Seraphina's POV
We stared at each other. For a moment, neither of us moved. The silence stretched between us like a taut wire, heavy with unspoken threats and defiance.
His dark eyes studied me with an intensity that made my skin prickle, but I refused to look away first. Anyway, I was going to die in his hands. It didn't matter whether I remained submissive or rebellious; so why not choose to fight?
But then, I heard a metallic sound.
Click.
The sound was so soft I almost missed it. I froze, my gaze dropping to my wrists. Immedietely, my heart sank. The handcuff that had been securing both my wrists together was gone. Instead, one cuff remained locked around my right wrist while the other end was now firmly attached to his left hand.
We were handcuffed together. Perfect. Just perfect. Now I was literally trapped with someone who wanted me dead.
"YOU CRAZY LUNATIC ALPHA!" I screamed, my voice cracking with rage. "YOU CANNOT DO THIS! UNCUFF ME RIGHT NOW!"
He simply looked at me with those infuriatingly calm eyes and said, "Go to sleep." With that, he closed his eyes like he was settling in for a peaceful night's rest.
I gaped at him, my mouth hanging open in shock. How dare he! How DARE he sleep after chaining me to him like some rabid animal!
Fury consumed every rational thought in my head. I yanked on the handcuffs, twisting my wrist, and tried to slip my hand through. But nothing worked. The metal bit into my skin, but I didn't care. I had to get free.
"Wake up!" I pushed his shoulder hard. "WAKE UP!"
He didn't even twitch.
"I know you're not sleeping, you psychotic control freak!" I shoved him again, harder this time. Still nothing. "This is kidnapping! False imprisonment! You cannot do this to me! Don't you hate me? Why do you want to sleep next to me?"
Silence.
I moved on the bed, thrashing wildly, trying to free my hand. The handcuffs rattled loudly in the quiet room, but he continued his ridiculous charade of being asleep.
"WAKE UP!" I practically shrieked, using my free hand to shake him. "You can't just chain me up and ignore me! I am warning you, if you don't let me go, I will snap your neck and..."
Before I could finish, his eyes snapped open. Those beautiful brown orbs that had seemed so calm moments before now blazed with dangerous fury. They narrowed on me with such intensity that my body instinctively stiffened in fear.
The intensity in his eyes was terrifying, more terrifying than the rogue I had encountered the previous night. Before I could blink, his arm wrapped around my waist and yanked me against him.
My nose nearly bumped into his chest as he pulled me flush against his body. The sudden contact made my heart race for all the wrong reasons.
This close, I could feel the dangerous power radiating from him, could smell his wonderful scent—woodsy and something masculine that made my heart race.
"Go to sleep," he commanded, his voice so cold it could freeze hellfire. He spoke to me like I was nothing more than a naughty child throwing a tantrum.
I pursed my lips, every rebellious instinct in my body screaming at me to fight back, to tell him exactly what I thought of his high-handed behavior.
"If you don't want me to do something you'll regret," he continued, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper, "close your eyes and sleep."
I didn't like the tone of his voice. I didn't like being pressed against him, feeling his warmth seep through my clothes. I didn't like how he controlled me as if I were his servant, his puppet to manipulate at will.
My rebellious heart flared with anger, and just like before, I wanted to dare him. My mouth opened instinctively, ready to tell him exactly where he could shove his threats.
"Don't dare me, princess," he cut me off before I could speak, his eyes flashing with warning. "I'm not some romantic novel mate who'll worship the ground you walk on. I'm a monster from your wildest nightmares. So you better close your eyes and not make me angry."
My body trembled—whether from fear or rage, I couldn't tell anymore. The way he said 'monster' made something cold slither down my spine. There was no bravado in his words, no empty posturing.
It was a simple statement of fact, and that terrified me more than any threat could. This wasn't some angry alpha throwing around empty threats. This was a man who knew exactly what he was capable of, and he was warning me.
Great. Just fantastic. Not only was I chained to someone who wanted me dead, but apparently, he was a self-aware psychopath who enjoyed terrorizing his victims before finishing them off.
Finally, I closed my eyes with an irritated huff, but my mind was a hurricane of curses directed at the infuriating man holding me captive.
Arrogant, controlling bastard. Psychotic alpha dickhead. Son of a mangy, flea-ridden wolf. Delusional tyrant with the emotional intelligence of a rock. Manipulative monster who gets off on terrorizing innocent women. Heartless beast who wouldn't know genuine emotion if it bit him on his perfectly sculpted ass.
I mentally cursed him with every creative insult my exhausted brain could conjure, each one more colorful than the last. But despite my mental tirade, exhaustion was winning.
The adrenaline from our confrontation was wearing off, leaving me drained. My body, pressed against his warmth, began to relax against my will. The steady rhythm of his breathing, the security of his strong arms—no matter how much I hated to admit it, made me feel safe.
It was insane. Completely insane.
Traitorous body, I thought drowsily. You're supposed to be on my side. Here I was, trying to stay alert in case he decides tonight's the night he finally kills me, and you're practically melting into the arms of your potential murderer. Have you completely lost your survival instincts?
Slowly and unwillingly, I felt myself drifting toward sleep, still mentally cursing the mate bond that had turned my life upside down.