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Damn.
An utterly unamused Riaz shifted a half second later, the mahogany wolf vanishing and being replaced by a bare-chested man. The jeans slung low of his hips allowed full view of the deep cut of his abs, disappearing in a delectable v-shape beneath his belt.
Blinking, she catalogued every peak and valley of his torso, and the ridges of his shoulders, so well defined and built. Not an ounce of fat clung to his stacked abdominals, and his the perfectly sculpted pecs and biceps made her salivate. Cortana had a brief sensation she was looking at a dream given form.
She’d been ogling his body for too long when she should have been looking at his face. Opening her mouth to—what, apologize?—she instantly shut down when he gave her a withering look.
“Hush … puppy?”
Fighting the urge to join in Ava and Gadriel’s laughter, Cortana attempted a casual shrug. “Seemed appropriate.”
One mahogany eyebrow rose at the suggestion, the man clearly irritated at the insinuation. In the next instant, he moved forward, crowding her against the stone wall of the den not a foot behind her.
“I’m no one’s pup, Pet. I bite.”
And yet, it didn’t sound like a threat. “Should I be scared, Mr. Alpha, Sir?”
A hint of mirth broke through the clammy exterior, his lips hooking in a dark smile. “I’ll only bite you when you want me to, little vampirella.”
Locking eyes with him, her breath caught in her throat. A slow coil of desire snaked through her veins, sizzling with a sudden passion she couldn’t fight. It was as if her entire being was consumed with need for the man standing in front of her, the urge to pull him close nearly overpowering.
Swallowing harshly, she grappled with the emotions vibrating through her.
Only through sheer strength of will did she consciously extract herself from the intimate space they shared, taking a step back and feeling the concrete wall bank against her shoulders. Still holding eye contact, she noticed the brief pained expression cross Riaz’s features, but it was gone so quickly she could have imagined it.
Confused, she ceded defeat and dropped her gaze to study the ground, needing the distraction before she did something ridiculous. Like vaulting into his arms.
Riaz clearly got the memo. Clearing his throat, he stepped away, and she instantly felt bereft. A host of werewolves stampeded into the den at Riaz’s whistle, some on two legs and some on four.
“Come on, Lady of the Night, since you’re so fond of Gadriel, let’s introduce you to the other betas.”
Riaz didn’t turn to ensure she was following, not even when he grabbed a shirt from the pile near the entrance. A small part of her had relished his rapt attention in those two minutes, delighting in the way he’d never glanced away.
Even going as far as growling to stake a misguided claim.
Trailing behind him in companionable silence with Ava, the two of them brought up the rear. More than once, the other woman’s eyes searched her features, but Cortana was too wrapped up in her thoughts to acknowledge it.
What was it about Riaz that made her heart thump in her chest? She’d known him little more than a day and already she was acting like a blushing schoolgirl with a crush. Gritting her teeth, she promised herself that she’d show a bit more decorum, and a lot more restraint.
Because no one had ever had this effect on her … not even the man she’d killed when her desire spun out of control.
Chapter Six
Waiting in the den was the group of werewolves Riaz trusted with his life. Arno and Nico had gathered near the center of the room, the pair of them rounding out his beta team alongside Gadriel and Ava. Wide grins met his and Cortana’s approach, the troop falling silent as he drew near, with one exception.
“What’s happened to our glorious alpha that he now calls us together for a meeting?”
Riaz threw Arno a devil-may-care smirk. “It seems our guest has found my less than formal methods … lacking.”
Nico cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Blasphemy!”
“See, little Pet?” Riaz said. “My system works.”
Her look of disdain didn’t falter. “Forgive my disbelief.”
Pivoting, Riaz pointed toward his team. “Gadriel you’re already too familiar with.”
Riaz unceremoniously booted the grinning beta in the butt, taking great pleasure in seeing him stumble sideways and nearly trip. He let loose a snarky laugh at the other man’s expense.
