It took a while for unease to filter through my serenity. A strong dominance caressed my wolf, and as my eyes flew open, I met the gaze of an unfamiliar alpha on the side of the pool.
Swallowing roughly, I pressed myself harder against the rocks and took him in, starting with a pair of massive, black biker boots and up long, jeans clad legs, to…sweet mercy above.He was the biggest shifter I’d ever seen.
His broad chest and heavy muscles were visible through a long-sleeved Henley, and his body just went on and on. He had to be near a foot taller than me.
A hint of a tattoo showed above the neckline on his left arm, and even though I shouldn’t care, there was a cursory thought of how much of his skin under those clothes was covered in ink.
He moved forward until his boots hit the edge of the pool, and I was completely locked in his energy. The alpha didn’t look much older than me, but his features were built of hard lines that reminded me of the ancients. There was a sense of godlike beauty about him as I took in his bronze skin, midnight black hair, and eyes a deep, forest green.
But if he was a god, it was a god of nightmares.
He remained expressionless as he watched me closely, but I sensed a hint of fire in those jewel-like eyes.
I can’t look away.
Even as an omega, his dominance held me in place, and I was very aware that if he wanted to rip my throat out, there was nothing I could do but die at his feet.
This is no wolf.He was absolutely not a wolf, but I didn’t have a single clue what his creature could be, as he held no signs of the usual suspects.
I was so caught in his thrall that I failed to notice Florence approaching until she stood at the side of the pool with a tray in her hands. She eyed the massive god-man warily, keeping a large distance between them.
“Alpha Slade,” she said in a polite whisper, bowing her head. “Can I get you anything sir?”
Slade.Of course it was fucking Slade.
Who else could be this terrifying without uttering a single word?
Slade ignored Florence. His penetrating gaze remained firmly on me. When his stance shifted minutely again, he sent a waft of fire-roasted marshmallows my way, giving me my last two scent connections. Finley had to be the vanilla cherries.
Goddess save me.
As if the deity heard my plea, Slade blinked and released me from his stare, striding back into the house.
Sparks of unease and confusion crashed into me with force, sending my system into overdrive. My wolf had remained strangely quiet in the presence of the alpha, but not because she lacked interest.Oh no. She very much wanted to roll around in Slade’s scent. But there was also a healthy dose of fear. She’d be cautious until he showed his true intentions, and I was doubly sure we had to be very careful with that alpha.
“Here’s your food, Ms. Anders.” Florence placed the tray on the table between two of the white loungers. “Is there anything else?”
I laboriously swam over to the steps at the shallow end, and by the time I’d pulled myself from the water, she held two fluffy yellow towels. “Thank you,” I said, wrapping one around my body and the other around my hair. “Does Alpha Slade do that often?”
Fear briefly tightened her features and her mildly floral scent turned acrid. “He uses the pool, but not when anyone is here.”
I nodded, unsure what I should make of his presence. Hunter had said the other alphas wouldn’t be home before him, which meant Slade’s appearance in the middle of the day wasn’t a regular occurrence. “I’ll leave you to your lunch, miss.” Florence gave me a similar bow to the one she’d bestowed on Slade.
“Thank you,” I called after her rapidly retreating form.
It took a while for my heart rate to slow, and when it did the growl of my stomach kicked back in. I picked through the tray of sandwiches and cold cuts, eating until I was full. Florence had also brought water, juice, and a carafe of wine that had me deciding to indulge on my day of luxury.
By the afternoon I was half sloshed, and Florence kept me company as she refilled my wine. “You grew up in Greenville,” I said with fascination. “You don’t have a Southern accent though. And how did you end up in Golden Claw?”
She shrugged. “I’ve been here for many years, but I never forget my Southern roots, even if I don’t always sound the part. I moved here because I got a job with the Reeves pack. They pay amazing and treat me really well… it’s a dream job.”
Kellan chose that moment to return home from training, bursting through the back door with his usual exuberance. Florence jumped to her feet like she’d been shot in the ass, and I covered by exclaiming loudly, “Thanks for bringing those drinks out, Flo. You’ve been such an amazing help today.”
She bowed quickly, while still looking faintly panicked. “Of course, Ms. Anders. Just let me know if you need anything else.”
When Kellan passed her, she bowed to him also, and then she was gone. His lips twitched as he approached me, taking in my towel-wrapped body, along with the almost empty glass of wine in my hand. “Having fun, pretty girl?”
“Are you giving up on the nickname caper?” I snickered, the alcohol sending me silly. Or maybe it was how delicious Kellan looked in his jeans and black shirt, hair slightly damp after training. There was a faint bruise along his cheekbone that must have been bad if it wasn’t fully healed, and I almost reached out and brushed my fingers across the mark. “Tough practice?”
