Page 5 of Claimed by the Wolf (Wild Fated Shifters #1)

NOX

E ven though I promised Brax I would, I don’t want to attend Brynn’s twenty-fourth birthday party. But it feels like an obligation I can’t miss, considering what I have her doing for the pack.

At the start of the day, I had every intention of going, but as pack business took me all over the territory, dealing with one mess after another, I’m exhausted now.

Brax has been texting nonstop, wondering where I am. He’ll be upset if I don’t at least make an appearance.

Brax: You coming?

I read the text from my Beta at 10 p.m. as I’m leaving the packhouse.

I’m tempted to refuse. I bought Brynn a gift that I intended to give her the next time I saw her, the small gold-wrapped box sitting on my office desk as I stare at the phone screen.

But the more I think about it, the more time guilt has its way of settling in.

Dammit.

I suppose it won’t hurt to go. This is the last birthday Brynn is going to spend in our territory. I might as well make it semi-memorable for her. Her guests will appreciate a brief appearance from the Alpha, even if they suck the life force out of me with their fawning and pawing.

I retreat to the desk and grab the box, before heading out to my SUV, parked under a sweeping cypress in the darkness.

In the distance, a coyote yowls mournfully.

I almost chuckle. “Yeah, I know, right? I feel your pain.”

Their house is less than ten minutes from the packhouse, but in the opposite direction from my place, and their driveway is full, forcing me to park on the street.

The siblings’ house is jammed with Brynn’s friends and other shifters I recognize from my pack, but there’s no sign of her anywhere in the crowd. She must have gone out for more supplies or a breath of fresh air. I swallow a groan at my timing. I should have texted to let them know I was on my way.

Brax spots me as I amble through the throng of bodies. “There you are!”

I stifle my irritation. I’ve already been here longer than I intended, and it’s barely been five minutes. I wanted to be in and out, but already, eligible females eye me from every corner of the room, their pheromones activating with desire.

Another reason I’m not partial to parties.

“Where is Brynn?” I try to contain my annoyance, and I thrust the gift toward him. “I can’t stay long.”

Brax raises his head and looks around the crowd for his sister, and I do the same. There’s no sign of her blonde head among the group as the women draw closer, their intentions clear in their interested eyes.

“Well, give this to her.” It takes everything I have in me to mask my impatience and tiredness. “I have a long day tomorrow.”

He takes the present out of my hands, eyes casting downward with disappointment. “I’m sure she’ll be back soon. Don’t you want a piece of cake?”

I brush him off. “No, thanks. Tell Brynn happy birthday.”

“Fine,” he grumbles. “But she’ll be mad she missed you.”

Brynn’s already mad for other reasons. I’ll just add it to the list.

I head out the way I came, trailing back through the semi-familiar bodies.

Wafting cigarette smoke causes my nose to wrinkle, but as I near the front, a peculiar sensation creeps up the back of my neck and causes my skin to prickle. My footsteps falter, senses heightening, almost like I want to shift, but there’s no danger, even though my heart starts to pound.

Hot and cold circle through me.

The scent of someone nearby raises the hairs on my arms, and a lump forms in my throat, a connection drawing me closer.

Someone is calling me with every fiber of their being, their pull so strong, I’m almost powerless to stop it. I walk out the front door and to the side of the house, where the pull continues to become more intense.

“Nox?” Brynn’s voice calls out, and she appears from around the corner. Her hazel eyes are baffled as they lock with mine.

Energy flows between us, and a gasp of shock bubbles from my throat as I realize what’s happening, her eyes popping in tandem.

Slowly, we move toward each other, unable to pause the unmistakable bond that pulls us together, drawing us closer.

My chest aches, the tug of my heart so intense that I put my hand over it because I feel like it might erupt clean out of my body.

What the fuck is happening?

I growl lightly, her nearness intoxicating, my skin prickling as I long to touch her, but it takes everything in me to resist.

I can’t touch her. She’s Brynn!

Her eyes pop as she draws closer, every line in her face more defined than it’s ever been. I notice the dusting of freckles over her nose, every hair of her delicate, even eyebrows.

“W-What’s happening?” she chokes.

But she knows, just like I know, as our bodies physically yearn for each other, the pull irresistible.

I don’t understand how this is happening after all these years.

Why now? What changed almost overnight? We had just seen one another three days ago…

My hands reach out to touch her face, the pulse between us thrumming. I can’t stop myself. I need to connect my skin with hers. The bass from her house echoes faintly, but I can barely hear it above the thud of my heartbeat.

“You,” I growl. “You’re her.”

She bites on her lower lip and tries to look away, but it’s futile. We’re too connected, too invested in one another.

Fated mates.

Fuck. This is bad.

“How?” she mewls.

I suck in a breath, summoning every reserve of willpower I can muster to drop my hands as the front door opens, and chattering voices make me pause. I step back, knowing that anyone who sees us will undoubtedly catch our newly formed scent.

“Let’s go,” I hiss.

I grab her arm and hustle her toward the alley behind her house, the touch of her bare arm flooding me with another wave of emotions.

I can’t contain myself.

I want to push her up against the building and crush my lips to hers, to taste her mouth and press my body fully against her. I want to rip her clothes off and ravage her against the brick wall, witnesses be damned.

A fugue of lust overrides every part of my common sense, my chest heaving.

I step closer.

I want—no— need to fuck her right then and there. My cock presses ruthlessly against the fabric of my pants.

But of course, I don’t dare. I can’t. I wouldn’t.

This is an absolute shitshow.

Ensuring no one is around, I yank her fully out of view and into the veiled darkness of the alleyway, struggling to overcome the attraction.

No. Not attraction.

