Page 35 of The Alpha Dire Wolf
It irked me to do as they wished, like I was some lackey and not the alpha of the pack. Going against the elders right now would create strife within the pack. It would hurt people and break apart friendships as people were forced to decide who to side with. If resistance was too strong, I might even be forced to make an example of someone. I wouldn’t do that—not yet, not when there might still be other ways.
Not until it became clear just how much Sylvie knew about us and the forest, and what she was up to. Some wanted her dead. Some wanted her to pay the full price for the past, for actions of her ancestors, but I had shut that down immediately. I was alpha, and nobody was to be killed without my permission. I wouldn’t back down on that.
“I’m talking to you. I know you can hear me!” She was closer now, hurrying to catch up.
Not that I was going especially fast. Maybe I did want her to catch up. I didn’t know.
The only thing Ididknow was that if anyone so much as looked at her wrong, I would tear their throats out. Not just because of my own personal feelings on the matter.
But because if the elders were wrong, if shedidn’tknow anything, attacking her might provoke her, or spur an awakening. Something we very much wanted to avoid.
“Stop running away. Coward!”
My feet hit the ground and did not move.
Who is this woman? How does she affect me and my wolf this way? Nobody has ever had such sway over me. Could she truly be that powerful?
Or were the elders perhaps wrong about her?
I shoved the thought aside as Sylvie grabbed my arm and swung me around. At the instant her fingers touched my forearm, a shock jumped between us, big enough to sting.
Sylvie jumped back, crying out in pain.
“Are you okay?” I moved toward her.
She backed away. “What the hell wasthat?” she demanded. “Did you just tase me?”
I looked at my empty hands, turning them over to demonstrate they weren’t holding anything. “How would I do that? It must have been static electricity.”
That made no sense, but what other explanation was there?
Sylvie shook herself out and stood up tall, her eyes ablaze.
I clamped down on the beast inside me, fighting it harder than I ever had before. I couldn’t lose this battle, not now. Every muscle fiber inside me strained to be let free. To step forward, scoop Sylvie off her feet and carry her off into the woods. ThereI would tear the clothes from her gorgeous, feminine body, exposing its every soft, silky inch to my gaze. At which point I would mount her and claim her, doing a great manyverydirty things to her body that would result in more pleasure than she had ever experienced before. She would cry out my name over and over again, until she could speak no more, and fall asleep in my arms.
It would be perfect.
“Just what kind of asshole are you, saying such things back there?” she snapped, her face turning red with fury. “Evil will come from one of them? Who are you to say that about them, besides some weirdo who wanders alone in the woods?”
She was cute when she was mad. It brought out the dimples in her chin, though I was wise enough not to antagonize her further. Mostly.
“What are you smiling about?” she hissed through clenched teeth.
I smiled broader, my head falling to one side as I admired the soft flesh of her neck, wondering how it tasted. I imagined her head falling back as I kissed it, my fingers threading their way through her hair and pulling it tightly. Taking control.
“It takes a weirdo wandering the woods to know a weirdo wandering the woods,” I pointed out.
Sylvie’s face went crimson. “What are we, ten?”
“All I’m doing is pointing out the glass house you live in,” I said calmly, knowing that would infuriate her more.
So much for not antagonizing her further.
“No, you’re deflecting. You know more than you’re letting on.”
“Know more? About what? You haven’t asked me anything.”
“About the woods.” She stabbed a finger at my chest, her eyes narrowing when I didn’t respond. “What is the curse of the woods?”
