Chapter 6: Confined

Lacey downed half of her drink and then smiled sweetly, stepping close to him. His breath quickened. She smirked, knowing she was having an effect on him.

"Please tell me something." Lacy trailed a finger along his cheek, looking into his eyes, giving him her sexiest look.

One corner of his lips curled into a breathtaking smile. "And what's that?"

"Why do you want me as your mate?" Lacy asked sweetly.

He returned her sweet smile. "I don't... yet." He let out a long, slow breath and looked deeply into her eyes. "I want to try out the merchandise first." Then in one swift movement, he threw her over his shoulder and headed toward the stairs.

"Oh, no you don't!" Lacey yelled, beating against his back with her fists, which didn't have any effect on him at all. "Put me down!"

Everyone laughed and parted the way for Julien. He held her over his shoulder with one arm going up the stairs with Lacey screaming the whole way. "Let go of me, you brute! Let me go!"

He stopped halfway up the stairs. "Shut up unless you want me to throw you over."

Lacey gasped. "You wouldn't!"

"Try me," he said, and Lacey could hear the smile in his voice.

"Ugg!" Lacey groaned as he started back up the stairs.

"Which way to her room?" Julien asked someone at the top of the stairs.

Lynette laughed. "That way." Then she pointed down the hallway.

"Oh, no you are not!" Lacey resumed beating against his back.

"Oh, yes I will!" Julien yelled, walking purposefully down the hallway as everyone moved aside. Then he kicked open her door, threw her onto the bed, and then closed and locked it.

Lacey sat up in the middle of the bed and pointed at the door. "Get out!" Then she looked around for something to throw at him.

He stalked slowly toward her. "I will not. You are my pledge."

"That doesn't give you the right—"

Before she could finish the sentence, he grabbed the back of her head and his lips descended roughly upon her. Then he forced her lips apart and kissed her deeply, pushing her back against the bed, his body suddenly covering hers.

Lacey fought him at first, but then melted in his arms as he deepened the kiss.

Then he pulled back just as abruptly and stood, looking her up and down, slowly wiping his thumb across his healed lip. "Now. I want you to think about that for a while." Then he walked toward the door.

"I can't believe you!" Lacey yelled, kneeling on the bed.

"Oh!" He turned around, smiling as he lowered his voice. "And don't try and leave this room until I come for you in the morning."

"You son of a—" She looked around for something to throw again. For lack of anything else, she grabbed the lamp setting on her nightstand and threw it at the door just as it closed, sending it crashing to the floor.

Then he opened the door again. "You really need to work on your temper."

"Get out!" Lacey yelled, throwing her pillow at the door just as it closed.

His laughter rang throughout the hallway and slowly faded as he walked away.

Lacey was so mad that the red haze with black edges started to appear in her vision, but it was against pack rules to phase in the house. She took deep, calming breaths and soon the tremors down her arms and throughout her body subsided. "Ugg!" Lacey stormed over to the door, but it was locked. "Let me out! You can't do this to me!"

But no one came. Not even her mother.

Lacey was sure that Julien had given everyone strict orders not to release her. She looked out the window and, three stories below, shifters dressed in fine clothes looked up at her and laughed. Some of them were her siblings.

Lacey pulled the drapes closed and sat on the edge of the bed, unable to believe that this day had turned out so badly. As she calmed down, tears slid slowly down her cheeks, wondering what Wyatt thought about all of this. But then again, he already had his mate... and she was just pledged to hers. And, just like her family, Julien didn't want her either.