Special Preview: Chapter One Alpha Ascending

MAY CONTAIN ERRORS AND TYPOS

May change upon final publication

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CHAPTER ONE

 

Lucas Anderson stared out of the window of his office on the sixty-eighth floor of the Fenrir Corp. building, watching the snow drifting down slowly, obscuring his view of New York in a sheet of whiteness. It was getting late, and he really wanted to leave, but he had one more appointment.

“Mr. Anderson?” The voice was hesitant, almost scared.

“Yes?” He turned around to find his new assistant, David Masters, standing by the door. Instantly, his inner wolf was on alert. Calm down, he said to the animal who shared his body. David was new to the job, having only been with him for a few weeks, so his wolf wasn’t yet used to the human’s presence. Stop! His wolf reached forward, trying to break through their skin, but he reined it in. It was getting harder to control his animal, but he chalked it up to the events of the past few weeks and the threat surrounding them. He reached deep inside him, trying to recall his training. Find something to ground you. A memory. A scent. Those from before the incident worked best. Family vacations with parents and sisters. Mama’s lingering scent at the breakfast table after she left for work in the morning.

“James Turner is here, sir.”

Lucas cleared his mind and focused his attention on his assistant. David looked so nervous Lucas almost wondered if the young man suspected his true nature. Humans, except for a select few, had no idea that Lycans—wolf shifters—lived among them.

“Show him inside then.”

His assistant gave him a nod then took a step back, letting the door close. Lucas strode back to his large desk in the middle of the office and sat in his plush leather chair. A few seconds later, James Turner entered through the door, all smug and swagger as he walked in.

His wolf barely had time to calm down when it went on alert again. Turner’s very presence and human scent sent the animal on edge, despite having known him for years. But then again, his wolf had great instincts and could probably sense that something wasn’t right.

Turner was looking around the plush room, probably redecorating the space in his mind. After all, with Lucas moving up as CEO next month, the Chief Operating Officer role was up for grabs. Being one of the more senior executives, Turner was one of the leading candidates for the position. Too bad, after this meeting, he was never going to step through the doors of Fenrir Corp. ever again.

“Lucas,” Turner greeted, his smile all white, shiny teeth, thanks to one of Manhattan’s premiere dentists. From his perfectly-cut hair, to his bespoke Armani suit, and down to the tips of his designer shoes, James Turner reeked of money and privilege. “I can’t tell you how happy I am you called me in here.”

Lucas tried not to smile. Really, he shouldn’t be happy about this. Except that James Turner was about to get everything he deserved. “Sit down, please.”

Turned took a seat opposite him, extending his legs and crossing them at the ankle. “So, I hope everything went well in Geneva?”

“As could be expected.” Lucas took a folder from the drawer under his table, placed it on the table, then slid it toward Turner.

Turner’s eyes practically glowed with glee as he took the folder and opened it. However, as his gaze scanned across the page, his expression quickly turned sour. “What is the meaning of this?”

“You can read, can you?” Lucas said in a bored tone. “What does it look like?”

“I thought this was … that you would.” He dropped the folder on the table. “This is preposterous.”

He knew the other man was hoping it was an offer and compensation package, not a termination letter. “If you read the rest of the papers, you’ll see that we have a generous offer for you.”

“But I—” His fingers shuffled through the papers, and his face turned red. “A dollar? A measly fucking dollar after all the years I worked here?”

Turner looked like he was close to blowing his top, and Lucas wanted to relish this moment. Keep it in his memory bank for those times he needed a pick-me-up. “If you read further, you’ll see that Fenrir will not be going after you for the money you embezzled, nor will we take legal actions against you—don’t even try denying it.” His tone was now ominous and cold. “The forensic accountants I hired are the best.”

The accounting firm had been thorough in their months-long investigation, and Lucas wouldn’t have confronted Turner if there was a single doubt in their findings. He and his father, Grant, who was still currently the CEO of Fenrir Corp., had gone through the different scenarios of what to do with their findings. They both decided that they didn’t want a scandal or any attention on the company, seeing as there was going to be a shift in power soon, so they decided to deal with the matter privately.

