It was strange being able to sense another person's presence long before they came into sight. At first I thought I was going mad. I convinced myself that the stress of being captured had finally tipped me over the edge. It wasn't until I actually thought about it that it occurred to me that a mad person wouldn't be able to sense such things and be correct, because as sure as clockwork when I got an impression of him he always appeared.
It was, to say the least, weird. I wondered if the same was happening to him. The urge to find out bit at me but the two of us were not on particularly good speaking terms, especially after I got into a shouting match with him the previous week in front of half the pack.
I felt a sneer tug at the corner of my mouth and fought to hide it, least anyone who was passing decided to take it as a challenge. What did he expect, grabbing me like he had? Touching me in a way he had no right to assume would be okay.
My fist clenched as I stood up, and at the same moment, like clockwork, Daniel appeared.
We stared at one another from across the room. I could tell me wanted to approach me. He always wanted to be near me. It was obvious why, but I still found his attention confusing.
His feet seemed to move him towards me on their own accord. I turned and walked away. He could have stopped me. He could have me punished for such obvious insolence. Unsurprisingly he did nothing.
I walked out into the gardens and felt a wave of warmth flow over my skin. I didn't think I would ever get used to the sweltering heat of Louisiana but I no longer wilted beneath the sun's rays. My eyes took in the high fence boarding the mansion and I felt the familiar, maddening sense of being caged. The animalistic part of me urged me to run away, to scale the fence and reach the tantalising freedom that lay beyond.
A pity they kept the fence electrified, a shame they surrounded the perimeter with guards. It was, my captors had explained, designed to keep their enemies out. How convenient for them that it also kept unwilling wares in.
"Frost?" Daniel's voice was discerningly close, but then his presence had lingered so I should not have been surprised. "I need to talk to you."
He most definitely did need to talk to me. Unfortunately I was unwilling to have this particular and much dreaded discussion with him. I shook my head but when I tried to walk away again he caught my arm in an unbreakable grip.
I scented his anger and determination beneath the underlying aroma of his arousal. I forced myself still, knowing that I would not free myself now unless he permitted it. My eyes focused on his chest, resolutely avoiding his eyes.
"You feel it, don't you?" His voice, usually so sure and confident now held a trace of confusion. "You have to feel it as well!"
I forced myself not to react to his closeness as I shot him a questioning look. "Feel what?" I asked patiently.
His grip tightened to the point of pain and an involuntary gasp escaped my lips. He let me go with a little jump, snatching his hands back as if I had burned them. "How are you doing it? How can you ignore the bond?"
I forced myself to look at him then, meeting his turbulent chocolate coloured eyes. "Because-" I said, slowly but with an assured confidence, "I do not want you."
He blinked at me, opened his mouth, closed it again and then took a threatening step towards me. "It is not something you get to decide."
"No?" I asked, not backing down at all. "Who does decide, you?"
"I am alpha."
"And I could care less!"
"I could just take you. It's well within my rights."
"You could rape me." I agreed. "You could force the mark on me and do whatever the hell you wanted. You're Alpha after all and I can't stop you."
He grabbed me again, twisting my shirt in his hands and raising me off the floor until we were looking into one another's eyes. "I am not trying to frighten you Frost, but I am telling you that I cannot continue to ignore the bond. It's unnatural."
"Let me go." I said, my voice quiet and soft.
"It's perverted what you're doing. We were meant to be together." He shook me, hard enough to make my teeth rattle. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"
"I don't care." I said, or more likely shouted. "I don't want you Daniel! Why don't you get that? I -don't- want -you!"
He drew back his fist and I had a moment to really regret my stupidity pain exploded across my cheek.
He'd pulled back at the last moment, I was sure of it. Didn't mean it didn't hurt, he just hadn't broken my jaw. I realised I was on the floor, looking up at him through an eye full of stars.
He reached for me but flinched back before his hand reached my arm. I couldn't concentrate too much on his face because I was doing my damndest not to pass out, but he looked pretty shook up.
