The Alpha King’s Human Mate

The Alpha King’s Human Mate

Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (16) Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (16)

“Find the things that matter, and hold onto them, and fight for them, and refuse to let them go.”

Lauren Oliver

The slap might as well have been a gun shot or a siren with the way the room immediately quieted at the soundOwned by NôvelDrama.Org.

Any other night, any other time, Aria would have felt embarrassment

She probably would’ve blushed tomato red, and sunk into herself like a turtle trying to retreat into its shell

But tonight, the red on her face came from rage

“What the hell?” The woman cradled the side of her face, which now sported a glowing red handprint

Maybe it was wrong to admit, but just looking at the mark brought her a little satisfaction. She liked looking at it far

better than she liked looking at her cleavage or the manicured hand that had stroked Sebastian’s chest

“You don’t get to touch my mate,” Aria growled, “Or call him nicknames.”

Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (16)

The crowd erupted in low murmurs, and the woman’s eyes widened momentarily before narrowing again. “Mate?” She

said it with disbelief, like she was the delusional one here

It made Aria’s blood boil with something primal

A territorial urge she wasn’t sure she’d ever had before

She took one big step toward the woman, who was hardly taller than her, and pointed in Sebastian’s direction. “Yes, mate,” she hissed, “He’s

mine.” The woman scoffed, “I don’t —”

Aria growled, low and deep in her throat. “Unless you want more than a handprint, I’d back off.” Her hands tensed, as if

readying for a fight

A flicker of fear flashed through the woman’s eyes, and she took a step back, looking around at the crowd that had

gathered to watch the spectacle unfold

“Fine,” she sneered, fl*pping her long, glossy hair over her shoulder

“lm going to get a drink.” Just as she turned to walk away, a tall man and a muscular woman stepped out from the

throng of people to block

her path

“T think you should leave,” the man said, crossing his arms over hisNext Page

chest

Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (16)

“Leave?” She repeated, “I was invited here. With my pack. Why the hell should I leave?”

This time, it was the muscular woman who answered, “Because you’re making our future Luna uncomfortable, and we

don’t want you here.”

Future Luna

It took Aria a moment to realize they were talking about her. It wasn’t Sebastian’s honor they were sticking up for, but

hers

As their future Luna

The very thought of it made her chest warm

“Or we could just kick you out,” the man added with narrowed eyes

The woman scoffed again, and peered around the room, as if searching for someone to stand up for her

None of them did

One by one, they all stared at her with the same stony expression that left no room for argument

“Fine,” she snarled, “I’ll leave.”

And she did. Once she realized that nob*dy was coming to her defense, she clicked her tongue and stalked away. People

parted like the red sea, leaving her a clear pathway to the door

Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (16)

The door had barely slammed shut before Sebastian’s l*ps were on hers, frantic and passionate

She did her best to match the pace of his l*ps locked against hers, and after a moment, he pulled away. “Aria,” he said,

and his voice was thick with some emotion she couldn’t identify. His face was only inches away, his eyes full

of…something

Is he mad at me?

Maybe he thinks I acted out of line, and now he’s upset

Should I apologize?

The thoughts trickled in like drops of poison, but as soon as they did, Aria realized they didn’t come with the crushing

guilt they usually did

She’d pushed a man off her, slapped another woman, acted like a possessive wolf, and yet — she didn’t regret any of it

The little voice in the back of her head was still there, whispering that she needed to apologize for the way she’d acted

out, but she didn’t feel compelled to listen anymore

More than that, she was beginning to realize that the voice sounded a lot like her father

And Liam

But it didn’t sound like her

Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (16)

“Aria,” Sebastian said again, and his soft voice cut through her train of thought. “That…”

“You’re mine,” she cut him off before he could finish. She didn’t mean to say it, but suddenly, the things she’d always wanted to say but didn’t began rushing out. “You’re mine, and where you go, I go. I’ve spent too much of my life cooped

up indoors to stay that way.” She wasn’t sure when she’d grabbed his hands, but she suddenly realized that she’d

intertwined her fingers with his

“Tam yours,” he murmured, “I’ve always been yours. Just as you’ve always been mine.”

“Yes, I see it now,” she said, “We belong to each other. I know I’ve been scared and anxious and fragile, but I promise you

don’t need to handle me with kid gloves anymore, Sebastian. I’m ready. For all of it.”

The smile that broke over his face was absolutely breathtaking as he shook his head. “You’ve never been fragile, Aria. I

never thought so. I’m pretty sure you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met…and watching you defend me like that?” He

let out a breathless chuckle. “You have no idea what I want to do to you right now.”

Desire pulsed in her lower belly

“Then perhaps we should go home,” she breathed

As she stared into his eyes, the rest of the room faded away

Bonus Chapter – Aria & Sebastian (16)

The rest of the world faded away

It was just him and her, and she was starting to think the emotion in his eyes looked a lot like love

“T love you,” she said, and k*ssed him. There was no hesitancy, no fear – just the magnetic pull of the mating bond

drawing them together like it was the very first time they’d ever locked eyes

“T love you too,” he said when she finally pulled away, his eyes still brimming intensely. “It feels so good to finally say

that out loud. I love you, Aria Thomas. I love you as you were, as you are, and as you will be.”

And he did