Chapter Nine

Sullen He was there. Right there. Her wolf paced stubborn circles of excitement as Sullen stood still, hoping he would just go away. Jennifer, her friend from work, elbowed her in the ribs. “Has the music affected your eyesight? Because a totally and completely delicious man is staring right at you. Please snap out of it before I take him for myself.” Sullen’s wolf growled, hating that any woman wanted a piece of her mate, even if Sullen was running from him. Sullen shoved her wolf down and took a step backward into Jennifer. This wasn’t good. Sure, she’d attempted to tease him, only because her wolf persuaded her to. The dirty little brat wanted him to chase them. Sullen swallowed the lump of thick need the mate bond tossed at her. This was her fear … being so close to him. His smell. His deep blue eyes. Everything about him caused her blood to warm. Suddenly she couldn’t breathe. Her body began to shake, and her words left her brain. “Little Fox,” Jennifer teased in her ear. “Go see this man candy, I’m warning you, before I—” Sullen swung around, her wolf taking over, curling Jennifer’s dress into her fist, she fought the urge to shift. Stop it, Sullen begged her wolf. Stop it before you scare her. Jennifer’s eyes rounded. “Are you okay, love?” “No,” Sullen whispered. “I’m not. I need to leave.” Roan’s breath hit the back of her neck, causing goosebumps along her flesh. Jennifer looked over Sullen’s shoulder at him. “I think you two need to talk,” she said, trying unsuccessfully to remove Sullen’s hands from her dress. “I’ll be ironing my dress in the corner of the room if you need me. Let. Go,” she said, tearing from Sullen’s grasp. Sullen went over her two options in her head. The first was to talk to him. But she felt her body warming from him standing so close to her. A throbbing ache formed in between her thighs, and it took all her strength not to turn around and kiss him. The second option was to run. For what good that had done this far. Why can’t you just kiss him? her wolf asked. He’s our mate. “I don’t want to live at the pack house,” Sullen said, to herself, but she sensed he heard her. “Talk to me,” he whispered, his lips hovering against her ear. “I’m dating someone. I don’t—and I won’t—move to your pack. Leave me alone.” His silence made Sullen glance over her shoulder. She wished she hadn’t. He looked amazing up close. Those sharp lines and full lips. His deep chuckle formed butterflies in her stomach. “You think I’m going to leave my future Luna here with some human? I don’t know what kind of alpha you were raised under, but I’m not that type of alpha.” Sullen swirled around on her heel and came face to chest with him. His scent, it nearly knocked her over. Lifting her chin in a defiant way, she met his icy blue gaze and held it. If he wanted a fight, she’d give him one. “You can drag me there if you want, Roan, but I will never willingly be your Luna. Are you that type of alpha? The one that forces his mate to be with him? That’s sad and pathetic.” Roan smiled, and it ate away at her resolve. “It’s funny you think I’ll have to force you to do anything. Your wolf is salivating right now. She wants me, and you do too, but you’re too stubborn to give in. I’ll wait, Little Fox. I’ll wait because I’m a one shewolf kind of guy.” He stepped forward, and being Sullen was too stubborn to back away, his breath fanned across her mouth. “See that,” he whispered, his gaze dropping to her shoulders. “The goosebumps on your skin? The increase in your heart rate. The way you keep staring at my mouth.” He chuckled, turning to glance over at the random people dancing next to them. “It’s obvious, and yet, you’re still denying it. I guess I’ll have to wear you down, spread my scent against your clothes, and make you breathe me in every minute of the day—” Sullen shoved him from her, the feel of his hard pecs against her hands, sending a puddle of warmth to her stomach. “You feel it,” he sighed, giving her a once-over. “I love the dress, though, it’s a little desperate, isn’t it? You wanted me to come to find you. It worked, little fox. I’m here. Reject me if you want. I see it in your eyes. That was your plan, right? Draw me out, and stick the knife into my heart?” Sullen’s mouth dried, and she tried to swallow down the hard lump. Don’t you dare, her wolf snarled. If you reject him I will never come out again. Sullen didn’t know if that was true or not, but she didn’t want to risk it. The words sat on her lips like an acid-covered lollipop. She wanted to spit them out, but her wolf wouldn’t allow it. Roan tilted his head to the side and grinned. “Just like I thought. I’ll be seeing you around, Sullen.” He went to turn around but glanced back over his shoulder. “I have six days before your boyfriend is back, and I promise you, you’ll be begging for me before it’s over with.” He left her standing on wobbly knees, and she took the opportunity to run once he left the building. Jessica could call a taxi, she hadn’t been drinking, and Sullen couldn’t stand one more minute in that over-packed room. She pushed through a set of double doors that led to an alley. His scent lingered, and judging by the broken chains on the ground, she figured he’d broken them. The night air pulled at her skin, and she wanted to shift. Her wolf begged for release, but she’d have to drive thirty minutes to the nearest wooded area for that, and she couldn’t make it. She needed a cold shower. Her cell phone buzzed in her hand, but she ignored it. She couldn’t speak. She could barely walk. His promise to have her begging sent her hormones into a frenzy. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Her life was planned out, and now this alpha was coming to wreck her plans. Wreck her life. In the most deliciously sinful way possible.