Page 87 of Aine
I scoff. “You thought Iknewyou lead a yearly slaughter of innocent humans and didn’t care enough to bring it up?” I shout, not caring if the beasts in the neighboring rooms can hear.
I’m sure they’re having an absolute field day with the sounds coming from this room. One second we’re in bed pleasuring one another and the next, I’m hurling insults.
With my bag packed and ready to go, I turn toward Damien’s and rip it open. He watches from the corner as I search for and stuff his items in the small pack.
“Will you please talk to me?” he begs as I shove the last pieces of his clothing inside and zip it up.
I pause my frantic movements and make eye contact with him for the first time since he explained what the hunt is.
“What could you possibly have to say to justify what you told me?” I ask.
Damien takes a tentative step forward but pauses as I move back. “We don’t hurt any women or children.” He lifts his hands in a gesture of peace. “Only the men who have wandered into the forest.”
I laugh, the sound dry and unamused. “So, tell me, Damien, when my brother traveled into the woods to find and bring home meat for our starving family, was it you who tore his face off and left him for dead?” Damien’s eyes widen as I share with him my pain. “Or did you just watch and laugh as he screamed and begged for mercy?”
Damien swallows but remains silent as I take an angry step forward.
“Did youenjoywatching as your beasts tore apart my flesh after my execution? Did you find pleasure in listening to me scream and sob in agony?” I spit. His eyes flash as I bring up the painful memories from the forest, but I ignore it and take another step forward. “Imagine if you hadn’t come and saved me when you did. Do you think your beast would have enjoyed the sight of my mangled, dead body decomposing on the forest floor?”
I open my mouth to continue, but Damien’s beast takes over and stalks forward. I fumble over my feet as I cower away, continuing until my back meets the wall and his toes are touching mine.
Taking a deep breath, I summon all my courage and look into the eyes of his beast. I’m unsure what I was expecting to see, probably some anger or rage, but instead, he looks at me with what I can only describe as agony.
He places his hands on my neck before dropping his head on mine. I tense as his palm is placed directly on top of my mark, but both of us ignore it as he breathes in the scent of my hair.
“My mate,” he whispers. “Your pain haunts me.”
Despite my anger, I remain still as he rubs against me. I close my eyes and count as I wait for him to calm down enough to back away. We both know my momentary softening is only that—momentary. Rage and disgust still roll through me in suffocating waves.
“Call it off,” I demand the moment Damien finds the strength to step back.
He sighs, the noise quiet and sad, before shaking his head no. “I will not. It’s tradition, and I can’t just abandon it at the drop of a hat.”
I turn away. He’s disgusting.
Murdering humans isn’t some sort of fun sport.
“You’re sick!” I seethe.
Damien’s eyes widen, the man having the audacity to looked shocked by what I’ve just said. “We don’t harm women or children!” he repeats.
Like that makes it any better. “Take me back to your pack.”
“Ourpack.”
I scoff. “Yourpack.”
The room is plunged into a tense silence as he finally turns and finishes the rest of his packing. I grab my zipped bag from the bed and move to wait by the door. I can feel his eyes on me every few seconds, but I refuse to acknowledge it.
Damien says my name when he’s finally finished, but I ignore it and step to the side so he can lead the way. He pauses as we reach the stairwell, glancing at me with a frown. I know he’s debating whether or not to try to carry me as he’s done since we arrived, and I make the decision easy as I shove past him and walk down them myself.
I can tackle stairs perfectly fine on my own. I don’t need him.
He follows, but once we reach the main floor, he moves to the front and begins leading the way. I’m not entirely surprised when he completely ignores the man at the front desk, and with a scoff, I stop walking.
Damien notices almost immediately.
“You need to pay,” I announce loudly to the room.