Page 107 of The Secret Mate Society

His hands tightened painfully."You don't understand yet.That's okay.You will."

"Understand what?That you're a psychopath who's been stalking me for over a decade?"I twisted my head to try and meet his eyes."That you murdered my father?That you killed innocent people just to—what?Get myattention?"

"To prepare you," Jake corrected, moving around to face me again.He knelt down, bringing himself to eye level."To make you understand what we are, what you could become.The mate bond between a werewolf and a human is rare, precious.There are ways you could be like me.We could be together forever."

My blood turned to ice."You want to turn me?"

"I want to complete the bond and then make sure we’re never apart," he said, reaching out to trace my jaw with one finger.I jerked my head away."But first, I need to fix what that alpha did to you.His scent is all over you, his mark..."His eyes flashed yellow, and I saw his canines lengthen slightly."He's tainted you.Contaminated what should have been pure and mine alone.”

"Calder didn't do anything wrong," I spat."He protected me.He cared about me.Something you clearly don't understand."

Jake's expression darkened, and suddenly his hand was around my throat, not squeezing but holding firm enough to be a threat."Don't say his name.Not ever fucking again.Not when you're finally where you belong."

I swallowed hard, feeling his palm against my windpipe."Where I belong?Tied up naked in a freezing barn by a murderer?"

"Where you belong is with your true mate," Jake growled, his face so close I could see the flecks of gold bleeding into his brown eyes."Not playing house with some backwater alpha that can’t even hunt down one of his own kind.He’s pathetic and weak.And, if I know the Elder Council, they’ll already have disposed of him for telling you the truth about our world.”

My blood went cold.“You’re lying.All you do is lie.”

“Am I?”Jake simply shrugged.“Doesn’t really matter if I am or not, I guess.Calder’s not coming to save you, that much is true.And that means we have all the time in the world to make things right.”

I felt myself tremble under Jake’s grip.“Make things right?What the hell are you talking about?”

He leaned in close, his lips against my ear.“I’m going to show you what arealwerewolf feels like.What it means to be truly claimed by your mate.”

His hands slid down my back, gripping my ass.I felt his hips grind against me, a distinct hardness in his jeans.Fear coursed through my veins.This… This couldn’t be happening.

"No!"I shouted, bucking against him with every ounce of strength I had left.The ropes bit deeper into my wrists, but I didn't care.I wouldn't let this happen."Get the fuck away from me!"

Jake's grip tightened painfully on my hips, holding me still.Claws extended, digging into my flesh."Don't make this harder than it needs to be, Ethan.You'll learn to love me.Once Calder's scent is gone, once I've claimed you properly?—"

"I will never love you!"I spat, twisting my body desperately."You're a monster!A murderer!"

His eyes flashed yellow, and suddenly his hand was at my throat again, this time squeezing."I've been very patient with you.Don't test me."

I couldn't breathe.Black spots danced at the edges of my vision as his fingers pressed against my windpipe.Terror clawed at my chest, but underneath it, something else burned.Rage.Pure, white-hot fury at this creature who'd stolen so much from me.My father.My childhood.My sense of safety.And now he wanted to take my body, my choice, everything I had left.

Just when I thought I might pass out, Jake released his grip.I gasped, sucking in air, coughing violently.

"See what you make me do?"he said, stroking my hair like I was a pet."I don't want to hurt you, baby.I just need you to understand.We're meant to be together.The mate bond doesn't lie."

"The mate bond is with Calder," I wheezed, my throat raw."Not you.It was never you."

Jake's expression twisted with fury.Then he took another breath before pressing his lips against my neck.“Then I guess it’s time we wipe that alpha from your mind forever."

Chapter45

Calder

“That’s not Ethan,” I said, replacing the body bag cover and zipping it shut.Red and blue lights painted the scene as the detectives worked over the site looking for clues.Thankfully Ageratum had connections with the local law enforcement.“The clothes are his, but the body isn’t.I’m sure of that.”

“Are you sure?”Trevor asked, his eyes wide.“It’s pretty badly mutilated…”

“On purpose,” Ageratum added, glancing my way.He signaled for the officers to take the body away.“No doubt as a distraction to keep you off the real trail.”

“So where is he?”Trevor asked, looking between the pair of us.“Where did the rogue take him?”

I stared at the spot where the body bag had been, my mind racing through possibilities.The rogue had gone to elaborate lengths to fake Ethan's death—stripping him, dressing another body in his clothes, mutilating it beyond easy recognition.That took time.Planning.Which meant this wasn't a random act of violence.