The Alpha's Other Woman by Vielle Nye (read a book .txt) 📗

I couldn't help but smirk a bit. "Well, I wasn't trying to piss you off here," I admitted.

He looked even more vexed by my words, but then he returned a smile. "I was wondering how I could have been mated to a tornado."

I understood he was joking, but a part of me didn’t like the mild criticism. I didn’t know why he was here, but the joke reminded me of when I had been acting luna and my behavior had been constantly on trial. How hard would I have to work for grudging acceptance if I stayed with him? The thought of trying to live up to another standard made me sick. No matter how much my wolf wanted him, I didn’t want that.

"What's wrong?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

"Nothing. I'm fine," I lied, smiling.

"I was joking, Carrie."

"I know." But I didn’t need more pain and rejection. Even if my wolf faded away into nothing, I could simply continue to live among the humans. They seemed to manage to be happy enough.

"Hey, I didn't mean whatever you're thinking," he said.

"Don't you think this whole thing is unfair, Stranger?" I asked. "Neither of us were looking for a mate, yet this ridiculous bond compels us to be together. I don't even know you, but you've been constantly in my head." I had to get away from him. I regretted inviting him in.

"Maybe, but it is what it is."

I frowned. "I still don't even know your name."

"I still don't know your family name. Or your former pack, for that matter."

I scowled. What did I care if he found out about my terrible past choices? I'd be long gone before he found out the truth. "Fine. I'm Carrie Thomas, and I was from Greenwoods."

"That's fairly far from here."

I shrugged and waited.

"I'm Jason Bronson and my pack doesn't have a name yet. We're just starting out," he said.

I nodded. I’d figured that out.

"Well, I don't think there's any more reason to drag this out. I, Carrie Thomas, reject—"

He moved so fast that I barely saw him close the gap between us and slap his hand over my mouth. My wolf howled her displeasure in my mind at my attempt to sever our bond, and the skin on my face tingled where his hand touched me.

"What the hell are you doing?" he growled. His eyes flashed from his normal near black to almost gold.

"Mmmmmphmmannnnnnmmmmph." I scowled into his irritatingly dreamy face. I was not about to admit it, but I was glad he stopped me.

"I'm going to release you, but don't try that again." He did, and it was lucky for him because I was one second away from biting him, and not in the sexy mate sort of way.

"Why not?" I asked. I took a step away from him and tried to collect myself. "It would solve the problem."

He growled at me and narrowed his eyes. I forced my back to stay straight under his attempt at intimidation.

"Just because I wasn't looking doesn't mean I want you to ruin it."

I fluttered my eyelashes mockingly. "Aw, you're making my heart pound with such sweet sentiments."

His face was a mask of seriousness. "I'm trying to build a pack, Carrie. Things aren't going to be easy or safe for a long time, if ever. Of course I wasn't looking to drag a female into it. Who would choose this life? Besides, at my age, I assumed there was probably a reason I hadn't found you yet, and it was most likely that you were dead. I didn’t expect to find you, ever. This world is a shit place."

I nodded. Before Asshole Dane and I had given up on finding our mates, I had often wondered if something terrible had happened to the male who had been chosen for me, if one had been chosen at all.

"Why did you try to reject me?" he asked.

I did not want to tell him about the mess my life had become before I was banished. "I thought you were going to do it and I wanted to get it over with."

He did not look pleased with my answer. "I had you confined for two days while you messed up and ruined my stuff. Did that seem like I was going to reject you?"

I raised an eyebrow. He was right, but it didn't make me happy to admit it. "You're not planning to lock me up again, are you?

"No, I’d lose my mind if I did that. But I would like you to come back where I can at least try to protect you."

"I have a job and a place," I said, waving my arm to indicate my small apartment.

He frowned a bit. "You don't need to work. You'd be safer with the pack."

I was tempted to refuse out of pure stubbornness, but I had missed pack life so much the idea of returning to it was incredibly tempting. "Maybe not, but I should at least give them and my landlord my notices. They all gave me a chance and it's the least I can do."

He didn't look happy with my decision, but he nodded. "Will you at least come stay with me, when you're not working? Please."

It was ridiculous, because my heart was going to become even more vulnerable, but I wanted to. "Yes."

He smiled at that, but it turned a bit wicked, and a sudden shudder of anticipation rushed through me. I imagined he could tell, because without a further word he stepped forward. "No rush to get back, though, is it?"

And then his lips were on mine, and his tongue swept into my mouth. I felt like I couldn't breathe and every sensation flooded straight down to the place where we were meant to be joined. My heart pounded frantically and I wrapped myself around him.

I was in no condition to compare him to Asshole Dane, but if I had any idea that this male with this talented mouth was out there waiting for me, I would have laughed in that jerk's face when he had first suggested I be his chosen mate and immediately gone rogue to find Jason.

Hell, I would have willingly gone rogue to hunt him down the moment I turned eighteen.

But I wasn't thinking about any of that. I was caught up in the throbbing passion and would have let him take me, would have taken him, there on the floor in the centre of my kitchen. His excitement pressed against me, and I rubbed myself against the hardness of him.