Turner stood up and slapped his palms on the table. “You can’t … I’ll fight this in court.” Strong words, but Lucas could smell the fear from the other man.

Really, it wasn’t a large amount of money, which was why they didn’t detect it right away. But it wasn’t the amount that mattered. It was the principle. James Turner was a thief and a liar. “Just try it,” Lucas said. Maybe he let his wolf come to the surface. Just a little bit. Enough to give off a flash of Alpha power.

As a human, Turner probably didn’t understand what was happening, but he most likely felt it, and it sent him slamming back down into his chair.

“Ah, looks like security is here.” Lucas nodded toward the door where two burly men in uniform had entered. He had instructed David to let them in as soon as they arrived. “They will be escorting you straight to your car. Someone will pack up your office, and your personal items will be mailed to your home address.” Turner opened his mouth to speak but Lucas silenced him by putting up a hand. “Don’t. Don’t even try it. We have all the evidence we need. All you have to do is leave quietly and leave without a fuss. Don’t even think of talking to the press; the NDA you signed is iron-clad.”

Turner’s face was now all shades of purple, but he gave him a curt nod.

“Take him away,” he said to the guards. The scent of the human’s fear and anger was offending his and his wolf’s senses. He watched with satisfaction as Turner walked toward the door, flanked by the two guards.

Some might say that Turner was getting off easy. But getting justice for his white-collar crimes didn’t outweigh the attention it would put on Fenrir, and in turn, the Lycan kind. They’d maintained their secret because they guarded their privacy. If the humans found out about them, well, it would bring danger to all Lycans, not just in New York but all over the world. They wouldn’t be able to get any justice, but sometimes, they had to make sacrifices for the good of their kind.

“Oh, by the way,” Lucas called out. Turner stopped and looked back at him. “If you think you can quickly find another job in New York or any other major city, think again. We’ve alerted every major corporation and headhunter in every country that Fenrir does business in. They know not to entertain your calls.”

“You can’t do that,” Turner spat. “How am I going to live?”

“I guess you’ll have to budget.” This time, he couldn’t hide his smile. He knew Turner was up to his eyeballs in credit card debt, not to mention, a mortgage on his Manhattan loft and a beach house in the Hamptons. The money he had in his back accounts would only cover him for a few months. “Denise sends her regards.”

The man’s eyes went wide then blazed with anger. “Why that little bi—” But he didn’t get to finish his words as the two guards grabbed him by the arms and hauled him away. The sound of his curses and screams were like music to Lucas’s ears.

In truth, Lucas had never met Denise Alderman or had known that she even worked as an intern at Fenrir had her father, Fred Alderman, not sought an official audience with Grant Anderson as his Alpha. Fred and his family were one of the three hundred Lycans living under the New York clan’s protection after all, and even Grant didn’t know all of them personally.

Fred had come to him, telling him that James Turner had been harassing Denise for months, sending her lewd messages and trying to get her alone in the office. Turner had finally succeeded a few weeks ago and cornered Denise while she was working late. He held her down and threatened to get her fired if she didn’t let him have his way with her. If it wasn’t for one of the late-night guards patrolling the office, she wouldn’t have been able to get away.

Lucas’s blood still boiled now, as it did the first time he heard the story. He would have been inclined to just let the man go, but Turner made one big mistake: he went after someone weaker than him and a Lycan to boot. He probably thought that the poor little intern whose father worked as a truck driver was easy pickings. Humans were scum, and Turner only cemented his belief.

With anger clouding his mind, his wolf snuck up on him again. “Fuck!” He grunted as he realized his hands were gripping the armrests of his chair so hard, the metal crumpled under his fingers. The wolf scratched from beneath him, claws raking under his skin. So close.