Magnetism. Collision. I’m going to explode if I don’t get away from her fast.

But I can’t, not yet… not when we’ve only just found each other.

“I don’t understand,” she rasps. “We never… I never… How?”

Her sputtering echoes my thoughts, but I dig into the recesses of my sensible mind. I am the Alpha. I have to keep it together.

“Your birthday,” I surmise, fighting to think through the fog of desire. “It must have triggered the bond.”

I take a full step back, willing my pulse to settle as I avoid her steadfast, pleading look. She licks her lips, and every movement is torture.

She’s Brynn, though. Brax’s little sister.

But that’s not the worst of it.

I realize I’ve leaned into her again, and I force myself back, her succulent scent overtaking me. Taking two full steps back this time, I cross my arms to keep myself from touching her unintentionally, my body vibrating.

Helplessly, she wrings her hands. “What are we going to do?”

The question finally grounds me in reality.

There is only one thing we can do.

“Nothing!” I snap, angrily. “What are you even asking?”

Hurt floods her face, and I regret my tone instantly, but I don’t apologize. I’m not mad at her, but I just can’t believe this entire situation. Of course we can’t do anything.

She’s promised to Emeric, and she’s Brax’s little sister! None of this is viable!

“Just… just go back to your party,” I tell her gruffly. “Forget this ever happened. Tell absolutely no one about it! No one! Do you hear me, Brynn?”

She visibly swallows, but when her eyes lock on mine again, another surge of heat rushes through me.

“You understand how bad it will be if anyone finds out?” I growl, but the question is rhetorical.

She bobs her head again, and I stare at her face, unable to look away.

The need to touch her is breaking me.

I need to get out of here. That’s what I need to do.

Whirling around, I run out of the alleyway. A giggling couple rounds the corner, stopping short as I almost barrel them over. To my horror, they’re members of my pack.

Fuck! Can they smell our bond? I don’t wait around to find out. I rush past them without a word, leaving Brynn in the darkness as the pack members call out in surprise. “Alpha?”

I don’t stop until I’m at my vehicle, where I collapse into the driver’s seat, blood rushing through my veins dangerously.

But I can’t give myself a minute to collect my thoughts.

I have to put space between myself and Brynn.

The longer we’re in the same vicinity, the better the chances are that someone will detect our bond.

Trembling slightly, I peel away from the curb, almost taking out a staggering group of humans at the corner. They curse and wave their fists at me, and I bare my wolf fangs at them, relishing their looks of fear as they stumble onto the curb and out of my way. I shouldn’t antagonize them.

I head up the freeway toward my estate at the opposite end of the city, and the tension gripping my body finally loosens, but not by much. A dull ache lingers in the aftermath of what just happened.

How could I not have ever suspected Brynn was my fated mate? Had she ever suspected me?

An image of her beautiful face flashes behind my eyes, those full, quivering lips, confused and questioning, ripe for kissing.

No. No, never. I can’t even entertain the idea. She is Emeric’s mate, not mine.

My foot falls heavier on the gas pedal, and I roll down the windows, allowing air to flow through the car, hoping to cool myself. The phone rings through the car speakers, and I eye the dashboard. My neck stiffens when I see Emeric’s number on the screen.

What horrible timing. I’m not sure I can deal with him in my current state, but I have been waiting for his call.

“Yes?” I answer curtly.

“I’m having a gathering next weekend at my ranch. It’s to make things official.” He wastes no time getting to the point.

My hands close tightly around the steering wheel, and I suck in a breath. “You want to have the ceremony next weekend?” I ask slowly, my mind again flittering back to Brynn.

Jealousy fires through my veins like lava, and I almost swerve off the freeway.

It’s only going to get worse from here…

Dread pops cold beads of sweat over my forehead.

“No,” he corrects me quickly, and I relax, but only slightly. “It’s more of an… informal get-together. Given the history of our two packs, it might be a good idea to let our packs mingle before the official ceremony.”

My eyes narrow, and I ponder his suggestion. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s procrastinating.

He’s suspicious of Brynn, even if he finds her attractive—or at least that’s what I glean.

That’s why he hasn’t moved her onto the ranch yet.

And if the roles were reversed, I can’t say I’d do it differently.

Emeric is not an idiot, and I can’t argue that getting everyone together before the ceremony is a smart move.

He’s far more diplomatic than the last Willow Grove Alpha, that’s for sure, and we’re trying to make progress here.

But given this newest turn of events, I need that progress to transpire faster.

“That’s fine,” I agree. “I’ll let my pack know.”

“I’ll send you the details.”

Before he can hang up, I add, “Have you given any more thought to having her move onto the ranch?”

As soon as the words leave my lips, I’m nauseous. Speaking them aloud is poison to my soul. It’s the last thing I want. But I need to get away from her if I have any chance of forgetting about her and what just transpired.

A long silence follows my suggestion.

“Are you still there?” I ask, knowing full well he hasn’t disconnected.

“I am.” He doesn’t elaborate.

And? Dammit, Emeric, make up your fucking mind!

“She’s a good choice,” Emeric drawls. “She comes from a good family.”

“I wouldn’t have paired you with an unworthy mate, Emeric. Brynn’s brother is my Beta, like I told you.”

“I want peace. I’m the one who suggested mating a high-ranking member of your pack. But I’m still doing my due diligence.”

I roll my eyes. I’m desperate to put space between me and Brynn. But at the same time, I don’t want to put space between us. The conflict is real.

“Let’s see how the party goes,” Emeric says after a moment of silence.

I don’t push the issue. I’ll just have to make sure I avoid Brynn all week and that she stays in Willow Grove territory after next week. Under no circumstances can she and I be in the same place together where anyone might catch a whiff of our bond.

Easy, right?