Alpha's Protection

Valerie POV

Declan stared at me in absolute, wide-eyed disbelief. It was as if his brain couldn’t process the stinging reality of my palm against his face, despite the fact that the red mark was already darkening against his skin. His hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at his sides, his chest heaving as his shock curdled into a volatile, simmering rage.

This wasn’t the first time I’d laid