Chapter 861

He smirks at me. "And why on earth would I agree to negotiate with you? I have you completely under my thumb."

I straighten my shoulders a little, pretending that it takes a bit of courage to do so. "You wish me docile, don't you, Gabriel? I can continue to make this hard or..." I shrug. "It could be pleasant."

Gabriel smirks at me like a man indulging a child and then moves to the table, lounging in his chair. Inwardly I roll my eyes at this smug prince who thinks he is completely in charge. I sit as well and take one of the wine glasses, lifting it towards him. "To your health, Prince."

He smirks at me. "I don't drink from glasses I haven't prepared for myself. Or haven't you heard that there is someone on the loose, killing Princes?"

I stare at him a little for a moment, letting him wonder at my motives, and then I shrug and take a sip of the wine. "The death of the Crown Prince seems to be in your favor, Alpha. And it puts me in a much more interesting position."

"Oh, really?" he asks, a bit dry. "How so?"

"You think you know me," I snap, putting my wine back down on the table, pretending an anger I don't feel. "But have you not considered that I have also long been second in line to the throne? And that I, too, might have wanted it for myself?"

Gabriel raises his eyebrow at me. "What are you saying, Princess?"noveldrama

"I'm saying that I want this war done," I snap, slapping my hand on the table and pretending to be the foolish girl he expects me to be, playing at negotiation with a prince. "And if you were to become King, and to end it the war..." I shrug. "I might enjoy being Queen of a peaceful nation. Even if it were Atalaxia."

He raises his eyebrow at me. "So that's your offer? Become King, end the war, and you'll rule peacefully at my side? Or, not precisely at my side." He smirks. "At my foot, perhaps."

I raise my chin. "I can live with that. And I'll give you children. Beautiful ones." I smirk a little too. "Powerful ones."

Gabriel leans across the table towards me, studying my face. "Our children will rule the world, Ariel, if you would just trust me to guide your life. To guide theirs as well."

My breath hitches and I pretend it's temptation, letting my eyes move across his face, down to his lips.

"Come," he says, standing and reaching a hand out for me. "It's a deal. We'll seal it with a kiss."

I pretend to hesitate and then stand, looking up into his face. "You won't hurt me?"

"Oh, I didn't promise that," he murmurs, slipping an arm around my waist and pulling me tight against him. "But I won't hurt you...much. And you will learn to like the pain."

He lowers his face towards me but I lean away, turning my face aside. "Please," beg, pressing my eyes shut, my right hand dipping again into the pocket of my apron. "I am not used to such a willfub Alpha..."

"Oh, and you expect me to believe that," he says, low and sardonic, his left hand raising to brush at Luca's mark on my neck. "With such a passionate, messy mark as this."

I turn my head to look up at him with

big doe eyes My other mates are weak-willed. They follow my own

lead, do as I say," I whisper. In myet

soul, my wolf creeps close to the abyss between my soul and

Gabriel's – the place where the bond would be. She taps her feet, anxious and curious, urging Gabriel's wolf to appear.

"Nothing like me?" Gabriel asks, smug, a growl forming in his throat as his wolf appears at the edge of his soul, ready to pounce on mine the moment I accept the bond.

"Nothing..." I whisper, truth in every word as I raise my trembling hand towards his face. "Nothing like you."

My wolf holds out her nose to

Gabriel's dark wolf, trembling a little

at the sight of him. Then, as we planned, she lays down, laying herself flat, submitting. Eager, Gabriel's wolf pounces and snarls at the edge of Gabriel's soul, frenzied with want of her.

I lift my hand as if in awe and slowly brush my fingertips over Gabriel's lush lower

lip, my eyes moving to it as well.

"Are you hungry for me, Gabriel?" I whisper, my heart pounding, my breath coming short.

"I am, little mate," he snarls. "Submit to me. Accept the bond."

And then, as I hoped he would, Gabriel licks that lower lip just once in preparation

to kiss me.

But then he flinches back, surprised at the slightly bitter taste on his lower lip.

And I smile.

Because cyanide works fast.