to me. Like fate always intended.”
What did he just say?
Reaching up, I tapped him on the shoulder. “I’m sorry, what? Belong to you? That sounds awfully possessive for someone who thinks associating with a Callahan is a kiss of death. Not to mention, it’s only polite to take someone out to dinner before you try to own them.”
Where the fuck did he get off even making a statement like that, after all the shit he’d put me through? My life would have been a whole lot better with Jaxson in my corner, and instead, he’d chosen to abandon me. Worse than that, he’d chosen to lead the fucking pitchfork squad.
He blinked, his light brown eyes clear in the sun rising on the horizon. “From what I recall, the last time I took you out for dinner, you weren’t a very polite guest.”
The memory hit me hard, and it hurt because I’d tucked all those memories away for a reason. To save myself. And his one statement brought it right to the forefront again.
“I’d eaten something bad,” I said reluctantly. “I didn’t mean to vomit everywhere. You shouldn’t have insisted on swinging me around by my wrists.”
I’d been nine, he’d been ten, and it had been about a year before everything had gone to shit in my life. We’d been running in his backyard while our parents had prepared dinner for their weekly get-together. Jaxson had set up a special little table for us back near the huge old oak tree, and it had been for…
“My birthday surprise,” I murmured, and he nodded. A snort of laughter escaped me. “One of us was surprised, at least.”
Jaxson actually laughed. “Honestly, here I was trying to make a grand gesture in the way only a dumbass prepubescent boy could, and you turned it upside down. Typical Sunny.”
Grand gesture.
Fuck him and his smooth words. Fuck him bringing this topic up, when he’d spent the years after that trying to destroy every part of who I was.
“Take me to Victor.”
He blinked at my abrupt change of tone and topic.
“I can’t guarantee your safety once I hand you over,” he said seriously.
I laughed. In his face. “Guarantee my safety? Dude, I’d take my chances with almost every other asshole in this pack if I didn’t have to see you again.”
And just like that, I reminded him that we were enemies. That he was on my shit list, not my Christmas card one, and that he had orders to return me to the alpha.
This time when he grabbed me, it hurt, and I would no doubt have a bruise there tomorrow. Whatever. I didn’t give a damn and thankfully, our shared moment over more innocent memories was gone as well.
Last thing I needed was to develop softer feelings toward any of them again.
That would truly be the stupidest thing I could imagine doing.
10
“Once you shift,” Victor said slowly, his dark grey eyes taking me in, “I’m going to tie you to Torma, with the strongest bond there is between an alpha and his pack. You will serve me for the rest of your days.”
They’d all been waiting for us when Jaxson had marched me back into pack lands. Half a dozen wolves including Torin, and Jaxson’s father, Dean Heathcliffe.
I cleared my throat. “Let me get this straight. You despise me because of my father, have turned a blind eye to the pack’s torment of me over the years, but now you want me to…” I held a finger up. “And stop me if I don’t have this right… serve you?” I laughed, cementing my fate. “You better be referring to waitressing and not fucking because I promise you won’t be happy with a wolf like me in your bed.”
Victor’s expression darkened, his pale skin taking on the honey-blond color of his wolf as he stepped forward. “You think you’re too good to fuck the alpha?”
Uh, yes. A thousand times yes, but since I’d already pushed his patience today, I decided not to say that out loud. Victor didn’t appreciate my silence, either. His fist slammed into my cheek, knocking me off the step. Agonizing pain arced through my jaw and down my spine, my head spinning as black and white dots danced across my vision.
Victor moved over the top of me, a leg on either side of my torso. “If I decide to fuck you, mongrel pup,” he growled, “there’s very little you can do to stop me.”
He stepped away then, a swift boot to my side