Ground yourself, the voice in his mind from long ago echoed. Use the good to keep your animal in control. But his fury at Turner was at a critical level, and none of his usual memories helped to keep his wolf at bay. So he reached deep into himself, taking a deep breath, grasping at anything.

Orange blossoms and olives. And eyes the color of slate.

And his wolf went still.

“Everything all right, Mr. Anderson?” came David’s voice through the intercom.

“Everything is great.” He straightened his tie and combed his fingers through his hair. A glance at the clock on his desk made him curse inwardly. He was going to be late. “Have the car meet me downstairs. I need to get to Brooklyn.”

* * *

“And, with the power vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss—oh, my.”

The words hadn’t even left the judge’s mouth when the bride reached up and grabbed the groom’s shoulders, pulling him down for a kiss. Wolf whistles and cheers rang around them as the couple continued their long, celebratory kiss. When they finally pulled away, the groom had a sheepish look on his face while his bride beamed.

Lucas smiled to himself as he watched Zac and Astrid walk down the aisle. Their wedding and reception were being held at a rooftop event space in Brooklyn, attended by close family and friends. Even though he wasn’t supposed to be there, he didn’t want to miss his friend’s wedding.

It’s not that he wasn’t invited. Zac even wanted him to be best man, but understood that things were different now. Their mortal enemies, the mages, had attacked the New York clan twice now, and both times they had tried to kidnap Lucas and his twin sister, Adrianna.

They didn’t know why the mages wanted them specifically, but his father and mother decided that the two of them couldn’t be in the same place anymore, lest the mages struck again. He even had to move out of The Enclave, the compound where most of the New York clan lived. It was difficult not seeing his sister, since they’d hardly been apart since they were born, but he knew it was necessary for their safety.

“Sir?” His Lycan bodyguard–driver, Alfie Reyes, stood behind him, his face a mask of seriousness. “The ceremony’s over, we should go now.”

He knew Reyes was not comfortable defying the Alpha’s order that Adrianna and Lucas not be together, but he had promised the bodyguard that he would only stay until the end of the ceremony. “All right, let’s go.”

Reyes walked ahead of him, his massive body blocking the narrow hallway where Lucas hid to watch the ceremony. He followed him down the emergency staircase, taking two at a time to keep up with the other Lycan. Finally, after climbing down ten stories, they reached the exit. Reyes went out first, glanced around, and then signaled for Lucas to follow him. His town car was already by the door. He ducked and entered the car, settling into the plush leather seats.

Reyes slid into the front passenger seat, next to the driver. “Shall we head home, sir?”

“Yes,” he said with nod.

As the car headed back to Manhattan, Lucas stared outside, watching as the snow continued to fall. He tried to distract himself, thinking of the work he had to do, meetings to attend, and of course, the fact that he would soon be Alpha of the most powerful clan in the world. Most men would have caved under the enormous responsibilities and pressure, but not him. No, he had always known that he would be Alpha, not just because he was Grant Anderson’s only son, but because he had been born for it. Knew it in his very soul, and this was the one thing he truly wanted in his life.

Yet, drifting back to the wedding, he wondered if there was more to life than just being Alpha. Zac was one of his oldest friends and also the son of the clan’s Beta, Nick Vrost. Most people had thought Zac would be Beta after his father, but the younger Vrost didn’t want any part of it, much to his father’s consternation. Of course, Lucas had already decided who he wanted as his beta—Zac’s now wife, Astrid. The half-shifter, half-witch had proven herself capable and willing to sacrifice herself for the clan. Not only that, but she also showed her mettle by not only defying him, but slowing him down when he had shifted in bloodlust when the mages tried to attack them that first time. It was at a party at Blood Moon when—

Orange blossoms and olives. Gray eyes with a tinge of azure.

The memory kept popping into his head, intruding on his thoughts. As he battled for control of his body with his wolf, he found himself grasping for that memory.

It was the only thing keeping him sane these past few weeks. His damn wolf was always sniffing the air, looking for traces of it, which is why he couldn’t simply brush it off as a dream or hallucination. It was real, he really did smell and see that. But when?

