Stolen and Forgiven (Branded Packs #1)(42)

“Would you believe me if I told you that I never meant to hurt you?”

“No.”

He grimaced. He hadn’t expected her to welcome him with open arms, but this…

“It’s true, princess,” he insisted, his fingers itching to reach out and touch her.

He fiercely needed to know that she was real and not just another fantasy that tormented his nights.

She gave a feline toss of her head. “You seduced me and then walked away to mate with a wolf.”

He flinched but held her gaze. “I was young. I never expected our flirtation to become so serious.”

She rolled her eyes. Not really subtle, but he wasn’t surprised by her lack of mercy. He’d been recklessly addicted to her, allowing his selfish desire to play with fire to wound her deeply.

It didn’t help that she hadn’t been the only one burned by his dangerous games.

“I have one question,” she said.

“What?”

“Were you already promised to the female wolf when you were with me?”

He jerked in pain at the realization of just how low he’d sunk in her estimation.

“No.” Blunt. Unmistakably honest.

Of course, Cora wasn’t satisfied.

“But you knew that you would choose a mate from your Pack?” she pressed.

Another flinch. More pain.

“I had no choice,” he growled. “Holden hadn’t mated, and there was a growing insecurity that threatened to undermine my people when they needed to be united against the humans. The Pack needed the stability of a mated Beta, who could assume leadership when Holden’s wolf was lost to his dark moods and in need of the time and space to run off his aggression.”

Her lips flattened. “Right.”

“It’s the truth, Cora.”

“If you were so dedicated to duty, then why the hell were you flirting with me?”

His shoved his fingers through his hair that was tangled from his recent run through the woods.

“You know why.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Say it.”

She needed to hear the words? Fine.

“I wanted you.”

“And what Soren wants he has to have?” she taunted.

“Yes.” He’d seen her standing in a sunlit glade, the long strands of her hair shimmering like fire, her eyes dancing with amusement. Between one beat of his heart and the next, he’d known that he would move heaven and earth to have her in his arms. “It was that simple. And that tragic.”

“Tragic?”

He shrugged, knowing she wasn’t ready to hear the full truth. Or maybe he just wasn’t ready to reveal that he was even more of an ass than she already assumed.

“Why haven’t you mated?” he instead asked.

Her expression tightened to an unreadable mask. “I learned a lesson from you. I take my fun where I want and then move on to the next.”

“Don’t say that,” he rasped, unwilling to believe that his sweet, playful kitten had become a hardened cynic.

She shrugged. “Why not?”

“Because I carry enough guilt.”

“There’s no need for guilt,” she assured him with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll eventually settle down with a nice, steady male who knows how to treat a female.”

His jaw clenched. “I suppose your father is still trying to shove you into the arms of Max Leskov?” Holden demanded, recalling the golden-haired, too pretty Beta of Golden Pack.

The male had always played the role of trusted friend, even as Soren had sensed he was more than prepared to take Cora as his mate.

“At least Max wouldn’t bed me while he was looking for another mate.”

“Shit.” He lifted a hand to press it against his chest. Inside, his heart felt as if it were being ripped in half. “You really know how to twist the knife, don’t you?”

She lowered her lashes, hiding her eyes from him. “What do you want from me?”

Now that was a loaded question, wasn’t it?

“For tonight?” he asked in low tones. “Peace.”





Chapter 2


The high-tech medical facility that was built on the western edge of Boulder was nearly invisible to the public. With the back of the four-storied structure overlooking the vast natural parkland, the front and sides were well hidden behind a ten-foot fence that was guarded 24/7. No one was allowed to enter without proper credentials.

Inside, it was a combination of laboratories with cutting-edge equipment, meeting rooms that were filled with sleek furniture, and large offices. Exactly what was expected.

It was only deep in the basement that it became evident that this was no normal facility. Not only were there a dozen cages with thick metal bars and shackles hanging from the ceiling, but also a hidden room for the fighting pit, complete with bleachers for the guests of the SAU who paid to watch the animals fight.

Dawn was barely brushing the sky with hints of pink when Dr. Frank Talbot put away the last of his files and straightened the nameplate he’d placed on the edge of the mahogany desk.

A tall man with thick chestnut hair he kept carefully brushed back to emphasize his tanned face and pale blue eyes, Frank had been working for hours to clear the office of the previous owner’s belongings. Now, at last, he could claim it as his own.