Page 36 of Alpha Varsity

My stomach tightens up into a fist as I force a smile. “Thanks, but I don’t intend to stay.”

His brows shoot up. “No?”

“Wolf Ridge isn’t my home anymore.”

Asher

There are at least ten things I should be doing tonight that don’t involve stalking Lotta. I have a fuck-ton of homework to make up from the days I was suspended. My mom asked me to replace the broken screen protector on her phone. Seb offered to help me with the math test I need to retake.

Instead, I’m creeping up on Lotta’s back porch, dying for the hit of her jasmine and honey scent.

I already fucked her today. I shouldn’t need more.

She shouldn’t need more.

But what if she does?My wolf murmurs in my head.

She was tortured when I came into her class today. I did that to her. By denying us both last night, I caused her obvious harm. Pain, even.

That knowledge is a torture in itself. It makes me itchy. Uneasy. I wouldn’t call it guilt. More like the physiological version of guilt. My body regrets and mourns any pain I caused her beautiful body.

And that must be the reason I’m looking in her dark windows and trying her locked door right now.

The lights are off in her place. It’s not that late, but maybe she was exhausted from whatever physical ordeal she went through today. More unease creeps through me.

I tap lightly on the door. I don’t hear anything from inside. That’s when I spot one of her flip flops in the brush.

My wolf roars to the surface. I nearly shift with the idea that she’s in danger. But that’s dumb. There’s no reason to assume that. Fuck. I can’t stop the roar of energy holding through my body. The need to find her.

I snatch up the shoe and scan the surroundings. The other shoe is farther down the wash. And then–oh fuck!Her shorts are caught on a small palo verde. There’s her shirt.

I strip out of my clothes on the spot and shift, following her scent trail up the mountain. I race up the hillside. My mate shifted in a hurry. Like something was chasing her. Like something was wrong. I don’t smell any other fresh scent near hers, though.

Something’s wrong with her wolf, then.

That’s why she was so off today.

Maybe it had nothing to do with me. No–itwasabout me. I’m the one who fixed it for her. Her body craved mine the same way mine craves hers. She needed me to fuck her hard to straighten her out.

I continue my hunt, climbing steadily in elevation. She must’ve had a good head start on me because it takes me a long time to catch up, and I’m running fast. My wolf is far more powerful and strong than hers.

Finally I see her under the waning moon. The slender white wolf leans against a boulder, sides heaving like she’s exhausted.

Mine, my wolf snarls.

I let myself have her. Again.

I shift and stride toward her. My dick is harder than steel, pointing in the direction of its desire.

“Shift,” I command.

She’s powerless against me. She instantly transforms, rising to two shaky legs, green eyes changing back to cornflower blue. Her long dark waves fall across one shoulder, sliding against her pert breast.

I pick her up by the waist. A cry comes from her lips, but it’s not a protest. It sounds needier than that. I climb a few steps up to the top of the boulder, where I gently lie her back on the flat surface. Her skin glows underthe moonlight, giving her an ethereal quality. Like she’s the moon goddess herself, come down to Earth to experience carnal pleasure.

I kneel and slide my hands behind her knees to push them up, spreading her wide. Her belly shudders in and out as I lower my head.

I hold her gaze for a moment, a silent question of consent.

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