“Reyes,” he called.

“Sir?”

“Change of plans. We’re not going home.”

“Where to?”

“Blood Moon.”

If the bodyguard had any reservations, he didn’t show it. He simply mumbled something to the driver, who nodded. When they crossed over to Manhattan, the car headed toward Midtown, instead of the upper West side.

“Stay with the car, Reyes,” he instructed.

“Sir, I can’t—”

“This is Blood Moon. I’ll be safe in there. You know it.” Blood Moon was a club for shifters and magical people, and in fact, Fenrir Corp. partly owned it along with a few private Lycan investors. It had always been a safe place for Lycans, and since its inception over thirty years ago, it was protected with powerful spells so that humans would ignore its existence, just like The Enclave. Since the attack on the club, the magic had been reinforced by several powerful witches and warlocks.

Reyes nodded. “I’ll wait for your call when you want to leave.”

With a nod of thanks, Lucas exited and headed straight for the club. The two bouncers—Lycans—immediately recognized him and bowed their heads in respect as they opened the door to let him in.

The music was pulsing, filling the club with energy as people gyrated on the packed dance floor. It had always surprised him how full Blood Moon was, but then again, there were few places that catered exclusively to Lycans and witches and those few humans who knew about their existence. Despite the hum of the music and the mixed scents around him, in here, he felt at ease. He was just about to head to the bar for a drink when he felt a hand on his shoulder. His wolf went on alert again and he whipped around, a snarl on his lips.

“Jesus Christ, it’s just me, Lucas.”

“Bastian.” Lucas felt his body relax and his wolf back down, recognizing the other Lycan.

Bastian Creed grinned at him, his handsome face turning almost boyish. With his thick ruddy beard and tattoos that snaked past his collar and cuffs, he looked more like a biker than a self-made tech billionaire. “Remind me never to creep up on you,” he laughed. “Where’re you going?”

“I was going to get a drink.”

The other Lycan chuckled. “At the bar? Why? Come on.” He gestured at Lucas with his hand. “I have a VIP table.”

“It’s fine, I—”

“Lucas, your family owns most of this club,” Bastian pointed out. “You can enjoy some of the benefits. Besides, it’s been too long. Why don’t we catch up?”

“Fine,” he relented.

Bastian flashed him another grin, then led him across the dance floor, stopping at the largest VIP table in the cordoned off in the club. When he saw the table, he nearly turned around.

“Who are these people?” he huffed. There were more than a dozen men and women hanging around the large, semi-circular booth, drinking and chatting. There were all dressed to the nines, and as far as he could tell, all human.

“Friends of mine.” He sent a stunning redhead a dazzling smile, who returned it with a sultry gaze. “We just hopped off my plane after partying in London, so I thought I’d take them here.”

“Human friends?” he asked in a disdainful tone. “You know this is a Lycan club, right?”

“It’s not a secret or anything.” Bastian winked at him. “There are some humans in here. Those few immune to the spells.”

That was true. Magic wasn’t absolute, but it did help keep out most non-Lycans and non-magical people. The bouncers did their best to discourage humans from coming in, but business was business.

Still, he preferred that the humans stayed in their human clubs and leave Blood Moon for the Lycans. “Thanks for the offer of a drink, Bastian,” he said. “But I should go.”

Bastian’s face suddenly turned serious. “Hey, look.” He placed a hand on Lucas’s shoulder. “We don’t have to go to my table. Let’s go somewhere more private and have a drink, okay?”

He considered saying no, but Bastian was already dragging him to a different VIP table, one that was thankfully empty. The bouncer removed the cord to let them through and they slid into the booth.

“Two whiskeys,” he said to the waitress who approached them. “Neat and make them doubles.”

“Of course, Mr. Creed,” she said, her eyes looking at him invitingly. “I’ll be right back.”

“Thanks, sweetheart,” he replied and gave her a wink.

“Do you sleep with anything that moves, Creed?” he asked wryly.

