AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey there, gorgeous.” His gaze raked over my body. “You must be the reason the sun’s been shining so bright lately. Care to share some of your warmth with me?”
Ridge growled low in his throat, stepping in front of me. Sensing the brewing conflict, I moved to Ridge’s side, not wanting to further upset him by getting involved. His voice was a dangerous rumble when he warned the flirtatious shifter. “Stay away from my mate.”
The young shifter looked genuinely surprised by Ridge’s claim and tilted his head, scenting the surrounding air. “I cansmell you’ve been around her, but there’s no mating claim on her. What’s the big deal?”
Ridge’s eyes narrowed. His alpha dominance filled the air, causing the shifters all around to bare their throats in Ridge’s direction. My inner wolf howled, begging me to wrap myself around him.
“Our situation is none of your concern,” he snarled, every word laced with menace. “Stay away from my mate, or be prepared to battle it out.”
Ridge would destroy the other shifter, who wasn’t an alpha and didn’t stand a chance against Ridge. The sheer power of Ridge’s alpha dominance startled even me, though I had suspected it was coming.
The other shifters quickly apologized, especially the flirtatious one, before scurrying away to put distance between themselves and Ridge.
As the tension dissipated, I tried to take Ridge’s mind off the incident by curling into his body, nuzzling my nose into the crook of his neck, and placing soft kisses along his skin. I made sure he scented me, knowing it usually calmed him.
As our connection deepened, I whispered seductively, “How about I give you a private lesson in taking down hunters?”
“Now.” Ridge, his voice husky with desire, was telling me, not asking. And I found it hot.
“Definitely,” I said.
Our eyes locked, the promise of passion and adventure shining brightly between us.
“Good,” Ridge said, a devilish smile forming on his lips. He leaned in, capturing my mouth in a searing kiss, leaving me breathless and wanting more.
Chapter 10
Ridge
The sight of the surrounding males had my wolf and me grumbling. I took a long, heady inhale of Tori’s scent. Only she could calm us.
Tori grabbed my hand and led me away from the confrontation. The odor of the intruding male still hung in the air, making my hackles rise. Tori endured my frustration and offered a sympathetic glance over her shoulder, her eyes filled with understanding.
“Come on,” she murmured. “You’re worked up, I get it, but let’s not dwell on it. We have more important things to do.” She wiggled her brows and gave a coy smile as she lowered her chin.
Her attempt to distract me was appreciated, but my wolf howled for blood and demanded we mark her as ours. It took every ounce of willpower to keep him in check. I didn’t want to scare her off by pushing too hard, too fast.
I tried to sound casual. “What do you suggest?” My growls enunciated my words, and I caught Tori’s answering shiver.
Tori reached back and grabbed my hands, pulling my front against her back as she continued to walk. “Remember when you said you wanted to learn to spar with me?” Her lips curved into a flirtatious smile. “Why don’t we work on that?”
The sight of Tori fighting Kyle had given me a raging hard-on, as did the thought of being alone with her, our bodies pressed together as we engaged in combat.
“Sounds perfect,” I said with a playful nip at her neck.
Tori continued to lead the way. She swayed her hips as we walked, constantly rubbing her ass against my erection.
I moaned into her neck as I nuzzled her. We found a secluded spot, and my wolf relaxed—there was no scent of any males nearby.
“My uncle taught me basic self-defense when I was younger,” I said. “He said I couldn’t rely on my wolf alone and needed to be healthy and strong on my own.”
Tori chuckled, amusement in her eyes. “So that’s why you eat like a rabbit?” She tapped her forefinger against her bottom lip.
I feigned indignation. “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being health-conscious.”
“Of course not, Old Yeller,” she teased, and I laughed along with her. It had been a minute since she had called me all the fictional dog names. My wolf loved it when she was so playful.
“Okay, little wolf, where do you want me?” I stared at her with a lecherous grin, and she smiled back as she lifted her arms above her head, stretching. I dropped my gaze to her pert breasts. Her nipples were erect through the fabric of her bra and shirt, and I salivated, wanting to wrap my mouth around them and suck on her for days.
