Chapter 11: Evelyn: His Cruel Instinct

Chapter 11: Evelyn: His Cruel Instinct Evelyn~ When I lifted my head again to look at Theron, he suddenly lunged at me. Before I could react, he pinned me down to the cold floor, gripping my wrists so tightly I couldn’t move. His eyes looked different. It was like the light in them had vanished, replaced by something darker, something wild. "This sudden heat ... are you trying to seduce me?" Theron growled. But his voice didn’t sound like him. It was deeper, rougher, like it came from someone else entirely. I held my breath, unable to even blink as Theron stared straight into my eyes. "No," I forced out, using every bit of strength I had. "This ... this happened against my will." Theron let out a low chuckle. "With how wet you are right now, I doubt that’s true." He slipped his knee between my legs, pressing it against my soaked core. "You’re my Luna ... you’re supposed to accept my mark." No. This wasn’t him. He didn’t sound like Theron. He didn’t feel like Theron. The way he spoke, the way he looked at me, everything was different from the gentle man who wouldn’t even let his eyes drift to my cleavage. "Who are you?" I whispered. Theron smiled. "Isn’t it obvious?" he said. "I’m your mate. Your Alpha. The one who’ll make you kneel before me." He flipped me over like I weighed nothing, then held both my hands above my head with one hand. "No ..." I gritted my teeth. "I don’t like this. Let me go ..." For the first time in years, after a lifetime of feeling numb, I finally felt something. Fear. I was terrified of him. I wanted to run away from him as far as I could. I wanted to reject him, but my mate kept shouting at me that I would kill him if I rejected him. Why would she choose to care about him instead of me? Even my own wolf doesn’t care about me. "Please ... let me go," I pleaded. But he didn’t listen to me. I could feel his hot breath against the back of my neck. "You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment," he murmured. "The moment I could finally mark my Luna. I will never let you go. I’ll lock you away in this palace if I have to." As he leaned in closer, I shut my eyes. Just as I thought ... there was no such thing as heaven for someone like me. Even the most beautiful things in my life always turn into nightmares. Once he marked me, I knew I might lose my freedom forever. "I’m sorry ... Milady" My eyes flew open. It was Theron’s voice, his real voice, not the one that had frightened me. Drip ... drip ... I gasped as warm drops of blood hit the floor beside me, pooling near my arm. It wasn’t mine. I turned my head and what I saw left me speechless. Theron was biting his own arm. His teeth had sunk so deep into his skin, it looked like he was trying to tear it apart. His forehead was wrinkled in pain, his hand shaking as he finally let go of my wrists. "I’m sorry," he said again. "It’s ... it’s my instinct, but I—" He bit into his arm once more, trying to control the fire burning inside him. He wanted to speak and wanted to explain, but he couldn’t. Because just like me ... he was also in agony. "What an interesting man," my wolf murmured. "For centuries, no Alpha has ever resisted a Luna’s heat." She clicked her tongue in disbelief. "I’ve never seen anyone act as foolishly as him." A fool? How could he be a fool when he was fighting so hard against his own instincts, against his own wolf? My gaze softened at the thought. All my life, I’d been grateful I never had a mate. It was because I didn’t like it when someone took control of my life, tried to rule me, or clipped my wings of freedom. But Theron ... Why was he so different? He wasn’t cruel. He wasn’t the kind of Alpha who would force himself to dominate me. He ... He was gentle, too gentle, too kind. I could see him struggling, enduring the pain, but instead of giving in, he bit his own arm harder. "Like I said," my wolf whispered softly, "this is the best choice for you." "I gave him a little test, and he passed. Don’t you think he’s worthy to accompany your boring life?" A little test? That was clearly not a small test! "R-Run ... run from me," Theron said suddenly, pushing himself off me. He shifted to the side and leaned on the cold floor, his breathing heavy. "No, wait!" he growled, clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "The other wolves ... they might try to take advantage of you." He looked completely torn, like he didn’t know if I should stay or leave so I could be safe. "I ... I’ll leave," he muttered after a long pause, his voice rough and low. He took a deep breath and slowly began to stand. "You stay here. I’ll go." Unfortunately, the desire burning inside him was so overwhelming that his legs couldn’t even stand, let alone walk away from me. My scent had already mingled with his pheromones, creating an intoxicating scent that tortured both of us, leaving us consumed by desire. "What are you still afraid of?" my wolf asked. "You won’t suffer with him." I gritted my teeth. ’Why do you sound so sure?’ My wolf went quiet for a moment, then whispered, "Aren’t you thinking the same thing I am?" If he could still be gentle, even in his lowest moments, then maybe I didn’t have to be afraid he’d ever hurt me later. Maybe my wolf was right. Maybe he truly wouldn’t make me suffer in the future. "There’s no point in resisting anymore," my wolf reminded me. "Neither of you can escape your fate. It’s absolute. And if either of you tries to fight it ... the consequences will be devastating." He would die if I rejected him, and I would be left in unbearable pain if he rejected me. There was no happy ending if we turned away from each other. But what if ... we didn’t? What if I accepted him? Could I finally have peace instead of pain? "I’m sorry," I heard his voice again. "I want to leave ... but it’s hard. Please ... just stay away from me." Instead of doing what he asked, I slowly crawled toward him and looked at him from the side. "Theron," I called him by his name, not his title. "Do you want me?" Theron frowned, maybe confused as to why I was coming toward him when he was trying so hard to stay away, but even so, he answered, "Yes." "Theron... I’ve lived with pain for as long as I can remember. I’m used to it now. I’ve learned how to endure it. But ..." I bit my lip, trying to hold back the fear rising in my chest. "Honestly ... I hate it. I really, really hate pain." Theron nodded faintly, though I wasn’t sure he could hear me clearly in his state. "I know," he said quietly. "You told me ... before." "If I let you mark me ... can you try to be gentle?" I asked. "I won’t blame you if you can’t ... but can you at least try?" Theron swallowed hard. His golden eyes locked onto mine, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. After a while, he finally answered, "Yes." He sounded so desperate, as if the word alone had the power to save him.