Twisted (Editing)

Chapter 14

I clutched my head. I climbed the stairs. He opened the door to his room and pulled me inside.

"Don't make a fool out of me in front of my family."

"Then you shouldn't have brought me here."

"Why are you being so difficult?"

My mouth fell open. Was I really hearing this? "You kidnapped me!"

"Your parents were in violation of the law. They were poisoning you!"

"For a good reason. I can see why they wouldn't want me in a pack. If I had a daughter, I wouldn't hesitate to give her wolfsbane too if it meant a better life." It was still strange referring to myself using their terms like I was a werewolf, but the sharp teeth in my mouth told me it was true.

He growled again, frustrated. "Despite what you think or what they might have told you, pack life is a good one. The moon goddess doesn't make incompatible pairs."

"There's always a first time." It hurt to be going on like this--I wondered if he knew that.

"Stop it, you're hurting yourself."

"Stop what? Thinking for myself?"

"Calm down and accept it or you're going to go feral and shift involuntarily. You will literally go crazy." I noticed how close we were standing. Had it been this way the whole time or had he been leaning? Or maybe I was the one doing it. He put his hand on my shoulder, thumbing the place where my neck met my shoulder, right above my collarbone.

"I should've bitten you by now, and you, in turn, bitten me."

"I'm not biting you."

"You'll want to soon, once the wolfsbane burns away. Then you'll be able to sense me and see when I'm in trouble. You'll know vaguely where and am and how I'm feeling."

"You'll be able to read my head?"

"No, your thoughts are your own." He brought his head down to scratch the skin with his teeth again.

"I want these symptoms to stop. I want to be myself again."

"And they will once we're mated."

I narrowed my eyes. "And the only catch is that we'll be married right? We'll be tied together for life?"

"We've been tied together since you were born." I let out a sigh as his teeth scratched my skin. He smiled against me. "What do you say?"

I thought about it. He would be able to tell where I was if he bit me, but only vaguely. Who knows where my parents were, and there was little hope my protests alone would get me out. But if he bit me, at least I would be able to think straight enough for long enough to form a plan of escape., I was brought out of my thoughts my soft lips against my skin. It tickled.

"Stop that." He laughed.

"Don't think so hard about it."

"It's a big decision." His door opened with a creak and I froze in my place. I looked over. His sister stood red-faced in the doorway.

"A-am I interrupting something?" She spluttered. "I can go."

He sighed. "What is it?"

"Mom called you for dinner. And she told me to bring Imani something to wear."

"I'm not changing."

"Please look at yourself in the mirror--you're a mess," she said. She handed me a yellow buttoned up dress. "It's one of mine. I thought the color would suit you." I took it from her. My stomach growled. I'd forgotten how hungry I was. Nervousness and fear surprised those feelings.