Page 16 of Impregnated By the Alpha

He trailed the back of his hand down my cheek as he looked into my eyes. The green seemed to flash, and then his eyes darkened, pupils widening as he looked at me hungrily.

“You know why I’m pushing you away, Nile,” I said simply.

“I do,” he said. “And I’m telling you to stop.”

“You think you can order me around?” I asked, anger flashing through me once more. I couldn’t deny that the way he spoke to me with such authority had my knees weakening. Anger seemed to be my only defense.

Nile’s lips crashed into mine as the tension between us reached a breaking point. His hands were rough as they tangled in my hair, pulling me into him. His lips covered mine possessively, insistent but still tender.

“I’ve been waiting for this all night,” he murmured against my mouth. “You have no idea how much being near you has driven me crazy, Vi.”

I moaned as he called me by my nickname, feeling his hands move down the length of my spine and settle on the small of my back. My lips found his again as I pressed my entire body into his. I longed to melt into his frame and feel the familiarity of his touch.

But the memory of our bodies entwined reminded me of why this couldn’t happen—what had happened when I hadallowed myself to fall for him before. I pushed him away, needing to get space to breathe before I lost myself in the feeling of his affection. The way he had kissed me without warning was evidence of how hot and bothered our interaction had made him, and I couldn’t risk him getting the impression that I welcomed his advances. No matter how true it was.

“I guess neither of us can deny that there’s still an attraction here,” Nile said, awkwardly running his hand through his close-cropped hair. “Stronger than ever, I’d argue.”

His comment cut me to the quick, making me even more sure I had done the right thing in pushing him away.

“Attraction is meaningless,” I told him bluntly. “You said it yourself—you were attracted to me before, and you still threw me away like garbage when you got what you wanted from me.”

“Vi, you have to know that I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said.

It was true that I could see regret and hurt in the way he looked at me, but it didn’t change anything. I had told him I didn’t want to hear his excuses for his behavior, and I meant it. Nothing he could tell me would make it okay.

“What’s done is done. But being attracted to each other won’t change our past or make up for how you treated me. Let’s just pretend this didn’t happen,” I said.

“I don’t want to pretend like this didn’t happen,” Nile said, attempting to pull me into a comforting hug.

“It’s over, Nile,” I said in a harsh whisper as I put my hand up to stop his advance. “Just leave it alone.”

I whirled around and opened my bedroom door, shutting it behind me firmly. For the first time since moving in, I turnedthe lock on the bedroom door, unsure if I was closing him out of the room or shutting myself in.

Chapter 8 - Nile

Ever since our fight and my unwelcome kiss, Violet had been spending a lot of time out of the house. I didn’t want to risk another blowout with my mate, so I called Luna April to see if she had any ideas on what Violet was up to.

“She didn’t tell you?” April asked, sounding surprised. “Violet’s been looking for a job. She said she needed something to keep her busy while you’re at work and Penny is at preschool.”

“I hope she knows she doesn’t have to work if she doesn’t want to,” I said.

“I’m sure she does. But I know from experience that not having anything to fill the days with can become dull very quickly—even for an introvert like Violet,” April said.

She wasn’t wrong there. I had been a single father for a long time, so Penny and I already had a routine for our home life. I felt bad that I hadn’t even bothered asking Violet if she needed anything to keep her entertained. I had assumed she would spend her days doing hobbies and seeking out new friends, but I should have known that wasn’t all she would want to do. She was purpose-driven, unlikely to be content without a task that utilized her skills.

“Do you know if she’s found any leads yet?” I asked.

“Nothing that I’m aware of,” April said. “But she’s only been looking for a few days. I’m sure she’ll get something sooner or later.”

I thanked April for her help and hung up the phone. I may have overlooked Violet’s obvious need for employment and intellectual stimulation, but I already had a plan on how to make up for my shortcomings. Violet had always been an avid artist,and I had a feeling she would seek out a job within the art community if she was able to find a suitable position.

The local art shop was an eclectic mix of commercial needs and hobby crafting. Even more appealing was the fact that there was an art gallery and studio attached to the shop. It also happened to be owned by a werewolf from within our pack.

Walter and I had done some business together when I was remodeling my store a few years ago. He was an older man in his late sixties and a prominent member of the Pinedale Pack. We weren’t particularly close, but I knew that he was often in need of seasonal help. I also hoped that my status as alpha would persuade him to help me out with my plan. Even if he said no, it wouldn’t hurt to stop over and talk to him about Violet wanting a job.

“Good morning, Alpha Nile,” Walter said when I entered the art shop. “What brings you in? Needing some more work done at the store?”

“Not right now, but you know you’ll be the first person I call if I need anything,” I assured him. “No one in the state has better work ethic and quality than you, Walt.”

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