Page 17 of Huntress and the Thorn Court
Over the years I had mastered the appearance of relaxed while being on guard and I rallied that talent to me as I moved down the hallway past the gym. A low whistle caught my ear just in time for me to stop short as a blade whooshed past me into the wall.
Spinning, I tried to see where it had come from when I was tackled to the ground. I elbowed then slammed my head back hearing the satisfying crunch of bone. Whoever was pinning me grunted, then vanished. I flipped onto my back seeing a man in a dark gray hoodie, race off. I was so focused on trying to detect some identifying factor that I didn’t hear the second blade fly.
It whizzed toward me. My heart skipped. I barely had a moment to register what was coming when out of nowhere someone stepped in front of me taking the hit. I was both relieved and shocked when I found myself unscathed. The man hissed. Leaning down he snatched the blade from his leg, before grabbing my arm wrenching me to my feet.
“Move,” Gideon barked. He dragged me along refusing to give me an opportunity to fall behind. I struggled to keep pace with him. He opened a door then another before practically tossing me inside. “What the hell happened?” he boomed.
Glancing around I realized we were in his office. Adam and Trey were both there. Adam looked at me sympathetically while Trey stared on with distain.
“Why weren’t you on the path?”
Panting heavily from the attack, I tried to catch my breath. “Because it was never going to work.”
“You don’t know that. You just jeopardized weeks of—”
“I do know it!” I cut him off. “If I—a non-werewolf— could feel myself being watched then you can bet your ass that the actual werewolves were aware of it too. You think it’s a coincidence that they just happened to choose tonight to attack? You think if I’d stayed on path then they would have? If so, then you’re delusional.”
It was deathly quiet as Gideon’s glare bore into me. “Leave,” he hissed. With an aggravated exhale, I moved to do as he asked. “Not you,” he spat halting me. “You two. Out.”
The two wolves stood without a reply. They moved past Gideon whose frame was in front of the door almost as if he was blocking me from escaping. As the door closed behind them, I saw Adam give me a supportive glance, which I returned.
Gideon stepped closer. The domineering way he moved, and the intensity he fixated on me would have made lesser beings tremble, but I refused to recoil. I had to look up at him when he stopped.
“You will never speak to me like that again,” he demanded in a hushed voice that was more daunting then if he yelled.
“What, like you’re an idiot?” I sneered. His jaw clenched and his nose flared as he breathed out, struggling to remain calm.
With the adrenaline still pumping through me from the attack, I didn’t see how provoking him could end badly. All I could think was I wasn’t in his pack. He didn’t control me.
“If you act like an idiot, then I’ll talk to you like an idiot.”
“You think you’re brave, don’t you?” he stepped forward. I had no choice but to retreat in order to maintain what little space there was between us, but Gideon continued his advance until I was stuck between him and the wall. I could feel the heat of his body radiating off him. His scent filled my lungs, as my breathing grew heavier from his nearness. “But you’re foolish. You risked your life and everything I’ve built, war between our two clans, for what, to prove you were being watched too closely? Well congratulations.”
“You arrogant, egotistical bastard,” I spat putting as much hostility into the words as I could. How dare he make me feel guilty for attempting to do the very thing he’d asked me to?
“You naïve, incompetent princess,” he growled.
We stood there glaring at each other. I don’t know who moved first but without warning Gideon’s lips were against mine.
I shoved him away. Staring into his green eyes, I saw something more than anger there. Clutching the fabric of his shirt around my fingers, I yanked him back to me hungrily. Gideon growled slipping his tongue past my lips, greedily exploring my mouth. His hand glided down my backside. Cupping my ass, he lifted me effortlessly like I weighed nothing. The move had me moaning. Never had a man handled me in such a way.
He walked me to the couch that sat in the corner, laying me out. Our lips broke apart just for a moment as I adjusted against the cushions before he was on me, settling smoothly between my thighs. My hands explored the planes of his chest having wanted to feel the ripples of his defined muscles for some time. Gideon’s hand slipped under my shirt palming my bare breast. His thumb swirled over the tender peak causing me to arch into him, groaning for more. He never broke from our kiss as his fingers fumbled with the button of my jeans, positioning his hand to slip inside. What I was doing finally caught up to me. He was a werewolf, and not just any, but the Alpha. And I was a hunter. It didn’t matter how much I was enjoying his touch, and I was thoroughly enjoying it, it could not happen.
Shoving him away, I reared back and slapped him. He sat back on his knees momentarily stunned as I scrambled off the couch adjusting my clothes.
“How dare you assume that that was okay?”
“Assume?” he spat confused by my sudden shift. “I’m pretty sure those were moans of pleasure I heard, Isabel.”
I shook my head, unable to reply because he was right. “It can’t happen. I refuse to be just another notch in your bedpost. I won’t be your bragging rights.”
“My bragging…? What are you talking about?” He stood moving toward me, but I scurried away, too worried that if he got close, I’d find myself under him again and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop the next time.
“The werewolf that bedded a hunter? Oh I’m sure your pack would love that story while my reputation would be tarnished.”
“Tarnished?” His eyes narrowed as he spat the word. “Because sleeping with me will sully you.” He ran his fingers through his untamed hair. “Of course it would because I’m nothing more than an animal. We’re lesser beings to you hunters.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
