Page 4 of Rejected By My Shadow Alpha
That red-haired woman.
Her scent still lingered in my senses, a mix of wild roses and something deeper, wilder. It wasn't just her beauty, though that alone would have brought any man to his knees. It was the storm she stirred inside me. My wolf had clawed at my insides, howling, pacing, aching for her. Mate. The word echoed through me, relentless and maddening.
And yet, I'd walked away like a damn robot, afraid of what I felt. The mission at hand was bigger than this.
I gritted my teeth and shoved my office door open, tossing the patient file onto my desk harder than necessary. I hadn't meant to mess up the chart. That wasn't like me, but working in this hospital under the guise of keeping track of Alfred Alfonso's network and pretending not to be who I was came with risks.When she pointed out the insulin dosage, my blood ran cold. It could have been fatal. Thankfully, the patient hadn't been harmed.
What the hell was wrong with me? One look into those emerald eyes and my self-control had nearly shattered. She'd smelled like forest rain, and her presence lit something inside me I hadn't felt in years; desire, yes, but something more primal. Connection.
I was still standing behind my desk when the door burst open.
"You're welcome," came her voice, sharp and furious.
I turned, startled, as she stormed in, fire blazing in her eyes, the same fire that lived in her hair. Damn. Even angry, she was a vision. The top of her blue scrubs was slightly unbuttoned, revealing the pale curve of her collarbone. My gaze flicked there and back before I could stop it. My wolf was practically panting, ready to throw pride to the wind.
"I beg your pardon?" I said, straightening.
"You couldn't even manage a thank you?" she snapped, stepping closer. "I pointed out your mistake. That insulin dose could've killed the patient!"
I clenched my jaw. "I corrected it."
She gave a bitter laugh, arms folding across her chest. "Wow. No remorse, no apology, just ice."
My eyes locked on hers, my wolf pressing against the surface of my control. Her anger didn't push me away. It pulled me closer. She was vibrant, electric, and real. I could feel her wolf beneath her skin, restless and reacting to mine.
I swallowed, trying to douse the heat rising in my chest. "You're right. I should've thanked you," I said, my voice quieter and rougher than I intended. "Thank you."
For a second, she seemed taken aback. Her mouth parted slightly, and I saw the confusion in her eyes. Her anger still simmered, but beneath it, there was something else. Recognition. I could see the same pull I felt mirrored in her.
I stepped away, grabbing a file from my desk like I needed to focus on anything else. She stared at me, waiting for something, and when I gave her nothing more, her expression darkened.
"Unbelievable," she muttered, turning on her heel and storming out, the door slamming behind her.
The silence that followed was deafening. I leaned heavily against the edge of the desk, running both hands through my hair.
Mate.
This wasn't just attraction. This was something older than time, and I had just slammed a door in its face.
"Shit," I whispered, staring at the space she had just vacated. My wolf clawed at me, furious and demanding that I run after her and close the yawning gap between us.
The rest of my shift passed in a blur of distracted thoughts. I went through the motions, but her face haunted me. Her voice. The defiance. The scent.
By the time I clocked out and made my way to the hospital parking lot, I was grateful for the evening chill that cut through the heat simmering under my skin.
My phone buzzed.
An Intel drop from Jay: Need eyes on Alpha Alfred. Possible activity near the South Brooklyn docks. Info attached.
I opened the file, walking slowly toward my car, barely aware of anything around me until something soft and solid collided with my chest.
"Oof!" she gasped.
My arms instinctively wrapped around her to steady us both, and the second my hands made contact with her waist, a bolt of electricity surged through me so violently, I almost staggered. Her scent hit me like wildfire; roses in full bloom, honeyed warmth, and something wild that didn't belong to this world. My wolf howled, rising to the surface with such force it left me breathless.
Ruby.
I was leaning in, her breath mingling with mine, my heart pounding.
