Page 9 of Wolf Desired
But this insatiable need to touch her, just once, kept hammering at him, like an itch that needed to be scratched. Just a simple touch, before the others arrived, before she ran again. And she would run from him. The second she learned about his past, about what he’d done, she’d run.
As Maddox stalked toward her, bright hazel eyes grew wide. But she didn’t flee. He scented the air and tasted the slight tang of fear coming from her.
“I’d never hurt you, female.”
“That’s great to hear, but I don’t know you, do I, 86? And that’s a stupid code name. It’s a number, not a name.”
He winced. She didn’t know what she was saying. He needed to let her comment slide and focus on the reason his alpha had sent him.
“No more thanArtemis. That sounds like a male’s name. Were you hoping no one would notice you’re female if you chose a male’s name?” He inched forward, not intending to intimidate, but the scent of fear coming from her rose just the same. Regardless, she held her ground. He’d seen powerful shifters run from him merely because of his size.
Maddox picked a twig out of her hair before he let his fingers stroke along the golden braid. He hooked one finger through the hairband at the tip and slid it free. “Since the hour is over, you can get comfortable.”
Slowly, he pulled the strands apart, unraveling the silky tresses. Subtly, he inhaled the air. Her fear had waned, and in its place, a sweet feminine musk he hadn’t drawn into his lungs in a long time. He inhaled deeply; the scent of her arousal went right to his cock. And his wolf purred, approving of her.
“You need a new name,” she said, her voice deeper, sultry now as he finished unbraiding her hair.
“Maybe you should give me one,” he said as he caged her against the tree. Beautiful hazel eyes locked onto him. There was absolutely no fear there, just a need, one he felt in her as much as in himself. He should walk away from her before things went too far, but he hadn’t felt this alive in a long time.
And she smelled so fucking good. Beneath the sweet honey vanilla lay a scent so feminine it made his wolf want to howl. Maddox fought to contain the howl. This female, thishuman, wasn’t comfortable around shifters yet.
“Give you one what?” she said, her breathing picking up as she tilted her head back. Her tongue—cute, pink, rather daring—glided along her lower lip.
He’d forgotten the question. Or what he was doing with her against the tree. But he knew what he wanted to do, and it involved those beautiful lips of hers. It had been so long since he’d kissed a woman, so long since Isabella. Even now, he questioned himself, if he should touch this female, or if he would end up dooming her as well.
Her breathing hitched, and that little moan of hers went right to his very hard cock. He needed to taste her, just once, to satisfy this growing itch of his.
As he leaned in to kiss her, he heard a growl behind him. Before Maddox could turn around, a massive silver wolf slammed into him.
CHAPTERTHREE
TIERNAN
“Idon’t need a shadow, Rafe,” Tiernan said. He inhaled over and over, turning in a circle, searching for that delectable scent of his female. He shouldn’t be thinking of Artemis as his, despite his claim to Rafe earlier. Tiernan hadn’t even met her yet, but his wolf was pushing him hard, ready to claim her based on scent alone. Perhaps that was a good sign. He’d heard of wolves rejecting potential mates, even when they needed the female to stabilize them.
“Never said you did,” Rafe replied as they ventured deeper into the woods.
Tiernan could feel the shifter grinning behind him
“We need to head south, with the other teams,” insisted Jason, the human who Rafe had grabbed to make their teamofficial.
“He’s right,” Tiernan agreed. “You and Jason should head south. Her scent is coming from that direction.” It was the reason Tiernan headed northeast. He had a sixth sense when it came to tracking, and his instincts, not his wolf, said she hadn’t headed south. And he didn’t want anyone around when he caught up to Artemis. He needed to know for sure if she was the one. He’d never believed in fated mates before, but she was the first—the only female—his wolf had shown an interest in.
“I caught her scent the same as you,” Rafe replied. “But Jason is human. He doesn’t know where she’s heading.”
“You sayhumanlike it’s an insult,” Jason snapped.
“It was an insult,” Tiernan informed him. “But not directed at you specifically.”
“Sure, how could Inottake that personally.”
“The human doesn’t have a clue about tracking, Tiernan,” Rafe replied, ignoring Jason altogether. “You do. I know your reputation as a scout. Lead on.”
Damn, there’d be no getting rid of Rafe now.
“Really, man, I’m standing right here,” Jason said.
“Not a man,” Rafe corrected. “Shifter. Learn that much and maybe you and I will get along. Eventually.”
