Page 10 of Alpha Reid

“Even better than caffeine,” he remarks, waggling his eyebrows.

“For sure,” I agree. “I’ll take any chance to be out in nature, and it’s a bonus if it involves endorphins or adrenaline. Totally my jam.”

Reid flashes me that sexy half-smile, taking the hem of his shirt in a hand and dragging it up to wipe sweat from his brow. My eyes immediately fall to his well-defined ab muscles and that tantalizing v-shape of his Adonis belt. It does something to me, twisting up my insides, making my core throb with need.

I quickly look away, focusing instead on the forest floor covered in crunchy brown leaves. I steady my breathing, quiet my mind. Then I dare to look up again, and I’m met with the clear blue of Reid’s eyes staring back at me.

He’s standing closer to me now. So close.Too close.Close enough to invade my senses, steal my air. Rob me of my rationality. If this is how I always react to the mate bond while in his proximity, I’m not going to survive it.

“You ready to keep going?” Reid murmurs, the low baritone of his voice sending a shiver down my spine.

“Y… yeah…” I pant, though he’s not moving to continue down the path. He’s leaning in closer, his lips a whisper away from my own. His hand comes to my cheek and my eyes slide closed as I relish in the feeling of sparks dancing between our skin.

Is he gonna kiss me? I shouldn’t let him kiss me.

My eyes flutter open again, colliding with his. My heart races, the tension between us so thick that it’s palpable. I bring my hand up to cover his own, tracing his knuckles with my fingertips.

“Reid…” I whisper.

His lips brush against mine and my heart skips a beat.

“Hm?” he hums, tipping my face up toward his own with one hand as he rests the other on the tree trunk beside my head.

I’m so attracted to him.So fucking attracted. It’s like we’re two magnets and the more I try to resist, the more I’m pulled into him. I know I need to turn these feelings off, but with the mate bond at play, how the hell am I going to manage it?

“I…” I wet my lips with my tongue, sucking in a breath.

“Yeah?” he growls.

Reid Raines. Even his name makes him sound like a superhero. I could play the damsel in distress, let him think he can save me. Somehow convince him that I’m actually worth saving.

Or I could run.

I duck under his arm, hopping sideways. Breaking physical contact with him and the trance he has me under. “I’ll race you back!” I call, my long hair whipping my face as I spin around.

I launch forward, sprinting down the path in the direction we came from. My wolf whines in protest as my feet pound the earth in a steady rhythm, my face burning. After a few moments, I hear the distant sound of footfalls behind me, but I don’t look back. I just run faster, pushing my own limits. I run so fast that he doesn’t catch up to me this time.

CHAPTER FIVE

Reid

I’ve always believed in destiny. While this current situation may not be ideal, fate doesn’t make mistakes when bringing people together as mates. I don’t know much about Serena yet, but I do know that I’m insanely attracted to her. I’ve never been like this around another she-wolf, not even hot-as-fuck Arabella who was basically a nympho and made a hobby out of throwing herself at me. I turned her down more times than I took her up on it, too busy to bother with getting invested in a woman. Yet here I am, not even twenty-four hours in, and I’m already obsessed with Serena Harper.

When I’m not around her, she’s all I can think about. When I am around her, it’s hard not to imagine what it’d be like to rip her clothes off and claim her as my own. Given what she’s likely been through, I know I need to be respectful and handle her with care… butfuck, I’ve never had such a difficult time remaining in control of my own faculties.

After our run, I tried to give her space. I worked in my office for the day, but my mate was never far from my mind. Or my sight- as it turns out, Serena wasn’t lying about her affinity for spending time outside. I watched her from my office window as she wandered the backyard, explored the treeline, and found a hammock to curl up in and take a nap in the sun. All mundane things, but I found myself fascinated, completely entranced just watching her.

It’s dusk when Serena finally comes inside and I hear her make her way upstairs, and I decide that I’ve kept my distance long enough. I have to go to her. I push back in my desk chair, rising to my feet and exiting my office, closing the door behind me. When I hit the stairs, I take them two at a time, eager to get to my mate. As I stride down the hallway, the closer I get to her, the more I can detect her sweet vanilla and tangerine scent, stirring my wolf with each step.

I slow to a stop at the open door to her room, peering inside to find Serena standing in front of the bed and staring at the array of shopping bags set out on top. I had Taylor and few other females from my pack shop for her today so she doesn’t have to keep borrowing clothes- and to make up for my oversight this morning. I want Serena to feel at home in my packhouse; picture herself having a life here with me. She’s my mate, after all, so that’s the endgame. I hope that’s whatshewants, too.

I fold my arms across my chest, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe as I watch her step forward and peek into one of the bags. She draws a cute little gasp, moving to look in the next bag, then the next. I can’t help but crack a smile as I watch her, pleased that she seems to like the surprise I orchestrated for her.

Serena suddenly picks up on my presence, red hair whipping around as she turns to gaze at me in the doorway. “What’s all this?” she asks, her innocent eyes wide and her brows drawn together in confusion.

“You need clothes, don’t you?” I drawl.

She tucks her hair behind her ears, obviously flustered. “Well yeah, but… where’d all this come from?” She gestures to the bed.

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