Chapter 12
Hillary hummed to herself as she waved to the group of women who’d helped her clean the kitchen after dinner. Brittany had been among them and had been a regular at the classes since the big talk with her mate that had gone, as Brittany described, “surprisingly perfect!” It made Hillary feel good that she and Wanda were able to help the woman achieve a better level of intimacy with her man.
Turning, she gave her attention back to the oven she was just finishing scrubbing out. Tonight’s lasagna dinner had gone perfectly except when one of the teenagers, Harper, had spilled half a tray into the bottom of the oven.
Things at Blood Lust were going better than Hillary had anticipated. Wanda had become a fast friend and surprisingly most of the other women in the pack were really easy to get along with, too. Unlike at Shadow Wolf there wasn’t fierce competition for the male members of the pack. Here, it was like the un-mated women didn’t care one way or the other if they were ever mated. It was more than refreshing. It was beautiful. Finally, Hillary had the chance to actually be herself.
At her suggestion, Wanda started a book club and of the first week their group of six women who’d all read the same book had gotten together Sunday after breakfast to discuss their thoughts on it. Bull had even carried Simone to the club meeting and if Hillary hadn’t been mistaken, he’d been a little reluctant to leave her side.
A book club would have never happened back at Shadow Wolf. Hell, she and Simone were the only two members of Blood Lust that ever discussed literature and shared books. She sometimes wondered if the other women could even read.
Her cooking classes were also going well too. Surprisingly, there were so many women interested, that they had to do the classes in alternating shifts. They helped with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and then rotated the shifts so they could learn to cook all the meals.
Swiping one final time at the bottom of the oven, she relaxed back on her heels feeling a sense of accomplishment with how sparkly clean the oven was. The kitchen screen door squeaked open and then slammed on the spring hinge she’d grown accustomed to, letting her know she had a visitor. Peeking her head up over the counter, she beamed at Wanda. “Hey!”
“Hi,” Wanda crossed to the large fridge and rifled through before pulling out a glass bottle of Coke. “Modess needs a late night snack. He didn’t eat much at dinner.”
“I noticed,” Hillary admitted, straightening from the floor and dusting her knees and then hands to hide the blush that seared her cheeks with the knowing smirk Wanda shot her. Since the night in her cabin, Modess had consumed her thoughts. But, he’d gone out of his way to avoid her since then, so she refused to act like some ingénue with a crush.
“Anyway,” Wanda turned and headed toward the door. “Be a dear and take him something. Maybe a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It’s his fav.”
“One sandwich? Will that be enough?”
“Oh sure! He doesn’t like to eat too much before bed.”
Wanda’s words had worry snaking through Hillary. Something about the way Wanda wouldn’t meet her eyes made her nervous. “You sure, Wanda? One peanut butter sandwich? I can grill him a steak real quick or heat up some of tonight’s lasagna, there’s a little left.”
“No!” Wanda swallowed hard and pasted on an odd smile. “Just the one sandwich.” She flicked her fingers toward Hillary. “Now hurry, hon! The Alpha’s waiting.”
Hillary watched Wanda hurry from the kitchen. A few minutes later, she had a plate with two sandwiches because better safe than sorry, right? After pouring a tall glass of milk and covering the sandwiches with an unfolded napkin, she arranged everything on a tray she’d found. Hillary headed out of the kitchen on her way to the Modess’ house. The entire walk, butterflies were brawling in her belly and each step just made it worse. She was really nervous about seeing him. Every time she’d seen him over the past few days, her eyes had collided with his. Watching. He was always watching her and she was always getting busted trying to check him out.
On his porch, she took a moment to smooth her hair with her free hand before she lowered it and knocked.
***
While Modess waited for Wanda to return with his snack, he realized just how hungry he was. Padding in his bare feet to his kitchen, he jerked his fridge open and was met with a bottle of ketchup, a half-pitcher of lemonade and three beers. Grabbing a beer, he growled. This issue with Hillary needed fixing and fast. Once it started affecting his eating, it affected his physicality and as Alpha, he had to be tip-top all the time.
A soft knock pulled him from his thoughts. He chugged his beer as he padded out to the living room wondering why Wanda didn’t just barge right in like she usually did. Swallowing, he lowered his beer. “It’s open!”
He nearly dropped the bottle in his hand when Hillary opened the door and stepped into his living room. Damn you, Wanda!
“Hi, Modess. Wanda said you wanted a midnight snack.” She held up a tray and smiled tentatively up at him.
Modess. Why did it make his chest constrict when she simply said his name? Without thought, he closed the distance between them and held her eyes while pulling the napkin off the tray. Having her in his house, this close was driving him insane. That scent of hers filled the space and had his mouth watering, but it wasn’t for food.
Hillary bowed her head and hid her eyes. He took that opportunity to lower his to the tray.
