“Come on. You’re unmated. I’m unmated. We’re both lonely. If we’re still without a mate when we’re like forty, we should agree to mating.”
“And then have to deal with that kind of rejection as well when your true mate suddenly makes an appearance? No, thanks.”
“As well?” Daniel asked. “What other rejection have you had to deal with?”
“Huh?”
“You just said you’d have to deal with that kind of rejection as well. I’m just curious who else has rejected you? Or what you’ve been rejected for?”
She licked her lips, trying to find a good enough lie that would make him leave her alone. She couldn’t think. Her mind was all over the place.
“It’s been a long night, Daniel. I misspoke. It’s nothing. Trust me.” She forced a smile to her lips. She shoved his arm off her shoulder. “Come on. I’ll race you.”
Before she gave him time to question her further, she started running, heading back toward town. She didn’t turn back into her wolf. Ashley wanted the distraction of running, of feeling her body pulsing with the energy she was spending. Each crash down on the ground sent the pulsing heat rushing through her body. Her feet sunk into the earth with each step she took. She sped up, feeling the earth, the wind, the freedom of just running. That was all she wanted—to be free.
For five years she’d been trapped, locked up with this horrible secret. The humiliation of knowing he didn’t want her. The alpha of the pack didn’t want her.
It’s time to move on.
Daniel was gaining on her and they were soon running together and the moment they cleared the woods, Ashley came to an abrupt stop.
Phoenix was there at the edge of the forest, with his arms folded. He didn’t look happy. It had been five years since she’d been this close to him. Every chance she got, she had been far away. Taking a deep breath, she slowly looked up until she met his gaze, and then glanced away. She had no idea why he was there, and she didn’t care to find out.
****
Five years ago, Phoenix Marshall had walked into a bar, the same bar he’d been inside for eight years straight, perhaps even longer. He’d walked into that bar as the alpha of the pack, and nothing life-changing had ever occurred. He’d seen groups over that time celebrating their transition. Some large groups, others small. He’d often had a drink with them, given them a slap on the back in celebration, and waited a couple of days before moving on.
That night, it had been different. He’d walked into that bar and the moment he inhaled, he smelled her. His mate—the woman who was meant for him.
He’d seen her take a drink of her beer, wrinkle her nose, and step out of the bar. Phoenix hadn’t been able to stop himself. He’d followed her, intrigued by the woman, besotted. There was no escape from it. None whatsoever. She was a newbie. Young. Eighteen freaking years old.
He was a nomad. He’d taken a vow to be on his own. Each time he came back to this fucking pack, he broke that bastard vow, but he loved the town, adored the people, and when he came to them in their time of need, he’d kept his word in protecting them. They were all good people, a great pack that banded together.
This woman, this young girl—because that was what she truly was—had shaken his world. Kissing her had been a fucking nightmare to him.All he’d needed in his life was his bike, the open road, and that was it. Not women. Not anyone.
Until he scented her.
He had to be cruel. She had known who he was, had felt that pull. He had to reject her. Ashley was too young, too … new … too shiny. She was not the kind of woman he would imagine as a mate for himself. He was too jaded. Phoenix had seen the cruelties of the world and knew without a shadow of a doubt that Ashley wasn’t ready. She had to be protected.
Being cruel was part of who he was. It was how he learned to survive. So for the last five years he’d constantly convinced himself not to return, to stay as far away from her as possible. Only he found himself coming back repeatedly, more often than ever before, to perhaps catch a glimpse of the woman he couldn’t have.
Ashley Simpkin was a fucking dream. A beauty with full, rounded hips, big, juicy tits, and damn, her ass. He hadn’t seen it in so long, but he loved her ass. Of course, after that first year, the last four had been impossible. She was never around. He had politely asked about her without drawing attention, and they had told him she’d gone camping, or hiking, or she was running an errand. She avoided him. Like now. He saw her coming out of the woods, and she wasn’t alone.
He looked at the man, Daniel, he recalled his name was. They were dressed from their run. The full moon had been high up in the sky. He knew Daniel had a crush on her. The few times he’d visited, Daniel had been his right-hand man, and he had talked about her nonstop. Not that he minded. He learned a lot from the man.
Ashley was an adored member of the pack. Even before she turned, she was a nice person. Sweet, kind, loving. She would do anything for anyone. She worked at the DIY store, even though according to Daniel, she hated the place. She hated decorating or having to fix anything. She loved to read and to bake.
“Alpha,” Daniel said, drawing his attention.
“Where have you two been?” Phoenix asked.
Ashley lifted her head. “It’s a full moon, we just came from the woods, I’m pretty sure you can figure it out.”
She went to brush past him, but he grabbed her arm.
“Ashley doesn’t mean no disrespect, Alpha,” Daniel said.
He hated being called Alpha.