Chapter Forty Three - Not Yet - Maya's POV

My mind spins as the weight of his words settles over me. He doesn't want Luce. And he doesn't care what they think. I'm not sure what I feel and I keep trying to escape him so I can process everything, but he keeps getting in my space. Now, he's purring after kissing me, which wasn't supposed to happen. All of this should be a relief because I'm safe. It may not be as bad as I first thought it would be, but it only adds to my confusion. I shouldn't like him. He's the one who bought me and took me from my home. I step back, trying to get away again, but he moves again, still keeping a firm hand around the back of my neck. 'Why are you doing this? Why won't you let me go?" I ask, as his presence becomes too much. His warmth is pressing against me, surrounding me, and clouding my judgment. Now, all I want to do is kiss him, but that doesn't solve the thoughts in my mind. When I glance up at his face, I notice the golden glow of his wolf's eyes coming through. He leans down, his lips gently pressing against mine again. It's not like the one before and is much lighter, but it's still consuming me. I want more. This isn't fair. I pull back, shaking my head. 'Stop that." His right brow arches, making me like him even more. 'Stop what?" He asks, his voice dripping with satisfaction. Then my eyes land on his lips, and I notice that cheeky smirk. Oh, I hate him. He can't keep doing this to me and making me feel all these things. 'They could come back at any moment and here you are, kissing the human." Damian chuckles low in his throat. 'And what is your point? They won't be back until lunch as everyone has a job to do, and it has nothing to do with being here. Well, maybe the ones who cook, but they won't be back for a few hours." 'We can't do this here," I say, hoping he'll let me go. He closes the distance between us again, never letting me fully escape the warmth of his body. When I stop moving, he presses me against him and leans down, his lips pressing against the shell of my ear. 'If I wanted to, I could strip you naked and lay you out on the nearest table. Then I could have my way with you for hours without interruptions." A chill works its way down my spine at the mere thought of him taking me like that in the open. 'But someone will walk in and see." 'Not if I tell them to ensure they stay away until lunch," he whispers, which tickles my ear. I yank back and stare into his eyes. 'No." As I try to get away, his grip moves until he catches me by the wrist. 'Run all you want, little one." 'I'm trying, but you won't let me." He looks toward the door, then back at me. 'You're already mine, even if you don't know it yet." My breath catches in my throat. I want to argue with him and tell him he's wrong, but with how he is looking at me, it makes the words stick in my throat. My heart races with a mix of fear and desire. I know I should resist his words, and that I should fight him, but the overwhelming pull of him makes it impossible to follow a single train of thought. I shake my head and take another step back, only for him to follow me. 'Why are you doing this?" He tilts his head slightly, watching me with a predatory stare that is also gentle. There's no malice in his eyes, only a quiet, intense longing. He leans in even closer, pulling me at the wrist to pull me back toward him. His lips meet my forehead, gently pressing a kiss there. He whispers, his voice dripping with authority. 'Everything will make sense soon, and you may try to outrun me again, but you can't. Not anymore. You're part of my world, and I know you feel the growing bond between us. It's only a matter of time before we can't resist it anymore." My heartbeat picks up, hammering in my chest. I'm terrified of what this means. I know I'm already drawn to him and it's getting worse as the hours tick by. I pull back slightly, trying to reclaim some sense of control. 'But I'm not yours." His expression hardens for a moment, but then he grins, clearly amused by my defiance. 'You say that now, but you're already reacting to me. If you truly hated me, you wouldn't kiss me back." 'That isn't true," I say, trying to argue with him. 'Your body already knows, Maya. It just hasn't caught up with your mind yet." 'I'm not staying here and I will fight you," I say, hoping he'll finally let me go. Instead, the cheeky wolf leans forward, pecking his lips lightly against my cheek. 'I look forward to it, Maya. To me, this is all worth it and I know fate doesn't make mistakes. It's just like I told you." Then he leans back, his composure quickly changing. 'But I hope you know, you can't fight me forever without consequences. You still need to listen to me and do as I say." My pulse spikes as I wonder what that means. I have been listening and even came with him to this meeting. 'But I haven't done anything wrong." 'You're thinking of running away. So, go ahead. Run and see what happens." My eyes flick to his lips. I can feel myself wavering, wishing to kiss him, yet the desire to run from him is still there. Damian just watches me, his hand still gripping my wrist, but it's soft. Silence stretches between us as I fight with myself to decide. I feel trapped no matter what I do. 'What do you want from me?" He only chuckles and looks away for a second. 'How many times do I have to tell you this? I want everything, Maya. And I'll have it one day. But don't worry about it right now."