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Woah. Shutting the door, I turn and rest my back gently against it, careful not to make a sound in case he’s still close by.
Just being in Nathan’s presence has my sluggish libido roaring to life. Everything about him makes my body sing, from his warm brown eyes to that crooked, boyish smile. His confident posture and relaxed, but unmistakably predatory, way of moving add to the overall package. A powerful alpha, sexual energy rolled off him and his lazy, sensual smile made me want to throw myself at him. I wanted to beg him to take me for a drink right now. Or just take me.
But a niggle, an alarm bell going off in the back of my mind at how smooth he is, reminded me of the scene from this morning. He knows how to work his obvious charms. Is he just working me, the new girl from the isolated pack? Is this guy assuming I’m a naïve little girl who’ll be bowled over by his megawatt smile and a little flirting?
I’ve been relatively sheltered as the daughter of a vicious alpha, and then as Dean's sister since he took over the pack. I’m not innocent, but few wolves are brave enough, or stupid enough, to mess around with me when my overprotective brother is the over-protective Alpha. With no outsiders joining the pack, and very few opportunities to venture off the territory, I’ve never had dealings with any men who didn’t know exactly who I was and that I haven’t known since we were kids. They all knew they needed to behave themselves properly with me.
The strength of my attraction to him, though, is something I can’t deny. Even if he doesn’t want something long term, it would be nice to enjoy some male attention while it lasts. Would I be a fool to fall for it? For him?
CHAPTER 4
MAYA
“Dean, stop. I’m not coming home.”
Raising my eyes to heaven, I’m glad my brother isn’t here right now, or I’d strangle him. Actually, the real reason I’m glad he’s not here is because he’d command me to come home, and I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
“I don’t know how I let you and Hayley talk me into this. Grey Ridge isn’t safe. I don’t want you to get caught in the middle of it all.”
I can hear his footsteps as he paces the floors of our old packhouse. In my mind, I picture him with his hand on the back of his neck, wearing a track in the hardwood as he gets more and more worked up. It’s sweet, really.
Dean briefed me on what has been going on in Grey Ridge over the last year. It started with the disgruntled wannabe Alpha of the Anderson pack, Toby, who Hayley caught trying to cheat the Grey Ridge pack on a business deal. When she exposed his scheme, he lost his mate and with it, his succession to Alpha. Ever since, he has been targeting the Grey Ridge pack to get revenge for everything he believes they took from him. To him, Hayley stole his mate and his chances of taking over their pack.
Even though Toby’s dead now, killed when he attacked Leah and tried to escape, everyone is still on edge. He had help from inside the Grey Ridge pack, and until that person is caught, Dean won’t be happy about me being here.
“Dean. The Alpha’s sister can’t be the first person to leave the pack on this exchange program and then come running back a day later. I’m safe. The guys have arrived and they’re going to be sleeping in the packhouse, too. Nothing is going to happen.”
The first trial exchange between our packs was supposed to be one person, but as soon as we decided I was going, Dean suddenly expanded the numbers. Conveniently, some of our elite warriors volunteered to come. My brother has definitely bribed or threatened them, although maybe they jumped at the chance to see somewhere different. Nobody, except some of the more senior members of our pack, has left the territory in years. It’s an adventure I’m not letting him take away from me.
“Maya, I…”
Standing off to the side, watching the comings and goings at the small welcome party Leila has thrown for us, I decide if the wolves here aren’t overly worried about a lingering threat, then I don’t need to be, either.
Cooper and Hayley gave us the opportunity to swap with a different pack instead if we didn’t feel comfortable. That was never an option. Dean doesn’t usually trust anyone else, and even though he’ll never admit it, I know he does trust Cooper and feels for this pack after all they’ve been through lately. He’s happy to post warriors here to help protect the pack house, and in particular, the Luna and her baby.
“If I was anyone else, you wouldn’t be doing this. I can take care of myself.”
That stops him in his tracks, and he sighs wearily down the line. He’s stressed. Control is how Dean deals with things when he’s anxious. Our home life was troubled, to put it mildly, but we always had each other's backs. We looked out for each other and protected Jax, our much younger brother, from the horror that was going on.
“I know. I just worry,” he admits, sounding exhausted.
I wait him out, and eventually, he relents with another put-upon sigh. My lips twist into a small smile. Dean pretends to be a hard-ass but behind it all, he’s a good guy.
“Fine. But at the slightest hint of trouble, Maya, you find the boys. Or one of the Joneses. And don’t tell anyone about…”
His warning wipes the smile off my face. I don’t need him to tell me what to divulge and what to keep to myself. I can’t help the sharp edge that creeps into my voice.
“Who am I going to tell, Dean? I don’t want anyone to treat me differently, like they do at home. That’s the whole point of coming here.”
My brother's heart is in the right place, but this is exactly what I wanted to get away from. Our pack prides itself on the skill and strength of every wolf. No wolf escapes warrior training, and everyone helps to keep the borders secure. We all play a part. In a pack like that, where everyone competes to be the toughest, and they value fighters above all else, any weakness is looked down upon. Without meaning to, my brother just reminded me exactly why I need this. It’ll be nice not to be reminded daily that I’m the runt of the pack.
“I didn’t mean it like that.” I know he’s sincere, and my anger fades a little.
“I know. Look, I better go warn the guys to behave themselves on their first night here. Being around all these new she-wolves is making their heads spin.”
Dean's deep laugh reaching out to me down the line warms my heart. I feel bad leaving him, and I know he’ll miss me. I’m going to miss him, too. It’s supposed to be temporary, but somehow, we both know it’s not. I don’t know if I’ll stay in Grey Ridge, but I need to spread my wings. He does, too.
“Go. Enjoy. Not too much, though.”
