“Do you, Ashley?”
“No, of course not.” She turned to look at him. “No, Alpha.” She pulled out of his grip, bent forward, and gave him a little curtsey. “I’m so pleased you could grace us with your presence.”
She bowed her head forward and he gritted his teeth.
Ashley smelled amazing. His mouth watered for a taste of her. He wanted to pull her in close and press his whole body against hers. To feel her wrapped around him, and damn it, he wanted to feel her wrapped around his dick. He felt himself getting hard.
Five years. Technically longer, but it had been just over five years since he was with another woman. He couldn’t bring himself to look at anyone else. She dominated his fucking world. He wanted her, couldn’t stop thinking about her.
“Alpha, is there anything you need? I was not told that you required anything.”
He looked toward Daniel. “You may go home. I hope you enjoyed your run.”
“I did. I was going to help Ashley home.”
“I can walk myself home. I’ve been doing it for a long time. Trust me, I know the way.” She stood and was about to walk past him again and he captured her arm, not letting her go.
She glared at him, her lips pressed together. He stared right back at her. She was so beautiful, even hating him like she did. Did she realize what she was doing? How hard she was making him?
Daniel hesitated.
“I’ll make sure she gets home,” Phoenix said.
“O-okay.”
And that was another reason why Daniel was never going to win her over. He’d tried to get his advice on how to win Ashley, to become her mate. That was never going to happen. She belonged to him. Ashely washismate, and no matter what men tried to do, they would not win. They had a bond nothing and no one could break.
Phoenix didn’t let Ashley go. Instead, he waited, watching Daniel leave until they were alone.
Ashley grabbed his wrist, sinking her nails into his flesh. “Let me go!”
He didn’t want to. She was no match for him. It was going to take more than a few nails in his flesh to hurt him. Pulling her in close, he stared into her brown eyes. They were lovely and dark, but he saw the spark of her wolf lying just beneath the surface. She was a strong woman, and she shared a bond with her wolf. He liked that.
“How have you been?” he asked.
“You don’t get to ask me that question. I can find my own way home.” She moved her hand up to his fingers, and this time, as she pulled them back so he’d let her go, he did as she asked.
He didn’t want broken fingers, and something told him Ashley hated him. Not that he could blame her, he’d been cruel to her five years ago. In his defense, she’d been freaking young. A baby. Eighteen years old. A newbie. She had her whole life ahead of her, and he … well, he’d seen shit that would make her scream. He had the scars on his body to prove it. He had no choice but to allow her time to adapt, to grow up.
Staring at her now, he couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid. She’d been beautiful back then, in fact, she’d been as stunning back then as she was now. At twenty-three years old, she was still young, but … he couldn’t go another visit without seeing her, without smelling her. He probably sounded so fucking freaky, but he didn’t care. When it came to her, he felt this overwhelming need. His bike had lost its appeal. The open road had faded and no longer looked like a freedom road, but a death trap. The only time he felt free was when he visited this fucking pack. The pack he was alpha to. The pack that homed his mate.
He wanted her so badly. That need hadn’t faded.
She pushed his arm out of the way, but if she thought for a second that he was leaving, she would be in for a shock. He wasn’t going anywhere.
Stepping in beside her, Phoenix took several steps, and she stopped and turned to him. “What are you doing?”
“I’m walking you home.”
“No, you’re not. I can find my own way home. You don’t have to follow me.” She moved again, and he tagged along.
“I told your parents I’d come find you and return you. This is what I’m doing.”
“I don’t know what game you’re playing, but leave me out of it.” She kept walking, and he, well, he kept following.
Chapter Two
The scent of frying bacon woke her up.