phin
he first wave of
of reckless, emotional mistake the old me made when Da
wing. I pulled the most recent summary of my grandparents' trust from the locked drawer be
omewhere downstairs. Then, nearly twenty minutes later, Damien's stride cut back
whatever performance she had chosen for the afternoon. Damien had returned to the heart of
printed from my phone, a formal petition for Rejection and a basic outline for the s
e second-floor landing. His study was at the far end, the heart of his power i
n't k
brass handle and pu
bratory cigar. He was sitting behind a massive mahogany desk, the size of a small
oice a low, dangerous rumble m
h Persian rug that muffled my footsteps
rp, definitive thud
own. His eyes, chips of ice, lifted to meet mine. The fury from our ea
I planted my hands on the polished wood, leaning forward slightly,
ad the neatly typed label: "Rejection
ed back in his throne-like leather chair, steepling his fingers under his chin. He
n. "You mean that little monthly allowance your family doles out to
f a laugh that held no humor. "Yo
eight. "Do you have any idea what the world is like for a lone wolf? For a female with no pack, no protection? Rogues
veins. He was painting a picture of my weakness, a narrative he
h his condescending tone. "At least their intentions are honest. They want to
d, the mask of amusement falling a
ot for me. He snatched t
II
silent study. He ripped my petition, my declaration o
was just a pile of con
n hope that settled on the priceless rug. Then he leaned across
ou will stay here, in this house, and
could feel the low thrum of his Alpha power, the subtle release of pheromones des
was trying to c
t and took a step back, out of th
back up at his furious face. There was no anger in my v
n," I said softly. "But you can't tear up m
ing he was entirely unfamiliar with, and it was making him rec
ppressed violence. The Alpha's Command. It was a force tha
, a whisper of inst
word. Arguing with a
y head held high. The sound of my heels on th
over my shoulder, a flicker of a tr
said, my tone laced with mock concern. "I'm sure Lil
ed the door open and stepped ou
AS
hitting the wall inside the s
ounds of his rage. The breaking of glass, the spli
rtainty that the easy
n that I would have to get
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