All hell broke loose the moment Darrin and his men were out of earshot.
Zephyr was angrier than I had ever seen him. His eyes were still red, and they flared as he turned to face me, his voice filled with frustration. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" he snapped, speaking through his teeth. "You're no beast, yet you're wilder than I am!"
I remained where I was, quiet. I knew I'd potentially fucked up, and as a result of that, I had no will to defend myself... to reply wittily as I always did, because truly, there was nothing I could say in my defense.
I'd disobeyed a direct instruction. A simple one. Stay indoors.
And what had I done instead? Snooped around a political summit with literal Lycan mafia present… and nearly started a full-blown war between two packs.
Because of me.
Zephyr ran a hand through his dark hair, pacing restlessly. Angrily.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?!" He questioned, facing me again. "Not only will he spread rumors about the Alpha's bride disrespecting him before she's even earned the title of Luna, but he'll also paint me as weak, an Alpha who can't keep his own mate in check!"
He rubbed his temples before dropping his hands to his sides. "You've given him exactly what he wanted… an opportunity to twist this to his advantage. You don't know Darrin like I do. He's a sneaky bastard, and he will use this."
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to, I only…"
"You didn't mean to?" Zephyr cut me off, his voice unbelievably harsh. I flinched. "You've always meant to! Have I ever been unkind to you? Have I ever treated you harshly? All I have ever done is show you kindness, Lyla, treat you well, and yet you still defy me. You always defy me!"
As spacious as the study was, the air felt suffocating due to Zephyr's rage.
"Perhaps I should have let Darrin take you," he bit out. "Maybe then you'd learn the 'error of your ways'. Maybe then you'd learn to be grateful and do as you're fucking told!"
He kicked in a shelf, the force shattering the wood. It gave way immediately, coming down with a loud crash.
"I used to have a rival," Zephyr ground out. "Now I have an enemy on my hands. Today was supposed to be a negotiation. A chance to reach an agreement so his pack would stop being a problem. But no."
His jaw clenched even harder. "Now things are worse. Thanks to a certain someone who couldn't listen."
Something in me refused to back down, and soon, I found myself replying, "You were the one who called off the negotiations, not him. He was still willing to talk."
The look in Zephyr's eyes made me squirm in fear, falling a step back as he moved towards me.
"You have the audacity to argue?" he growled, stepping closer, "when I was trying to protect you?"
I instantly regretted my words.
"You think I should have kept negotiating? After he insulted you, my future bride, right to my face? After he questioned my claim, my strength?"
I remained mute.
"Speak," he commanded. "You're one to always speak."
"No," I muttered regretfully.
Zephyr looked down at me. "Do you think this is a game, Lyla? That men like Darrin throw 'silly jokes' out just for sport?"
I shook my head sadly. "No, I'm sorry."
He remained silent, staring down at me, but I didn't look up into his eyes.
"I'm going to mark you," he said after a long silence.
I gasped, fear returning quicker than before. "W-what?"
I knew what marking entailed. Every human did. The basics of werewolf customs weren't exactly a secret.
But the thought of his teeth sinking into my flesh… of the mating bond taking hold, binding me to him forever, chilled me beyond anything.
Once the bond took hold, there was no escaping it. No escaping him.
I'd heard that bonds could be rejected even after marking, but not without consequences. Painful, unforgiving consequences.
And right now, refusing wasn't an option. Not with a furious, towering Lycan before me. I was powerless to resist, powerless to say no, I didn't want to be marked.
Zephyr's eyes didn't leave mine. "I should've done it the minute you stepped foot here." He said. "If I had, Darrin wouldn't have dared to disrespect you… disrespect us, the way he did."
I couldn't come up with a response. The words would not come.
"Stay still," he commanded, his eyes roaming over me, lingering on my bare shoulders, then descending lower, tracing the length of my arms.
"Wolves typically mark their mates on their shoulders, necks, or collarbones," he explained, gently inspecting my neck. Soon, his fingers started to trace the line of my collarbone. "But I won't be marking you in any of those places."
