Page 16 of Return of the Alpha

I run for hoursuntil my wolf is beyond the point of tired and I can easily shiftback to my human form. I had to do it. I knew at that moment inApril’s kitchen, if I stayed, I would take her.

But now that mybeast has been brought to heel, I return to her home. I need tomake sure I didn’t hurt or scare her this morning. I grab a pair ofsweatpants from the clothing at the back gate before I make my waythrough the compound to her home. It’s well after midnight and Iknow I need to head to Peyton’s house, but I can’t seem to force myfeet to follow that path. Instead, I let my feet lead me. I walkaround April’s house checking that the windows are closed and thedoors are locked.

When I get to theback door, I am surprised to find April sleeping outside in one ofthe wooden deck chairs, a pink wool blanket pulled over hersleeping form.

She is dreaming, afrown on her face, and I want to comfort her, but we aren’t thereyet.

A mewling soundfalls from her lips and all my thoughts from a moment ago fallaway. I can’t stand here and listen to her struggle and not dosomething about it. Gently, I lift her into my arms before carryingher into the modest little house. Walking down the hallway, I openfirst one door and then the next before finding the room with thelarge four-poster bed and its pure white bedding.

Striding across thepolished wood floor I walk to the edge of the bed before placingher on it. I want to slip in beside her and hold her through thenight, but I know she won’t appreciate the invasion. She isprobably already going to be pissed off that I’m in here.

I should leave.

Turning to do that,a small hand grabs my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. Lookingdown, I see that April is awake and staring at me.

“Are you leaving?”she whispers.

“I think it would bebest.”

“I’m sorry aboutthis afternoon,” she says softly, pushing herself upright. “I’dhoped you would come back so I could apologize.”

“Is that why youwere sleeping outside? Because you were waiting for me?” I ask,shocked and a little touched.

She nods quickly. “Idon’t know what I’m doing but I do know I don’t want you to beangry at me.”

I cup her face,forcing her to look at me. “Little one, I could never be angry atyou for saying what you’re thinking or feeling.”

A soft smile curvesher lips. “I can’t stop thinking about the way you kissed me,” shewhispers.

“Fuck,” I mutterlowly. “I shouldn’t have done that.” Sadness clouds her eyes and Iwant to kick my own ass. “I wanted to but it’s too soon, April. Youaren’t ready yet,” I clarify, trying to erase the hurt.

“I may never beready,” she says with a frown. “There are so many things against usthat it may never be the right time, but I don’t want to lose you.I want my mate. I want you.”

A groan falls frommy lips as her words wrap around my old soul and soothe over pastwounds I didn’t even know I had.

“And what abouttaking it slow?” I ask. “What about getting to know eachother?”

“Will that changehow you feel about me?”

“I don’t thinkanything could ever do that,” I reply honestly.

“Then I don’tunderstand the problem. You told me to come to you when I wasready. I spent the entire day thinking this through and I don’t seeanything changing. So, unless you want to refuse me…”

****

April

The words fall frommy lips, and I hope they will push him over the edge.

“April,” he sayswith a sigh, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “This is a bigdecision. And even though I am happy you want me to be your mate asthe Goddess has decided, you should take more time to makesure.”

“If you feel thatway, you should probably leave,” I say softly but in the back of mymind a plan is already formulating. “Can I ask for a favor beforeyou do?”

“Anything, littleone.”

“I want you to kissme again.”

“April…”

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