Page 34 of Moon Destiny

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

HUGH

A cold shower was just about the biggest cliche I could think of, but here I was anyway, letting the icy spray blunt the desire that had pummeled me ever since Brooke made her first shift.

No. It started before that, when she opened her bedroom door this morning and her vanilla-and-orange blossom scent nearly blasted me off my feet. That whacked-over-the-head feeling had only intensified as we’d walked to the edge of the forest, reducing my control to a razor thin tether that had barely kept my beast in check.

She’d tried so hard to hide how nervous she was, and I’d tried to hide how much my proximity to her nude body affected me—a fact that made me feel like a degenerate. I was her sire for crying out loud. I was supposed to help her through the most difficult shift she’d ever attempt, not ogle her ass while she crouched under a blanket.

But I’d challenge any red-blooded male to ignore the temptation of Brooke Ratner. She was long, long legs and sweetly rounded curves. Golden hair and sapphire eyes framed by impossibly long lashes. I’d averted my gaze as she knelt with the blanket around her shoulders, but I’d caught enough flashes of creamy skin to know she had more of those delectable freckles sprinkled here and there. Fortunately, she’d been too focused on her shift to notice I’d gone hard as stone beside her.

When she’d transformed, pride had replaced my lust. Her wolf was gorgeous, with rich, creamy fur I couldn’t help sinking my fingers into. Her eyes had stayed the same, that tantalizing navy ring surviving her shift. For a moment, I’d just stared, unable to take my eyes off her. She didn’t even realize how rare she was—a turned female and one capable of shifting on her first try. I was also fairly certain she was naturally dominant.

Then she’d knocked me on my ass, startling me out of my awe and making me excited for a chase for the first time in…well, I couldn’t remember how long. So much of my life on four paws was spent patrolling and projecting an image of strength. There was little opportunity for play when the eyes of the pack were on me. And they were always on me.

But not with Brooke. Running with her had been exhilarating…and freeing. It was only when we’d returned to our clothes that I realized I hadn’t thought about the rogues or the Council or any of the other dozens of issues that normally lay heavy on my mind. For once, I’d focused on the trees and the sunshine and the earth under my claws.

And her. Her scent had tempted me before. Her shift had increased it a thousandfold, until vanilla and orange blossoms blotted out everything else. My beast had delighted in our race, at how she wasn’t intimidated by me in the least. How she’d recognized that her smaller size made her faster and more nimble. How she hadn’t hesitated to take advantage of it whenever she could. She’d challenged me, just as she was meant to. No one else could do it better.

It was that heady realization that had rocked me to my core as we’d stared into each other’s eyes after we changed back. Maybe I’d never truly believed in fate. But in that moment, with her blue gaze holding mine and her lush lips parted as she caught her breath, I’d wanted to take what fate was offering.

Then the wind had shifted…and the bitter scent of ash had hit my nose. Tanner and the others had removed the pyre, but the smell of the fire would linger for weeks.

I bent my head now, one hand braced on the shower wall while cold water pelted my nape like a thousand tiny needles. But it was nothing compared to the guilt roiling my gut. I’d gone from mourning my son to almost kissing his girlfriend steps from the spot where I’d watched flames engulf his body. Even if there were no other obstacles between Brooke and me, I could never accept her as a mate. Her presence would be a constant reminder of what I’d lost. Alex had wanted to bring her to Bosford, to introduce her to the pack. I’d resisted, memories of how difficult things had been for his mother running through my mind. She’d had her own life, and she’d put most of it aside to marry me. Resentment had brewed between us from the start.

It would be so much worse with Brooke. She was part of a profession that required constant interaction with humans. It was her job to document that interaction—something the Council would never, ever countenance. I’d bitten her. When she went looking for someone to blame, her anger was bound to fall squarely on me. Fate had chosen poorly for both of us.

And yet I couldn’t seem to get her damn scent out of my nose. Even now, my cock stiffened, apparently undeterred by the freezing water. Determined to ignore it, I squeezed my eyes shut and thought about the ballistics reports Tanner and I had reviewed in my study last night. The bullet casings hadn’t given us any leads, which meant I was stuck playing defense against the rogues.

The water temperature didn’t seem to matter, because my desire remained unchecked. Great. Now the mere thought of Brooke had me stiff and aching. Still bracing one hand against the shower wall, I used my other hand to give my shaft a firm stroke. Heat flashed over me as I recalled how gorgeous she’d looked after her shift. Her beast had lingered in her eyes, turning them an icy blue, and the blush under her cheeks had made her smattering of freckles stand out. God, I’d wanted to lean in and touch the tip of my tongue to each one.

A groan escaped me as I continued pumping my dick. My balls tightened, my orgasm gathering ridiculously fast. Dark humor twisted inside me. Some alpha wolf I was, reduced to a two-pump chump when the female I wanted was just across the hall.

That thought made my beast roar with approval. He surged so close to the surface I clenched my jaw against the urge to shift. She was so fucking close… A few dozen steps. Would she refuse me if I made the trip? Or would those sapphire eyes darken with lust as she welcomed my kiss?

It doesn’t matter. A growl rumbled in my throat as I worked my shaft. I was never going to find out how she’d respond because I wasn’t taking her as a mate.

Problem was, my dick wasn’t getting the memo. My growl broke loose, rising with the saturated air as I worked my shaft faster. But it wasn’t what I really wanted. What I wanted was to sink into Brooke’s heat. To lose myself in her body and that goddamn scent that was driving me crazy.

“Fuck!” I gasped, slamming my fist against the wall. Grout crumbled into the water swirling around my feet. I’d care later, but I didn’t right now. I just needed to exorcise this desire I couldn’t afford to feel. Guilt and lust flickered back and forth in my head. I cursed, jerking myself in a punishing grip.

It was no less than I deserved.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

BROOKE

I paced the short path between my bed and the dresser while emotions tumbled through my head like clothes in a dryer. There was relief from making it through my first shift. There was irritation at being stuck in my room again. Most of all, though, there was confusion surrounding my body’s response to Hugh, not to mention my wolf’s vehement objection to the idea of rejecting him.

Hearing the beast so clearly had left me shaken, and I’d rushed upstairs as soon as Hugh and I returned to the house. It was a good thing he hadn’t tried to stop me, because I wasn’t certain I would have backed down from a fight. With my wolf so close to the surface, I might have actually liked it.

And that was confusing, too. I wasn’t exactly competitive—at least not in the traditional sense. Mom always said I was my own worst enemy, since I was never satisfied with “good enough.” I’d always wanted more. I wasn’t sure where that drive came from, but it had pushed me all the way to a full scholarship at Northwestern. It had given me the grit I needed to endure five years of covering pot luck dinners and county fairs while I waited for a real journalism job to open up.

But none of that was remotely the same as willingly going toe to toe with an alpha werewolf. Especially one I couldn’t stop thinking about. It didn’t help that his scent clung to me, making my skin heat with every breath. I’d hoped a shower and a change of clothes might erase it, but no luck. It was like Hugh was in the room with me. What I needed was a distraction. And maybe some food, because I was once again starving.

I eyed the door. Hugh never said I was free to roam the house. Then again, he’d never not said that, either.

And anyway, I didn’t need his permission. I knew my way to the kitchen. Shifters supposedly ate pretty much constantly. That meant there was probably a full fridge of food just waiting to be raided.

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