The Taste of Seduction

As their eyes met, she felt a sting in her nose and tears threatened to fall. Atlas ran towards her and embraced her tightly, and she inhaled his comforting scent.

She could feel his heartbeat through his shirt as she rested her cheek against his chest. The warmth of his body and the tingling sensation of their skin touching filled her with a sense of protection and belonging.

He pulled back, held her chin and looked at her intensely, his eyes moving back and forth between hers. His breathing slowed as he seemed to be in pain and fear.

He looked at her with great admiration, as if she was the most valuable thing he had ever seen. He appeared to have gone through a difficult time, with his eyes showing a deep sadness and pain. The guilt that filled her being was overwhelming as she realized that he had suffered for almost a week because of her.

"Atlas." She whispered softly. Her eyes raked over his face.

"I\'m so sorry."

A strangled laugh fell from his lips. It was almost a sob, except that he was smiling.

"Stop." He snapped,

"Please... Don\'t do this to yourself."

He whispered. "It\'s not your fault."

Her lower lip quivered. "It is. All of it. If I hadn\'t gone by myself and informed someone."

Atlas furrowed his brows. "You couldn\'t have known.."

Her throat bobbed. "I still feel guilty. I have put you through hell."

His eyes alternated between hers. "Then let me lessen your burden. I will share the guilt with you. I would take it all, if I could... If it would make you happy."

Meredith gazed into his eyes, she saw a deep and calming love that she felt she did not deserve. This love overwhelmed her, causing her to start crying uncontrollably and feel weak.

Atlas swept her into his arms and buried his face in her hair.

"Shh, I\'ve got you baby." He whispered, holding her tightly to his heart.

Atlas gently lifted her chin with his fingers and kissed her . Their lips moved together, and he sucked on her lower lip, causing her to gasp and moan as his tongue explored her mouth.

Their tongues intertwined and he held her close to him as they continued to kiss.

Atlas\' lips broke away from hers, trailing kisses down her jawline to her neck, nipping at her skin until his lips brushed lightly against the soft spot of her neck.

She trembled with arousal as she felt her core clenched with need, wetness growing between her thighs.

Her wolf was whispering to her that they should claim their mate.

Her eyelids opened and she felt a slight ache in her teeth, the pain radiating through her gums.

She could feel him hard against her inner hip, pressing himself harder while he let out a possessive growl.

Meredith knew exactly why because she heard his a voice bringing her to her senses,

"Meredith.." Marcus voice sounded.

Meredith\'s heart thumped in her chest, ,Atlas\' lips left her skin making her ache for his touch, lifting his head to stare over the top of hers.

Meredith turned in his arms until her back was against his chest, his arms encircling around her waist while he continued to hold her against him.

Marcus\' eyes seem to look right through her , causing a mix of emotions to surface in her. Her throat felt tight and she was not sure if she would be able to speak in a normal voice. When she tried to speak, no words come out and she look down at the floor, feeling overwhelmed.

Atlas let out a warning growl when Marcus cupped her cheeks with his hands, bringing her gaze back to meet with his. His voice was unsteady and hurt when he spoke ,

"I\'m sorry that I didn\'t protect you better. I should have known that you were in danger…" Meredith said nothing, tears forming in her eyes as he continued,

"I\'m sorry Meredith, I\'m so sorry for everything, for not finding you sooner.I thought I might never see you again," his voice sounded weak, watery as he held back his own tears, but she could see his teary eyes,

"I thought that I\'d lost my only chance at happiness, looking for you was the hardest thing I have ever gone through. The fear of losing you. I love you so much—, so much..."

She felt Atlas stiffened, "She doesn\'t love you."

Atlas\' voice reverberated through his chest and into her back.

"Atlas…"

Meredith sighed, "Sorry Marcus. It\'s not your fault I should have told you where I was going….."

Marcus nodded and removed his hands from her cheeks.

Meredith remembered what Rakkon had said, something about dark magic she wanted to ask Marcus about it.

She trusted him and didn\'t want to jump into any conclusions.

She wanted the truth from him. Her wolf scoffed at her, knowing that she didn\'t like Marcus because she was unsure how this bond was going to affect her.

Pushing her to the back of her mind and feeling the narrowing eyes from Atlas, she said , "I want to discuss something with Marcus privately."

"No!" Atlas snapped, feeling his strength radiating from his body and causing her to tremble. For some reason he seemed different? The energy radiating off him was strong.

"Back off," Marcus\' voice was also angry. Meredith stared into space as they threw jabs at each other.

"Why? Why the hell would I back off and leave you alone with her?" Atlas snarled back,

"You can\'t even protect her! You told me to stay away from her and you messed up."

He paused and snapped, "You\'re a sorry excuse for a mate!"

Marcus stayed silent, but Meredith could feel how angry he was. Meredith\'s eyes slowly glanced in his direction and she saw his bloody red irises glaring at Atlas with his fist clenched together.

Meredith\'s heart raced in her chest..

"You\'ve gotten an awful lot of confidence now that you\'re an Alpha. News-fucking-flash...she\'s both of ours. Now, can you handle sharing, or are you that threatened and intimidated by me that you have to take cheap shots that will conflict with her already unstable emotions?"

Meredith blinked, wait what? When did Atlas become an Alpha?

"I\'m not threatened by anyone. At the end of the day I\'m the one she loves."

Footsteps echoed off the marble flooring,breaking the tension between them.

The Fae\'s King voice carried out, "Now that you\'ve all made up, it\'s time we discuss some important issues. Most importantly why you have two mates."