Chapter 25
Narae woke the same way she always did, reluctantly and exhausted.
Staring up at the ceiling, there was the slight relief of not having to rush to the kitchen to help the six other females prepare breakfast for the pack before helping with the laundry and daily chores.
In the Biter pack, the males did nothing except provide protection.
Never mind the fact that the females needed protection from them more than any outsiders.
Sitting up, Narae shoved the hair back from her face, freezing the instant she saw Demon lying curled up on the floor in front of the bedroom door.
The instant she laid eyes on him, a tingling sensation drifted over her skin, then two things happened at once.
One, she felt slightly betrayed that he hadn’t left as he’d said he would.
And two, she felt oddly comforted. He hadn’t abandoned her, and she realized that pleased her.
The night before, Daemon had silently led her to a room a few doors down from Jury’s.
Narae was grateful that he kept her room close to her sister’s.
She knew he’d heard their conversation, but thankfully, he’d asked no questions.
Instead, he showed her to the room, asked if she’d needed anything, then disappeared.
He’d returned with some food and a fresh change of clothes from Jury and then left again.
She’d eaten first, then showered. It was a long, slow, and hot affair.
She washed her hair twice, the shampoo burning the bite at her neck, but it felt good to get the residue of the Biter pack off her skin.
It felt like a fresh start, and she was both eager and anxious about what was to come.
Stepping out of the shower, she dried off, used some of the scented lotion Daemon had delivered with the fresh clothes, then dressed and brushed out her hair.
Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she thought about Jury.
They looked alike, but where Jury’s hair was raven-wing black, Narae’s was just a natural black with hints of brown.
Jury’s eyes were more intense, too. Narae had always been envious of Jury’s ocean eyes; the hazel brown of her own felt drab in comparison.
It made sense; they had different dads, but that didn’t affect their bond.
They were sisters in every sense of the word.
It made Narae feel guilty for leaving Jury the way she had.
She wished she could give Jury more, but over the years, she’d given so much to Jury and the other females in the pack that it felt like there was only a tiny bit of her left, and whether it was selfishness or self-preservation, she was protecting that small piece at all costs.
She cleaned up the bathroom, hung her wet towel on the rack, then stepped into the room.
Her room was beautiful. It was similar to Jury’s, just in royal blue tones instead of lavender.
It was larger than any room they had in the house at the Biter compound.
At the Biter compound, the males got the largest rooms, while the females were relegated to the smallest quarters, often having to double or triple up.
She and Jury had shared a room their whole lives, so it was no strain to do so at the Biter compound; in fact, she preferred it.
It was easier to keep an eye on Jury when she was close.
Part of her wanted to cross to the window to look out on the Allegiance estate, but the bed was calling her by her full government name. Lights out, she climbed between the sheets, and the second her head hit the pillow, she was out.
Now, awake, she was staring at Demon, unsure what to do.
Did she wake him? Did she go back to bed so he could rest longer?
Did she rage at him for sneaking into her room while she slept?
Cycling through scenarios in her head, let her body fall to the side.
Pulling a pillow from behind her, she shoved it under her head, her body now cattywampus on the bed as she lay there staring at Demon’s sleeping form.
He was a massive wolf. A beautiful wolf. And…hers?
Her hand lifted and ghosted across the mark low on her throat. What did it mean? Where did they go from here? Not one for wading in uncertainty, she cleared her throat and sat up.
Demon’s eyes slammed open, instantly locked on her.
“Sorry to wake you,” she breathed.
He didn’t move, just stayed where he was, gaze intent on her.
“If you can, I’d like some clarity, please. I need to know what’s coming next so I can prepare. I’d like to be ready for whatever it is I’m about to be hit with.”
Demon stalled only a moment before slowly getting to his feet.
A smooth shift rippled through him, and then Daemon was standing there.
Jean-clad legs splayed like tree trunks, massive biceps and shoulders hugged by the form-fitting black t-shirt he wore, Narae’s gut clenched at how attractive he was.
He paced to her dressing table, his long legs taking the distance in just a few strides before his hand gripped the dressing chair. Lifting it with ease, he carried it to the bedside and set it down before taking a seat, arms crossing as he looked at Narae.
She struggled against the distraction of his muscled frame, so she tried to focus on his face. He had impossibly dark hair like Jury's, but his eyes were a spring green, a color Narae had never seen before. He was beautiful.
“Where do you want this to go next?” he asked in his low baritone.
She snorted. “I’d like to come out of this alive. Jury too.”
His response was an immediate, “Done.”
She shook her head. “You can’t promise that. You don’t know what’s coming.”
He angled his head. “And you do?”
“Yeah,” she huffed. “Bragga and his pack of absolute moral-less cretins.” She stalled a moment, almost reluctant to admit the next, but knowing it was only fair. “It’d be best for your pack if you let me and Jury leave.”
“Best for who?”
Delicate brows spearing down, she frowned. “For you.”
“You’re not worried about yourself? You’re not worried about Jury?”
That had a humorless laugh chuffing from her.
“I’ve spent my entire existence being worried about Jury.
And I am now more than ever. But that doesn’t mean I have to bear the burden of getting your pack slaughtered just to save ourselves.
We can take our chances on our own. We’ve survived together so far.
I’d just ask that you let us go soon. We’re gonna need as much of a headstart as we can get. ”
Lowering his arms, Daemon sat forward in his chair, elbows resting on his knees as he blinked at her. “You’re not giving us much credit.”
“How many of you are there?”
“I told you before,” he responded, “twelve.”
Narae pursed her lips, shaking her head, eyes dropping to the comforter covering her legs.