"Why not?" I asked softly.
He shrugged. "The scar won't fade as quickly as it would for a wolf. And if it's in a visible place… well, you might not like the sight of it."
My heart warmed that he still considered my feelings in this. That despite his anger, he still cared.
"Isn't that the whole point? Of 'marking'? So people see that I'm yours?"
"Marking goes beyond what people can see. It's more of a scent thing."
"But Darrin..." I frowned. "He said he saw no mark on me."
"Darrin was just being Darrin. Just because he couldn't see a mark doesn't mean it wasn't there. For all he knew, I could've marked you somewhere out of sight... like what I'm about to do"
"So… where would you mark me, then?" I asked nervously.
His eyes held mine. "Somewhere only I get to see"
The possessiveness in his voice caused a tingle in my core.
His fingers lightly touched the side of my neck before going lower, stopping just above my collarbone. "Here would be traditional," he muttered. Then, his hand slid lower, down my arm, until it rested at my waist. "But I prefer something more… personal."
His fingers started to lift my blouse, touching my skin in the process. I shut my eyes against the sensation, my body reacting to his touch in ways I couldn't control, just like in the greenhouse.
I bit my lip, heat gathering between my legs.
Zephyr stopped when the fabric reached just beneath my bra, though it wasn't exposed. His eyes, now their usual green, were intense, like mine.
"Right here," he said, his voice raspy. "Somewhere that's mine."
He pressed his fingers to the side of my stomach, and I choked back a gasp at the warmth of his touch.
He was still tense with anger, but beneath it simmered something else… something just as powerful. Desire.
The room was alive with it.
My eyes widened when, gently, he lowered to his knees.
"It'll hurt a little, Wildflower," he said. His voice had softened to a degree. "But not for long."
I nodded, swallowing.
A moment ago, the thought of being marked had terrified me. But now, with him kneeling before me, one large hand around my waist, steadying me, the other holding up my blouse, his mouth so close to my skin… I wanted it.
I saw the brief glint of his fangs before his lips closed over my stomach.
The sting was sharp, fleeting, but the sensation of his mouth on me, the warmth of his tongue against my skin, was nothing short of sinful. Almost orgasmic.
A soft moan slipped past my lips.
My clit throbbed.
There was something utterly intoxicating about it… the way anger and lust infused the air, the way a man as huge as Zephyr Wrath knelt before me, marking me with his teeth.
I was now officially his.
And, despite how many times I denied it, I wanted it.
The moment ended.
Zephyr rose to his feet, dropping my blouse. "Now, my scent will cling to you. Any wolf who gets too close will know exactly who you belong to and back the fuck off"
"And if they don't?"
"Then I'll kill them."
I stared at him, unsure if I should thank him or curse at him. I was still trying to get over the feel of his mouth on my skin, and how his tongue would feel when closed around my…
Zephyr's frown returned, jolting me back to reality. "As punishment for what you did today, your movements will be restricted until I say otherwise."
My stomach sank. "Wait, what?!"
He didn't pause. "You're free to go anywhere inside the mansion, but beyond that, you're limited. The greenhouse and the immediate grounds are the only places you're allowed outside. The rest of the estate is off-limits."
"Zephyr…" I started, but his glare silenced me.
"Is that understood?"
I bit the inside of my cheek, frustration churning inside me.
With how gentle he'd been before and during the marking, I'd assumed I was forgiven. But I was clearly mistaken.
Now, I was being reminded that my actions still had consequences.
Finally, I muttered, "Yes."
His head tilted, frown deepening. "Yes?"
I exhaled, my hands balling into fists at my side. "Yes, Master Wrath."
"Good. You're dismissed."
I turned and left the room, making sure to slam the door behind me.
I had no one to blame but myself. If only I had just stayed in my room. Now, not only was I stuck in this house, but I was also confined to specific areas.
Well played, Lyla Gray. Well played.