Page 29 of The Wolf She Shouldn't Desire

“Just because you haven’t seen me around doesn’t mean I’m avoiding you. I’m a busy woman.”

“Mhm. And you rushing out of the club two seconds after spotting me wasn’t you avoiding me? What? Did you need to go for a walk that instant?”

“You mean like how you had to leave so quickly a few weeks ago after that group of werewolves gave you shit for hanging around abloodsuckerat the club?”

A furrow between his eyebrows appears and the icy blue of his eyes seem to harden slightly. “I’ll admit, I could have handled it a little bit better, and Iamsorry for that. But I didn’t leave quickly—in what I’m gathering in your tone and words your interpretation to be—due to being harassed by Lance and agreeing with him. I told you I had to head home to take care of some things.”

“And I told you I wasn’t avoiding you. So, guess we’re both liars, then.”

“Don’t call me a liar, Talia,” he states, followed by a growl deep in his chest.

“Stop fucking growling at me. You expect me to believe that you left after that asshole Lance gave you shit for being near me and the others, pointing out a very good reason why we can’t associate with each other because you just had to ‘take care of some business back home so urgently’?” I childishly make air quote signs with my hands on the last part of my statement, and his eyes narrow in a chilling glare aimed at me.

“What good reason are you talking about Talia? Why can’t we associate with each other?”

“Don’t play dumb and naïve, Jordan,” I hiss.

“Fucking humor me then, cause I’m at a loss here as to what logic that brain of yours has come up with after that night.”

I glare at him with slitted eyes. I feel like he is acting stupid, but he’s right in not knowing what’s going on in my head unless I tell him. Fine.

“Vampires and werewolves don’t mix, and they certainly aren’t friends. Lance showed us why we can’t be around each other. I assumed that’s what you concluded from that situation and that it’s too much trouble to be seen with me. So, I’ve made it easier for you in keeping the distance between us.”

“You can’t be serious?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Cause who the fuck cares what others think? Are you really going to allow them to dictate who you chose to spend your time with and be seen with? You, of all people, I would have thought would have told them to fuck off if they don’t like it. For me, I don’t care what Lance or anyone else thinks. I’m not alpha of my pack because I let people dictate what I can and cannot or should or should not do. I can be friends with whoever I want and spend my time withwhoeverI want. I can handle the verbal attacks if they want to be prejudiced assholes.”

“And if they start attacking you or your wolves physically for being ‘traitorous scum’? Are you going to still be saying the same thing?”

“I’d like to see them try,” he snaps. “My wolves and I can handle ourselves. Don’t forget what pack we are, Talia. Same as being their alpha, my pack didn’t become the most powerful pack in the city because they play nice or sit back and allow others to try to hurt us. Nor did we get there by cowering away from assholes trying to bully us into some narrow way of thinking.”

“Either way, vampires and werewolves don’t mix.”

“Says who?!” he yells. His frustration and anger with the conversation is increasing, and I don’t fully understand why. So what if we don’t interact anymore or become friends? It certainly can’t be more than that if it can be anything at all.

“Says everybody!” I yell back, jumping up from the bench as anger zings through me. “Don’t be so damn naïve, Jordan.”

“Don’t fucking insult me. I’m not naïve just because I refuse to jump on the status quo bandwagon others do out of hate and fear. I think you’re just being cowardly and scared.”

I hiss at him. “Cowardly and scared?! Did you really just call me that?! I’m being smart for my sake and those around me. Even for your dumb behind!”

“Don’t act like you are doing me a favor, darling. I can look out for myself just like you can look out for own self. Again, I don’t need you or anyone else telling me who I can and can’t be around. Threats from others especially have never worked and they won’t now if anyone tries it. Understand?”

“Vampires and werewolves don’t spend time around each other if you haven’t noticed. Is this your first day on Earth, wolf?”

“Just because it isn’t done doesn’t mean it can’t be done. And again, don’t fucking insult me, Talia. Don’t make me repeat myself or you won’t like what comes next.”

Ignoring his threat—whatever the hell he means by it as I’m sure he wouldn’t hurt me though I’ don’t know why I am so confident in that as I barely know him but I am—I continue yelling at him. “Why the hell do you care so much about being around me, anyway? Why are you fighting me on this? There is nothing, friendship wise or not, that is going to happen between us Jordan!”

He snaps into movement like a rubber band has snapped inside him. One moment he is standing a few feet away from me, and the next he is right in front of me. Before I can fully comprehend that he is so close to me, one of his hands grips my hip and the other the side of my face and yanks me into his chest before his lips crash into mine.

I stand frozen for a second, shocked at what is happening, but then the reality of the feel of his warm and soft lips on mine hits me. I close my eyes and savor the feel. Relaxing into his hold, my lips part slightly, and he takes the opportunity to delve inside with his tongue, deepening the kiss and pulling a slight moan out of me. In response, he growls but differently from any other growl I have heard from him in the past. This growl is filled with possession and reverence, along with an undertone of longing and lust as his control breaks a little. His hand on my face slides towards the back of my neck, threads through my hair, and tightens as if he is trying to pull me closer, puling me deeper into the kiss. I lose myself to the demand of his lips, and my own dance with his. The taste of him is better than I could have ever imagined. It’s spicy and sweet at the same time, and I instantly become addicted.

We finally break away with rapid breathing filling the space now open between our lips. He places his forehead tomine, and I open my eyes to see his icy blue eyes staring back at me. Instead of frigid ice staring back at me as they did a moment ago, they are filled with fire, making his eyes seem like melted ice, crisp but soft and not hard like ice.

“I want to be around you. I want to spend time with you. And I sure as hell want to kiss you more like that. I’ve had this burning curiosity and unknown desire within me since I saw you kick the ass of that vampire the first night we met, and then you chewed my ass out for interfering.” A breath of a chuckle comes out of me in response to that. “I want to get to know you, and I want to see where this can go. And I want more than just a friendship with you if you will let it happen. That is why I care, Talia. I don’t give a damn about anyone else and what they think. Cause fuck them.”

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