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“... and I'm the beta of the Grey Ridge pack. Was the beta?” He frowns, and I rest my cheek against his arm, stroking my fingers along his tanned forearm to ease his discomfort. “It’s complicated.” His mouth twists in a wry smile, but it’s forced, and I see a flash of pain in his eyes.
“You don’t have to tell me all your secrets right now. I know we’re mates, but we’re also strangers. It’ll take some time.”
A sigh of relief passes from him and he tilts my chin up so he can press a soft kiss to my lips. “They didn’t kick me out. I’m taking a break while I sort out some stuff for a friend. When I can, I’ll tell you more.” He holds my eye and I nod.
I know it’s a vague answer, but with one brother the alpha of a nearby pack and another who’s an enforcer, just like me, I understand that secrets come with the territory.
“I’ve never been to Grey Ridge, but I’ve met Cooper and Hayley.”
Ethan swivels toward me and raises an eyebrow, intrigued by our loose connection.
“When they came to visit Zoe. I’m from the Steel Pack.”
My mate’s face falls, and my chest tightens. What’s wrong with my pack? Sensing my mood change, Ethan pulls me into his lap and presses his lips to my cheek before whispering into my ear.
“I was supposed to go with them. We could have met back then.” He nips my earlobe, and I shiver, my nipples tightening as I react to his touch. “We’d be mated already. You’d have been wearing my mark all this time.”
His mention of marking hangs awkwardly in the air, but neither of us mentions it. In the heat of the moment, I wanted his teeth to sink into my neck. My wolf was disappointed when he didn’t claim us completely. Without the fog of lust to cloud my judgement, though, I’m glad he didn’t. We’ve just met, and I’ve got a job to do. A mark wouldn’t make it impossible, but it would raise questions about what I’m doing so far from home.
Ethan’s lips part as though he’s going to discuss it, so I crush my lips to his. Hoping to distract him from whatever he was going to say, I swivel so my knees rest on either side of his powerful thighs. Running my fingers through his hair, I pull him closer and deepen the kiss. His hands fall to my hips as the heat between us rises again. It’s not the only thing. I can feel his length, hard and thick, pressing against the front of his jeans, and he shifts, rubbing it against my sensitive clit.
Placing my feet on the ground, I stand and step back, extending a hand to the big male in front of me. He takes it, allowing me to pull him to his feet with a cheeky smile. As he looms over me, an indulgent smile on his lips, I realise just how big he is. I walk backward, tugging him along, our hands joined loosely at the fingertips.
“Where are you taking me, little mate?” a teasing tone to his voice. “I’m not sure I trust you. You could be trying to take advantage of me.”
I laugh as I lead him toward the back porch, pulling open the door to the balcony, only a short height above the sloping land that leads to the forest behind the cabins. “Would that be so bad?” I’m giggling as he makes a show of thinking about it, his gaze hungrily travelling up my bare legs to the hem of his t-shirt.
“No, I think it sounds pretty perfect, actually.”
Aw. I grin at him and roll my eyes at his cheesy charm. He pretends to be offended and tightens his grip on my hand, yanking me to him so hard I crash into his firm, bare chest. My hands rest on his hot skin and I can’t help letting them slide lower, feeling every ridge and dip of his defined abs. I hook my fingers into the waistband of his jeans, and when he groans, loosening his hold on me, I let go and dance from his grip.
Ethan’s eyes darken, his features stern. Dangerous. A giddy thrill runs through me. He steps forward and I step back, his gaze becoming more and more intense as I tease and taunt him.
“Careful, Belle. I might be all smiles, but I’m not above spanking that cheeky ass if you tease me too much.”
He watches silently, his tongue darting out to wet his lips as I tug his t-shirt over my head and drop it to the floor. I love how I’m covered in his scent, now smelling like the perfect combination of the two of us.
“Belle…” he warns as he reaches out, but I back away further. His muscles are taut and I can see his wolf reacting with frustration as he’s denied my touch.
“You have to catch me first.” With a wink, I jump.
One foot pushing off the edge of the balcony, I launch myself over the edge. Shifting in midair, I land gracefully ten feet below on the soft grass. Twisting around, Ethan is staring at me; jaw clenched and his knuckles white, as he grips the wooden railing tightly.
“Oh, you’re in trouble now,” he growls, reaching down to unbutton the top of his jeans. With an excited yip, I turn and run, crashing into the dense forest. I need to leave tomorrow, and I can’t bring Ethan with me. There are some serious conversations to be had this evening, but for now, I just want to have some fun.
4
BELLE
Skidding in the dirt, I change direction abruptly. Ducking under low scrub and squeezing through some fallen logs, I doubt Ethan’s wolf will be able to follow. My wolf is positively vibrating with happiness, even though we can hear him coming. His heavy paws thud on the damp ground as he quickly closes the distance.
My bushy tail wags with excitement as I plunge into a small stream and run a few metres up the bank of the far side. Heart pounding in my chest, I change course back into the water and sprint along the steam’s path.
A low growl sends a shiver through me, and I leap from the slippery rocks into some ferns. Crouching down, I know he’s close. The silence tells me he knows he nearly has me. I smother a growl when he steps out of the trees, head bent low as he tracks my scent. He’s magnificent. Powerful muscles ripple under his coat as he prowls closer, his steps confident, and my mouth waters.
Yes, this is a worthy male. Strong, intelligent, and capable of handling a female with alpha blood running through her veins. Someone like me.
His broad head swings from side to side; his tongue hanging out as he pants, he’s not taking this too seriously. As I hoped, he follows my path through the water and up the far bank. When my trail ends, he stops, lifting his head and spinning around in a circle with a frustrated snarl. I struggle to smother a yip of delight from my wolf at his confused face. Ethan’s eyes narrow, glowing dark blue in the dappled sunlight.
