Page 2 of Midnight Bond (Wolves of Midnight #5)

Everywhere I went, heads turned. Guys tripped all over themselves to get my attention.

I’d never needed to pursue a relationship because it always came to me.

Hooking up with a guy was easy, even if it always ended the same way.

I hadn’t wanted more back then, but now that I did, I could only focus on one male.

An unavailable one who had absolutely no intention of pursuing me.

How infuriating was that?

As I neared the edge of the clearing where the ceremony and reception were being held, the feeling of being watched swept over me once more.

I tensed, knowing that he’d only followed me because I was an unmated female, alone and far from pack territory.

It was his duty to keep me safe. He had no intention of speaking to me, so I planned to do the same.

But before I could flounce off and pretend he wasn’t there, a male voice that wasn’t his said, “Care for a drink?”

Startled, I whirled to face the stranger.

“Sorry,” he said, giving me a sheepish look.

The flickering sconces from the wedding didn’t illuminate his face this far away, but I easily picked out his features with my night vision.

He was handsome in a boy scout sort of way, his expression open and his smile casually confident.

Gesturing to one of the drinks he held, he added, “I couldn’t help but notice that you looked flushed during the ceremony, so I thought you might want a drink. And some company.”

Heh. Definitely confident. I’d met his type countless times before. After a little charm and gallantry, he expected to be in my panties by the end of the night. Human and werewolf males weren’t all that different when it came to sex.

I was about to turn him down when a dark shadow several yards off shifted in my peripheral vision.

A split-second glance confirmed what I already knew.

Jagger had followed me. Of course he had.

His dark suit, closely-shaven black hair, and light brown skin blended into the night, but one of the diamond studs in his ears caught the moonlight.

As it winked at me, taunted me, I refocused on the boy scout and replied, “I’d love a drink and company. My name’s Brielle, by the way.”

His smile widened as he handed me a drink. “Theo. You must be pretty special if you travel with the infamous Alpha Rivers.”

I shrugged with a small laugh before taking a sip of my drink. Alcohol. He definitely wanted inside my panties. “Nah, I’m just the alpha female’s best friend.”

His brows rose in interest. “Hybrid?”

“Nope. Turned last year.”

Disappointment flashed in his brown eyes. Ouch. Guess that meant I wasn’t mate material—not that I expected him to pursue me in that way. He clearly only wanted a quickie, and despite how cheap that made me feel, I was tempted to give it to him.

Ever since I’d moved into the Rivers’ mansion, I’d been in a dry spell. Becoming a werewolf might have a little to do with it, but several of the unmated males from Midnight Pack had shown an interest in me over the past year.

I was off my game, and maybe a little romp with a perfect stranger was just what I needed to feel like myself again. Or at least distract me from the male lurking in the shadows.

So, I decided to flirt with the horny boy scout, laughing at his jokes and coyly fluttering my lashes at him. It worked like a charm. Half an hour later, he boldly asked me, “Want to get out of here? I have much better booze at my place.”

Unoriginal, but I could roll with it.

Downing the last of my drink, I opened my mouth to accept his blatant sex invitation.

“Brielle.”

At the sound of Jagger’s voice, I stiffened. So did Theo. He’d obviously known Jagger had been watching us but hadn’t mentioned it. Unable to ignore him any longer, Theo turned to the male with a tight-lipped smile.

“You’re Jagger Montgomery, Midnight Pack’s second in command, right? Don’t worry about Brielle. I can have her back before they cut the wedding cake.”

At that, Jagger’s blue-gray eyes flashed a bright yellow. Theo stiffened even more, no doubt intimidated by the sight. As a regular werewolf like me, he didn’t stand a chance if Jagger decided to shift right now and challenge him.

I was surprised yet not surprised by Jagger’s reaction. Theo was making his intention toward me more than clear, but it was bordering on disrespectful.

As if he’d just realized this, Theo placatingly said, “I meant no disrespect, man. I didn’t scent a claim on her and assumed she was available. If she’s not—”

“I am,” I interjected, popping a hand onto my hip. “Jagger was just leaving.”

Jagger’s yellow eyes slowly fixed on me. I stood my ground, even as a few more drops of sweat slithered down my spine. When he wouldn’t look away, it became hard to breathe. He didn’t say a single word, but I knew exactly what he was thinking.

“You wouldn’t dare,” I said in a deathly quiet whisper.

He continued to stare at me, his gaze unwavering. Then, “You’re not leaving with him.”

I clenched my jaw, stubbornly glaring back, but it was no use. As a frustrated tear threatened to spill over, I whirled and headed back toward the wedding. Theo made a sound of protest, but I didn’t bother to apologize. I was too furious.

Jagger outranked me by far, but I still wasn’t used to obeying pack hierarchy.

I’d been raised to be independent, to make my own decisions—even if they were poor ones.

If I wanted to have sex with a complete stranger, that should be my decision.

My wolf practically howled inside my chest, wholeheartedly agreeing.

This wasn’t the first time Jagger had robbed me of a choice. He clearly thought he had the right to dominate me, and I was sick of it. Sick of the looks. The constant monitoring. The broody attitude. The silence. I wanted more out of life, and he was preventing me from having it.

But maybe with him around, I couldn’t have the life I dreamed of. Maybe the only way to have it was to run far, far away from him.

To forget about him.

And that meant leaving Midnight Pack.