“Her scent is strong, and an alpha wolf life myself is weak to something so—pungent,” Vlad says as his eyes rake down my form.
“So you took advantage of her?” Toshi asks.
“I admit, it was a moment of voluntary weakness. But if you understood the rules of my village, you would understand my reaction.”
“Does your village take kindly to forcing themselves on women?” Theo asks.
“In my village, the women want it. They come, ready to mate with those who can prove themselves the strongest. Sebastian fought proudly at the gate, but willingly bowed to me when I asked him to get us drinks. Clarissa even sent him off to do it. That was my victory, and to the winner go the spoils of war,” Vlad says.
I can hear the hissing of Toshi’s voice as Vlad’s blood drips from my claws. I can feel our heartbeats syncing up. He’s going into protective mode. I can feel his comforting warmth draping over my skin. I can feel his soft purring rattling my ribcage as his eyes burrow into the man in the suit.
Well, blood-covered suit.
“Nevertheless, I miscalculated. And for that, I am sorry.”
Vlad turns his gaze to me, and I can smell him change. The confidence and the sarcasm and the predatory smell all morph into something that makes my skin crawl. That makes me sick to my stomach. That bucks up against the anger and strength I feel coursing through my veins.
Sorrow.
I can smell his sorrow, and it reeks.
“I’m truly sorry, Clarissa. For what I did to you. You did not come to my village seeking a mate. You came seeking information. You should have simply said so.”
“Would you have willingly given it to me had I asked?”
“We could have come to an arrangement,” he says.
Sebastian scoffs, and I can feel Toshi recoil at his words.
“You’re a beautiful woman with a very intoxicating scent. It isn’t my fault that you tug at my most primal of urges,” Vlad says.
“You knew I was seeking information before you pinned me,” I say.
“No, I thought you were inducing foreplay,” Vlad says. “Females in a Wolf pack that seek out the strongest male usually do so by asking about a Wolf’s lineage. You were asking questions about my father, so I assumed that was what you were doing. And with the way you swayed your hips and kept looking down at my mouth, well. You can see how things became a little twisted.”
“Then why didn’t you stop?” I ask. “When I asked you to, why didn’t you?”
“That is where my fault comes into play. I allowed myself to fall prey to my weakness for you, and I couldn't back away from the animal rising up. I’m sorry if I startled you.”
“Sorry?” I ask. “You’re sorry you didn’t stop clawing at my clothes. Well let me tell you something, you see that man standing over there?”
I point to Sebastian and Vlad’s eyes pan over in his direction.
“He fought the urge twice. And the first time I gave him permission to go. Because he knew what was right and what was wrong. Which means you are capable of it, no matter your lineage,” I say.
“I truly am sorry, Clarissa. What happened was not your fault. It was a miscommunication and a clashing of old culture and new. If I could go back and control myself more, I would. But I come bearing information I knew you would want,” he says.
I can smell the sorrow dripping off him, and I want it to stop. I want the stench to go away. The Wolf in me doesn’t like it. For an Alpha, it comes too easily for him. My nostrils flare, and my nose crinkles, and I look over at Sebastian and find him staring at me.
“Say the word, and he’s gone.”
“Do you believe him?”
My eyes connect with Sebastian as my claws slowly begin to retract.
“When he says ‘sorry,’ do you believe him, Sebastian?”
“Yes.”