"Oh no..."Rem exhaled.
She tried to avoid eye contact with Ronan, but her frantic gaze repeatedly darted to him. He raised a brow, his expression frozen with a mixture of curiosity and unease. The water's temperature seemed to rise with her alarm. She didn't know what to do. The two males stood in the only direction that she knew would take her out of here.
She wanted to run like a frightened, naked deer.
The other male didn't say anything, only looking at his Alpha. A giant bruise was immediately noticeable on Ronan’s thigh and a scabbed wound on his chest. The sounds of bugs begging to mate filled the uncomfortable air.
Rem heard someone feverishly running through the woods, Nia emerging with a collection of blue flowers in her left hand.
Nia beelined for Ronan—her panting revealing her alarm—taking a knee as she bowed her head to rapidly fire off what sounded like an apology in Icelandic.
Ronan partially glanced in Rem's direction, speaking to Nia in their foreign tongue. Rem had her chin in the water, watching them.
After everything, Rem immediately suspected foul play versus giving Nia the benefit of the doubt. What if Ronan was going to get into the waters with her? What if he sent Nia to bring Rem here? What if this was a setup? What if this Alpha was worse than she thought and wanted to have his way with her, right then and there?
Godswas it hard not to give in to every instinct she had: to yell, to run, to punch something or someone.
"Get out, Rem," Nia suggested, an authority present in her voice that she had yet to reveal.
“What is happening?” Rem nervously asked.
Nia didn’t look at Rem as she replied, “It’s a mistake on my end. I didn’t know he was coming. Come here.”
Rem waded over as the Alpha and the other male watched on. Rem had little to no option. They’d see her back.
Ronan would see her naked.
Rem abandoned all modesty and got out, pushing on the rock. Water ran down her hair and dripped onto stone. She moved with strength and pride, tired of cowering, her back pain dulled. No curse would tame herspirit, even if others commanded her to obey.
Neither her gran, nor her mother, would allow for anything else.
The fresh air cooled her skin, her entire body rising with goosebumps. The breeze only made it worse.
Before she could grab her dress, Ronan’s powerful hand gripped her arm. A flashback to Jackson stiffened her body. Ronan's warm and rough hand spun her until her back faced him, ignoring her obvious discomfort. The heat of his body radiated onto her back, reminding Rem of her begrudging attraction for him. The warmth was tempting, so contrasting to her shivering self.
He leaned in, the air behind replaced with a wall of heat, her eyes moving over the ground in anticipation.
He growled.
Concern and pleasure erupted in the most confusing ways at that sound, sprouting in both her navel and heart.
The Alpha was an intimidating male, no questions about it.
"Olyckligt," he said.
He released her, his presence rescinding. She disappointedly missed his warmth, further embarrassed when her nipples hardened. She wasn't sure if it was from Ronan or the cold—or both. She moved for her dress, not bothering with the undergarments, desperate to cover her exposure.
Nia spoke with an apologetic tone.
Rem turned to face them. Ronan’s low growl made Rem move closer to Nia. Everything about his expression was severe. She lowered her gaze, understanding that this wastheAlpha.
He looked angry—although conserving it—rolling his fingers into a clenching of fists.
"Snälla, jag ville bara hjälpa henne," Nia said with a pleading voice, showing the palms of her hands, picking up the flowers and revealing them to him.
Ronan’s expression remained unchanged, that burning intensity now clearly stretching through his body with a straining of his muscles. Rem’s body stiffened when just a flick of his gaze addressed her before focusing his attention on Nia.
"Vad hände med henne?" Ronan commanded, his voice softening in the end.
