Page 60 of Stargazer

The Alpha blocked the hit but that didn’t stop the force from reverberating through him, pushing him a few paces back.

His wide honey eyes were shocked. Not comprehending what just happened. He’d never truly experienced my power before now.

I laughed, giving him my own version of a wicked smile, one that I’d picked up from a certain hunter. Only I knew mine held more amusement and a lighter quality to it as I took in River’s expression. He looked between me and the spot where he had been standing, his mouth gaping like a fish out of water.

“What?” I asked innocently.

He walked back towards me, taking me in with pride and obvious attraction. My close-lipped smile grew.

“That was hot.”

The laugh that came out of me was melodic and feminine. A direct contrast to the attitude that came with my next words, although I kept a sultry air to my tone.

“No more taking it easy on me, Alpha.”

“Well shit,” he chuckled nervously, shoving his fingers in his hair as he messily pushed it back. He’d cut it and now the strands were shorter than they usually were. The brown locks were still floppy and wavy, but ended around his ears with the back trimmed down slightly.

I went in for the attack again, throwing a combination of powerful punches at him and ending with a roundhouse kick that he blocked, but not without a loud thud that seemed to echo in the quiet corner of the clearing we were occupying.

“How. Come. You. Cut. Your. Hair?” I asked between shots and breaths, punctuating each word with a block, punch, duck or kick.

“Easier to fight,” he bit out between gritted teeth as he twisted away from me, ducking under another kick I aimed high, before coming back up to my side and shoving his shoulder into my chest as if to make a point. I stumbled back, but it was still nowhere near hard enough to do any damage. “It doesn’t get in the way as much,” he added.

“I like it long. But makes sense,” I threw back as I caught my breath and then lunged at him again. “What doesn’t make sense is why you’re still taking it easy on me,” I snarled as I hit him with more punches that he blocked.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.”

He sighed in resignation.

Then he went on the attack, hitting me back with the strength I knew he had been previously hiding.

“Finally.” I blocked each one but found joy in the force of them and the ache of my straining body.

He chortled, shaking his head at my reaction. “In all the years we’ve spent together, I’ve never known you to be so violent.” Humour danced across his face as we locked each other in a hold, neither of us giving in.

My immediate response was a snort as we both struggled to get the upper hand.

“I’ve learnt a few things about myself.” I offered the words casually, as if I wasn’t trying to figure out a way to take him down.

After a few more breaths, when he looked like he was starting to ease up and step back, I had my opportunity as he said, “I’ll need to reacquaint myself with this new Vee.”

I pushed with my power, throwing him back just as the words ended.

We went down in a tumble of limbs.

Assessing the damage, I found that we had both landed on our asses, our legs tangled together in the middle.

When the two of us managed to prop ourselves up, we simultaneously burst into laughter. The sound so light-hearted and carefree. Just like old times.

It took us a few minutes to sober up, each of us laughing at how much the other was laughing, fuelling us until we were cackling at nothing.

I knew the others were probably watching us, wondering what on earth had happened and what could possibly be so funny.

Eventually I caught my breath, my stomach cramping from all the movement.

But River’s eyes were already on me.

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