Primal (Alpha Brotherhood 2)

I expected him to strike me in anger. Instead, he did the exact opposite of that.

He held me even tighter and then he purred.

My body pulsed with unexpected sensation and I gasped at the sudden unprecedented intensity of passionate need within me. I froze, feeling my core clamp down hard. It twisted and turned with an initial burst of pain before a much more powerful warmth blossomed across my belly, traveled to the tips of my fingers, and made my toes curl.

I panted in shock, trying to quell the desire that had been seemingly unleashed with that single all-consuming sound.

I’d never heard any alpha make that noise before.

I’d never felt it either.

“Don’t do that,” I whispered, my voice very clearly straining with the effort to contain my unanticipated arousal.

He did it again and my legs tingled. My desire swelled forward, bathing every single nerve in my body in a blanket of ever-firing electricity that left me feeling hot and needy in a matter of seconds. I tried to push it away. I tried to think of my daughter, and for a moment it worked. I felt the warmth ebb away the tiniest bit, but he purred for a third time. It was louder this time and went on for far longer than either time before.

I was utterly defenseless under its power. No matter how many times I tried to picture my daughter’s face after that, nothing could overcome the overwhelming desire inside me that had seemingly answered to Vikar’s call.

A powerful cramp nearly doubled me over and I pressed my fingers against my belly in hopes to calm the raging storm that was brewing to life inside me. The longer it roared from within, the more I began to fear it would never go away. Soon, I would realize that I was right.

As I struggled to bear the weight of the arousal inside me, he wound his arms around my waist, lifting me up and tossing me over his shoulder. Without hesitation, he carried me off into the woods and away from the city of Ravenrath.

And away from my daughter.

Chapter Five

Luna

Vikar carried me some distance into the forest until we happened upon a small clearing lit by the light of the moon high overhead. Slung over his shoulder, I kicked and punched at him in an effort to force him to let me go, but my protests went unheeded. He said nothing at all, and I wasn’t quite sure if his silence was worse than if he was threatening me with whatever sordid punishment he had in mind. When he finally swung me off of his shoulder and placed my feet back down on the ground, I made an effort to run but he was ready for my hasty attempt at escape. He grasped my wrist firmly in his fingers and unhooked a long rope from his belt. Swiftly, he lashed my wrists together and flung the rope over a branch that hung at least two feet above me. He grabbed the other end and pulled it hard enough to string me up so that I had to balance on the tips of my toes in order to not fall over. I whimpered softly when the precariousness of my position washed over me.

I wouldn’t be able to defend myself. I was helpless before him.

I was relieved enough to realize that the rope was soft, but my heart beat anxiously all the same. I didn’t know what he had planned for me, which only seemed to strengthen the arousal burning through my veins. I bit my lip, watching as he circled around me like a predator about to pounce on his prey. He cocked his head to the side and pulled a long knife out of a leather sheath at his belt. I quivered in my bonds, staring at him boldly and pretending like I wasn’t afraid even though I was terrified.

“Such a defiant little thing. Willing to directly challenge an alpha all in the hopes of getting back to Ravenrath again, almost as if you have unfinished business there. What do you have planned back in the city, Luna? What do you need to return for so badly?” he questioned cautiously.

I sneered back at him.

“I won’t admit anything to you,” I spat.

His silver eyes met mine, confident and cocky and far too fucking arrogant. My upper lip curled, and he reached for me. Expecting him to slap me across the face, I flinched, and he hummed in dissatisfaction at my instinctual reaction.

“I will never hurt you like that, Luna,” he said softly. He cupped my cheek and traced his thumb along my lower lip. I still half expected some sort of retribution, but the longer his palm pressed against my face, the more I realized that he wasn’t going to hurt me that way. The way he held me was comforting. The roughness of his skin on mine made my body pulse with need. I hated that it did.

I didn’t even notice that he positioned the knife at the cusp of my breasts and slowly traced it down against my flesh until it caught the edge of my blouse. His movements were light, and the blade never cut my skin, not even once. Carefully, he dragged it down further and the awful sound of ripping fabric finally alerted me to his intentions. I tried to sway my body out of the way, but I quickly lost my footing only to have his arm loop around my waist and hold me steady.

“What are you doing?” I asked in a panic.

He paused and I found my balance once again.

“You ran from me again, Luna. Now you have to be punished,” he explained, and I sucked in a nervous breath.

“But why are you cutting off my clothes?” I pressed, trying to delay the inevitable.

“I think baring this beautiful body completely will make this punishment far more effective, little omega. It will also very thoroughly remind you of your place before me,” he explained, before he continued to shred my shirt with his knife.

“Just put me over your knee, spank me, and get it over with,” I sneered.

“Oh, no, little Luna. You’ve earned a much firmer lesson than just a simple spanking with my hand,” he said darkly, his tone dropping several decibels in warning. My stomach dropped precipitously, and a soft keening sound escaped my lips. I clamped them back together and tried to be brave,