An Alpha's Choice (Talon Pack #2)(19)

It couldn’t. Not if she wanted to remain sane. Her wolf knew Finn’s didn’t feel the same thing she did. It wasn’t a lack of communication, or her being an overemotional woman. Finn’s wolf hadn’t once reached out for Brynn’s wolf. The mating urge had kicked in for Brynn, but it hadn’t for Finn. That was clear as day.

Fate had f*cked up and given her a mate who couldn’t feel the same potential bond she did.

Maybe the torture she’d endured at the hands of her father and uncles had f*cked her up so badly she didn’t know what she was feeling. Or maybe fate was punishing her for her hand in their deaths. Gideon might have dealt the final blow, but she had blood on her hands, as well.

Fate had once punished the entire Pack for her father’s actions by not allowing a single mating to take place in over fifteen years. It had taken the love of a Redwood princess and a broken Talon wolf to piece the ties of mating within the Pack back together.

Maybe the punishment wasn’t quite over.

Maybe Brynn needed to feel the pain of loss and a never-ending example of what happened when one crossed the paths of fate and destiny.

Whatever it was, she’d endure it. She had before, and she would again. But she couldn’t do it if she had to see Finn at her side and never be able to touch him. Or worse, touch him and know it would never go past that.

A touch.

A caress.

Never anything more.

He took a step forward, and she froze. What was he doing? He reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She could scent him; that spiciness that made her think of exotic, dark things that she shouldn’t be thinking of.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

She blinked, a jagged tear slicing through her once again.

He was sorry?

Sorry?

Of course, he was f*cking sorry. What else would he be?

“Sorry?” she croaked. She cleared her throat and raised her chin. She was better than this, better than a broken shell of a woman who couldn’t hide the pain inside. “Sorry for what? Kissing me? Or thinking that I could ever want you?”

Lie.

All lies.

But what was the alternative?

The words burned on her tongue, and the shock in Finn’s eyes at her tone—or maybe it was her words—told her she’d gone too far. But she didn’t care anymore. Not when he’d been hurting her for the past year.

He couldn’t kiss her and make her want more when she knew they’d never have it. She wouldn’t let herself live half a life when her wolf craved more.

It wasn’t fair to either of them.

And, goddess, if he were to ever find his real mate?

Bile rose in her throat.

No, she wouldn’t think about that.

Ever.

“You sure like those barbs when you’re pressed into a corner.”

She snarled again. “Then don’t push me. Don’t touch me. This will never happen again.” It couldn’t. “Now, we’re standing in the middle of an alley all alone instead of doing our job. I’d say that’s the real f*cked up situation here. So let’s get back out there and act like we’re fine and that I don’t want to kick you in the balls because you piss me the f*ck off.”

That was true, though she really wanted to do something else with his balls first.

Damn it.

Mind. Gutter. Bad.

Finn flared his nostrils then raised his chin. “Fine. We’ll head back like we planned but know this, Brynn Brentwood—we aren’t through. Far from it.”

And that’s what scared her. Because she didn’t know why he’d kissed her. Sure, he’d said it was because he’d wanted to. But what did that mean? She couldn’t be with a man that she wanted forever and know that he’d only want her for a tumble. She didn’t hate herself that much. So where he might want to continue this line of conversation, she knew she couldn’t. Not when she wanted to run her hands through his hair and tug. She missed the longer length where she knew she’d be able to get a good grip, but this shorter version would be good enough. That was, of course, if she let herself fantasize. Which she wouldn’t. Not in the slightest.

“Move out of my way before I move you myself.”

Finn raised a brow. Why did the man have to look sexy doing that? “That doesn’t sound like cooperation between Packs to me.”

“You just shoved me against a wall and put your tongue down my throat. I think we’re through with cooperation.”

“Actually, that sounds like perfect cooperation to me. Let’s do it again.”

Brynn’s hands shook. She’d heard of this Finn—the sarcastic one that made people smile by just being himself. But she hadn’t seen it before. Or maybe she had, but she’d been so clouded by her own pain and worries she’d missed it. However, she couldn’t deal with this right then. In fact, she couldn’t deal with it ever. Maybe if she hadn’t been bleeding inside, she would have enjoyed the man in front of her and his humor. Instead, all she saw was a mistake.

And that killed her one exquisitely painful inch at a time.

Enough of that. Seriously. She had a job to do, and her brain wasn’t in the right place.

“You done acting like a little pup who didn’t get his treat?” Better to put their age difference in the forefront. That would help push him away.