It was the mate pull. It had to be the mate pull.
That was the only reason Zeke was kissing her. He just knew there was no stopping this from the moment he stepped in here and saw her frame standing here, looking so innocent and small. All of a sudden, he wanted to dominate her whole. He wanted to swallow her up and have her caged in his arms.
Her lips were addictive, and he ravaged them. He could feel her using her strength to push him away, trying to tear herself away from him but he wasn't going to have any of that. There were sparks flying between them, and she could feel it as much as he could.
In a second, he had pinned her hand above her head by her wrists with one of his hands and continued to kiss her.
Aria had never forgotten what it felt like to be in his arms. His skin always felt like it was made of iron, strong and safe. And his scent...that heart-thumping smell of earth after rain has always made her wolf run mad with pleasure.
The worst thing about all this was that there was no resisting him once he pulled her in. He oozes his raw sexiness and heat that cannot be quenched nor stopped. A walking temptation.
Aria knew she was losing focus, fast. Especially now that he has her pinned to the wall with no escape with the sweetness and Richness of his lips and tongue doing wicked things to her mouth, urging and coaxing her to give in.
She knew she had to do something else. Something...a little low.
Surprisingly, Zeke pulled away on his own, leaving her lips with an emptiness that made her wish he never did. She was almost pushed by her carnal desires that had risen to lean back in and capture his lips.
But then, his Grey eyes creased a bit, a clear expression of confusion on his face. Slowly, he looked down to see the cause.
Aria followed his eyes, and the view made her almost burst into laughter. Caleb had scooted over to Zeke's leg and was biting down on the leg while glaring up at Zeke. He must have seen his mother struggling and thought to attack the enemy.
One of the sweetest things Aria had ever witnessed, and it warmed up her heart.
The confusion on Zeke's face grew deeper as he stared intently at the child. Aria was beginning to get scared, but heavens helped her and it didn't show in her eyes.
"He's ill. I want to be out of here," Aria stated without wasting a breath, pulling Zeke's attention back to her.
His gaze moved to her swollen red lips, the shape of a heart and she thought something dark and heavy flicked through his eyes but maybe it was just her imagination.
"As feisty as always," His Crusty deep voice rumbled out of his throat. The vibrations traveled through her skin, making her stomach tumble, "He's mine, isn't he?" Zeke asked, motioning at the child.
Aria rolled her eyes, "Nothing belongs to you, Zeke. You're not the only man I've parted my legs for in these past years!" She fired back, "You possess nothing of mine!"
He added more pressure on her wrists, and the other took a firm hold of her waist. His silver eyes were beginning to boil with a harsh look, and he brought his face close to hers till Aria didn't know when she held her breath.
The air was electrifying. Like nothing Aria has ever felt before. Not even when she found out he was her mate...the first time he rejected her and she was forced to leave the Pack.
"Everything belongs to me, Aria!" He grounded out, eyes never leaving hers, "YOU belong to me, Aria Manchester. Anything that is yours, is mine. You're bound to me, forever."
Aria was so angry. Her breathing had gone up again, and she was itching to throw this man and give him a very good beating.
"And watch how you talk to me, Sweetheart. I won't be merciful a second time,"
And that was it. Aria mustered so much strength and tore her wrists away from him. She didn't care if she bruised her fingers in the process, and had immediately slammed her palm into his chest, pushing him away from her.
Zeke was surprised. She was stronger than he imagined.
"I'm not scared of you, Zeke. Not then, and not now." She retorted sharply, eyeing him.
In another Instant, Aria had taken hold of the silver chains holding down her child and ripped them off him. The action drained her strength, but she was filled with so much adrenaline that she did not feel any of it and ripped out the ones holding her too.
The guards were shaken to witness this, while Zeke retained an apathetic face.
As soon as Aria scooped her son into her arms, Zeke's arms snaked around her waist and pulled her with him out of the dungeon. Aria thought she heard something snap so fast before he touched her and turned around only to find the guard that had slapped her lifeless on the ground with his neck snapped.
'No one touches my woman except for me,' A low snarl purred from his throat.
Aria stared back at Ezekiel's face. That voice did not sound like his. Could it have been the voice of his wolf?
"Get your hands off me," Aria warned, glaring at his face.
She hated his touch. What she hated even more was that she was beginning to like it very much. She wanted to lean into it.
"You want our son treated, don't you?"
Rage filled Aria's eyes. 'our'? But she refused to unleash that rage and continued to hold her tongue.
He led her upstairs and out of the place completely. They seemed to have walked out of a cave, not too far from a small duplex he took her to. It's uncommon to see an Alpha as successful and powerful as him living in such a small house with nothing more than four bedrooms.
"Let me have him,"
"No,"
"Aria,"
"I don't see a doctor,"
"I'm a doctor, Aria,"
"Yes, you are," She replied sarcastically.
A little shiver from Caleb had Aria rethinking her decision.
"I don't trust you,"
"His fever will get worse at this point. I'm trying to help,"
Aria has always been taken aback as to how the man has always managed to keep a poker face. But damn, he was too good-looking to be considered human. If this man becomes as popular amongst humans as he was among werewolves, he will break every beauty standard out there and set a new one.
Beauty companies would fight to have him.
Caleb's arms tightening around her neck snapped her out of her thoughts, and she just had to hand him the child. Her Keen eyes remained on them. Since he was an Alpha, Zeke did not need any tools to give the little man a general checkup.
"He's exhausted. Feed him and let him fall asleep. He will be better,"
Quickly, Aria snatched Caleb back. She couldn't help but wonder why the hell Zeke was being so nice when he's never been nice to anyone! Even though they were mates again, it still didn't make sense. He should have rejected her by now.
"There should be something in the fridge. Feed him and take him to one of the bedrooms," He instructed.
An hour later Caleb was fast asleep. Aria made sure his fever had gone down before she stepped out of the room, her arms crossed over her chest in defense.
Zeke was still sitting on the chair where she had left him, with his eyes closed and head falling backward. His Adam's Apple stood out this time along his thick neck, and he was still very shirtless...and a little sweaty.
"I reject you, Ezekiel...," She said under her breath, but she knew that would not work. She would have to spell it out loud and clear, straight to his face to actually break their mate bond.
That would be right after Caleb is well again.
"I know you hate me, Aria. But tone it down a little. I can feel you planning to rip out my flesh all the way from here," His deep voice filled the room, making her swallow from the reaction it spurned onto her body.
"What do you want from me, Ezekiel? Why haven't you rejected me yet?"
Ezekiel smirked a bit, but she didn't see since his head was still thrown back.
"Why?!"
"Why not?" Came his reply.
"That is not an answer!" She fumed and stepped closer to him, "You think you can just force me back into your arms after what you did to me?! You made it very clear you did not want any part of me, and I left! I left and I became an Omega because of what you did. I had to survive! You never bothered for once to even...!" Aria stopped to take a deep breath and stop herself from letting her emotions get in the way.
"Then, I stumble into your Pack again and all of a sudden, you kiss me and are acting all nice. There must be something you want from me because I'm not buying a single word or any of your actions, Zeke."
"So...you're gonna leave?" He asked, feeling so relaxed.
Aria was on the verge of doing something that would have both of them rolling on the floor trying to tear each other apart, "What were you expecting? That I open my arms and welcome you back into my life? Absolutely no...,"
"I love you, Aria," Zeke confessed, suddenly standing in front of her, "Please believe me," And then, he took her hands.
He had rendered her speechless. What did he just say?!