An Alpha's Choice (Talon Pack #2)(17)

“I don’t know that much,” she said with a shrug. “Unlike you Redwoods, we Talons didn’t get out much.” Her features clouded and he wanted to curse himself for mentioning happier times as a child. Her childhood had sucked. Though sucked wasn’t a strong enough word. However, he wasn’t going to get into that. Not then.

“Then I guess this will be an experience for the both of us,” he said softly.

She met his gaze, blinked. “I guess so.”

He swallowed hard, not knowing why he was acting this way. He’d found other women attractive before, of course. He’d been with women in the past. It wasn’t like he was a thirty-something-year-old virgin. But he’d never felt this kind of an urge with another woman before. And if his wolf had even felt an inkling of what he did right then, he’d have said Brynn was his mate.

And if he’d been any other man, if she’d been any other woman, he’d have said screw it all to fate and would have taken her. Damn their future potential mates. But he wasn’t that man, and she wasn’t that woman. Instead, he’d walk with her inside that museum and do his best to try and be her…what? Friend? Ally? He didn’t know, but fighting with her was killing him, and he wasn’t sure he could keep doing it and not make a mistake.

“You should be f*cking killed and shot on sight. Fucking animals.”

Finn turned on his heel at the sound of the same man from before. It seemed he and his friend had found their balls and followed Brynn and Finn to the steps of the museum. Damn it. This was not how it was supposed to go. How were they going to look like nothing was wrong and prove that wolves could be part of society like they’d been for generations—if only in secret—if random humans with too much hate in their hearts and souls kept coming at them?

This part of the Alphas’ plan would end swiftly if Finn and Brynn didn’t find another way to deal with this.

“Go away,” Finn growled, taking Brynn’s hand. She stiffened and he wanted to kick himself. He’d done it instinctually, wanting her touch so he could make sure she was by his side in case things went to hell. Yet he’d touched her when she’d told him not to, when he’d promised her he’d wouldn’t. It didn’t matter she’d done the same damn thing not ten minutes earlier by taking his hand. The woman tore him up inside and he didn’t know how to fix it.

The man who’d grabbed himself before but had spoken the least tugged on his friend’s arm. “Let’s go, man.” It seemed the little f*cker wasn’t too keen on getting his ass kicked by a couple of wolves far stronger than him. Smart.

Both humans sniffed then walked away, leaving Brynn and Finn alone once again.

Brynn let out a breath, her hand still in his. “I think we should just go. That was a little too much for one day, don’t you think?”

Finn inhaled through his nose, catching her scent one more time. Instead of answering, he tugged her toward the alley a few feet to the side of them and pushed her back against the wall. They hadn’t had time to gather an audience like they had the first time, so no one would have seen him pull her close to him, thankfully.

“What the f*ck are you doing?” she snapped. Her wolf glowed in her eyes, but he scented her arousal, tasted it on his tongue. She wanted him.

“Doing what we should have done a year ago,” he growled.

Then he did something spectacularly brilliant and idiotic at the same time.

He kissed her.

He had his hands on hers, pinning her to the wall. The bricks had to be digging into her back, but he knew she’d take it. Then maybe she’d pin him later and let him feel that pain, as well. She gasped against his mouth then opened, her tongue sliding along the seam of his lips. He groaned, tangling his tongue with hers, her sweet and exotic taste bursting on his tongue. He rocked against her, his erection pressing firmly into her flat belly. She wrapped a leg around his thigh, pulling him closer, making him want to beg for more. When she arched against him, her nipples pressing into his chest, he groaned into her mouth. He wanted to tangle his fingers in her hair, wanted to run his hands down her sides, cup her breasts, undo her pants and feel her wet heat.

Yet he didn’t do any of that.

Not then.

Instead, he kissed her harder, wanting every ounce of her.

Before he could take a breath, she slashed his hands with her claws and he winced, pulling back ever so slightly. She pushed at his chest and he moved back more.

Fuck.

She’d kissed him back, had pressed her body to his, but she’d pushed him at the end. He’d moved because she’d pushed, but he’d f*cked up. He opened his mouth to apologize, not knowing what the f*ck had just happened, but before he could get out a word, she slapped him.

Hard.

Claws and all.

The metallic stench of blood filled his nostrils and he knew she’d cut his face as well as his hands.

“Why?” she gasped, her eyes wide. “Why?”





Chapter Six


“Why?” Brynn pleaded, her heart in her throat. “Why?”

She staggered from the wall, careful not to touch him. Just one taste, one touch, and she was addicted. He reached for her, then must have thought better of it because he dropped his hand. Her wolf begged for him while the woman wanted to rage in agony and sweet release.