Bastian shrugged. “Hey, it’s not like I promise them commitment or any of that shit. There’s so many women and so little time.” It was well known that the playboy billionaire changed his bed partners more often than his shirts. “Not all of us can live like monks.”

“Contrary to popular belief, I’m not celibate,” Lucas said. “I’m just choosy.”

“You prefer Lycan women.” Bastian raised his hands in defense. “Hey, I’m not knocking your preference. We all have our likes and dislikes.” He nodded at a group of women on the other side of the room, then towards three females dancing by themselves on the dance floor, “Don’t you love that human women come in all shapes and sizes? But, you gotta live a little, right? Why not sample the endless buffet humankind has to offer?”

Because humans are despicable.  But Lucas didn’t vocalize that out loud. Bastian wouldn’t understand. No one did, not even Adrianna. Humans had hurt him and Adrianna. And they hurt their kind.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never slept with a human before?” Bastian asked.

“Of course I have.” A few times, in fact. Human women were good for fucking and nothing else. His wolf barely tolerated them, and he always left after the act was completed. Besides, it wasn’t like he could ever marry a human, so why bother forming any relationship? He would need a strong mate, someone who could handle being Lupa of the largest Lycan clan in the world. But he was only thirty-one, and there was time yet to think of mates and producing heirs.

Thankfully, the waitress came back with their drinks. He took a sip, watching as Bastian whispered in the young woman’s ear and her face lit up.

Lucas downed the whiskey in one motion. “Thanks for the drink.” He placed the glass on the table. “I’ll see you around.”

“Hey.” Bastian placed a hand on his arm. “If you need to talk, you have my number.”

Though he appreciated the thought, he wasn’t about to pour his heart out to Bastian. An Alpha had to be strong and show no weakness. “I will,” he lied, then let himself out of the VIP area.

He was already taking his phone out of his pocket to call Reyes when he stopped. His wolf on the other hand perked up.

Orange blossoms and olives.

Before he could stop it, his wolf’s head swung around, nose in the air. Searching for the source of the faint scent. His wolf scratched at him in desperation, willing him to follow the trail before it went cold. It was strange how in the sea of scents inside the club, he could pick out that one singular smell. He crossed the dance floor, pushing bodies aside so he could follow it. When he reached the bar, he ran smack into what seemed like a wall of orange blossoms and olives.

Hair like a mahogany waterfall flipped around and he found himself staring into slate-colored eyes. Against pale skin and framed with dark hair, they looked hauntingly luminous. They flashed with something—recognition?—before settling on his face. He knew she was staring at his eyes; most people did. The heterochromia he inherited from his mother made one blue and one green, and it startled many who saw it for the first time.

“Oh.” Lush, pink lips pursed together, and he had to pull back the urge to sink his teeth into them.

“Have we met?” He cocked his head, breathing in more of her delicious scent. Yes, that definitely was her. Lycan scents were unique, and he was sure he would have remembered smelling her before.

A frown crossed her pretty face, and she narrowed her gaze at him as if waiting for something. When all he did was stare back, she straightened her shoulders. “I have to say, I’ve heard lots of lines, but that’s a new one.” She grinned. “Why don’t you just buy me a drink and we can skip the bullshit?”

His wolf growled in appreciation. That was certainly new. Normally quiet around females, this one had his wolf’s complete attention. “What would you like?”

She turned to the bartender and raised her hand. The man nodded, finished up an order, then walked over to them. “What’ll it be, Sof?” His grin was a mile wide. “The usual?”

“You bet, Hal.” She nodded at Lucas. “He’s buying.”

Lucas did not like how the bartender spoke to her with such familiarity, and neither did his wolf.

“And what are you having—” Hal’s eyes widened in recognition. Though Lucas had never met him before, the bartender obviously knew who he was. “Mr. Anderson,” he said, lowering his gaze. “What can I get you?”

“Whiskey. Neat.”

