Page 27 of New Blood (Werewolf Alliance #1)

J ude exited his bathroom, wearing nothing more than a short towel around his lower half.

He’d taken a cold shower, but it hadn’t helped tamp down his sexual need in the slightest. In fact, all day he’d had to battle with his inner wolf, preventing the damn beast from rearing its ugly head and going after Danielle, pressing her against the closest flat surface—no matter where—and fucking her. No, not just fucking. Making love.

Yeah, that’s how bad he had it. After their encounter in the woods the previous night, it was all he’d been able to think of.

He’d barely been able to get through the finance meeting with Violet, and when his brother and Francisco had returned from Montana, he’d only had eyes for Danielle.

And Danielle had barely looked at him, evidently too engrossed in cooing over Wendell and his cat.

He made a mental note to tell Wendell that Danielle was off-limits.

He couldn’t have anybody encroach on his territory.

Fuck!

He ran a hand through his damp hair, letting out a frustrated groan.

Why had Danielle not spoken to him today?

From what he could tell, she’d tidied up his bathroom and made his bed sometime during the day.

Had she maybe tried to catch him alone, and she’d just been too busy with her duties to seek him out?

Maybe she was waiting for him right now.

He knew where her room was. Parker had made a floor plan of the house that indicated who occupied each room just like he’d ordered.

So what was he waiting for? For her to make the first move?

He shook his head. No, she wouldn’t do that.

He was the alpha. Maybe she was intimidated by his position, and that’s why she’d said that they shouldn’t do this again.

Surely, she’d said it to give him an easy way out in case he didn’t want to continue their…

well, whatever this was. And like an idiot, he’d agreed by remaining silent on the subject.

Why hadn’t he protested right there and then?

He should have made it clear to her that after making love to her in the woods, the thought of touching Eve—or any other woman for that matter—was revolting.

Was Danielle in her bed right now, hoping that he would come to her? Was she waiting for him?

“Fuck it,” he ground out and marched toward the door when he realized that he was still wearing only the damp towel.

He went back into his bathroom and tossed the towel over the shower rail. In the bedroom, he snatched his pajama pants from the bed and slipped them on, when there was a knock at the door. Before he could reply, the door was ripped open.

Austin barged in, dragging Danielle and a rather large backpack with him. He closed the door behind him and tossed the backpack on the floor, but didn’t remove his hand from Danielle’s upper arm.

Jude stared at both of them, confused. Why the hell was his brother bringing Danielle to his bedroom in the middle of the night, and why did she look so utterly pissed off?

“What the—”

“Guess who tried to sneak out in the middle of the night?” Austin pointed to the backpack. “With a bunch of money in her luggage. Lots of cash, maybe fifteen to twenty-five thousand. Looks like theft to me.”

“That’s my money. I didn’t steal anything!” Danielle growled and kicked Austin in the shin so hard that he finally dropped his hold on her arm. “And you had no right to stop me from leaving!”

He’d never seen her so angry.

When Austin opened his mouth, evidently to let an insult roll over his lips, Jude stopped him by lifting a hand.

“Leave this with me. I’ll handle it.”

“You sure? I can stay. Who knows what else she’s got up her sleeve.”

“Better not, Austin. I can see that you’re only riling her up even more. Good night, bro.”

Austin shrugged and headed for the door. When he finally left and closed the door behind him, Jude turned back to Danielle.

“Care to explain to me why you’re leaving in the middle of the night?” He tapped his foot against the backpack. “Going camping?”

She looked at him with a defiant glare. “That’s nobody’s business.”

She might as well have slapped him in the face, because that’s what her words felt like.

“I disagree. It is my business. You’re part of my pack; you swore an oath to me last night.”

And she’d done considerably more when they’d made love, but he wasn’t going to throw that in her face right now. Not unless he had to.

“So, why are you leaving?”

“This pack is just not the right fit for me.”

She sounded like she was quitting a job she hated. “Bullshit. The pack is still the same; only the leadership has changed. So what you’re saying is that you’re leaving because of me.”

“You should be happy about it.”

“Happy?” That emotion was the furthest from what he felt right now. “Why the fuck would I be happy if you left?”

She clamped her jaw shut, anger rolling off her entire body.

“Damn it, Danielle, out with it!” He took another step closer. “Or I’m gonna fuck it out of you.”

