CHAPTER 9 Undeniable Desires

　　Rhea's POV

　　Arriving in my room after my encounter with Lila, I went close to my walk-in closet to change into more comfortable clothes when suddenly the image of King Daemon popped into my head.

　　For several minutes, I stood rooted to the ground, fantasizing about him and his deep black eyes that seemed to be sucking in my soul every time our eyes locked.

　　With his thick, manly voice and intense stare, I gulped nervously, my hand holding the embankment for support, as his intense eyes sent a striking sensation straight between my legs, making me weak.

　　"This is wrong! I am not supposed to be visualizing another male when I already have a mate and a husband," I yelled mentally, trying to pull myself together and control the undeniable desires that were trying to overwhelm me.

　　Why am I thinking about him? How could I feel this pull toward him?

　　Today is my day... my birthday! Why do I feel my skin burning or heating up under his gaze? I am supposed to feel connected to Kian, my mate, and take in his scent.

　　I was still lost in my thoughts when suddenly someone bashed into my room. Turning around, my eyes flew open at the person standing at my door.

　　"Kian," I called out with difficulty. He was fuming, and if looks could kill, I would be six feet under by now. His face contorted in anger as he gazed directly into my eyes.

　　What have I done wrong? Why is he suddenly in my room? I had carried on the meeting perfectly.

　　"Umm. Hi. Uh," I said, swallowing with tension and forcing a fake smile onto my lips.

　　But my demon husband remained quiet as he took a few conscious strides toward me.

　　I gulped and stayed in my spot. He snarled, bearing his fangs dangerously close to my face.

　　I flinched instantly and staggered back in fear. "What are you doing?"

　　"How dare you?" He grabbed my gown harshly, almost choking me.

　　"What? What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

　　"Who gave you the right? I left you for a few days, and now you think you can mess around," he barked.

　　Confusion laced through my mind as I stood there trying to figure out what he meant when suddenly I felt an iron grip bite painfully into my neck. He tightened his grip on my clothes and pushed me toward the wall.

　　Pushing me backward with force, my back hit the wall and his grip almost choked me. Breathing was difficult as I struggled to inhale.

　　Despite his hand touching my bare skin, my neck, I couldn't feel a spark, which is strange because I am supposed to feel a connection with my mate today.

　　But I didn't ponder on that as my main concern was to free myself from his grip. What's the point of being sexually attracted to someone or having them as a husband when the person is clearly out to hurt you and see you in pain?

　　That didn't feel esoteric at all; it felt nauseating and disgusting.

　　Releasing his grip on my clothes, causing me to gasp for air, he gripped my chin in a trice and spat out in a low and dangerous tone, "You seem to have grown a spine, Rhea Clawson."

　　Cocking my brow at him, I didn't understand where he was heading. Noticing my confusion, a deadly smirk made its way to his lips as he narrowed his gaze at me.

　　"But let me make something perfectly clear," he growled, his deep black eyes turning cold. "You have no damn right in this pack to lay a hand on any of my women."

　　"I only married you for a reason, big-headed fool. Marrying you doesn't make you superior to them. Know your place, Rhea Clawson," he spat, shoving me back against the wall to make his point clear.

　　"I am your wife, Kian," tears welled up in my eyes at the pain he was causing me.

　　"Yes, wife," his lips pressed together in a hard line, his words oozing with sarcasm.

　　"I am your wife, Kian, and..."

　　"Shhh," he placed his middle finger on my lips, hushing me. "It's Alpha Kian to you, asshole," he said, with an evil smirk as I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.

　　"They are just your common mistresses that satisfy yourself, they are not your wife!" I wanted to yell at him but my words rolled out from my lips more like a whisper. The pain was evident in my voice and eyes as I stared back at him.

　　"Haha... You think highly of yourself, Rhea Clawson," he mocked. I bet that he heard my whisper based on his words.

　　"I am no longer Clawson, I am married to you," Why so much hatred from him?

　　"For the public," I noticed as a hint of frown made its way to his handsome face.

　　I gasped at his words before I began to think that his words were absurd, he didn't mean it, "Then why did you marry me and claim me as yours in front of everyone?"

　　He went quiet for a while before a satisfying smile graced his lips making me nervous about what his next words could be.

　　"You are my mate, and that's why I have to claim you as mine," I was stunned for a while, isn't he the one that denounced me a moment ago that I was only married to the public?

　　I was left staring at him after his words, my mouth opened with my face looking pale as to why I still haven't smelt him as mine.

　　Regaining my senses I glanced at him, "Since I am your mate, I am your mistress superior... They are still fucking with you because I haven't claimed you and have my mark on your neck as mine!!"

　　I barked but he stared at me for a while before erupting into a mockery laugh.

　　"I am only here to warn you, Rhea, my next visit on this particular issue won't go well," his face hardened before he pushed me away.

　　Falling to the ground, my heart aching, I stared back at his retracting figure. Unknown to me, a word slipped out from my lips, causing him to halt in his tracks.

　　"I still could not smell you as mine," stopping, he turned around and stared at me with nothing but hatred.

　　"That shows that you are weak, no wolf," he slurred, earning an aching groan from me.

　　"Weak but I have formed an alliance with the four packs, most especially with the Thorn Pack," I smirked, trying to boost my confidence. But he quenched it and had me crash to the ground.

　　"I guess they did that out of pity. Who couldn't? Not after seeing how helpless you seemed earlier today on stage," he said.

　　I was taken aback for a moment, recalling what Daemon asked me. "Why did you allow Kian to mark you?"

　　So it had always been pity. He had accepted the proposal out of pity, not because I did it.

　　I reconnected my gaze with Kian. He matched my energy as his cold eyes pierced into mine. The way he stood rooted to the ground, acting as if nothing happened after humiliating me.

　　So everything that happened at that conference hall was because of pity.

　　My heart breaks, and just then I feel a sharp pain within me, my eyes change color.

　　Kian's eyes widen in shock, and I notice him rushing toward me. My body feels like it's ripping apart as a painful growl escapes from my lips.

　　Placing my two bare hands on the ground, I cry out as I notice my bones breaking, pushing me to the ground.

　　With blurry eyes, I notice Kian striding toward me with speed. At first, I think he wants to help me out, but to my utmost surprise, I feel something heavy knock at my head, pushing me flat to the ground.

　　"Ahhh," groaning, I slip into darkness.