#Chapter 57 – Blood

“You would have refused, Evelyn!” Victor yells, slamming my kitchen door behind him as he stalks into the room behind me.

We just spent the last half-hour shaking hands and smiling at people’s congratulations. I kissed my boys, laughed at Willard’s jokes about surprises, smiled for pictures, all the while seething on the inside, waiting for the moment when I could tear him apart.

As soon as there was a break, I caught Victor’s eye. It wasn’t hard – he’s been waiting for this too. Without a word, we both stalked off towards my cottage.

“Yes, Victor,” I say, spinning to face him. “I would have refused, because you took the one thing from me that I have left! You took my freedom,” I say, banging on his honed chest with my fist. “And now you’ve got me all wrapped up in documents, your little pet, here at your command.”

He growls down at me, perhaps not as cool under my pressure as he thought he would be. “So go ahead, Victor,” I hiss, bringing my face close to his in a challenge. “Boss me around. That’s what you want, isn’t it? All this talk about protection and family, but all you want is control. So go ahead, command me.” My lips pull back as I growl. “Make me do your bidding.”

Victor fully bears his teeth then and he moves towards me, seeking to dominate me with force of his will, but I don’t stand down. His eyes dart downward, taking in all of me – my whole form in white linen and lace. “Go ahead, Victor,” I whisper, cruel. “Do it.”

He spins away from me, a snarl ripping from his throat. “Evelyn, you’re taking this out of hand.”

“I’m doing no such – “

“Evelyn,” he commands, slamming his hand against the wall. “It is a simple issue. If I had told you, you would have refused. So I was obliged to force your hand, for your own protection.”

“No, Victor,” I say, crossing my arms across my chest. “You had a choice between two options: to tell me, or not to tell me. But only one choice would have yielded you what you wanted, and so that’s the choice you made. And you’re trying to assuage your own guilt by suggesting to me that there wasn’t a choice at all!”

insist, his back to me. “You now have my

from those rights, which ruined the first twenty-two years

to face me. “As a woman marked with Alpha status you are protected, you cannot

softer this time, overwhelmed by my emotions. “Protected,

tying you to anything,” he says, taking my face in his hands, showing honest remorse

hands against his and staring up into his face. We stay like this for a moment before I plead, “Please, Victor. Let me go, let me be Rogue again. I can’t…I can’t live like this.” Tears seep free from my eyes,

can’t get to you,” Victor says, soft. “He can’t touch you, can’t take you away, can’t

playing into his game. He

hands, his face now wary and curious. “What do you mean? How could he have

my emotional rope. “I don’t know what he gains from this, but I do know that he called

things about you, Evelyn,” Victor says. “Terrible things – sought to make me hate

want to protect me, Victor,” I say, hanging my head. “Wasn’t that the result? You’re playing checkers with someone who is a master at chess,

back window, trying to figure it out. I collapse into a chair at the kitchen table, exhausted now that my rage has gone. I glance at the clock on the stove. It’s only 1:00. How

close on her heels. “What are you two doing,” Amelia whispers furiously. She hurries over to Victor and grabs his hand. “Everyone saw you disappear

change,” Victor says, gesturing to

my hand. “Are you okay?” he asks, his voice careful and

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