Chapter 9
Hillary and Wanda worked in the kitchen until lunch was finally ready, but their conversation had died down. Hillary was swamped by thoughts of Modess and his startling arrival at the mess hall earlier. She wondered what he’d wanted. She wondered what he would have said or done if Wanda hadn’t been in the kitchen with her. He’d had this look in his eyes, like he’d desperately wanted to tell her something, but he held it back.
Wanda’s words drew her from her reverie. “You gonna take Simone and Bull lunch, or you want me to do it today?”
Hillary didn’t want to leave the kitchen because she was expecting Modess back any moment now as the rest of the pack filed into the hall to line the cafeteria style tables. Part of her wondered if Wanda were delivering food and they were alone, if Modess would explain his visit earlier. She couldn’t do it though. Simone was injured and laid up because she’d come in some misguided attempt to save Hillary. She’d be damned if she didn’t go check on her friend at every opportunity presented.
“I got it.” She jerked her chin toward the large pots of stew. “Everything’s ready. See if Christian will carry those out to the serving table for you. They’re gonna be heavy.”
Wanda nodded and disappeared to find her mate while Hillary plated several biscuits and ladled some of the stew into a smaller pot before loading it all onto a tray with two glasses of iced tea for Simone and Bull.
Alone, she took a moment to rub at her sore neck. Damn bedless cabin! For Simone’s sake, she was thankful Bull had a guest room with an actual bed in it. Her heart fluttered at the prospect of Simone and Bull pairing up. It would be a good match and Simone deserved happiness. In Hillary’s eyes, anyone who stormed headlong into another pack’s territory just to check on a friend deserved the world.
She passed Wanda and Christian on her way out of the mess hall and Christian rushed to hold the door open for her. She muttered a thanks and was halfway across the courtyard when movement caught her eye. Modess was stalking toward her, face all dark and broody, eyes all intent. She stalled to a halt and when Modess was towering over her with an angry look, she wondered what she’d done.
Standing so close, his chest nearly brushed the tray she held, Modess didn’t speak.
“Uhh…hi?”
“We need to talk.”
“O-kay.” She looked down at the tray in her hands. “I’ve just gotta…”
“Yeah,” he bit out, taking the tray from her. “I got it.” Turning, he headed toward Bull’s cabin. “Come on.”
Hillary followed cautiously behind him, her mind racing. At Bull’s cabin, she rushed to get the door, but Bull was already opening it. He planted his wide frame in the open doorway and crossed his arms over his chest like a bodyguard refusing to let them pass.
O-kay! Hillary looked from Bull to Modess while the two men glared at each other.
“She’s still hurt,” Bull declared, staring down his nose at Modess. “Can’t have you near her right now. It’ll set off my wolf.”
“Don’t wanna be near her,” Modess growled lifting the tray. “Just brought lunch.”
Bull’s eyes narrowed on the tray before lifting to Modess. “Don’t need you providing for her.”
“I’m not,” Modess ground out. “I was just helping Hillary carry the damn tray, and I’ll remind you one more time that I’m Alpha here, Bull. I don’t answer to you.”
“When it comes to her, you do.”
Hillary’s head bounced back and forth as she watched the two men exchange words. They were both acting strange. Modess looked like he was ready to punch everything and Bull had clearly lost his damn mind because everyone knew you didn’t speak to Modess like that.
Quietly, she offered, “I can take the tray in, if…”
At the same time, both men snapped, “NO!”
Hillary jerked back and at her reaction, Modess’ wolf started rattling his chest with a weighty growl.
Bull lowered his hands and fisted them. She was sure they were going to launch into each other at any moment.
“Bull?”
Simone’s soft voice called from inside, the effect was like magic. One second, Bull was going all tense like readying for a fight and the next he was half turned, face all morphed into concern.
Simone called out again, “Bull, I’m hungry. Let them in.”
Reluctantly, he turned back to Hillary and Modess and grudgingly stepped to the side. Hillary was going to enter the cabin, but Modess’ words halted her.
