Page 38 of The Gamma's Second Chance

I groan and slam my fist into his shoulder, but he chuckles—fucking chuckles—and keeps walking. My body bounces witheach of his purposeful strides towards his house, and I sigh, propping my chin on my hand. His hand on my hip flexes as I relax and give in, and his pace speeds up, another growl rumbling in his chest.

My thighs clench as it vibrates against me, my body submitting to him further from just that brief, rough sound.

I can’t help it. I can’t ignore it. There is something about him that draws me in, no matter how much I push him away and ignore my desires.

And that only infuriates me more.

Nolan shoves his door open and slams it shut behind him, storming into his house. He pauses in the entry, though, his head swiveling from the stairs to the hallway to the living room, before he pivots and stomps to the couch, dropping me onto the cushions.

He bends over me, his hands resting on the cushion on either side of me. A storm rages in his eyes, a mix of annoyance and concern that has me ready to tear my hair out while screaming and crying.

“What were you thinking?” he asks, his hands curling into fists beside my legs.

“What?”

“What were you thinking? Sparring with Maddie? And Seb?”

“I was working out,” I say, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

“Against two lycans? After you completely wore yourself out yesterday?”

I groan and throw my head back against the cushions, squeezing my eyes shut. “I’m fine!” I say for the umpteenth time. “I’m not some untested, newly shifted pup. Fighting is part of our training on the island. And I need to build up my strength, anyway. I’ve been slacking on working out since I got here.”

He rises and sets his hands on his hips, shaking his head. “Maybe, but your body still needs to recuperate from yesterday.You should be taking it easy, not facing off against lycans! Another werewolf, maybe, but lycans?”

He paces back and forth in front of me, rubbing the back of his neck, his chest and shoulders still heaving. I lean forward and remove my shoes, setting them aside and sitting upright again. “I understand where you’re coming from and what you’re saying,” I say, undoing my braids, my fingers combing through the strands and shaking them out. “But it’s fine. I’m a lycan too.”

He pauses his pacing and raises a brow at me. “Your dad is an alpha?”

I inhale through my nose and rub my temples. “My father was an alpha, yes.” He stares at me, his eyes examining me in that heavy, heated, exposing way they always do.

“Does Wesley know?”

“Of course he knows.”

He nods. Then he shakes his head, furrowing his brows. “Even so, you shouldn’t have taken them on so soon after draining yourself.”

“Like I said, I need to train and build up my strength.”

“Yes. After you’ve healed. After you’re feeling better.”

“Oh, my fucking Goddess! I told you I am fine!” His brow lifts as I yawn at the end of my sentence, and I groan. “Whatever. Don’t worry. It won’t happen again!”

I throw his words from yesterday in his face and slump against the cushions once more, covering my eyes with my hands. My body trembles with suppressed aggravation and dejection, and I breathe through the distress racing through my veins.

He stands there, arms crossed, watching me as I hide myself from him. Through my fingers, I see his hands twitch and then grip his biceps, his jaw clenching for a second before he sighs and turns towards the entryway. “Good. I’ll let you rest, then.”

My arms fly up in frustration, my fingers curling like I’m squeezing his big dumb head in their grip before I drop them to my side.

“Why do you care so much?” I ask, jumping from the couch.

I don’t understand. I need answers. The back and forth, the mixed signals, the hot and cold—I can’t deal with it anymore. I need to know if this is all in my head. He’s too guarded and cryptic, and if this is how I get him to open up to me—by pushing him into it—then so be it.

Three steps. That’s all he takes towards the entry before he turns back around. His hands curl into fists at his sides, and his muscles bulge, his eyes boring into me.

“What?” he asks.

“Why do you care so much?” I repeat.

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