“Right away, sir.” He backed away slowly, putting a good distance between them before he turned around to get their drinks.

Satisfied the other man was far away enough, he turned to her. “Sof, was it?”

She neither admitted nor denied anything. “And you are?”

“Lucas.” He sidled closer to her, wanting to take in more of that scent. “You seem to come here often enough.”

“More often than most.”

Her non-answers were driving him crazy. She seemed direct enough earlier, asking him for a drink, but ignored his questions about her. “The bartender recognized you.”

“Hal seemed to know you, too. He called you Mr. Anderson. And acted like he was scared of you or something.”

It seemed nothing escaped her. “I’m not a regular here, but the staff know me.” He eyed her again, trying to think of where they’d met before. He didn’t know every single Lycan in New York and New Jersey, and he would have remembered if they’d met at some function. He would never forget that face, or that body. She was on the slender, athletic side, but that conservative black dress she wore gave the promise of sensuous curves underneath.

“Ah, I see.”

She didn’t seem to recognize him. Usually, when eligible Lycan women realized who he was, they were all over him. Maybe she wasn’t eligible. The thought rankled him, but he didn’t know why. No ring on her finger, so not engaged or married. A boyfriend? That usually didn’t stop some from trying. Who was this woman?

“Here you go.” Hal placed two glasses in front of them. “On the house.”

“Thank you.” Lucas handed the glass to her, but not before giving it a sniff. “Bourbon, huh?”

She took it from him. “Of course. I hope you don’t think I’m one of those froo-froo drinkers.”

“Froo-froo?”

“You know, mixed drinks with lots of sugar and cream and umbrellas?” Her eyes closed as she put the glass to her lips, took a sniff, then sipped.

His eyes followed the way her lips wrapped around the rim of the glass. “No, you definitely don’t seem like a froo-froo drinker.”

Slowly, she opened her eyes then gazed up at him. Their color seemed to shift, now more lighter blue than gray. “It’s getting really hot and crowded around here.”

“I know a place where we can get some air.”

She cocked her head slightly. “Let’s go then.”

Anticipation crawled up his veins. His wolf was eager to get her alone too, away from all these people, especially the males around them. Sliding a hand to the small of her back, he guided her away from the bar, using just the lightest touch. She allowed him to lead her to the back of the club, toward the private elevator that would lead them to the outdoor deck. It wasn’t very high up, but it had a great view of the lights in Times Square.

The snow had stopped, but it was still chilly. She walked ahead, stopping by the ledge and placing her glass on it. “Wow, this is amazing. You’d never know this place existed from the street.”

He followed her, leaning his forearms on the ledge, his own glass gripped in his fingers. “Yeah, it’s positioned perfectly so you can’t see it from the street, but it still has a view.” But he wasn’t really looking at the view. Instead, he found himself staring at her face. Out here, he could really see her. Her skin was like alabaster, and some might say her features were too strong, but he liked them. The high cheekbones, strong jaw and chin, those plush lips. And those huge eyes, framed by dark, sooty lashes. He could get lost just looking at her.

She shivered, and he found himself removing his jacket and wrapping it around her. “Better?”

“Yes.” She lowered her lashes. “Thank you.”

Unable to take another moment of torture, he reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from her cheek. It was an excuse to touch her, and a shock of electricity jolted up his fingertips when it made contact with her skin, but he didn’t jerk back. He traced his finger down to her chin and their gazes clashed. Her eyes seemed to flash to a light blue for a moment, and he wondered if she had felt it too.

“Are you visiting New York? Which clan are you from?” he asked.

His words must have broken the spell between them because she frowned at his question. “Visiting? I’m from New York. And what do you mean, clan?”

He double-blinked, letting her words sink into him. Glancing down at his coat around her, he realized that her body didn’t adjust to the cold like his did. And when he tried to reach out to her and search for her wolf … he found none.

Human.

He was so sure she was a Lycan. She smelled like one, for God’s sake. Maybe she had a parent who was a Lycan. But no, she didn’t even recognize him or known what a clan was. If she was from the New York clan, she would know who the Alpha was, and who Lucas was.

