Page 32 of Alpha Scorned

“Hm, okay. Anything else?”

“No.” I shook my head. “That’s why I didn’t say anything before. I’d honestly forgotten all about that evening. Sorry, I’m not of much use to you.”

His demeanour changed immediately, the yellow eyes of his wolf melting into his grey irises. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that, Kerores. Everything about you is of use to me.”

My mind froze at the heat in his eyes and the smirk on his shapely lips. Managing to smile was hard with my heart slamming against my ribs. I’d spent so long resisting this pull Owen had over me that my instinct was to run, which is exactly why I did the complete opposite. The time for running was over. I held his gaze and wet my lips with the tip of my tongue. His nostrils flared as he tracked that movement. “Glad to hear it.”

His gaze ensnared mine. “Are you?”

“I am.” I held his gaze, hoping he could see the truth in my eyes, and hear it in my words. I wasn’t talking about Shane, and neither was he.

“Good.” A beat passed then he cocked his head and smiled. “And now I know that Shane found something. It obviously worried him enough to take off with all of his alphas. Robin told me that’s what he’d done. And he wouldn’t leave this place vulnerable by taking his strongest with him unless he thought they might meet an enemy in the forest. He left his second in command to protect and run the pack in his absence, but clearly he expected to return.”

Something about the situation niggled at me. “Don’t you think it strange he left his Beta here but took his alphas?”

“Not really. He’d want to make sure the town and pack were protected.”

Owen unfolded his arms, immediately distracting me from my worries over Shane. In smooth graceful steps he covered the space between us. Sitting on the desk left me nowhere to escape to. Not that I wanted to. I was mesmerised by him. His gaze locked onto mine as he gently pushed my knees apart with his thighs. My skirt rode up, letting him move in close. Inhaling deeply, he rested his hands on my hips, pulling me forwards. Lust burned through me as we connected. His eyes filled with enough heat to scorch my blood, setting me on fire. “So, you were never Shane’s lover?”

“No,” I croaked, unable to look away from him. “Or anyone else’s.”

The desire to blurt out the truth about my wolf was hard to control. I wanted to tell him, but I wouldn’t saddle him with my problems. “I’m so sorry for lying to you, Owen.” I dropped my gaze to the strong column of his throat, wishing my claiming marks were on his skin. My heart hurt that such a thing might never be possible. I exhaled. But my wolf did let me feel her emotions every now and then. And now that Owen had arrived, maybe she would forgive me, and learn to trust me enough for us to reconnect… Until then I could give him some of the truth.

“I needed to keep you at a distance. Making you believe that I was with someone else seemed the only way I could do that.” My gaze lowered to the mouthwatering contours of his chest. “I wasn’t ready for a relationship with anyone, not even you. Shane was there. I was selfish enough to use him, or at least to try. I knew he had multiple lovers, that made me sure he wouldn’t want a committed relationship.” Shame heated my cheeks at that admission. I’d apologised to Shane for using him, but I’d never expected to admit my behaviour to Owen himself.

“Are you ready for a relationship now?” he asked carefully.

“Only with you,” I admitted shakily, finding enough courage to raise my gaze.

Some of the lust bled from his gaze, replaced by a possessive kind of tenderness that had my heart melting. His throat bobbed and he rested his forehead against mine. Slowly, he blinked, his grip on my hips tightening. “Damn, you’ve no idea how much that means to me, Lina.”

I lifted my hands and mirrored his hold, resting them on his hips. It felt so good to be able to touch him. Maybe I was being selfish, but I couldn’t help it. He was like a drug to my heart and soul. The more I was with him, the more I wanted him. Not just his glorious body, but everything; I wanted his smiles, his touch, his worries, his anger and lust, his kisses, his possession—everything. His wolf bled into his eyes and I stared right back. Tears pricked my eyes as he smiled. “He likes you. He wants to meet your wolf, Kerores…”

I gulped but didn’t pull away. I couldn’t let him see how much that comment frightened me. There was nothing I could do to hide my increased heart rate at his question, but hopefully he’d put it down to being turned on by his touch. I slid my hand up his chest and around his neck. Raising my chin, I urged his head towards me, demanding a kiss. He froze for a brief moment as if I’d taken him by surprise. I didn’t blame him. It was the first time I’d initiated any contact between us so far. Dipping his head he took my mouth with those sinful lips of his, sliding them across mine. My intensity mirrored his as my tongue brushed his, igniting a wave of lust deep in my belly. I pushed closer, my fingers gripping his hair tightly. Owen groaned and pulled back, his teeth nipping at my bottom lip, leaving me with a stinging pain that did nothing to calm my desire. “Fuck, Lina, sweetheart, if I don’t get out of here, I’m not going to be able to resist bending you over this desk and making you scream my name loud enough that everyone in this pack hears.”

The thought that everyone would know I was Owen’s filled me with warmth. I wanted that. Iwantedto belong to him, and I wanted him to belong to me. “Owen,” I breathed, my body lighting up with need at his words.

But I had a client waiting on the other side of my office door.

Breathing hard, he stepped away. Holding my gaze, he walked backwards until his hand slapped against the door. His hooded eyes lowered to the juncture between my legs and his throat bobbed, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled. “Shit, you’re a fucking temptress.” He drew a hand through his hair. “But I have stuff to do. As do you.” He released a heavy breath and fixed me with a piercing stare. “We’re spending tonight together—all night. What time do you pick Devon up?”

“Six,” I answered, my voice hoarse. I really didn’t want him to go. But, he was right, I had that client waiting.

“I’ll be back in time to pick him up with you.”

I nodded, drinking in every last second of him until he disappeared from my view.

At five minutesto six I finally locked up. I was disappointed Owen hadn’t made it back, but I understood. He had a lot of people to interview about Shane and the other alphas. Not only that, he’d have to go out into the forest at some point, too. It was inevitable. My heart squeezed. I didn’t like the thought of him going out there. It was too risky when we had no idea what was really going on.

I rushed down the pathway and was halfway across the street when I slowed to a stop. Owen was talking to Jade. She flicked her hair over her shoulder with her fingers and was smiling widely, until she saw me. My chest tightened and my nostrils flared at the irritated look she threw my way. As if he felt my approach, Owen’s head turned towards me. And a huge grin lit his face. Devon waved, all smiles, too. The only one scowling was Jade. She looked less than pleased that I’d interrupted her conversation with the hottest and most powerful male in the pack.

I flashed her a warning look as Owen squatted down to talk to Devon. By the time he straightened up, I was by his side and staring down Jade. She was no alpha, and no matter how interested she was in my mate, I knew she wasn’t brave enough to challenge me. She couldn’t say the same for me, though.

“Jade,” I greeted coldly. I didn’t have access to my wolf but I was a full on alpha, so that wouldn’t stop me beating her ass if she tried anything with my mate. My top lip curled in a warning snarl.

Owen straightened and flashed me a devastating smile, unaware of my exchange with the blonde haired beauty in front of us. I breathed in slowly. He was so fucking gorgeous it hurt to look at him. My heart filled as it hit me that he was mine as much as I was his. I could touch him whenever and wherever I pleased. Without any hesitation, I wrapped my arm around his waist and snuggled close to his side. Looking pleased, he lifted his arm and draped it across my shoulders. “Hey.” He dropped a light kiss on my head.

“Hi.” I smiled up at him. My heart was so full of joy that he’d come to meet Devon like he’d promised he would, it felt like it might explode from my chest.

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