False Mate, True Mate

Chapter 3

Angelique awoke in a bed, held tight by the adult male. He's a rogue, she thought with horror beginning to slide through her awareness. He thinks I'm his dead mate. He's mad from grief. He's feral. He thinks I'm her, Joanna. The thought sent a shiver of terror through her, her body beginning to tremble, only to be gripped more tightly by the crazed male.

How long ago did his mate die? What drove him to denial? Why me? Why pick me as his replacement? Why can't he see I'm not her? Her mind drifted back to memories of their instruction. The importance of mates, the challenges of war. The consequences of losing half your soul in battle.

Death or insanity. That was all you had if your mate died. It crippled your soul, left you feral, insane, searching for the mate that wasn't there. "My sweet, sweet, Joanna," he suddenly whispered in her ear. "I've waited so long to be with you again. How I've missed your body pressed against my own. How I've missed our pleasure together."

"Wait, what?" she squeaked, alarmed.

"No, I've waited too long, Joanna. Now that I've found you, I will not wait longer." He sounded peaceful, yet firm, and she could feel what he had in mind against her bottom.

"Please, don't do this," she whimpered.

"No!" With that, he flipped her onto her back and was soon astride her. What commenced was every bit as much a violation of her body as his attempt to mark her had been of her soul. Pain. Agony. Violation. Then he bit her shoulder again, in the same place. As her body was violated, so was her spirit.

It was an assault on her person she couldn't be prepared for. She'd been told of lovemaking. She'd been told of the bliss of being marked. This. This was everything those things were not. Every piece of her rejected him. Every piece of her fought against the invasion. While her spirit won, her body did not.

When he was done, her body did what a wolf's body does: heal. Her mind was not so quick. He's insane! He thinks this is love. He doesn't see me. He doesn't hear my screams. He... hears what he desires and misses. With that thought, she knew she had to escape, at any cost.