"And so you had to make me want to please you?" I made sure he heard how I felt about that.
"No!" He sucked in a big breath and then said, "Please don't antagonize me right now. You want an explanation. You want me to stop influencing you. I'm trying to do both--but it isn't easy. Please."
It was the "please" that got to me. I leaned my back against the door so I was as far from him as I could get. "Tell me, then."
"Bran can control his Alpha effect until he can fool werewolves who don't know who and what he is. I'm not so talented, but I can stuff it down so it doesn't interfere with my everyday life. When I negotiate contracts, I don't like to exert undue influence on the people I'm dealing with. Even in the pack, I don't use it much. Cooperation is always better than coercion--especially when that coercion only lasts until they're out of my presence. I only bring out the big guns when there's trouble in the pack that can't be solved by talking." He glanced at me and almost hit the car in front of him when traffic stopped unexpectedly.
If my hearing hadn't been so good I wouldn't have heard him when he said, "When I am with you, my control is shot. I think that's what you've been feeling."
So he could command my obedience whenever he wanted to. Only because he chose not to do so was I left with my free will.
"Before you act on that fear I can smell," he said more confidently, "I'd like to point out that you had no trouble turning Samuel down when you were sixteen--and he's more dominant than I am."
"He's not an Alpha and I didn't turn him down to his face. I left without talking to him."
"I've seen you go toe-to-toe with Bran and not back down."
"No, you haven't." I wasn't stupid. No one faced off with Bran.
He laughed. "I've heard you. Remember when Bran told you to be a good little girl and let the wolves deal with the scary stuff and so ensured that you would go out and find the bastard who'd taken Jesse?"
"I didn't argue with him," I pointed out.
"Because you didn't care if you had his permission or not. The only reason you submit to me is because some part of you wants to: I'm willing to admit that my being an Alpha brings that part of you to the forefront, but it is you who relaxes your guard around me."
I didn't talk to him all the rest of the way home. I was fair enough to admit to myself that I was angry because I was pretty sure he was right, but not fair enough to tell him so. Being a master strategist, he let me stew. He didn't even get out of the car to open my door--which he usually did. I hopped out and stood with the door open for a minute.
"There's supposed to be a good movie coming out," I muttered. "Would you like to come with me Saturday afternoon?" I hadn't intended to ask. The invitation just popped out.
He smiled, that slow smile that started in his eyes and never quite made it to his mouth. I shifted my weight uneasily because that smile had an unsettling effect on me.
"Which theater?"
I swallowed. This was not a good idea. Not at all. "The one behind the mall, I think. I'll check."
"Fine. Call me later with the time."
"I'll drive."
"Okay." His lips were curling up now.
Dumb, I thought, dumb sheep waltzing right into the slaughterhouse. I shut the door without saying anything more and went into the house.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire, I thought, meeting Samuel's gaze.
"Going to the movies?" he asked, having obviously overheard what I'd said to Adam.
"Yes." I jerked my chin up and refused to give in to the tight feeling in my stomach. Samuel wouldn't hurt me. The problem was, I didn't want to hurt him either.
His eyes were half-shut and he breathed in. "You smell like him again."
"He picked me up when I was running in coyote form, so he brought me clothes." Samuel moved with the speed of a bora predator and put his hand behind my neck. I stood very still when he put his nose under my ear. I couldn't help but smell him also. How could his scent have as powerful an effect on me as Adam's smile? It was wrong.
"When you go with him," he growled, his body trembling with readiness or pain--I couldn't tell which because I could smell both, "I want you to remember this."
He kissed me. It was utterly serious, beautiful--and, given the rage in his eyes when he started, surprisingly gentle.
He backed away and gave me a small, pleased smile. "Don't look so worried, Mercy love."