His heart was racing and his hand was on the verge of shaking. Damn! What this woman did to him… Adrenaline was flooding his system for no apparent reason and his inner wolf was shredding him, demanding he do something. She’d come to him! This was his chance!
I’m not doing this! He raged at his inner wolf. “I said I wanted a midnight snack.” He growled, looking in mock disgust at the plate before him. The plan was to just get rid of her fast, but… “What the fuck is this?”
Hillary’s head shot up. “I-I… Wanda said…”
Modess slapped the tray out of Hillary’s hands. It shattered against the wall and sent food and glass flying. Hillary flinched and took an unsteady step back.
He was being irrational and he knew it had more to do with his reaction to her than anything else. Still, he couldn’t seem to calm himself. He felt like she was doing something to him and it pissed him off. He was known for his iron-clad control but every time Hillary was near, it slipped.
“Is this a joke? You’re a fucking chef and you bring me this?”
Hillary backed up another step. “I’m sorry! I…”
Modess cut her off with a snarled, “Don’t run from me, woman!” Inside, his wolf was lunging at the surface. Hunt her! In the name of all that was holy, she had to stop backing away from him or he wasn’t going to be able to hold back.
Locking her legs, Hillary forced her body to stillness. “Sorry,” she muttered and dropped her eyes. Clearly, she remembered well his speech about looking an Alpha directly in the eyes.
***
Stop looking him in the eyes, you idiot! Hillary was torn between obeying the dictate and looking up to make sure Modess wasn’t stalking her. She’d fucked up! Well, Wanda had given her shit advice, but she should have known better. What Alpha in his prime and built like Modess would want PB and fucking J? None!
When a large hand clamped around her throat, Hillary gasped and couldn’t stifle the whimper that clawed its way up her throat.
“Are you trying to insult me?”
She tried to shake her head, but Modess tightened his grip a fraction. He wasn’t hurting her, just holding her. Still, like an idiot, her hands shot up and clawed at his. Her eyes slammed to his and she breathed, “Don’t!”
Don’t? DON’T? Oh my fucking God! Had she lost her damn mind? Eyes locked on Modess’, she felt chills blast up her spine when his eyes darkened and a sinister grin took his lips.
“The fuck you say?”
So, this was how she died! In all her imaginings it had never happened like this. No, she’d always envisioned her old ass dying peacefully in her sleep having had a fulfilled life and a dozen grown pups who’d all mourn her when she was gone. Wrong! She died at the hands of a fierce Alpha, one she’d been secretly creaming over, because she, master chef extraordinaire, had served him a PB&J per his sister’s suggestion.
Stepping into her, Modess’ hand on her throat lifted, forcing her to look up at him, way up at him. He was the biggest bastard she’d ever seen. Sexiest bastard, too. She wondered why all the hot guys had to be assholes.
Lowering his head, the longer black hair on top of his head fell into his blacked out eyes. It would’ve been hot as fuck if Hillary wasn’t terrified to the bone.
“I asked you for a midnight snack,” he growled, the animal inside of him polluting his words. “You brought me PB&J. PB&J is for children.” His nose pressed into hers and his breath fanned against her lips. “Do I look like a child to you?”
Hillary struggled to shake her head. Something really weird was going on because right now her stupid, stupid, epically fucking stupid wolf was rolling onto her back and reveling in the Alpha’s treatment of her. She felt her sex moisten. She pinched her eyes closed and prayed he didn’t scent her arousal.
“Open. Your. Eyes.”
She couldn’t deny the lash of authority as it cracked over her and had her doing as he commanded. The dove-gray color of her eyes locked on his and she watched his nostrils flare.
No, no, no, no, no!
Modess jerked back a fraction and his frown faltered a moment. Then a slow, lethal smile took his lips. “I like your idea better.”
Suddenly, his hand released her throat and he stepped back. Hillary hunched and clamped her hands to her throat as she took in a ragged breath. She wanted to run, but he’d already told her not to. She wanted to close her eyes, but he’d told her not to do that either, so she just watched. She watched as he took a step back, bent an arm over his head and fisted the material of his form fitting thermal shirt between his shoulder blades before he ripped it over his head and dropped the shirt to the floor.
Unsure what was happening, Hillary’s eyes scanned his scar-riddled chest. He was a warrior God and the proof of his victories bisected and crisscrossed his beautifully chiseled torso.
When he toed off one boot and then the other, Hillary took another step back. His angry growl halted her retreat but she had to know. “What…what are you doing?”
“I asked for a midnight snack.” He jerked his chin toward the glass and sandwiches scattered on the floor. “You brought me that shit.”
Hillary was shaking her head, “I’m sorry, I’ll make you…”
“No,” he cut her off and unbuttoned his jeans. “You’ll do.”
The blood left Hillary’s head so fast that she swayed. “No, no, no.” She took two stumbling steps backward and was nearly to the door when a now fully naked Modess lunged and grabbed her.
