Page 61 of Brutal Alpha's Forced Mate

“Maybe I am.” His gaze holds onto mine, and the teasing glint fades, replaced by something deeper. “Jaslyn…”

“Gray,” I cut in, my voice softer now. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t make me fall for you more than I already have.”

His smile widens, and he spins me gently, pulling me closer as the song shifts. The moment stretches between us, heavy with the kind of tension that makes my skin tingle. I can feel the heat of his body, the strength in his arms, and it’s intoxicating in a way that has nothing to do with the music.

“We should go,” I say suddenly, the words slipping out before I can think them through.

“Go where?” he asks, though the gleam in his eyes suggests he already knows.

I glance toward the forest; the pull of it is undeniable. “For a run.”

His grin is all teeth. “Lead the way.”

We slip away from the crowd as quietly as we can, our steps quick and eager. The forest beckons, and for the first timein days, I feel like I can breathe. Like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

Chapter 21 - Gray

I’m running just behind her, close enough to watch the powerful lines of her wolf move through the forest with effortless grace, and it’s driving me insane. Her scent is everywhere, wrapping around me like a vice, teasing me with every stride she takes. She glances back once, and there’s no mistaking the challenge in those green eyes.

She wants me to chase her.

My wolf doesn’t need to be told twice.

Jaslyn’s speed is impressive, lean and quick, but I’m an alpha, and the predator in me doesn’t care about making this easy for her. My paws hit the ground with a solid rhythm as I push harder, cutting through the trees and closing the distance between us. She dodges left, then right, darting between thick trunks and low-hanging branches. I can feel her amusement in the way her tail flicks when I get too close.

She thinks she can outpace me. Adorable.

I surge forward, and her ears twitch back as she realizes I’m gaining. Her pace quickens, her strides stretching longer, and I swear she’s laughing, at least as much as a wolf can.

The forest around us feels like an extension of our bodies, the way we move through it without hesitation, without second-guessing. It’s instinct, raw and primal, and it’s not just the run that’s fueling the tension in my chest. It’s her. The way she moves, the confidence in every step, the way she lets herself go entirely to this moment.

I nearly lose myself watching her, but she veers sharply to the left. I react instantly, cutting through the undergrowth to intercept her. My wolf is relentless, fueled by the promise ofcatching her, and when I finally close the gap enough to graze her flank with my shoulder, she snaps her head around and growls.

That playful, low growl shouldn’t be sexy, but it is. It’s everything I can do not to shift back right then and there, and—

She bolts again, breaking my train of thought. This time, I don’t let her get far. I push hard, closing the distance in a few powerful strides, and lunge just enough to nip at her tail. It’s a deliberate move, one that earns me a sharp bark in protest and a flick of her tail against my nose.

It’s not a fight—it’s foreplay. And my wolf is all in.

We break into a clearing. She skids to a stop, turning to face me with her head held high and her chest heaving. I slow and start circling her as I move closer. She doesn’t back down, doesn’t shy away. If anything, she leans into it.

When I step forward again, she shifts first. The change ripples through her like liquid fire. Her naked human form replaces her wolf in a matter of seconds, and she stands there in all her bare, unapologetic glory, looking at me like she dares me not to follow.

“Are you going to stay like that?” she asks. “Or are you going to join me?”

I shift without hesitation, letting the transformation take hold. When I stand before her, I can feel the heat of her gaze like a physical touch. My skin buzzes under her scrutiny, every nerve alive and alert as we take each other in.

“Caught you,” I tease.

“You didn’t catch me,” she counters. “I stopped.”

“Why?” I step closer, and the space between us shrinks until there’s barely enough room to breathe.

She tilts her head. “To see if you’d actually make a move, Alpha.”

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