Page 3 of Drew

Each innocent movement made him want to pounce. Yesterday, his wolf had immediately recognized who she was, and as much as the beast wanted to claim her, Drew knew he had to tread carefully.

She stopped next to a large canvas, possibly the largest in the room.

As he gazed at it, he could feel her stare. What he thought of this piece mattered. Clouds moved over a blood-red moon, but the rays still beamed down upon the trees. Perhaps it should have been a little eerie, the way the light almost seemed to move, but it lured him in, calling to him on a deep level. It was animalistic, raw, and almost erotic. Leaning closer, Drew noticed the paw prints on the ground, soft little imprints in the soil.

He glanced over at Alyssa. “When did you paint this?”

“Last night.” She tucked her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels. Avoiding his gaze, she looked at the canvas. “Normally, a painting this size takes days, but I just couldn’t stop once the idea came. I’m so glad Zelda made space for it at the last minute.”

“Zelda. The landlady, right?”

Alyssa grinned at him. “And gallery owner. You’ve probably seen her around. She’s pretty unforgettable.”

“You said you painted this last night?”

She nodded. “And part of today. I was up all night working on it. I had a little catnap before the show, but I’m still pretty tired.”

She’d created this after they met? He pointed at the painting. “So this idea came to you after we met at the coffee shop yesterday?”

Her blush was telling. Instantly, her cheeks flamed. She gave the slightest nod.

Drew took a closer look at the paw prints. Were they a manifestation of the connection they’d shared at the coffee shop? He’d inspired her. The feeling was unique; not until this artist had that ever happened.

She had to be feeling the same attraction that he was experiencing. The second she’d walked into that shop yesterday, he’d felt it. A need had coursed through him like never before, and when he spotted Alyssa, he understood why. She was his mate.

Which confused the fuck out of him. She was new to the area, unattached to any pack he knew of, and her scent, while alluring, was different. She could be a lone wolf, but that was highly unlikely. It was rare for a female shifter to roam. They preferred to stay with their pack while the males searched for their mates.

So that left two possibilities. She was a half-breed or a human. If she was a half-breed, she should have understood the mating pull and agreed when he’d asked her to join him for coffee. Hell, she should have been willing to race with him to the nearest bed or secluded corner. Instead, she’d turned him down, which left one alternative.

She was human.

And he was fucked.

It was rare for a shifter to mate with a human. It caused all sorts of trouble within packs, and as an alpha, he had to do what was best for his pack, which meant mating with a coveted shifter, preferably the daughter or relative of a pack alpha, not a human or a half-breed. At least his pack was likely to accept her, no matter her background.

Drew ground his teeth. Unanswered questions perplexed his mind. His wolf was demanding its mate, wanting to claim her. He glanced at Alyssa and took a deep breath. The damn perfume she wore masked too much. He needed to get her alone and discover exactly what she was hiding.

He reached out and touched a dot of red paint on her neck. “Looks like you missed a spot during clean up.”

“Damn. I thought I got it all.” Alyssa took a step back, her own fingers reaching for that soft skin below her ear. He already missed the feel of her against his fingertips.

He cleared his throat. “It was half hidden by your hair. I’m sure no one saw.” The dark waves of her hair bounced around her shoulder as she fumbled, feeling for more paint. She was so freaking adorable and completely alluring. “Have dinner with me tomorrow.”

Her eyes widened, her hand dropping back to her side. “Um.” She paused. She twisted a strand of hair around one finger and floundered for an answer.

A big, fat no was coming his way. She was going to brush him off, just as she had yesterday.

She dropped the piece of hair and stood a little taller. “That’s so kind of you to ask, but no, thank you.”

He’d been expecting some sort of excuse, something he could work around, but instead, she blatantly said no. Determined her kiss-off wouldn’t be final, Drew shook off her rejection. “Right. Since you’re new to the area, I thought you might enjoy a chance to see a bit of the town.” He passed her a business card. “If you change your mind, call me.”

He was already planning. He knew the name of her landlady. It wouldn’t take much to track down the apartment she’d rented. He’d find her and get his answers.

She stumbled around with a reply as she took the card. “I don’t date. I’m sorry.”

Intrigued, Drew felt the spark of a challenge. His smile was kind. “A friendly offer.”

“I don’t do…” Frowning, she trailed off. “That is, I don’t have—”

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