Page 27 of Alpha Hunt

I stand there like a fool, staring at him in disbelief as I take in the hard line of his jaw, his high cheekbones, the broad sweep of his forehead. Is this some kind of trick?

“Ten…” he says.

“Ten?” I echo stupidly.

“Nine.”

Shit! Shit, shit, shit!

He’s counting down! My heart pounds as I spin around and bolt away from him, my legs carrying me as fast as they can. Adrenaline floods my system, heightening my senses and sharpening my focus. In my mind, I count down the seconds too, certain that at any moment, Edirn is going to pounce on me, take me to ground.

And although I want to fight it, there’s a very strong part of me that finds this exciting. Unlike before, when I felt like I was toying with the males, this suddenly feels like I’m running in earnest. If this man catches me, I’m going to be his. He can claim me.

Is that what I want?

Maybe…

Holy shit, woman! You need your head read.

The thought startles me, but it also drives me forward. I push myself harder, my thigh muscles burning with the effort. Branches whip past me, leaving stinging cuts on my upper arms, but I barely feel them.

Instead, I’m acutely aware of a tingling sensation that’s building in my core. Muscles deep within me clench in a way that makes my cheeks heat. My nipples tighten against the fabric of my shirt. It’s a totally inappropriate response, given the circumstances, but I can’t seem to control it.

This is nuts!

Am I really getting aroused by this? It seems improbable, and yet, the evidence is undeniable. My body refuses to lie.

I grit my teeth and run faster, trying to outpace my own traitorous thoughts. The forest blurs around me in my headlong rush. My chest flames with each breath, but I don’t slow down.

He’d saidrun. And so I do.

I can’t let him catch me. I won’t.

Yet, even as I think it, I know it’s a lie. Some part of me, the part that’s always been aware of this male despite my best efforts, wants him to catch me.

Wants to be caught.

I’ve lost my mind. There’s no other explanation.

The realization steals my breath and makes my steps unsteady. I stumble, catching myself against a tree trunk, my chest rising and falling as I try to regain my balance.

What is wrong with me?

I’ve never felt like this before, never been so torn between what I think I should want and what my body is telling me I need.

It’s terrifying.

And exhilarating.

My heart stutters as I catch Edirn’s footsteps growing closer, the sound of his pursuit sending a rush of fear and excitement through my body. I know that he could be moving silently if he wanted. He’s deliberately making a noise. He wants me to know he’s coming.

Sucking in a huge breath of air, I shoot back onto the path, racing through the trees, dodging low-hanging branches and leaping over fallen logs.

Sunlight filters through the canopy of leaves, dappling the ground in a shifting pattern of light and shadow. The thrill of the chase is intoxicating, and despite my best efforts to focus on escape, I can’t help but feel a surge of something I don’t want to identify, but it’s leaving me tingling.

“Enough!” I push the word out through heaving gasps. I can’t let myself be sidetracked by whatever the hell is going on with me.

Remember who you are, Stone!

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