Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Derrek

That was a long night.

It was difficult to dredge my childhood memories for the right words to perform spells—most of what my mom did was potions, so that's what my brain knows best. Since I have no access to potion ingredients, I have to summon basic spells from the deep recesses of my mind.

And with a good deal of work and a fair amount of luck, I started a fire in my bathtub.

I put it out immediately, but the success was thrilling.

Fire won't get me out of this collar, which is the biggest problem, but it could help.

After a few hours' of rest and finishing my breakfast, I sit on my bed trying to brainstorm other spells I can work on.

The door opens and Erica strides in.

I draw in a deep breath and smile widely…showtime.

But when I wave at her in greeting, I know immediately something's off; she looks furious.

I grab my notepad and try to write out the question, but it's swiftly ripped out of my grasp.

Surprisingly powerful hands grab my shoulders and shove, sending me sprawling back onto the bed. Erica wastes no time mounting me and forcing her tongue down my throat.

I'm so shocked and confused I make the mistake of vocalising my surprise, which immediately sets off the collar and my body gets wracked by convulsions as the shockwaves go through me.

Erica sits back, still settled firmly on my hips, and waits out my magically applied punishment. By the time I'm able to breathe again and glance up at her, her expression has settled into a state of disappointment.

"Alpha's right, you just don't learn. Why don't you just accept that you're mine now?"

I shake my head at her and try to reach for the notepad.

"Look, this isn't about us being friends, or even lovers. This is about us becoming mates . Alpha wants it, so it's going to happen. The more you fight it the more you're going to suffer."

She switches tactics and smiles at me seductively, sliding her hand up my chest and leaning over me again. "You might as well just relax and enjoy it." I turn my face away from her, but she's not deterred, kissing along my jawline while her hand slips under my shirt.

Everything about this feels dirty. My skin crawls where she touches me, and my heart is racing in my chest. Not out of excitement, but out of fear.

I've always done my absolute best to avoid laying hands on a woman, but now I have to draw the line.

Reaching up, I grab both of her upper arms firmly and shift her bodily to the side so I can slide off the bed. She stays there, smiling at me lazily like this is some racy game and I'm playing hard to get. I snatch up my pad and write out a quick note.

I know what he wants, but can't we just take our time? I don't see what a few days will hurt if we're going to be mates. I still have so much to learn about you!

I turn the page to her desperately, and she reads it, then laughs. "Listen Leaf, I don't know what you think is going on, but this isn't a love story and I'm no clueless farm girl. I know about you and the Harridan girl. Alpha told me he picked me because I look so much like her. He thought it might help. And I'm not in this for romance, so you shouldn't be hoping for that either, if that's even why you're doing it. I suspect you're just trying to drag it out as far as you can. Which, I'll admit, if it were me in your shoes, I might do the same.

"But the point is, you don't have much time to play with. Alpha wants results, and this is just another tactic. If it doesn't work, he'll move on to something else, something much worse."

I can take whatever torture he has in mind.

When she reads it her eyes brighten, and a sadistic expression crosses her face. "Oh, you think so, do you? I'm not so convinced. But that's not really the point right now. I don't intend for this tactic to fail."

I don't care what you're planning, it won't work.

"So confident. It must be nice to have that conviction. But I wouldn't be so quick to make any assumptions. Alpha gave me free rein to do whatever I want in here. Are you sure there's nothing that would work?"

I can't help it; my eyes dart to the ‘tool box' where the leash hangs.

Erica doesn't miss a thing. "Not such a big fan of all the tools, huh? Or perhaps it's that magical leash? Don't like the idea of being tied up?"

All I do is swallow; it's enough.

"Hm." She taps her lips with a glossy red nail. "You know, I've never tried S this threat is so different, so much more sinister than cattle prods and clubs. Would he really do that? Would she really do that? It only takes one long stare at her expression to realize, yeah, she definitely would.

My stomach twists, my undigested breakfast sloshing inside. After I determined she was a decent human, it's jarring to realize there's nothing some people won't do. It could be alpha compulsion, but I know what that feels like and she doesn't appear to be fighting it.

There's no way I can be a willing participant in this, even if it was tempting. It's too violating; I can't.

Sighing, I write out my response and hand her the pad.

I'm sorry, I can't give you what you want. Do what you must.