Page 29 of Claimed By the Alpha Wolves

I surface, spitting out water, then check to see that Faye is okay. To my surprise, she looks absolutely beautiful, like a mermaid from legend instead of a woman, while the rest of us are sputtering and looking like drowned rats.

I swim over and grab Faye, not sure if she knows how to swim, and she glares at Cayson, who’s paddling over to us while Serra gasps for breath behind him.

“Oops?” he says, when he gets close enough.

“Oops?” I repeat, then grab his head, dunking him under the water.

THIRTEEN

Faye

“Are you okay?” Ezra asks, wrapping himself around me.

His warm body is such a sharp contrast from the cold water that I gasp. His grip tightens around me, and our eyes lock. Heat moves between us in a way I don’t understand, and he pulls me even closer, his big body hard beneath my touch.

“Faye…” His voice is low. Almost a growl.

“I can swim,” I tell him, my head spinning just a little as warmth spreads through my blood.

His jaw tics, and he licks his lips. “Can you?”

My gaze moves to his mouth, and I feel an overwhelming need to kiss this man. This man who smells like cardamom. Like a fresh breeze in a clean forest.

He leans in closer. “Faye…”

Oh my gosh, why is he so close? What does he want? And why do I feel so strange?

“This is crazy!” I hear myself say, pushing away from Ezra, my heart racing.

I can swim by myself. I don’t need Ezra, or anyone else, to help me.

Ezra gives me a strange look, but then glances away quickly. The water between us feels like not enough space. Like we’re still too close. But I try to push away the strange feeling.

Across the way, beyond the other boat, Serra actuallyisstruggling, her head just above the water as she tries to doggy paddle. When Ezra sees that I’m more than capable of keeping myself alive, he moves over, putting an arm around Serra and trying to turn over the other boat at the same time.

I shiver.Well, this is cold and miserable.

Who’s half-baked idea was it to send us out on boats, anyway?First, they kidnap me and bring me here, force me to run around, trying to avoid Kurt around every corner, and now I’m soaked and freezing. These ultimas must just really love torturing omegas.

Although I guess this time it’s more of Cayson’s fault than theirs.

I start to swim back toward the dock when a hand wraps around my wrist, pulling me back in the water. Cayson takes me into his arms, his chest pressed up against mine, his expression intense.

“Don’t worry,” Cayson whispers, his voice low and husky. “I’ll save you.”

Like hell I’m about to let the guy who caused this mess “save me.”

“I’m more than capable of saving myself.” I plant my hands on his chest and push away from him, moving smoothly through the water. There’s a pond outside my cabin where we would fish every summer, and where Miles and I would go on the hottest days, swimming and splashing in the water. I grew up playing with my brother, so the water is in my blood.

I swim away from him, but not fast enough, because he’s right there again, pulling me into his arms, pressing his chestagainst mine. “Why save yourself when I can be the one to save you?” he asks, a teasing note to his voice.

His gaze focuses on me. The humor fades from his expression. Suddenly, it feels like we’re the only two people in the world—his hand settling on my waist, his breath hot and fast on my neck.

Distantly, I can hear Ezra struggling to right the boat. Struggling to help Serra inside. But it’s like my entire brain is consumed by the man in front of me, how his fingers are tightening on my body, the feel of his skin, so hot I can feel it straight through my dress and underclothes.

I’m strangely aware of every inch of Cayson, and he makes me feel hot and unsettled all at once. Then I remember the guys calling for him, telling him to take a shot off of a girl inside.

I know what kind of guy he is, and I’d be an absolute fool to forget it. Especially when I’m not in the market foranyalpha.

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