Page 7

GRAHAM

I left the cafeteria under the pretense I had a call to make. No one likely believed it, but it didn’t matter, I wouldn’t be questioned. I crouched lower to the ground, watching the female, hunting her. She draped herself in oversized clothing, but every time the wind picked up, it caused the fabric to hug the curves she hid.

I’d forgotten my future chosen mate existed. That girl had already fucked with my head, but the needy little scent perfuming from her drove me mad.

Maggie grabbed her arm, forcefully pulling her. A growl rumbled in my chest, but I was too far for my young sibling to hear my warning.

I shook out my fur, forcing myself to remain in place while they continued around the bend toward the community park we’d constructed for the pups.

Nothing would come of following her, but my wolf wouldn’t settle, and I couldn’t focus for shit. My fixation would only be sated once I fucked it out of myself.

Driving my cock into that?—

My wolf clawed for control to chase her down and claim her. A growl ripped from my throat. Shifting wasn’t the best idea; it gave him more of a foothold.

Not only was it attraction, but it was also a deep, gut-wrenching need. A foreign sensation. I was never one to let my cock drive me, but this female was a temptation I didn’t want. She was too young, too inexperienced, and those were the secondary aspects aside from me taking a mate soon.

Ruining the progress I’d made for my pack couldn’t happen.

She was a defective, essentially human, and those were never able to mate. If she were my true mate, this would be different; I’d pin her down and claim her immediately. But she wasn’t, and as attracted as I was to her, no female would sway me from my decision.

Compromising this alliance would be asking for bloodshed. It’d taken months for the elders to come to an agreement with the Aspen pack elders. Mating Hester was my only option. My pack had suffered loss already, enough was enough. Throwing that all away for some pussy would doom us all.

That bastard Whitlock would love an excuse for us to kill each other. The age-old adage about keeping enemies close was something I would take a step further, I’d claim my enemy’s sibling.

While he’d stayed here, I’d studied the mercurial werewolf. There was unrest in his pack and half the time, the bastard was intoxicated. He was too cruel, too abusive—leading violently and with fear. All fucking bluster. The piece of shit wouldn’t last like that and mating with Hester would give me the ‘in’ I needed to figure out how to take him down quietly.

The male had grown much too dangerous to have bordering my pack, and I wouldn’t jeopardize my plans because I was attracted to some young female wolf under my care.

Even if I couldn’t get my mind off her honey scent.