Page 3 of Alpha's Promise

As he drew nearer, the subtle play of muscle beneath his shirt spoke of a predator's grace—an echo of wildness that ran deep in his blood. Yet there was nothing overtly threatening in his demeanor; it was tempered by a lifetime of navigating the unseen boundaries that lay between man and the untamed wilderness.

The ATV kicked up small plumes of dust as he closed the distance between them. Something about the woman called to him, igniting a protective instinct he seldom felt stir with such insistence.

What was she doing out here, alone and on foot, in this desolate stretch that even the coyotes traversed with caution? Landon's gaze never wavered, his eyes dark pools of intrigue that sought to unveil the secrets hidden behind the veil of heat and light.

The closer he got, the stronger he felt drawn to her—an irresistible tug he couldn’t quite explain, but it made his pulse quicken. She was different. His wolf felt it, too, pacing inside him, restless and curious. It wasn’t often that strangers wandered this far out on their own, and Landon had a gut feeling that this encounter would change something for him, maybe everything.

He cut the engine a few yards away, hopping off the four-wheeler in one smooth motion. As his boots hit the ground, the woman turned toward him, her sharp eyes locking onto his. Something crackled in the air between them—electric, unsettling, and utterly captivating.

The sun cast a golden sheen over the woman's form as Landon approached, the silence around them thick with the hum of the midday heat. He tipped his hat back a fraction, his smile a mixture of charm and curiosity.

Landon moved with the innate confidence of a man who knew every inch of this land, yet there was something about the stranger that drew him forth, a magnetic pull that defied explanation. His approach was unhurried, a slow burn of anticipation coiling in the pit of his stomach. The air was thick with the scent of dry sagebrush, and the far-off caw of a raven punctuated the silence between them.

Her gaze was guarded, her posture tense, as if she were sizing him up. But Landon noticed the flicker of something else beneath that sharp exterior. Vulnerability. Wounded pride. And something that made his wolf want to circle her, sniff the air, and stay close.

“Afternoon,” Landon called, tipping his hat with an easy grin. “Didn’t expect to find anyone out this far. You lost or just sightseeing?”

The woman arched a brow, folding her arms across her chest. “A little of both, I guess. Sightseeing mostly.”

Landon scanned the area. There was no vehicle, no horse. Nothing. “How’d you get here?”

She shrugged and scanned the area just as he had. “I walked.”

It was an answer… sort of. Her voice was smooth but edged with weariness, as though life had worn her down but hadn’t broken her. Landon liked that. Liked the way she stood tall, eventhough her shoulders seemed to be bearing a whole lot more weight than they should.

He pretended to be relaxed, but every sense was on high alert, drawn to her like a moth to a flame. “You new around here?” He knew it was lame, but it was all he could think of to keep her from straying.

She nodded, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, and Landon’s gaze tracked the movement, noting the way her fingers trembled slightly. “Yeah. Just got in this morning.”

“Welcome to Savage land,” he said, his grin widening. “Name’s Landon. Landon Savage.”

Her lips twitched—just the barest hint of a smile—but it was enough to make Landon’s pulse jump. “Is that anything likeBond. James Bond?”

“A little,” he chuckled. “And you are?”

“Dakota.”

There it was again—that pull. It wasn’t just attraction, though the heat simmering between them was undeniable. It was deeper, instinctual. His wolf stirred, sniffing the air, intrigued by her scent. She smelled like cedarwood and something warm, like rain as it hit the dry earth.

“So, Dakota,” he said, rocking back on his heels, “what brings you all the way out here to the middle of nowhere?”

She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the ground before answering. “Needed a change of scenery.”

Landon tilted his head, his grin softening. “Scenery, huh? Sounds like you’ve had a rough go of it.”

Dakota let out a small, humorless laugh—low and bitter, as though she’d been holding it in for a while. “That’s one way to put it.”

He didn’t push. Not yet. Instead, he nodded toward the expanse of land behind them. “Well, you’ve come to the rightplace. Not much out here but grass, horses, cows, and a whole lot of sky.”

“Good,” Dakota murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “That’s exactly what I was looking for.”

“You need a lift?” he asked, nodding toward the four-wheeler. “Unless you’re planning to camp out here for the night.”

Dakota’s lips curved into a slow, teasing smile. “And if I was?”

Landon’s grin turned wicked, a spark of challenge lighting his eyes. “Then I’d say you’ve got guts. It’ll get cold once the sun goes down, and we’re home to a lot of critters that might see you as a tasty snack.”

Her eyes narrowed, “And you?”

---