It’s not that I’ve been oblivious to what Hera is saying; I did always come out first in the contests among the females of the pack, but I guess I was surprised because I’d been careful not to brag or flaunt my natural dominance, mostly because I wasn’t ready to accept the eventual responsibilities tied to such a position. It was the same reason I’d been slow in accepting my place beside Akim.
Everyone thinks they want to be alpha, but the truth is, being alpha meant being responsible, it meant pulling the load when it got too heavy for others.
As if the thoughts summon him, Akim catches sight of me through the flames of the fire and heads my way.
16
10:10 p.m.
Not gonna lie, part of me wants to turn tail and run.
But the other part of me is mesmerized by him. I’m not sure what is happening between us, why I seem to be growing steadily unable to resist him, but as Akim walks toward me now, it’s almost as if I’m really seeing him for the first time.
The way he moves is both graceful and predatory, as if each step is routine in some deadly dance. Tall with wide shoulders, dark eyes and hair; he stands out in any crowd.
He sees he has my attention, and I can practically sense the wolf in him sitting up as well.
It’s as if all of a sudden I am Little Red Riding Hood, and the Big Bad Wolf looks like he wants to devour me whole.
He reaches me and hands me a cup of moonshine, and though I’m already tipsy, I take it. Seems I’m letting all my fucks fly out the window tonight.
“You did good, little wolf,” he tells me.
“You let me win.”
His head tilts. “Since I’ve never let anyone win before, that’s a victory in itself, don’t you think?”
“How is Tara?” I say, changing the subject.
He shrugs. “She’ll live. She was foolish to challenge you.”
I sigh and glance around. It’s been such a long day, and all of a sudden, I just want to go to bed, to put some sleep between me and all the things that have transpired.
“Can I take you home?” Akim asks.
Well, hell, I’ve gone along with it this far. I nod.
He offers me his hand.
I only hesitate a moment before taking it.
On the bike ride home, I clear my mind.
I let the sounds of the motorcycle engine and the wind in my hair drown out my thoughts. I rest my cheek against Akim’s wide, warm back, and feel the shifting of his abdominal muscles as he guides us back toward the city, breathing in the fresh countryside air, counting my own heartbeats.
By the time we reach my apartment on the northeast side of the city, I actually feel better.
As Akim pulls to a stop along the curb before my front door, he does not shut off the engine as I dismount. Damn him, but he’s still so respectful of my wishes. He won’t assume he can come inside. Not unless I invite him.
I bite my lip, my throat suddenly a little dry.
Akim leans forward and places a light kiss on my forehead, the masculine, familiar smell of him invading my sensitive nose.
“Good night, little wolf,” he says when I take too long to make up my gods damned mind.
He moves to leave, and I hear myself speaking before I can think twice.
“Akim,” I say.
He pauses.
“Come inside.”
And there it goes.
My very last fuck flying away.
I’m a little drunk, but no alcohol has ever made me feel like this.
It takes me a moment to realize that I’m nervous. Like a damn school girl or something.
I unlock the door to my apartment while Akim waits behind me. I’m hyperaware of his presence, like I can feel the heat radiating off him.
Get it together, Harp. It’s just Akim.
But that is kind of the point; It’s Akim.
The wolf in me is sitting up, ears perked, eyes watching. She has been sold on our mating to Akim from day one, does not at all understand why we’ve waited this long.
We go into the apartment and I close the door behind us. I engage the deadbolt and door chain out of habit. When I turn around, Akim is right there.
His wide, strong chest is at eye level, and my tongue darts out over my lips as I follow the smooth planes of it down to his trim waist.
And lower still.
My heart skips three beats as I remember that Akim is a large male, in every sense of the word.
When he speaks, his voice is deep and low, more a growl than anything. “Tell me what you want me to do,” he says.
Yo, I blame it on the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-alcohol, but my crazy ass replies, “Whatever you want to.”
And that is all the answer he needs.
He stalks forward, closing the space between us.
But he pauses when he’s there, dark eyes locked on mine. I don’t think I’m even breathing.
My wolf is rabid inside me, urging me to quite literally throw myself at him. My eyes are glowing wolf-gold, stomach fluttering. Akim’s nostrils flare as he takes in the scent I’m surely putting out. My lower regions clench as I remember when we were here earlier in the day, when he was kneeled before me.
Good gods, what is he waiting for?
“Tease,” I joke, but it comes out breathy.
Akim chuckles, a low rumble in his chest. Somehow, my back is against the door. He places his hands on either side of me, palms flat against the wall. No part of him touches me, and I want to cry out at the anticipation.
The bastard knows exactly what he is doing.
Fuck it.
I close the distance between us, my lips finding his as if they’ve always known the way. My hands wrap around his hard waist, fingers digging into the soft fabric of his black shirt.
