Page 15 of Wolf Desired
She didn’t know him or their ways, but he was ready to mate her, claim her,blood-bondher. The animal inside continued pushing him. Tiernan wasn’t sure he could keep himself from pouncing on her much longer.
* * *
ALYSSA
Alyssa wasat a loss as to what to do. Tiernan seemed to calm when she touched him, but there stood 86, flirting with her and holding his hand out to her, trying to lure her away. Did he think she’d panic if he told her the truth, that he considered Tiernan unstable?
Granted, Tiernan had attacked him earlier for no reason. Rafe and Maddox both believed Tiernan was feral, but he wasn’t acting feral. Not now. And he’d shifted back to human form, but he remained crouched, refusing to stand. That was totally fine. It wasn’t beyond her to crouch down to his level to keep him company until he was ready.
As he glared at Maddox, she threaded her fingers through his hair at the base of his neck. So soft. While she hoped to get his attention off Maddox and on her, when those blue-gray eyes turned to her, words escaped her. The intensity in his eyes captivated her. Then he drew back, barely an inch, but enough that she noticed the determination in him turn to shame as he looked away.
There was so much she didn’t understand about shifters, except she found herself caring about them with each conversation, each touch, each look. Damn, she couldn’t pull away from Tiernan, despite how tempted she was to give in to 86’s flirting and finish that kiss from earlier.
Tiernan suddenly jerked from her touch, as if she’d hurt him. “Rafe, get her away!” he yelled before growling like a wounded animal.
“You need to go, Artemis,” Rafe said as he reached for her. “Come with me.”
“Don’t even think of touching me,” she warned, snapping her arm up and back. She would have hit his crotch, except he was prepared. He grabbed both of her arms by her wrists and yanked her to her feet. Another fierce growl ripped from Tiernan’s throat as 86 once again placed himself between her and Tiernan.
They didn’t trust Tiernan.
Feral. What exactly did that mean? People didn’t go feral.
The reality of her situation began to sink in. These males were not people. They were shifters, humans whose DNA had been changed over a hundred years ago to incorporate wolf DNA, making them neither human nor wolf, but a new species.
Oh, God. What if. . . No, she had no proof. All the strange emotions she’d felt over the years. . . That was simply her losing her grip on reality when she was overstressed. Between her father and her job, not going a little batty would be surprising.
“Now,” Rafe demanded.
“I don’t understand what’s wrong with Tiernan,” she said, her voice having lost its edge. “He doesn’t look feral. Just hurt.”
“He’s having a bad day,” Rafe said. “He hasn’t eaten any humans lately. Try not to be the first.”
“That’s not funny,” she said, yanking her arm free.
86 chuckled. “Actually, it is. Not a bad joke for an alpha-ass either.”
“Screw you, white wolf,” Rafe said, his hand returning to her arm like he was in charge of her.
“I don’t see why Graves thinks you three will be an asset in the DSA fight against the anti-shifters. You don’t know how to get along with anyone. Not me, Jason, or even each other.”
“Jason? Are you serious? That sniveling fool took off at the first sight of blood,” Rafe said. “He’s the one who doesn’t belong.”
She turned around, looking for Jason. He was gone. Did he go for help? Maybe if he would have stepped forward and sided with her, they could have ended the fight before Tiernan got hurt.
“We’re all shifters, but we’re not pack,” Rafe said. “There’s a difference. And we’re not fragile like you humans.”
He ran a single finger over the scrape on her cheek. God, that felt good, but she couldn’t let him see that. The shifter was a grade-A asshole, even though his touch was tender, addictive. She leaned into him without realizing it until that familiar and arrogant grin of his emerged.
“I’m not fragile,” she said, batting his hand aside. Already, she felt the loss of his touch. The flash of confusion in Rafe’s face the moment she pulled away surprised the hell out of her. He’d lost that stupid, arrogant grin of his and looked as if he’d been punched in the gut.
A second later, he shoved her toward 86. “Escort her back to the training center.”
“I don’t take orders from you,” the dark-eyed shifter said, arms folded across his chest.
She moved away from both shifters and glanced at Tiernan, who remained huddled on the ground. “Before this turns into some damn male-pissing match, let’s get one thing straight. I don’t take orders from any of you. Now, back the fuck off, and let me help Tiernan.”
“He doesn’t want your help, angel,” 86 said.