“Lucas? Is something the matter?”

Her voice jolted him back. “No.” Yes. You’re human. Still, that didn’t mean anything. He wasn’t going to get down on one knee and propose to her. He could always take a page from Bastian’s book. She was obviously interested in him, or else she wouldn’t have come up here. “So, you’re from New York?”

“Queens, born and bred.” She took a sip of her bourbon, her eyes never leaving his. “And you? Where did you grow up?”

“Manhattan.”

“Ah, true city boy.” Her laugh was like tinkling bells, and her smile—it made her entire face light up.

“Guilty,” he replied. He wanted to shuffle away from her, but he found himself doing the opposite, moving closer so their forearms touched. His wolf whined happiness as her scent tickled his nose, now mingled with his own because she was wearing his coat. What the heck was wrong with his animal?

She wrinkled her nose. “You’re not one of those snooty Manhattanites who think the boroughs aren’t New York, are you?” Despite her serious tone, there was a slight tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Hey, I’ve gone as far as Brooklyn.”

“Ah, hipster, then are you?”

“Please,” he said. “Do I look like a hipster?”

“This suit jacket that probably cost more than I make in a month says no.” She rubbed her cheek against the lapel. “And your shirt.”

“What about it?”

“Tailor-made?”

“Guilty,” he chuckled. “Specially made just for me. I like shirts that fit well.”

Her gaze lingered on his shoulders and his chest. “You’re probably one of those hedge fund guys, aren’t you? Or lawyer?”

He shook his head. “Far from it. I’m not that ruthless.”

“Then what do you do?”

“I’m in business,” he said. “Family corporation.”

“Interesting. Which one?”

He opened his mouth, then shut it again. Somehow, this human woman got him to drop his defenses. Why did this feel like an interrogation?

“Why don’t you answer some of my questions first?” He leaned down closer to her. “Like what’s your full name?”

She turned her head to him, tilting her chin up slightly. “Does it matter? You didn’t invite me up here for my name.”

His hand snaked up to reach behind her neck, moving so fast she gasped. He played with the soft, delicate skin there, and he heard her heartbeat spike up. Moving his thumb under her ear, he could feel the thrum of her pulse and the tinge of her arousal mixing in with their combined scents.

Her lips parted invitingly, and he leaned down closer until he was only a hair’s breadth away from her.

No.

She was a human. Nothing would change that. Shock. Betrayal. Loathing. All the emotions churned inside him like a maelstrom.

He pulled away, disgust creeping in him. His wolf protested, snarling at him, but he pushed back. “I should go.”

Her gasp was sharp, the sound striking him like a knife in his chest. “Of course. You go ahead. I’m enjoying the fresh air here.”

If he looked at her now, at those eyes, he would never leave. So he avoided her gaze and instead, turned his back to her. “Have a great evening.” He strode toward the exit. Instead of going to the elevators, he went to the staircase. The door hadn’t even closed behind him as he descended the stairs, taking them two at a time, trying to get away as quickly as possible.

His wolf was scratching at him, its claws digging into him, wanting to surface. This time, he wasn’t distracted so he pulled it back. She’s human, he reminded it. Just like those men who hurt us, hurt Adrianna. Like the one who hurt Caroline.

His wolf quieted down at the mention of the name. The tightness in his chest he didn’t even realize was there eased. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he tore across the club, needing to get out of there as her scent still seemed to linger in the air. He flew out the door and into the street, letting the cold air wash over him and clean his senses.

He took his phone out of his pants pocket and dialed Reyes’s number. “I’m here,” he said. “Come pick me up. I need to go. Now.”

“Right away, sir.”

Thought he fought with every instinct he had, he couldn’t help but look up. The deck wasn’t visible from here, but he wondered if she was still here. Still standing by the edge, wrapped up in his coat, looking out into the city. He huffed. It didn’t matter. He would never see her again.

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