The room grew thick with the weight of his authority and the air heavy with his intent. He snarled, “Don’t tell me no, woman.”
His hands fisted her shirt and jerked, shredding the material. He dropped it to the floor and Hillary was frozen by shock for only a moment. Jerking back, she flattened a hand on his chest and shoved.
Like a big fucking bully, Modess chuckled. He slid two large fingers into the front of her jeans, the back of his hand pressing against her soft tummy as he unbuttoned and then unzipped her jeans.
Tears filled Hillary’s eyes. She wanted to tell him ‘no’ but he’d commanded her against it. He was using his Alpha authority to keep her from doing what she wanted, from saying what she wanted, and right now she hated him for it. Who did that? What decent Alpha forced a female?
At her hips, his thumbs hooked her jeans and her panties and he shoved them down. Goosebumps blasted across her skin. “I don’t want this!”
Modess’ eyes, which had been drinking in the sight of her, lifted to collide with hers. The top of her head came only to his collar bone. The heat coming off of his big body had hers trembling with the need to press against his.
His expression wasn’t angry, it certainly wasn’t happy, it was just intense. Silently, he looked at her before he bent and, to her utter mortification, slid two fingers between her legs and rubbed.
Holy hell! She tensed and tried to clamp her thighs together, but that only drove his fingers into her. She gasped and lifted her hands to claw onto his shoulders. Her eyes locked onto his and held.
Pulling his fingers free, Modess lifted and held them up. The proof of her desire was glistening there on his fingers.
“You sure?”
Fuck no! “Yes!” she hissed breathlessly, her heart hammering against her chest.
Dark eyes still holding hers, Modess lifted his fingers to his mouth and tucked them between his lips. His eyes fluttered closed and he groaned around them. Hillary swore she felt that groan vibrating on her clit and she whimpered as more liquid heat seeped from her. The sound had Modess’ eyes snapping open. They were so dark now that no white showed at all and when his lip peeled back, he released his fingers and hissed. At the sides of his mouth his incisors had elongated. Hillary worried about the partial shift that was taking him. Her eyes shot to her hands where her nails still dug into his muscular biceps. Instantly, she released him.
Modess watched her for long minutes before growling, “If you don’t want to get tongue fucked, you have two seconds to get the fuck out!”
His shocking words sent a thrill shooting through her. She didn’t move for two precious seconds as she considered what exactly it was she did want from him. She’d been fanaticizing about him for a week now, but she’d be leaving soon, so getting attached couldn’t happen. Maybe it’d be different for him, but if they went there, Hillary knew it’d be more than just physical for her. Bending quickly, she jerked her panties and jeans up. She left her tattered shirt on the floor and hurried from his house, crossing her arms over her bra-clad breasts.
Outside, the cool night air hit her and had her inhaling sharply even as her feet carried her swiftly from Modess’ house. A sudden pang of regret hit her, but she kept moving. She’d only gotten about fifteen steps when she heard a mighty roar. Worried that Modess may have regretted letting her go, she dropped her arms and sprinted for her cabin.
***
Modess paced his house, snarling and fisting his hands to keep his beast from taking his skin, chasing Hillary down, and fucking her where he caught her. This, whatever it was that was roiling through him, was new. New and unwanted. He paced and growled, sifting through the emotions warring within him to get to the source. His pace slowed and he finally slammed to a halt as his head lifted and he stared unseeing at the wall before him. Want. For the first time in his life he wanted something—no, someone—and it was someone he couldn’t have.
Swallowing he argued with himself about the why’s and how’s of not just taking what he desired from Hillary. The thought of her fighting him, of her being under him, fucked against her will left an acrid taste in his mouth. He was an asshole, but he wasn’t a fucking asshole. Yes, he wanted her. He wanted to bury himself inside her like he wanted to breathe, but he didn’t want her like that. He wanted her to want him back. And what the fuck was wrong with her anyway? He was the Alpha! Most women threw themselves at him. He’d never had to chase tail his entire life and yet here he was, for the first time ever, wanting a female who didn’t want him back! The female shifters in his territory would give anything to be mated or even bedded by him.
All of them except Hillary! He snarled at the inner voice and looked around his house for something to punch.
Tongue darting out to wet his lips, he stilled at the taste of her that still lingered there. Fffffuck! She’d tasted as sweet as she smelled. He fisted his hair and wondered what in the hell had happened to his plan. He’d been trying to scare her off quickly and in the next blink he’d been naked, dick throbbing to penetrate her, balls drawn up and so full of seed that he wondered if he’d impregnate her from their first mating. Impregnate? First mating? Listen to yourself!
Turning, he punched the nearest wall. It helped a little as his fist crashed through the sheetrock and left a gaping hole.
Yeah, he self-admonished. You sacred her off alright. Stupid fucking moron!