That seemed to have gotten her attention. Her lips parted. “Why would you wanna fuck me when I’m clearly boring in bed?”

“Who the fuck said—” He stopped himself mid-sentence, realizing that he himself had used those words earlier in the day. He let out a breath. “You eavesdropped on my conversation with Ransom.”

“I’m glad I did. Knowing how you feel about last night makes it easier to leave. So, let me have my backpack, and I’m outta here.”

He kicked the backpack hard, making it slide over the polished wooden floor, out of Danielle’s reach.

“You’re not leaving. I lied to Ransom. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“That’s convenient,” she scoffed. “Don’t bother trying to find an excuse. I really don’t care how you feel.”

“Evidently you do, or you wouldn’t have chosen to leave without a word in the middle of the night.”

If his conversation with Ransom had been the only reason why she suddenly wanted to leave, he could fix this situation quickly.

“Listen, Danielle, the only reason I said what I said to Ransom is because he was interested in you. I didn’t want him to make a pass at you.”

“Well, isn’t that just peachy?” She snorted rather unladylike. “So I’m not even good enough for one of your men. You had to save him from me. Thanks a lot!”

“Are you saying you’re interested in Ransom?” The question alone caused a dull pain in his solar plexus.

“Why the hell would I be interested in Ransom?”

She shook her head, her forehead furrowed in disbelief, which he interpreted that she didn’t want a relationship with Ransom. It was a relief, yet at the same time, he wasn’t sure why she was still so pissed off.

“I apologize,” he said quickly.

His father had taught him to always apologize to a woman just in case she expected an apology, even if he didn’t know what he’d done wrong. Keeping it vague was the best strategy in this situation.

“Now let me leave,” she insisted once more.

“Why do you still want to leave? I told you I lied to Ransom so that he wouldn’t make a pass at you. I’m sorry that you had to overhear it, but I really felt I had no choice. Ransom has a way of getting any woman into his bed, and I just can’t allow that. Not with you. Not after last night.”

She narrowed her eyes, and it felt like she was shooting daggers at him.

“So let me get this straight: you don’t want me to have sex with any of your men, but at the same time you’re gonna mate with Eve. If you think that I’ll become your mistress once you’re mated with Eve, you’re wrong. I’m never gonna be the woman on the side.”

Now, it dawned on him. Danielle didn’t like the idea of him mating with Eve. That was the root of the problem.

“What happened last night was a mistake,” she continued.

“It wasn’t a mistake!” he shot back. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

She shook her head. “You’re still gonna mate with Eve, and I can’t stay to watch that. Don’t you get that?”

This had to mean that Danielle really did have feelings for him. Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter to her if he mated with Eve or not. If she felt nothing for him, and all last night had been was sex, she wouldn’t feel compelled to leave the pack. But how could he be sure about what she felt?

“I get it now. You have feelings for me. That’s why you can’t watch me taking Eve as my mate. You want me to mate with you instead.”

For a moment, it looked like she wouldn’t answer, but then she looked straight into his eyes. “It doesn’t matter whether I have feelings for you. You have to mate with Eve. And I can’t change that.”

He gripped her shoulders now, not wanting her to escape again. “But if I didn’t have to mate with Eve, what then? Would you want me as your mate?”

“I just told you that it doesn’t matter what I want. You’re not free.”

“Damn it, Danielle, just answer the fucking question. If I were free, would you want me as your mate?”

He could see the no already sitting on her tongue and slipped his fingers under her chin to tilt her head up so she couldn’t avoid his gaze, and hopefully, wouldn’t lie to him.

“Would you want me?”

He could see tears well up in her eyes and some of the anger seep from her body, but she still didn’t give him an answer.

“I should mention,” he murmured, softer now, gentler, “that I’m falling in love with you, and that I can’t give you up, because I recognize you as my true mate.”

There it was: the truth. He would rather give up his position as alpha—should it become necessary—than lose her.

The realization that he would betray the Werewolf Alliance and their directive in order not to give up Danielle, hit him out of nowhere.

His inner wolf had made the choice, and he had to accept it, knowing he couldn’t change the wolf’s mind.

The wolf always got what he wanted. And frankly, the man in him wanted the same, even if it was against everything he’d sworn to do.

Gently, he rubbed his thumb along her jawline, caressing her soft skin. “Please, Danielle… give me an answer.”