Page 11 of Fighting Furry

CHAPTER THREE

I let myself into my condo and dropped my bag on the floor with a sigh of relief. It had been a long drive and it was good to be home and back in my own space. Even though I was mentally exhausted, I was thrumming with a pent-up energy that had been running through me like sparks down a live wire since I'd driven away from Mule Creek. My condo was tiny, but I wasn't big on owning stuff so I didn't need a ton of space. Shelly had helped me decorate and I had everything just the way I liked it, cozy and comforting, like a hot bowl of soup on a cold day. I pulled my shirt over my head as I walked toward my room, my clothing itchy and too heavy, my skin tingling with a need for some sort of release.

The sound of a male throat clearing made me freeze where I stood in the middle of the living room. I spun slowly to see Axel, sitting on my small, navy couch, legs splayed wide, arms spread. He was smirking and more relaxed than he'd been in the Mule Creek Jail. Damn, he made my furniture look tiny. “Don't mind me,” he said. “I'm enjoying the show.”

I didn't give him the satisfaction of putting my shirt back on. I planted my hands on my hips and glared. “What the hell are you doing in my condo?”

“Your neighbor let me in. She was very accommodating, maybe a bit too accommodating. You should warn her not to blindly believe every strange man who tells her he needs to get into his sister's apartment.”

I clenched my teeth hard enough to crack them. “Why are you here?”

“I might not be able to make you stay, but I also can't let you run loose around Las Angeles. I'll be held responsible for whatever damage you do and I've already got to answer for Jeremiah's mistake turning you.”

“Don't you need to be with your pack?”

“I do,” he said. “Clarissa's my second-in-command, she'll run things until I can get you to see reason and come back with me to Mule Creek.”

“Why didn't you send someone else?” I asked. “I like Clarissa a lot more than you.”

He grinned like he enjoyed my insult. “Because you're too strong. If you told one of them to get the fuck out of your apartment they'd do it. They wouldn't be able to fight your command. I'm the only one who can stand up to you.”

Damn it. “Get the fuck out of my apartment.”

His grin widened. “Nope.”

I channeled all my anger and determination into my voice and tried again. “Get the fuck out of my apartment, now.”

He was one his feet and halfway to the door before I'd finished speaking. He stopped before he reached the door, his eyes wide, his smile gone. “Holy shit,” he said. “What the hell are you?”

Since I was having success, I thought I'd try again. “Get the fuck out of my—”

“No.” He stalked over to stand in front of me. “Even if you do manage to get me to leave, I'll come back. And I'll keep coming back until you realize what a mistake you've made coming here, until you realize how much you need me.”

“I don't need you,” I said, my teeth clenched, because he was in my space now and I could smell him and my skin was itching with a need for a different kind of physical activity.

He smirked and stepped in closer, forcing me to back up against the wall. “You don't need me? I guess you aren't feeling like you're about to come out of your skin? You must not be feeling the need to run or fuck or kill something. You must be handling this a hell of a lot better than every other new wolf I've ever met.”

I couldn't fight it. I was leaning in to him, wanting to press my body against his. “Nope,” I said. “I'm totally fine. I was just about to take a shower.”

“Okay.” He shrugged. “I'll leave you alone. There's a restaurant down the street I want to try.”

He moved out of my space and every cell in my body cursed me out for not grabbing him and pulling him back. He walked toward the door, but turned at the last moment. “Just be sure you don't go for a run,” he said. “This soon after the change and you could shift without meaning to. Don't want to be shot by animal control.”

Shit. “Then what can I do?” The words were out without my consent, my mouth revolting against my brain.

“You can ask me for help. That's what I'm here for. No judgment.”

I stared at him until I realized all I was thinking about was how quickly I could get him naked. I was not going to give in to my raging libido. My attraction to him was the result of wolf horniness plus full moon horniness. Dropping my eyes to the floor, I considered my options. I could hold onto my pride and possibly end up in the pound or, more likely, shot by animal control, or I could admit I needed help. “I'll be fine. Enjoy your dinner.”

His smile didn't falter. “Enjoy your night.” He grabbed my keys from where I'd left them on the floor next to my duffel.

“Those are my keys.”

“I'm not counting on you being here to let me back in.”

I huffed. I really wasn't going to be able to get rid of this guy and, if I was honest, I didn't want to. As much as I hated him, and I did hate him, I also liked the idea of having someone around to help me if something went haywire with my wolf.

He left, pulling the door closed quietly behind him. For such a big guy, such a big, obnoxious guy, he moved softly. He could fill a room, overwhelm my senses, yet he moved without making a sound.

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