The Mark I Didn’t Want-The Mate I Never Expected Chapter 05
Baron dropped the words like a hammer. “Don’t come crying to me when you regret it!”
Shane paused, then laughed.
“Regret it?”
“I’d be thrilled if she stopped clinging to me. I’d be laughing in my sleep.”
“But seriously, Baron, don’t get any ideas about Elara.”
“Sure, I might free up my heart, but she won’t.”
“She’s got eyes only for me. There’s no room for anyone else.”
“She’s probably planning to latch onto me for life.”
“Come on, are you really going to play the big bad Alpha and force her to submit? Make her eyes go blank against her will?”
“Forced love is meaningless. You might win her body, but you’ll never win her heart. Why bother,
man?”
I was so sick of Shane’s unwarranted confidence.
And I was terrified Baron would back off again and push me away.
So without thinking, I wrapped my arms around Baron’s neck and gently bit his earlobe.
Baron was already drowning in the heat. How could he handle that kind of provocation?
He cut Shane off coldly. “That’s what you think.”
But Shane was beyond confident.
“Baron, I’m not blowing smoke-Elara’s probably racing over here right now, desperate to help me. She’s probably over the moon about it.”
“And here I am, stuck in the middle of this miserable heat, and I’ve got to muster up even more willpower to stop her from taking advantage of me. You have no idea what I’m going through.”
Baron let out a cold laugh. “You’re inventing problems where there are none.”
He kept listening to the call, but his eyes were locked on me-the one who was taking advantage
right now.
And his expression had changed.
Self-control, reason, internal battle-all of it went out the window.
His big hand grabbed the back of my head.
Then he pulled me onto the hospital bed and held me close, his body pressed against mine.
The guards and the doctor all knew when to make themselves scarce. They filed out in unison.
When it was just the two of us in that room, the silence between us thickened fast.
I felt like I was pressed against a blazing furnace.
My heart was racing.
Baron’s voice came out low and rough.
“Last chance. Walk out now.”
“Or I’ll…”
“I don’t do casual. Once I decide something, I never let go.”
My heart lurched. For a second, I was scared.
But then I thought about the raw, bloody wounds on his back.
I steeled myself and shook my head.
Before I could speak, he stole the breath right out of me.
Baron flipped our positions, pinning me beneath him, kissing me deep and slow and hard.
Like I was the most precious thing in the world.
A moan escaped me before I could stop it-and Shane heard it through the phone.
“Wait, Baron, is there a girl there? Who is it?”
Baron answered, “You don’t need to know tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to your future
sister-in-law.”
Shane chuckled.
“Fine, fine. I won’t interrupt your fun. But I’m definitely meeting her tomorrow.”
Right before he hung up, I heard Shane’s voice shift to irritation.
“Where the hell is Elara? Call her.”
I heard one of his friends tease him.
“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to give her the satisfaction? Didn’t want her there?”
“What, the heat’s getting to you and you’re already changing your mind?”
Shane laughed it off. “No way. I’m just worried she got into an accident.”
“Just call her and see where she’s at.”
The friend replied, “No answer. You don’t think something actually happened?”
Shane’s voice got tight.
“Keep calling. Don’t stop until she picks up.”
Shane had no idea. Every ring of that phone was like a beat of dark music in the room. And the more
it rang, the tighter Baron held me, like I might vanish if he let go for even a second.
When I was almost breathless, Baron’s raspy voice asked, “Want to answer it? Maybe Shane’s having second thoughts.”
He was holding me so tight, his body burning hot.
I shook my head, cheeks flushed. “Baron, don’t ruin the mood.”
I reached for his phone, hit the end call button, and tossed it aside.
Then I wrapped my arms around his neck and coaxed him.
“Baron, don’t hold back.”
“Whatever you want tonight, I’m yours.”
His breathing caught like a match had been struck. His voice shook with heat.
“Elara, don’t keep teasing me like this.”
His lips moved to my collarbone, his breath coming faster.
I blinked up at him. “You don’t like it?”
“Like it? I love it. That’s the problem. It feels too good to be true.”
“And I know you’re only doing this because you feel like you owe me.
“Once I start, I won’t be able to stop. I want more. I’ll always want more.”
The loneliness in his voice hit me hard.
I didn’t know how to answer that. So I just asked the question burning in my chest.
“Baron, why did you sacrifice half your life to save me five years ago?”
“Shane, the one I grew up with, couldn’t do it. But you could. Why?”
“And why put yourself through this-every full moon, going crazy with wanting me?”
Baron didn’t answer right away. He just kissed me harder, deeper.
After a long moment, he finally whispered.
“It’s not just full moons. I want you every single day.”
“Unfortunately, you always ran the other way when you saw me.”
He let out a bitter laugh.
“I must terrify you, huh?”
“But after tonight, it doesn’t matter if you run or if you’re scared. I’m not letting go.”
“Elara, you set this in motion. You’re not escaping me for the rest of your life.”
He crushed me against him, like he was trying to melt me into his bones.
I froze, letting myself wonder. Could it really be-had Baron been secretly in love with me all along?
But why didn’t I feel scared anymore? If anything, I felt a little thrill.
Even this terrifying wolf, the one everyone feared, went all soft and tender for me inside?
I couldn’t help feeling just a little proud.
I held his lean waist carefully, avoiding his injured back, and tilted my chin up to let him taste me more easily.
“Baron, I’m not going anywhere.”
“If you don’t believe my words, just watch what I do from now on.”
“I’m going to empty Shane out of my heart completely. And from now on, there’ll only be room for you.”
