"Can you point me towards your bathroom? I need to freshen up?" Or throw up. Or possibly climb out a window.

Alice was doing her best not to panic, praying that this man who knew her so well would take the way her eyes were dilating as a sign of desire rather than terror and that the pheromones her body was giving off from the heat she was apparently beginning would disguise the fact that she wasn't turned on by him at all. Instead her thoughts were spiraling in a dozen different directions as she waited for his reply, feeling his probing gaze sweep over her body.

What if as her heat took over she lost control and mistook her hormones for actually wanting him? That's how it was, wasn't it? Oh Moon Goddess, that couldn't happen. She'd drive that silver dagger into her own heart first. Except that was the problem. She wouldn't want to. All she would want would be for the first man she came across to take her and that, because of the most unfortunate timing in the history of the planet, happened to be Alpha Lane Cadman.

How far was she willing to go to eliminate him from this world? The question made her feel queasy. How had she been sleeping in this man's bed two weeks ago and now the thought of him touching her skin made her feel the need to grab the closest waste bin to empty her stomach. She didn't want to do anything with him, but she needed to distract him, so that Cole and Dani could get Emery out of the house and so that she could get him into a vulnerable enough position to drive that silver dagger straight into his heart while he was still in his human form.

Besides, maybe if worse came to worst and she did fail in this, and Fin thought she was unfaithful at the end, it would make it possible for him to actually move on and have a life. She pushed down the overwhelming wave of emotions that threatened to bubble up at that thought, her eyes still locked with Lane's as he nodded briefly, gesturing with one muscular arm towards a door she hadn't noticed. Giving him what she hoped was a coy smile as she walked past, she trailed her fingertips across his chest as she gazed up at him.

The second she was inside the bathroom she locked the door and leaned against it, taking a few moments to breath before she stood and walked to the mirror. Her heat was getting worse. She didn't have time to gather her thoughts or play games. She needed to get out there and end this, once and for all.

Closing her eyes she managed to conjure an image of her parents in her mind's eye. Maybe if she could keep them in her mind, along with her mate, who was waiting back home in a prison cell, she could get through this and not fall apart like the hussy in heat she was sure her wolf was about to turn into when she walked back out of the door.

She called to mind the image of Lane and Summer in his office, thrusting it back at her wolf and not flinching at the snarl that she heard in return. "Just think of that if you start to have any sort of attraction to him. I know we're in heat and you have an itch you need to scratch, but Fin is the only one who should be scratching anything for you. Understand, Babe?" Her wolf growled again, but she had the distinct feeling that the beast inside of her had gotten the message.

Splashing ice water on her face she grabbed a towel, patting her skin dry without bothering to look in the mirror.

As her hand touched the doorknob Alice paused and closed her eyes. She needed to do this quickly, like pulling off a band aid. She wasn't even sure she was close enough to her mate to get him the message. Their bond was brand new. It wasn't all that strong yet. At least that's what she told herself as she reached out for him and then cast the words out in his direction along with a rush of love and emotion that she prayed he felt.

It might be all that he had to sustain him in the long years that followed that night if things went sideways. And while a part of her hoped that if she died he could think that she was a traitor and forget her, another part of her wanted him to know how much she loved him, that even as she was going into heat and he was nowhere in sight, her thoughts had still only been of him.

"Fin, whatever happens, I love you. I should have stayed at the Packhouse. I love you." The message was simple and short, but what else could she say? She could write a novel and it wouldn't be enough. They needed a lifetime, but they'd only been a given a week.

She shut down the direction her thoughts had been headed in before it caused her to break down and opened the door.

Cadman had stripped down to his boxers, and was sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes on her the moment she stepped out of the bathroom, easing the door shut behind her.

"Why are you here, Alice?" His voice was hard as he stood up and walked towards her, towering over her as his eyes locked on hers, his gaze cold. Any hope that he'd believed her when she walked into the room disappeared. As she stepped away from him, her back slamming against the hard wood of the bathroom door.

"I told you. I made a mistake leaving you. Even after I saw you in the office. I finally realized that it was all my fault. I should have given you a pup. I was young and stupid and afraid to commit. But I know better now."

Lane stepped forward into her space, laughing loudly, but the sound was entirely devoid of amusement. "I have no doubt that your fear of commitment is gone now." One hand clamped down hard on her chin, yanking her head to one side to reveal Fin's mark on her neck. "Such a pretty little mark. Looks like you were more than willing to commit, after less than a week. And with our enemy pack's Alpha no less. You really are every bit the whore that everyone in the pack said you were before I let you into my bed. You still are. Aren't you, Alice?"

"Lane, please." He let go of her chin, but less than a breath later his hand had closed loosely around her throat, and she fought down the wave of panic that was rising in her chest.

Her worries of fifteen minutes earlier now seemed far off. She didn't have to think about the possibility of being overtaken by her heat. He was going to snap her neck long before that became an issue.

"No, Alice. You don't get to manipulate the situation anymore, True Luna or not, I'm calling the shots here. So tell me. Who are you?"

"The woman who loved you for the last year."

"Wrong." His voice was oddly flat. "You are the pack whore. But you're also going into heat, conveniently, and your a fucking strong She-Wolf. Even Emery, who has barely been strong enough to survive my mark, isn't as strong as you are. And let's face it Baby Girl, you always loved the taboo and the kinky. What's more taboo as a werewolf than cheating on your mate, with his greatest enemy."

His hand tightened around her throat and Alice's hands came up to his wrist, tugging on it, trying to remind him that she needed to breathe since she was no longer capable of saying words. His grip loosened a fraction and the dots in front of her vision cleared.

Had she bought Dani enough time? Was Emery already out of the house? Was Lena safe? Goddess, please let them just leave her. Her confidence in being able to kill this man was slipping away. Even in human form he was stronger than he had been the last time they'd had sex, as if his strength as the Beast was bleeding over into his strength as a man.

When he let go of her neck, Alice began to fall forward, but he caught her by the shoulders and dragged her across the room, throwing her down on the bed, still fully clothed.

"Maybe if you beg to have my pups, I'll spare your mate. How's that for a deal, Alice?" 

A/N- I hope you are enjoying this story! If you are I'd love it if you'd comment and click that little star button to vote for it.

This is Chapter 54 and I will continue posting weekly updates here until the entire novel is finished. You can now read the entire novel, all sixty chapters, on Patreon! And for those of you who want more stories, long and short, right this second and who want to read Patreon exclusive short stories, you may also want to check out the link below:

www.patreon.com/OpheliaShaw

All the links can be found (clickable) in my profile!