Page 52 of Eclipse Sector

He sort of reminded me of Lorcan, except Ransom just seemed to be perpetually thoughtful, while Lorcan’s silence always felt ominous. Maybe because Lorcan was more intimidating by nature, his power palpable whenever in his presence.

Ransom didn’t strike me as all that daunting. Sure, he was big like most Alphas, but he had a gentleness to his touch that made him more teddy-bear-like than beast-like.

Cillian’s definitely not a teddy bear,I thought darkly, his energy swathing my being despite him walking over a hundred yards behind us.

The Elite had throttled the entire sector with his gifts the moment we’d arrived, and he’d yet to release anyone from his hold.

I hated it. That damn aura of his made focusing on Ransom all the more difficult.

“Would you like to watch a movie tomorrow?” Ransom asked me softly as we arrived at my igloo door. “Maybe one of the old ones? From before the Infected Era?”

Those three questions were more words than he’d said in the last hour. But the way his black eyes lit up with interest told me theseold movieswere important to him.

“I would love to,” I told him.

It was a bit of an exaggeration; the cinema had never really appealed to me. I preferred outdoor activities, like fencing, shooting, and running in wolf form. I also enjoyed playing computer games, especially puzzle-like ones that required me to think.

However, I understood that mating meant I needed to indulge in my partner’s desires, too.

“Okay.” He gave me a smile small, his hand lifting to caress my cheek.

It was a tender graze of his fingertips, one that drew his eyes down to my mouth. I parted my lips, wondering if he intended to kiss me already.

Do I want that?I marveled.Maybe. Yes. I… I think I do.

A kiss would help me determine how much chemistry existed between us, if my wolf desired him, ifIliked him.

He seemed nice enough. But could I mate him?

I licked my lips, suddenly eager to find out.

His nostrils flared, his head angling toward mine.

I closed my eyes, waiting.

Then waited some more.

What…?I peeked at him, confused as to what was happening. I could feel his breath on my mouth, his face close to mine. But his gaze was no longer focused on me.

He was staring behind me.

At Cillian.

I couldn’t see him, but I knew he was there. Just like he’d been the entire way back to the igloo.

Our igloo, I realized.Fuck.

Ransom cleared his throat, his palm leaving my face as he took a step backward.

Double fuck, I growled in my mind.

“See you tomorrow, Ivana,” he said quietly.

Then shadowed before I could reply.

I narrowed my gaze at the space he’d just occupied, then slowly turned to find Cillian standing at the end of the path that led up to the igloo.

“You couldn’t have waited a little bit down the street for five minutes to give us some privacy?” I demanded, irritated as hell by him interrupting the end of my date.