Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
The audacity of this supernatural, arrogant man had no limits. Not only had Torin threatened me in my dream realm with his scary vampire form, but he’d also dared to appear in front of me after dropping off the gala dress on my bed.
In my apartment. In London.
His pack territory was close to the werewolf kingdom in Southern California. Why was he wasting his breath on me here and now?
“We need to go somewhere to talk privately,” Torin said in a calm voice and nodded toward my injured arm. “And you didn’t answer my question, Princess.”
All I wanted to tell him were curse words.
His gaze darted around the hall and then settled back on me. The guests I’d taken on a tour of the rare book exhibit had already joined the party in the lobby. The double doors were open, and the sound of music and chatter carried into the exhibit hall.
The Alpha and I were alone here, but the nearby party relaxed my body somewhat and made me breathe easier.
This year’s fundraiser event was proving to be the worst. All I wanted was to either run away from Torin or even better—for him to leave.
After all, he was the one who’d invaded my carefully built world among the humans. He’d trespassed onto my territory.
“No way. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
I intensified my scowling, but he only ignored me.
“I can pick you up and carry you out of here.”
Of course he would. Trampling over people was his usual style. No wonder he wasn’t popular in the kingdom.
I massaged my temples, trying my best not to lose my cool at work. He brought that side out of me like no other. I imagined the strange looks I would get from guests and colleagues if Torin had me over his shoulder as if I were a child. He was a man who delivered on his threats.
“Then talk here. You’re not invited anywhere else,” I said.
“In your apartment.”
“No.”
“You’re acting like a child,” he said in a low tone, eyes narrowed.
“It’s not happening, Torin. You’ll have to compel me to invite you into my apartment,” I said sharply and tilted my head to the side, watching him for his next move.
If the vampire from the club couldn’t compel me, then Torin probably wouldn’t be able to do so, but I was still curious. Would he force a compulsion on me—a fear many werewolves in the kingdom shared? Yet my father still allowed Torin to remain an Alpha of one of the five packs.
His pinched expression, grimace, and pressed lips told me how displeased he was with me.
Tough.
“You know humans can have side effects after compulsion. You can’t just do that to whoever you want,” I said.
I referred to what Torin had done to Mr. Sterling—not that I regretted it, but it still wasn’t right. But then Tammy’s painful expression flashed in my mind. She didn’t deserve to experience the scary hallucinations and migraines.
The Alpha watched me with an intense, heated look I didn’t like. He scrutinized me as if he didn’t know what to do with me.
“Again, Torin.” I was one of the few people who got away with not calling him by his title. “What do you want?”
“Your dad sent me here,” he snapped.
“Bullshit. Try again.”
He’d sent Hayden, my bodyguard, who my dad fully trusted.
“Your dad told me about your adventure in the nightclub. I’m here to close the business. But something the King didn’t tell me was that you got injured. It seems to me the King doesn’t know his princess is hurt,” he said through a clenched jaw and glanced at my wrapped forearm.
There was truth to Torin’s words. No matter the brutal training that Dad had put me through in the past, he would not trust me to fully take care of myself.
“You’ll rat me out to my father?”
This is all he’s got?
He shrugged. “If that’s what it takes for you to be safe.”
I gave him a murderous look that I hoped would speak volumes, but the guy didn’t seem fazed.
“I need you to tell me what happened, Princess.”
If he needed information, he could have asked the King. Torin wasn’t telling me the truth, and my patience was as thin as foil.
“Go to hell,” I said.
The Alpha stepped closer, and my breathing shook.
“Been there. But dealing with you may be worse.”
By the time this dreadful conversation ended, I wouldn’t have any molars left with all the grinding I was doing. Torin was unpredictable, and I needed him gone.
“The King is sending Hayden, so you can leave,” I said and took a step back.
“Call your dad and ask him to pull your bodyguard back to the kingdom since I’m already here,” he demanded.
Torin took a step forward. We were locked in a battle dance. Unfortunately, I was the one retreating at the moment. His domineering presence had me on my toes, alert but annoyed.
