Chapter 11

Alexander's POV

I swear I didn't mean to be a total flirt right now. I just... I couldn't help myself. I mean, she really does have the full credit of being capable enough to reduce me to a man who acted out of instincts before reasoning. And goddess help me, I've only had a taste of her tears and I can't help but wonder what her lips would taste like... What every inch of her delicate body would taste like.

I hated to see her cry. Both back then, at the hallway when she thought she'd killed Anabel after trying to save her and also now when I forced her to confirm my suspicions about her getting bullied... Seeing her cry made me want to burn everyone responsible for her tears.

But this mate of mine, protecting the people I'm tempted to burn for her is one thing I would never understand. She keeps driving me crazy without even trying and I was tempted to show her that I never answer to anyone. Rather, it was everyone that answered to me!

I wanted to let her know that begging me to leave those bastards alone after they did this to her was wistful thinking. One I never intend to oblige.

I dragged my tongue over the straight line of her tears and I heard her breath hitch. Good.

I wasn't the only one affected by her closeness. It's only fair that she melts into my every single touch after pushing her way into my fucking head and sticking right there like latex on tree trunk every single day.

"That day at the mating night party... I presume, the incessant 'drastic fall' wasn't an actual fall, was it?" I asked, recalling how swollen and red her face had been that day. It looked painful and I found it hard to believe she had simply slipped up somewhere and fell face flat to the ground. I mean, a fall like that would never retain the victim's front tooth!

"No..." She whimpered and I felt her skin burning up beneath my fingers and my lips. Her face turned a bright shade of pink as she braced herself against the wall.

The thought of having the bastard that did that to her living a comfortable life in MY pack without a single ounce of remorse drove my beast to the edge. It wanted nothing but to break off and tear whoever it was to shreds and tiny pieces.

"Nice try lying to an Alpha, Dani. Did you think you could get away after doing that?" I murmured, kissing her right eye slowly and taking my time until her unsteady heartbeats became music to my ears.

"Tell me, Danica. Why are you protecting the people that don't even hesitate to hit you, from me?" I asked, my voice turning hoarse as I struggled to stay calm while trying to tame my insufferable beast.

"They're still my family... Once they're gone, I'll be all alone here with no one else to look up to. You know the saying? Half bread is better than none? That's it" she responded, her voice barely above a whisper and I felt my heart tighten with a mixture of emotions that scared me.

'I'm your mate, Danica! Your family! And I'll always be by your side... No matter what!" I wanted to yell into her ears but I stopped myself. The last thing I wanted right now was to do or say anything that would scare her off.

Did she really not know that I'm her mate?

How could she ever think she'll be all alone when I'm right here?

How could she still crave her family's presence when all they ever do is hurt her?

I really don't understand this tempting little mate of mine.

I took two steps away from her, knowing the self-control I've hard earned for the past few years now hangs on a thin fucking thread because of her. It was only a matter of time before I pin her to the darn wall and fuck the idea of sparing those bastards right out of her.

"You want me to spare their lives, Danica. But you see, even if I do that because you don't want them to be punished for bullying you. I still have the right to do to them as I please, No? Because, absolutely not a single soul gets to go scott free after directly or indirectly defying my orders" I told her plainly, feeling extremely bored after being deprived of an interesting morning of watching a few bastards scream and beg for the mercy they would never find.

"You can punish me, instead. You were going to punish me before anyway" she muttered nervously, her defiance long gone as she fidgeted.

"That's where you're wrong, little Doc. I might be as ruthless as the original version of Lucifer himself or maybe even more, but I would never deliberately hurt an innocent person unjustly" I told her, watching patiently as she bit her lips softly.

"Then... You can always make an exemption..." She trailed off, holding my gaze with those pleading eyes that could make me cut off my thumb for her if she so much as ask.

This little wolf would be the death of me and she doesn't even know it.

"What makes you think I'll make an exemption for you? You're not particularly important for me to do that, are you?" I taunted, wanting to see how far she'll go to protect those shrimpy bastards that belong in the depths of hell itself.

"Maybe I am? You won't want my talent to go to waste, small as it might be... You need me. Isn't that why you hesitate to snap my head off?" She said at once, making the corners of my lips curl up into a proud smirk.

Good. No mate of mine is permitted to look down on herself. Not even in the slightest bit.

"I can make it up to you by staying here for the three days I missed..." She quickly added and I raised a brow at her. "I left your wounds unattended to for two days, it is only right that I do this much"

"Of course, it is," I muttered with the most serious face I could manage. I was enjoying this far more than she could ever imagine.

"Your wound... Does it still hurt?" She asked silently, her gaze dropping to where the wound lies beneath my shirt and I couldn't help the ridiculous idea that popped into my head.

"It does. I did tell you I don't want anyone else treating me, didn't I?" I shrugged, watching her jaw drop in disbelief.

"It must have gotten worse without any treatment" she said softly, her tone holding a hint of concern that was far too raw to be regarded as just 'doctor to patient' kind of concern.

"Why don't you be the judge of that?" I told her, closing the gap between us without breaking eye contact.

She blinked rapidly, heat rising to her cheeks as her throat bubbled nervously.

"Go on, take it off. It's just a shirt... It doesn't bite" I urged her and she took a step closer, leaving us breaths apart as she slowly undid my buttons.

Deep down, in that flirty part of my mind, I silently praised myself for picking one of my few shirts that had ridiculous long lines of buttons.

"What?!" She murmured in confusion as she undid the last button, only to meet with a good-as-new skin beneath my shirt.

"Is something wrong?" I teased innocently, trying hard not to laugh.

"There's no wound here" she muttered, her eyes widening slightly as if to be sure they weren't playing tricks on her but sweet heavens, if I wasn't feeling too good playing with her smart little head.

"Are you sure you don't want to feel it with your hands to be sure? It still hurts you know" I muttered, my voice falling lower than normal.

She slowly touched the area beneath my ribs, trailing her fingers over the surface gently, feeling me, just the way I wanted. I sucked in a sharp breath, biting back a groan as my muscles flexed beneath her fingers but soon, her fingers stopped moving and a glare replaced the worried look on her face.

"Are you messing with me right now?" She questioned, her voice breathy yet angry as the slightest frown crossed her expression.

"Or maybe you wanted to touch me so bad, that you couldn't tell?" I teased again and her frown immediately melted into an adorable pout.

"You're making things up in your head!" She defended, taking a step back from me.

"Am I?" I murmured, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her from moving as I crashed my lips against hers, slowly, deliberately, leaving her an opportunity to pull away before I staked my claim completely.

Only she didn't do much to help and I didn't mind getting drunk on her lips either.