“Like I said. Don’t wanna be near her. Here!” He shoved the tray into Bull’s chest, sloshing some of the tea over the rim of the glasses. With hands empty now, he lifted a hand and punched a finger into Bull’s face until it was practically touching his nose. “And I’ll tell you this once! You will not give Hillary a hard time when she comes to see Simone or when she delivers food. You understand?”
Bull’s response was a grunt, which apparently wasn’t sufficient enough because the air around them suddenly grew heavy.
“Say the words,” Modess commanded with a lash of authority.
Bull’s shoulders tensed and slowly, his eyes lowered. His head tilted slightly to the side showing throat as he grunted, “I under…stand.”
“Good!” Modess bit out. Without another word, he grabbed Hillary’s hand and she let him lead her away from Bull’s cabin. They were halfway across the compound when Modess growled, “We need to talk.”
You already said that. But she kept her mouth shut because he was clearly pissed and she didn’t want any of his ire coming back on her. She had to jog to keep up with his long strides and her heart thundered as she wondered what it was he needed to speak with her about. She was worried she’d done something wrong, but as he led her up the stairs to her cabin and shoved her door open, her anger rose. Why was she the one who was worried? She knew she hadn’t done anything and he certainly had no right to be dragging her through the compound grounds like she was…his!
Stopping just inside the door, she jerked her hand from his and snapped, “What. Is. Your. Problem?”
Modess spun her so fast she gasped. He grabbed her hips and lifted, pressing her against the wall. The Alpha settled his big body between her legs and rested his forehead against hers. His breathing was ragged and she knew her heart rate had to match his because she was panting. She waited, tensed up and afraid to move too quickly. Slowly, she peeled a hand, finger by finger, from where it was gripping his shoulder.
“Don’t,” he snarled in warning. She kept her hand in place.
She tried to ignore the sudden heat that pooled between her legs and the searing need that coursed through her as Modess panted against her. She had an inexplicable urge to lean her head to the side and run her tongue up the side of his face, but she held back. She was afraid to taste him, afraid to keep on touching him, afraid to move. Because pinned between the unforgiving wall and the unforgiving Alpha, she felt something she hadn’t felt in…well, ever. Safe. She knew that in the circle of Modess’ arms, no one would harm her. Hell, no one could harm her because he was a beast of an Alpha, the fiercest she’d ever known, and right now all his focus was on her. She wasn’t afraid, just so damn aroused that it was becoming difficult to breathe.
“You’re…” he started then stalled. A few deep breaths and he tried again. “You’re going to stay away from other males here. Understand?”
His words shocked her. What? Who? She shook her head, her nose brushing against his and his hold on her hips tightened almost painfully.
“You will!”
She wasn’t denying that. Swallowing hard, she offered a tremulous, “I didn’t… I don-don’t know what you’re talking about, Modess. I haven’t been…”
“Henry,” he snarled.
She felt all the blood drain from her face. She hadn’t seen Henry since he’d attacked Simone. “He’s…”
She was about to tell Modess that whatever in the hell Henry had told him was a lie, but she didn’t get the chance. Her body went rigid when Modess moved his chin, using his nose to force her head to the side. Her neck was exposed and she supposed that was what he was after because he was riled up and it was a show of submission. When he pulled his head back a fraction, she kept her head where it was in a willing display. She thought it’d get her brownie points, but she wasn’t expecting the deep growl that vibrated from his chest to hers. The sound was sexy and heady. She’d pulled that sound from him and goddamn it was empowering.
Leaning forward again, Modess ran his nose down the satiny column of her neck evoking goose bumps. Now Hillary was the one making sexy sounds. Modess rolled his hips and the unmistakable bar of his erection pressed against her, but when his lips parted and he leaned into her neck again, she tensed.
“Stop,” she breathed and he did instantly.
Pulling back, he looked at her with a frown. Now her heart was working triple what it had been earlier, which was saying a lot. Afraid she was going to have a panic attack and pass out, she quickly blurted before she lost her nerve. “You need to ask!”
Modess jerked back, releasing her just as quickly as he’d grabbed her. She staggered when her jelly legs hit the floor.
Ffffuck!
“Ask?” he demanded in a tone laced with incredulity.
Swallowing hard, she fisted her tiny hands and steeled herself. With one dip of her head she gave the best nod she could. “Yes. Ask!”