Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“The wolves in the Berkshires?”
“My sister and the team out looking for you.”
She gives a rueful laugh. “Ruby was the one with the black markings on her throat and chest like yours.”
“Exactly.”
“She was trying to comfort me.”
“Yes.” Of course, she’s put it all together quickly.
She sits quietly, still chewing on it all, but I sense the fear ebb away. Her scent returns to normal, her breath evens, and she stops trembling and rubbing her shins.
“Are you okay?” I ask after a moment. “May I touch you?”
When she nods, I pick her up and pull her into my lap.
“You’re stronger than a human," she realizes. “That’s how you make me feel so light.”
“You're like a feather to me, Windows.”
My wolf’s agitation ebbs having her in my arms. Breathing her scent.
If I were honest with myself, I’d admit that Madi breaking things off with me was the reason I lost control back there. My wolf has been way too on edge.
My wolf chose her–a human–to be his mate.
That was the reason for the prophecy from the Adalwulf crone. She will destroy all he desires. If I accept Madi as my mate, I will lose everything–my pack, my power. Probably even my business and friends.
But if I don’t claim her, I may not physically survive. Moon madness may ravage me. If I go completely feral, they will have to put me down. We’d still lose the pack because Auggie isn’t old enough to take the mantle, and the men in my inner circle may not be strong enough to garner pack support. Pack members would defect to the Adalwulf pack.
It’s a lose-lose for me, and it’s all Madi’s fault. Madi and her sweet orange-Frankincense scent and the peek-a-boo dresses. I nuzzle against her shoulder, needing another hit of her scent.
She’s still processing. “You don't turn people? It's not a sickness?”
“No, the movies got that wrong. And we don't hunt humans.”
She turns to study my face. I don’t know what she sees–I try to mask the bald hunger I have for her. The desire to carry her out of here and straight to my penthouse. To tie her to my bed and keep her forever but as a dark secret no one knows.
Of course, I can’t do any of those things.
She leans her head against mine. “You’re a werewolf. Things are coming together in my mind still. Christ, that really freaked me out, Brick.”
“I'll bet. I'm sorry. I can't believe I lost it like that.”
She pulls away and runs her fingers around my neck and across my hairy chest. I almost whimper at the pleasure of her touch. “Were you hurt?”
I scoff. “No, sweetheart. I was the one ripping flesh back there. And even if he'd bitten me, we can’t get hurt. Shifters heal almost instantly.”
“Why…why did you lose it, Brick?”
I can tell by her hesitation that she's asking about us. When it’s business, she’s confident and articulate. But she must suspect she’s the cause of my edginess. She’s asking for confirmation.
I owe her the truth. I cradle the back of her neck. Rub my thumb lightly over her pulse.
“This secret of mine is why I didn’t fight for you when you ended things. But not having you isn’t working for me. I’ve missed you, and I’m cranky as hell, Madi. What happened in there” –I jerk my thumb toward the conference room– “isn’t supposed to happen.”
She blinks.
I haven’t said enough yet. She needs more from me. Or maybe I have it all wrong–maybe Madi never wanted me to fight for her. It could be she’s just not that interested.
But I know that’s not true. This is the girl who works her ass off to please me. Her body responds to mine–I can tell by her scent. She cares. She just doesn’t want to care.
And that’s because she’s afraid. Her father’s abandonment of her family because of their social status left a scar. My position and money make me seem similar. I need to make her understand I’m not.
“I’m different from you, Madi, but not in the way you thought. It’s not about our income or social status difference, it’s plain biology. If you felt like my team disapproved, it’s only because relationships between shifters and humans are frowned on, especially for an alpha.”
Understanding dawns on her face. “You’re the alpha.”
“Yes.”
“Of…a pack?”
“Yes.”
“Is the pack Moon Co?”
“Well, the pack is simply a community of shifters, but yes, many of my pack members work here.”
“And Aiden…?”
“His father is alpha of their pack. My parents were from rival packs. A regular Romeo and Juliet.”
Her eyes round.
“In light of that relationship, ours can hardly be worse. Listen, Madi–” I kiss the bare skin framed by the cut-out of her dress. “A relationship with a human might be difficult, but I’d like to explore it with you.”
Madison takes in a sharp breath and holds it.