“I was hoping you were downplaying your numbers. Without Jury and me, there are twenty Biters, including the six females, who will be forced to come and fight as well. Females in the Biter pack aren’t afforded the same rights but have the same expectations as the males when it comes to war.
But know this, the women won’t want to fight.
They’ll do so because they are forced to.
You’re massively outnumbered, and I don’t care how tough you all think you are, your power can’t beat the math. ”
Canting his head, Daemon asked, “You did see what we did to those punks at your firepit?”
“They were new. Untrained. The remaining males are all Enforcers. Trained Enforcers.”
“Why don’t you let us worry about them. Because here our females aren’t expected to participate in battle.”
“Again, we’re not your females,” she countered.
Dameon fell silent, his chin dipping, his gaze hard on hers from beneath furrowed brows as a growl rattled its way up his chest. “That mark on you says otherwise.”
“Yeah,” she fidgeted nervously. “We should talk about that too.”
He drawled, “Talk.”
“So, the urgency of the situation obviously forced you to do something you normally wouldn’t have done. It was…an accident. I don’t know the rules in your pack, but I’m sure that if you petition your Alpha, he’ll…”
Daemon cut her off with a growled, “No.”
Falling silent, Narae blinked at him.
“You don’t get to dismiss my actions,” he began. “And I ain’t petitioning Koe for shit. You and Jury are staying where you belong. Right. Here.”
And that snapped her spine straight as fury flooded her. “I’m trying to graciously give you a fucking out!”
Leaning forward in his chair, Daemon slowly asked, “Who said I wanted out?”
Jaw ticking, Narae sneered, “Has it occurred to you that you’re not the only one in this? Have my concerns or desires registered at all in that thick skull of yours?”
Daemon huffed a laugh, and that only pissed Narae off more.
“Hey, asshole!” she snapped. “I’m glad you find this situation funny, but I ain’t laughing. I’m…”
Daemon shoved up out of his chair, and when he did, Narae’s argument died in her mouth.
Staring at her, confusion clouded Daemon’s expression a moment before his brows speared down and he frowned hard.
“Don’t do that!” he ordered. “Don’t shut yourself down on my account or anyone else's. You’re free to express yourself here.
You’re safe.” He motioned toward the side cart by the window that held glasses and a picture of water.
“I just needed a drink.” He walked slowly to the cart and poured himself a glass of water before holding up a second glass and turning to her, “Thirsty?”
Narae shook her head and stayed quiet. She didn’t know these shifters, and she’d really been pushing her luck. She knew she should be grateful for everything they’d already done, and none of them had tried to hurt her or Jury…yet.
Taking a drink, Daemon watched her over the rim of his glass.
Narae lowered her head and said quietly, “Thank you for all you’ve done for Jury and me. I recognize that you could have turned her away or left me where I was.”
Daemon lowered his water glass. “But?”
Lifting her chin, Narae glared at him. “But we’re not your problem, and we need to go. So, you need to do something about this.” She gestured toward her throat.
“Wait a minute.” Daemon stalked toward the bed. “You have someone back at Bragga’s compound. Don’t you?”
“What? No!”
Daemon was talking to himself now, “It’d make sense why you worked to get Jury out, but you stayed. You wanted to stay.”
Narae was getting pissed all over again. “No, I didn’t.”
“Listen, if you’ve got someone back there, I need to know about it.”
Narae clambered to her feet, standing on the bed and walking toward the edge. “Are you ears just for fucking decoration?”
Daemon stalked forward too. “It doesn’t even matter if you tell me because I couldn’t scent a lie on you if I wanted to, could I?”
“I’m not lying,” Narae raged.
Daemon stopped when his shins hit the mattress. “And how would I know?”
“I don’t know,” Narae yelled. “How about the benefit of the fucking doubt, meathead!”
“Meathead?”
She was trying to stay mad, but Daemon was right up on her, and even with her standing on the bed, she was still just eye level with him.
It was sexy as hell going nose to nose with a beast of a man that she was certain wouldn’t hurt her.
It felt powerful. She felt powerful and a dizzying combination of aroused and needy.
It didn’t help that the masculine scent of him had the blood boiling in her veins. “Yeah,” she panted. “Meat head!”
“Stop.” he commanded.
But something between them had shifted, and it didn’t feel like they were arguing anymore.
It took her a moment to realize that his hands had settled on her hips, his face taut with what looked like barely leashed control.
He was radiating menace…no, not menace. Something else.
Something that had an eerie feeling drifting over her skin, her heart rate hiking in giddy anticipation.
She was playing a dangerous game right now, and she knew it.
Still, she couldn’t stop herself. “I’m not taking orders from you. ”
The sexual tension between them ratcheted higher.
Daemon’s gaze narrowed on her, the predatory look there almost enough to scare her.
Almost. “You need to stop, Narae.” He pulled her body even closer into his.
His nose brushed the side of her throat, and his hands left her hips to slide around her body, crushing her to him as he let out a contented-sounding sigh that tapered into a snarl.
“What I need is…” She’d been going to argue, to tell him off.
Instead, she found her body melting into his, one hand sliding over one strong shoulder and down his back, the other gripping the back of his neck as she canted her head, giving his mouth better access for his teeth to nip at her throat, right above her mate mark.
It sent a punch of lust shooting straight to her womb.
Daemon breathed at her throat, “Don’t fucking move, Narae! I’m barely hanging on here.”
But she wanted that control snapped. She wanted to be the one to send him over the edge. She wanted him as dizzy with lust as she was.
Fisting the hair at the back of his head, she pushed his face harder into her throat and repeated, “I’m not taking orders from you.”
And that was all it took. In a blink, she found herself flat on her back, thighs spread with Daemon’s body settled between them, the hard bar of his erection pressing against the sensitive flesh between her thighs.