I hadn’t missed the notes of sarcasm in his voice when he mentioned Hayden.
What kind of game was he playing? He’d rejected and humiliated me when I had turned twenty years old. So why was he here now butting into my business?
He wasn’t concerned about me, but he sounded jealous. It didn’t make sense, especially since he had shown interest in another woman five years ago, but I decided to test my theory.
“So, are you jealous, Torin?”
Some emotion passed behind his amber eyes but disappeared before I could decipher it.
“I’d be jealous if I had feelings for you, but I don’t,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Aren’t you presumptuous, Princess?”
He gazed down at me, and my stomach turned, bile rising to my throat.
He’d taught me the taste of hurt and humiliation, and still I had acid on my tongue, and my throat burned.
I stayed silent so I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of hearing my shaky voice. I hated that he affected me that much. I couldn’t even pull on a poker face. It was as if Torin could see through my facade no matter what.
“I’m here because of my duty to your father. Your safety is important to everyone. You’re the only heir and soon to be our Queen.”
Right. His duty came first.
He sighed, and his eyes softened, but the damage was done. His words were his greatest weapon against me, and I was hurting, recalling memories I thought I’d pushed away.
But I wasn’t the same twenty-year-old who would have done anything for a sliver of his attention.
“No feelings, huh?” I closed the distance between us with two brave strides and lifted my gaze. I hoped he could see the hurt he’d caused.
“When you’re looking at me, and you don’t feel anything, then I’m not yours to keep. I’m another man’s treasure, and you’ll have to stop interfering. You’ll need to stop messing with another man’s mate. Now, Alpha Torin, it’s time for you to leave my sight.”
His nostrils flared, and his eyes flashed red, letting me know I’d pushed past his limits. It'd be bad for me if he gave in to his vampire side.
The vein on his neck above the collar of the white shirt popped under the skin and changed to dark blue. I wasn’t going to stay around for his full transformation.
That was my signal to bolt.
My courage only took me as far as arguing with Torin while he was in his human form. I wouldn’t even mind facing his wolf. But meeting his vampire—the beast that chased me in my dream realm after scenting my blood—was a no-go for me.
In one swift movement, I grabbed his shoulders and lifted my knee, hitting his groin hard, a well-practiced move during Dad’s training.
Torin’s red eyes widened, and he hunched over, groaning in pain. He placed his gloved hands on his upper thighs and tried to breathe through the pain.
Was he smirking?
Alpha Torin never shifted into his vampire form in the werewolf kingdom—not only was it prohibited by the King, but werewolves would frown upon it.
But why did his vampire side emerge around me?
He could have sprouted fur or claws and shifted into his wolf, but instead, he revealed his crimson eyes.
I bolted toward the doors, sprinting as fast as I could on my high heels and dodging people in the lobby. There was nothing graceful in my movements as I bumped shoulders with the guests who were here to have a good evening.
Running the short distance to the elevator left me panting like a fish without water. I smacked the button, and my hand kept pressing it while I looked over my shoulder.
Torin appeared, walking calmly like a predator on a hunt with a roguish smirk on his stupidly handsome face.
What would he do if he caught me? When he caught me? My heart sank to my stomach. I didn’t want to find out.
He wouldn’t hurt me, or my dad would gouge his eyes out before giving him a slow death.
Nothing to worry about, Breanna. I kept repeating that to myself while staring at the vampire crossing the lobby.
When he was halfway to me, his fangs protruded and touched his bottom lip.
He looked more terrifying than the vampire master from the club.
Torin’s hulk-like build, with broad shoulders and thick thighs, wasn’t typical for the usually slender, tall vampires.
This vampire was more lethal than our typical number one enemy.
Where was the damn elevator? I kept tapping on the button.
A few of the guests had noticed Torin. It was hard not to. Everything about him demanded attention and submission. I didn’t like that he would compel the guests later to forget about seeing his intimidating vampy side.
The elevator dinged, the door slid open, and I hurried inside. The doors shut right before Torin reached me. But he wouldn’t give up. The Alpha was used to getting what he wanted.
And right now, he wanted me.