Reckless Souls (Saints Academy, #1)(71)

before he’s back in the room with a tray loaded with food. He places it on the vanity, before turning

his stare to me again. “Now,” he adds, pointing at the meal, and I scoff.

Who the fuck does this guy think he is?

Anger coats my skin, my hands falling to my hips as I glare at him. “Let me fucking tell you,

asshole,” I start, ready to bring this man to his knees as I walk toward him. “I’ll do what I fucking

want. It has nothing to do with you. Not an ounce. I’m not going to deny that I need to eat, but continue

to tell me what to do. Please. I dare you, let’s see how far you actually get.”

My face warms with fury as I stare him down, ready for his growly comment, but his eyes seem to

have traveled to my breasts, my taut nipples now distracting his grizzly attitude.

Of fucking course.

I offer an eye roll, which he doesn’t see as I step past him, not wanting to hear anything else he

has to say, but as I move, I make sure to grab the tray of food. The chocolate topped pancakes look

delicious, and regardless if he’s an asshole or not, I really fucking want them.

He doesn’t try to stop me, or even utter a word until I’m just about to slam my bathroom door shut.

“I know I might seem like a pain in the ass, Rhea. But I’m not sorry. In my family line, I’m set to be

the alpha, and now my wolf and I are one, I will do anything and everything in my power to protect

what’s mine.”

I understand what he’s saying, I do, but the bit I’m struggling with is where he claims me as his.

“I’m Rhea Harrington, I belong to no one. It’d be better for you in the long run if you learn this

lesson now,” I grunt, my jaw tightening as he remains against the vanity, wet through to the bone

without a care in the world.

“You keep telling yourself that, but I know the truth. I feel it in my bones. I’ve never felt anything

like it in my life, and you know it too,” he states, lifting a hand to his chest as my body freezes. I keep

my face neutral, refusing to give anything away, but my subconscious knows exactly what he’s talking

about. What I refuse to accept. “You’re mine, Rhea, like it or not. Now go and eat, before I really

claim you.”

With a heavy sigh I discard the book in my hand, tossing it to the side on the table as I drag another in

front of me. I’ve seen so many pages that I’m worried they’re going to start blending together,

especially since none of them seem to have any of the crucial details that I want.

I’m on a mission that involves diving into every book that seems worthwhile, hoping to

understand more about this whole sealed souls business, while also hoping to find out what I might be

with my damn red eyes.

I almost miss them now that they’re gone, the flare disappearing just as soon as it came, but I

guess it’s for the best as we want to keep the information hidden.

Rubbing my lips together, I glance over the title of the book before me, called ‘ Loving a

Supernatural’. It doesn’t exactly scream anything more than some lighthearted fiction, but it’s worth a

shot. Flipping through the pages, my mind can’t help but wander back to this morning when Xander

caught me off guard.

My body still begs for him and his attention, while my mind knows better. Sure, I took the food,

I’m not stupid, but he can’t go around thinking he can claim me or boss me around. I’ve learned how

things work around here, multiple men to one woman, which I am completely for, but does that mean I

just accept the Elites? I got to know them some more this week, but it doesn’t mean I should be diving

into anything head first.

I can imagine other girls in my position at this school would be tripping over themselves to fall

into their laps, but I’m not like other people. It’s completely alien to me that people marry by

arrangement because I wasn’t aware this was a thing down in Phoenix Valley. I’m fine on my own if

that’s the case, I just need the sex, and maybe some skin on skin contact from time to time, but there’s

no way in hell I’m signing myself over to a group of guys for the sake of it. For the sake of my

independence.

One thing I have lacked in my life is love. From a parent, a sibling, a friend, or even a partner,

and as cold-hearted and stubborn as I can be sometimes, I know it’s what I crave more than anything

else in the fucking world.

I want to feel the intensity I feel with Xander, I can’t deny it, the feel of his hot skin against mine,

his hard muscles beneath my touch. But my mind also goes back to the way Khaos' breath felt against

my neck, intoxicating me as he spoke into my ear.

Fuck.

I need to stop now.

Get my fucking head on straight.

They mentioned the other day that people would use me to break their powers free, does that

include them? Am I expected to sleep with all of them to see if they’re sealed to me too? Because

fuck that, I’m not a whore, and I’m not here for them to use me like that. I guess it’s the whole unit