Chapter 9 Nancy's POV

His breath fanning my face from behind, his macho tone of "You shouldn't be" still ringing in my ears. His hand slowly lifted and trailed up my back. "One day we will."

I was afraid of what he would say. I didn't want to consider that his theory might one day apply to me. I snapped, leaping away from him, "Don't even say we will be together, Anderson; you're not my mate." He nearly appeared upset by my aloof attitude. If I hadn't been looking at his face so intently, I wouldn't have seen that his lips had formed a little pout.

Nancy, tell me: Does your wolf concur? Although she initially preferred Morgan, I'm convinced she now prefers my wolf, don't you think? His voice softened and became charming as he pondered menacingly; this was not the way he had ever spoken to me before. I bit my lower lip in an attempt to pretend that she didn't like his wolf, but I knew it would be lying when he could sense it.

Since I knew he was only playing me, I was unable to listen. I muttered angrily, "I don't care," as I turned my back on him and stared at the grey wall, fervently wishing that someone would break through it and save me from this horror.

Anderson huskily instructed, "Kiss me," which caught me off guard. My neck seized up from the extreme speed as I snapped in his direction. I was expecting him to mock me, laugh at me, or promise never to kiss me, but all he did was give me a hopeful look.

"What?" As I turned aside, I muttered when I saw that he was now standing there wearing only his boxers after finishing his undressing. I had to fight to keep my eyes fixed on him, as his broad chest was now fully exposed. Although I let my gaze wander down to him, my curiosity eventually got the better of me, and I gasped. Without attempting, his muscles protruded, giving him broad shoulders. He welcomed me with a deep V cut, a six-pack that was flawlessly toned, and red boxers. Even as he stood there with his body exposed, Anderson exuded an overwhelming sense of authority.

Even though it wasn't intentional, he let me know that he caught me eyeing him up by saying, "Kiss me" again while grinning wickedly. He noticed my trembling moves, and his grin grew a little.

I screamed, shaking my head a little to try to push the unidentified lust-filled sensation from my mind. "I'm not going to kiss you."

"Kiss me if you are so confident that you will not feel anything for me. I bit my lip in skepticism as he reasoned, "If you don't feel anything, I'll let you be with Morgan. Could he be trusted? I was aware that I couldn't, yet deep inside, I wanted to. What other options do you have, I mean? If you two are going to flee together, it won't help his family. Everyone will turn against Morgan if he deserts the pack, and if he goes with you, no one will ever treat them with the same respect as the Beta family here. Anderson persisted in emphasizing to me that Morgan would sacrifice everything for me.

Unsure of what to do, I ran my fingers through the ends of my hair. "If I don't feel anything, you'll let me go?" He responded with a nod. "And I can be with Morgan?" He once more bent his head. "Promise?" He gave a faint, almost innocent smile as I probed.

Anderson scratched his chin with his fingers, rubbing the facial hair that adorned it. He pledged, "I promise," as I inched a little bit closer to him. He yanked my wrist and said, "Here," pulling me toward the bed. I complied with his request to "sit" as he took the seat next to me. Anderson grinned lightheartedly as I breathed out to settle my fears and my overexcited wolf, telling me to "just relax, Nancy; it's a kiss." While he was seated next to me, Anderson's entire manner shifted. He seemed to know that this little encounter would fundamentally alter things, but it couldn't, could it?

The anxiety took hold of me, and I leaned forward, grabbing the blanket with my right hand. He is correct-it is only a kiss-and I will be set free. There is no need to worry. I've kissed a lot of people, but Morgan is the only one whose lips have ever instantly made me feel something.

As my breathing got deeper, I rapidly focused on his lips while picturing how rough his skin was. Anderson drew nearer, cocking his head so that his lips were precisely aligned. Anderson's face revealed more information as I got closer to him. He had a few light freckles on the tops of his cheeks and numerous little scars under his left eye. I briefly considered how he obtained them and whether he had sustained any injuries. I was curious to learn everything there was to know about him for some reason. I suddenly felt self-conscious as Anderson's orbs shifted across my face, taking in just as much information about me as I had about him. I desired his approval and his enjoyment of every aspect of my body.

As the wait grew intolerable, his lips suddenly touched mine. My wolf immediately woke up, her enthusiasm taking control as Anderson's massive hand forcibly grabbed my waist, bringing me closer as he eagerly kissed me. Although his lips were unexpectedly gentle as they brushed against mine, the sparks that flew through my body were what really got me. His mouth was warm and had a faint cinnamon taste, which rapidly caused my veins to pulse.

The revelation hit me like a semi-truck, and I gasped, pulling myself backward and free of his grip. This cannot take place. It cannot be done. When I looked up at Anderson, he had slumped shoulders from the interaction. With our faces only a few inches apart, Anderson muttered, "I told you I was your mate now." He grasped my hips tenderly while his thumbs traced over my skin.

*****

Anderson Hawthorne's POV

I told Nancy, "I told you I was your mate now," and I could see the amazement on her face as her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide open. Sincerely, I didn't think I could convince her to kiss me, but after I did, I was confident that she wouldn't desert me. She now understood that I was also her mate. Everything was going according to my plan.

After our kiss, I gasped, feeling a certain pick-me-up. When a particular voice took over my thoughts, my vision and mental clarity both improved marginally. Why are you doing that? I was able to push away these negative emotions when Morgan exclaimed via our mind link, and a smile spread across my face. He was her destined partner, so it makes sense that he would feel the kiss.

I spat back, with no regard for his feelings or mental condition, "I told you she would fall for me; it's just a matter of time before she forgets about you." Morgan would receive everything he deserved after what he did to me. I'd be the only one to make his life miserable.

He reasoned, "You tricked her," while I inwardly smiled at his wolf. Even though he was correct, I wanted him to believe his partner kissed me voluntarily. I wanted him to think she was desperate for it.

'Let her feelings speak for themselves; you and I both know she appreciated that.' He remained silent as I happily carried on. He said nothing, and I felt a triumphant surge sweep through my body. Morgan is a checkmate.

I return my attention to the brunette on my bed. She looked around, unsure of herself and me, and bewildered. Despite my fingers' desire to wander, my hands were firmly gripping her sides. She turned her head back to me when she sensed my stare. I was aware that she was beginning to lose faith in my ability to be her second mate, but she still had unanswered questions regarding how she could feel these sparks from two

wolves and why she only felt them from me.