My Alpha Mate is a bully

r 2 -

hit every inch of his bare torso. “We should have skipped the whole

we would be able to afford it,” Luke respo

ottle over my head in Luke’s general direction without lookin

nged around the patio, relishing the summer sun as much as I was. Oliver sat on the steps leading up to the massive ma

Sitting around, doing nothing. I keep waiting

ead. “If you ask me, we should destroy our cell phones and get new numbers so h

on,” Klyte said

. I pulled it out to see who was callin

, grinning. “We were j

ped his fist in triumph while

Malcolm’s deep, authorita

was just talking about w

hant dance and paled a

retirement yet? I’m willing to take you back and call yo

been a month. Give it another and try again. W

colm said, and I could hear t

st a recruitment

k in and see where you ended up, just in cas

more like a mansion— out by the

. “Brixton? That the hom

others sensed the change, and in an instant, their bodies tensed, every inch o

know him well, but I know his reputation. There have be

s been confirmed. I’d be car

ck of my head. Hartwood? Whe

trouble and make sure we weren’t on his territory. He’d struck me as a little oi

n eye on him

t you guys. I know you ca

the heads up,” I said

the pack was waiting to

x,” I said. “

of their muscles until they

he problem?

wn up together; I trusted him with my life. His dark hair and olive skin shone in the sunlight as he waited to hear what the danger was.

said to be careful about the Obsi

Callum’s last name when we’d met, but now i

ame? Hartwood? I could hav

for a moment as they thou

ked. “A whole family? I don’t think they were pa

e in the gut as I remembered a young girl with strawberry-blond hair and

I have forgotten ab

*

Hart

d to face me. Her green eyes glared at me distrustfu

ed a lift.” I looked upward. The skies were a steely gray and hea

curvy body in a way that drew the eye to all the right places. She had cut her strawberry-blond hair, so now it framed her face, making her look less childish. And th

as no longer emaciated or scrawny-looking but looked feminine and fit. Her scent was more alluring—the smell of the forest mixed with

I’d rather walk.” I shrug

er eyes were calculating as they scrutinized me. The way she was staring at me, sizing me

fish grin. “

e as though waiting to see the trap. Then she sighed irritatedly, turned around, and began walking. I trotted to catch up with her bef

ds?” she asked. “Wait

t pulled that shit since we we

when you guys tried to ambush me

managing to keep your kill at t

snor

t was nothing, and when we tried to track your scent,

, and her shoulders

I said. “They’re all off planning my

of a surpr

ep a secret to

a’s face. We walked in silence for a few minutes. All I could think

ked, “What about yo

to worry

d to face one anothe

inst a nearby tree, her gre

y, I s

ned where she was, watching me. We were underneath the shelter of th

closer. I could see every one of her fr

head. “Surpr

either of us moved much,

a strand of her hair behind her ear. When she didn’t fl

oser, I guessed she felt the same way. There was an eager intensity and fervor. I gripped her tightly, ho

e off the kiss and pushed me away slightly. My hand w

y,” I

ep breath. “It’s not you. It’s

cted at me. There was something she was holding back. I almost asked her ab

her head. “I don’t t

“Do you know that cl

ion; everyone in the pack

sitated, I said, “It would really suck if I didn’t g

hake of her head. I thought it wa

ned. “

leaned forward again and stole ano

*

ably still with our old pack, in that old house on the outskirts of town. It was weird thinking about her after all th

ed that last night with her darting into th