The Gift chronicles novel Chapter 1

Book 1 Chapter 17

Ughhhhh , I thought in a somewhat conscious state. I tried to open my eyes, but found that they were too droopy. Confused, I tried remembering the last thing that happened. I was running from the Alpha, then he caught me, then...

It's not time for you to wake up yet, pup, Alpha Cain's voice penetrated my mind. The only way for him to be mindlinking me was if... he marked me.

Suddenly the memory came rushing back to me, and I suddenly was acutely aware of the soreness in my neck. I struggled to touch my neck as an automatic reflex, but found that I couldn't move.

My mind, still feeling fuzzy, struggled to piece together what was happening. I focused on what was happening around me, and I realized that I was being carried, due to the slight swaying motion I was experiencing.

Summoning all of my strength, I managed to pry my eyes open. I looked down and realized that I was once again wrapped in the pelt. I blushed, realizing that I was naked underneath, since I had destroyed my clothes while shifting out of them.

"Did you just blush?" Alpha Cain asked suddenly, and my eyes snapped up to look at him. I glared at him, still furious that he had marked me, even though he had followed our deal. "You can't be mad at me for marking you, mate. I should have done it the second I caught you in the forest the first time, back on Red Crescent territory. Does this seem familiar to you?" He asked, slightly mocking.

I continued to glare at him, hating the victorious look on his face. "I will say, you followed along with my plan beautifully. You did everything according to plan, although I will admit, the kiss was a surprise," He continued, and spoke again when he noticed the confused look on my face. What plan? "I didn't bring the knife along just for the purpose of the picnic, Ares. I knew you would use it to stab me and run, therefore violating the terms of our agreement."

I stared in shock at my conniving mate as I realized that he had been playing me the way I thought I had been playing him the whole time. F***ing A**hole. "You aren't as clever as you think, pup. I'm 10 years older than you, I've seen it all. You thought I was weakened because of how I felt about you, but you couldn't have been more wrong. I knew you thought I was blinded because you are my mate, and thought I wouldn't notice all of the eye rolls, glares, and flinches anytime I would touch you. The problem was, I wanted to mark you sooner than in two weeks. So, I constructed a situation in which I knew you would violate the agreement, so I could mark you sooner."

My jaw dropped open. I couldn't believe this jackhole had manipulated me the whole time. "You manipulated me first, little mate." Alpha Cain said aloud, shocking me. How could he hear what I was thinking? I hadn't spoken through the mindlink.