the king, but…”
He grabs me roughly by the chin and kisses me, or tries to. I clamp my lips shut, refusing his advance. It’s an unpleasant smooch, and it makes my stomach turn.
“Dude. What the fuck?”
I splutter the second he lets me go, wiping my mouth on the back of my dress sleeve.
“You will learn not to talk back,” he says, not at all concerned by the way I am clearly repulsed. “You’ll learn to take what I give you and be grateful for it. The harem can be a wonderful place of privilege, or it can be a living hell.”
I ignore his threat. I am starting to get very angry now, and that is really eroding the very last vestiges of respect and fear I have for this man.
“Sounds cool, but I already have mates,” I explain. “I’m not worthy of your royal rod. I am unclean.”
God, I hope he’s one of those assholes who cares about body count. I hope he’s obsessed with being the only cock in a woman. A lot of what he was saying earlier makes him seem that way.
“Yes. I can smell the lesser creatures on you. They do not matter. You will be given a tonic to ensure that no clinging fruit of their loins is lodged inside you before you are bred.”
I haven’t been thinking about pregnancy. I haven’t been thinking about much of anything besides my own amusement. I haven’t been taking any of this king stuff seriously because none of it really seemed to affect me—until it did.
The notion that there could be some spark of life inside me, and that he would snuff it out so he could replace it with yet more of his own royal rot disgusts me.
“I’m starting to understand why so many people want you dead.”
The king looks surprised at that.
“People want me dead?”
I can’t tell if he is being sarcastic, or if he is the kind of stupid that comes from being privileged for so long that you actually think all the riches you have for no reason were somehow deserved.
I remember what my mates told me, about how this man is not the real king. He sure feels like a real king to me. Taking what he wants, reveling in cruelty, developing twisted desires for more and more people, because one mate isn’t enough.
I suppose I’m being a bit hypocritical there. After all, I have three. But I didn’t choose three, and I’m certainly not looking for more. Definitely not looking to add a gross king to my roster.
“Come here,” he says. “I want to taste you.”
I take a step back. “No, thank you,” I say. “I am sure I would be too bitter for a royal palate.”
“I gave you an order,” he says. “Are you going to present yourself to me, or am I going to have to break you first?”
I look him in the eye. “I came to your attention because I killed four men…”
“Six men,” he corrects me.
“Right. Six men. And you think you can threaten me? You might have a harem full of submissive females, but I am not one of them. I was not bred or raised to bow to any authority. You may be king, but my body is my own.”
He laughs. “You think I haven’t heard a girl talk a big game before? You’re a female wolf, so yes. You can kill male humans easily, even in significant numbers. But you are no match for a wolf king.”
With that, he shifts, bursting out of all his silken finery to take his form as a vicious beast. I know what he means to do. He means to hurt me just enough to make me scared and mate-able, and then he intends to fuck me. What I want does not matter.
This is a very different proposition than it was when Einar claimed me. I wanted him. I wanted his brute strength, his rough dominance. I wanted the thrill of his possession. I want nothing whatsoever from this false king.
He is disgusting, inside and out, and the fact that he has taken his animal form against me speaks to his cowardice. It also proves what Rafe and the others told me. This is no king of Eclipse. There is not a drop of royal blood in this mongrel.
Royal wolves have distinct markings, black hoods that run over the muzzle, eyes, ears, and neck. This is just a stock standard wolf. No wonder it is illegal to shift in the palace. One look at this mangy mutt and everybody would know they’re being led by a pretender.