Clinton
Jannah's gaze holds me in place. It's intense-too intense-and for someone who's lived through centuries and outrun death more times than I can count, it's unsettling. I'm a hybrid, for fuck's sake. I shouldn't be this thrown by a human.
I lick my bottom lip and lift my chin to meet her eyes. It's official-I'm in deep. My brother's lucky he bailed before this mess caught up to him.
"Jannah," I say, and my voice comes out rougher than intended. My Adam's apple jerks as I swallow. "I know I'm probably the biggest asshole you've met-and I'm okay with that. For now."
I rub the bridge of my nose, inhaling slowly. I shouldn't be asking her for anything. Not after how I've handled things. But here I am, hoping for some kind of redemption.
She watches me with that look. The kind that says I have about five seconds before she mentally checks out. I've seen it before. I've studied humans long enough to recognize disinterest when it's brewing. And yet here I go, walking right into it.
"I want to take you to dinner. Just once. Call it a peace offering." I let the words tumble out fast before I lose my nerve and backtrack like I've done too many times.
Her lips curl, slow and deliberate. It's not a smile-it's a smirk dressed as a no. She lowers her gaze, taps her chin like she's debating whether to end me with sarcasm or indifference.
"Let's see-" she begins, and I snap.
My instincts kick in before I can stop them. My eyes lock on hers, and I feel it-the old current surging through my veins. My body tightens. The air between us turns thick, electric and charged with heat. Her pupils dilate, red flickers circling the green, and the light behind her eyes fades into a soft, glazed blankness.
I haven't used mind control in over fifty years. The last time, it was for survival-pack business. Not this. Not some... personal whim.
But maybe it's not a whim. Maybe it's still about Aaron. About keeping things under control.
"Liar," Sebastian-my Wolfe-growls in my head. Don't drag Aaron into your bullshit. You sound like him now.
I've never liked being compared to him.
People think Aaron's the golden one-the steady Alpha, the level-headed twin. That's only because I've spent years cleaning up after him. He's walked away from things I've had to burn to the ground. He's weak-willed in ways I can't afford to be, and that's what I hate the most-that when they look at me, they don't see control. They don't see the one holding it all together. They see the shadow he left behind.
I clench my jaw and shove the voice aside. I can't afford guilt right now.
Her voice comes out flat. Programmed.
"Sure thing. And when is that?"
God, this is wrong. So wrong. And if I wasn't busy holding the trance, I'd walk away. But the truth is, I crossed the line the moment I locked eyes.
And there's no coming back from this clean. I tell myself I'm doing this for Aaron-for the pack. To protect his reputation as Alpha.
"Right", comes the voice in my head, sharp and cynical. "Keep feeding yourself that bullshit until you choke on it." He snorts, knowingly.
My jaw clenches. "What if she talks?" I hiss through the bond. "What if this goes viral-Aaron could go down with it." My voice is low, but it spikes with edge. "So shut up, Seb."
I crack a knuckle, tension bleeding into my hands. I should've shut down the mind link a while ago. Should've pulled back. But I can't-not when I need all of me focused on her. One slip, one second of hesitation, and this whole thing becomes a humiliating waste.
She's not a talker, this one. She only came to me for a closure, if she wanted to make this a big deal, Aaron and I would have been on the front cover of TMZ weeks ago. She's not the type to chase clout or throw her private life on a screen. If she wanted to cause a scene, she would've done it already.
Maybe that's what makes this worse. She didn't come to ruin me, or Aaron. Jannah wanted answers.
And I gave her a spell instead.
I need her to say yes. I want that answer. A clear one. No maybes.
"Text me a place you'd like," I say instead, low and even. "Your choice." It just seems like the right thing to say.
The words feel like penance. Like maybe if I hand her back some sliver of control, I'll sleep better tonight. Like I haven't crossed a thousand lines just to hear her say yes.
She blinks slowly, her head agreeing in a slow nod. "Okay."
That's it. Just okay. No spark, no curiosity. It's the kind of answer I've learned to hate-programmed, compliant, robotic.
And it's all my fault. That's why I rarely use it.
I know I shouldn't have done it. She hesitated, and instead of waiting for her real answer-instead of giving her space to feel what she feels, even if it's contempt-I forced it. I invaded something sacred.
I tell myself it's for Aaron. That if she ever finds out, at least she won't hate him for this. She'll hate me. She already might.
But deep down, I know this isn't about my brother anymore. Not entirely. This is me acting irresponsible and shoving the blame to him when I could have easily walked away with my half hearted apology and the most that would have happened would be me leaving behind a girl that would resent me forever.
Maybe the idea of having her for myself isn't something so terrible after all.
When was the last time a woman had caught my interest? So maybe I'm not doing this for Aaron aline afterall.
I lower my eyes and feel the temperature in the room drop.