Page 7 of The Alpha's Runaway Mate
I sag back against Nolan without meaning to. “Jesus,” I whisper. “That was… intense.”
“Yeah,” he growls, still watching the door like he’s ready to tear it off its hinges. “That’s what happens when vamps get bored. You okay?”
“I think so.” My voice shakes. “He just, looked at me, and I, ”
“I know,” Nolan says, his tone softer now. “They’re predators. They can push their will if you don’t know what you’re looking for.”
I swallow hard, heart still racing. “So that’s what that was? Glamor?”
“Yeah. Don’t blame yourself. It works on most people.” His gaze flicks to mine, sharp but full of something that almost feels like pride. “But you didn’t fall for it. You fought it.”
I huff a laugh, shaky and half-dazed. “Pretty sure you did most of the fighting.”
He smirks, the edge finally easing from his shoulders. “Maybe. But next time, Sweetheart, don’t let anyone touch you unless it’s me.”
The warning in his voice sends a shiver right down my spine. His gaze catches mine again, and the space between us goes molten.
Hours blur. Drinks. Music. Heat. Stares. The energy in the room builds, pressing against my skin. Every time Nolan’s near, that pull between us gets stronger, heavier.
By eleven, the atmosphere changes. The laughter’s sharper. The air feels charged, like the seconds before a storm.
“Busy night?” I ask.
“Full moon tomorrow,” he says, jaw tight.
“And that means what, exactly?” I look around.
“Rowdy customers.”
Before I can push, a chair crashes near the pool table and a deep growl rumbles through the bar, low and animal. My entire body locks up. Nolan’s gone before I can blink. One look from him and the sound dies instantly. When he comes back, I whisper, “What did you say to them?”
He smirks. “Told them to play nice.”
“You’ve got one hell of a presence,” I murmur.
He leans in close, breath hot against my ear. “You’ve got no idea.”
My knees threaten to quit on me. I’m half convinced he’s some kind of drug, because I can’t get enough.
By midnight, I’m wrecked. My pulse hasn’t slowed in hours. Every part of me aches for something I don’t understand. The only thing keeping me grounded is him, his voice, his nearness, the rough warmth in his gaze.
When he tells me to clock out, I don’t argue. He presses a wad of cash into my hand, and our fingers brush. The heat flares back, wild and dizzying. His eyes darken like he feels it too. “Good job tonight,” he says softly.
“Thanks,” I whisper, even though every part of me wants to stay.
He walks me out, close enough to feel the warmth radiating off his body. The crowd parts for him without a word.
“Drive straight back,” he says, voice quiet but serious. “Don’t stop for anything. If you see or hear something in the woods, keep driving.”
I try to laugh it off. “You’re kind of dramatic, you know that?”
He doesn’t smile. “Promise me, Jessica.”
My throat tightens. “Okay. I promise.”
Outside, the night’s cool, but I’m burning from the inside out. The string lights glow gold behind me, and I swear I can still feel his heat against my skin.
As I drive away, the bar fades in my rearview, but the buzz under my skin doesn’t. My hands tremble on the wheel.
