He barked out a laugh. “No. She is most definitely not a dud. She’s…” He took a deep breath and shook his head. “She’s sexy as hell and too smart for me. She’s bold and loyal to the people she loves. Even if it puts her in danger. She’s incredible.”
Huh.“Men. I don’t get it. It sure sounds like this girl is amazing. You’re obviously attracted to her,andshe’s smarter than you?” She giggled. “You actually like this girl. Bold? Loyal? You’ve got a weird kink, Atlas.” She poked his arm teasingly.
“It’s a wolf thing, I guess. I’m an alpha. I expect loyalty, but I also lead my people with that in mind. If I act like an asshole to them, they won’t be loyal because they want to be. That’s flawed to me. I try to be a good alpha who deserves his people’s loyalty.”
“You’re very principled for a man who kidnapped me.”
He blushed dark red. “Fuck,” he hissed. “I know. Not my best moment.” He sighed and met her eyes. “I really am sorry. You can press charges if you want.”
“Your buddies with the sheriff,” she pointed out. “But … honestly? I need to … tell you something. It’s a good thing you took me. I would have gone back to him.”
Atlas stilled. “You said you don’t love him.”
“And I don’t. I couldn’t. But…” She sniffled. “He can kill my sisters. And me, but he can kill my sisters. If I don’t marry him, he’ll kill them.”
“Lilliane, you need to explain that to me a little more. Why would this powerful vampire be afteryou?”
“I don’t know. We never leave the house, but I snuck out once. Went to a bar. Danced with who I thought was just a cute boy. Turns out, Victor is a vampire council member, and he’s old. Like,old-old.”
“Centuries?”
She nodded. “Yeah. He’s got a seat on the international council. And for some reason, he has it in his head that he needs me in his life.”
He narrowed his eyes. “But why?”
“I don’t know. Like I said, we met at the bar, we danced, and okay … we kissed. I let him drive me home. We kinda dated. Not really. He thinks we did because he sent me flowers and letters. I hid it all from my sisters because it kinda felt…”
“Like you had a stalker?”
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Yeah.”
His hands were fists on the table. “Did you let him drink from you?”
Lilliane’s face flooded with shame. “He said only once. And then he would leave me alone. It was stupid, but I wasn’t sleeping because he would tap at my window. I thought he would leave me be. But after that night, he started to threaten my sisters. If I didn’t meet him outside after dark, he sent … warnings. I left because it would just be safer. My dad was in on it, you know?”
“Why didn’t you tell us any of this?” he asked, his voice quiet and cold.
“Because Victor told me he would kill…”
“Your sisters.” He sighed. “Do you believe he would?”
“He used his position in the council to get my father a seat. He dangled power in my father’s face. He told my father if he made me marry him, he’d take my father to the top.”
“Your dad is an asshole. I should hunt him down and…” He cleared his throat. “Sorry. Go on. Please.”
“You went full alpha there,” she said, trying to catch his eye.
He avoided it. “Yeah.”
“For little old me.”
“A powerful vampire is fixated on you, and he’s tasted your blood. That’s a lot to take in, trouble. I’m just processing.”
“I’m putting you and your pack in danger just by being here, but if you ask me to go, I honestly don’t know what will happen to me. And it’s not fair that I’m asking this of you, but please … help me?”
“Lilliane,” his voice was rough. “You don’t even have to ask. He won’t touch you ever again.”
She blinked back tears. “But…”
