Chapter Seven
Erica sat on the bench, legs crossed, one foot swaying lightly to the beat of the music. It wouldn’t be too much longer before her bus left and then she’d be free of Caleb and whatever he planned to do with her. She’d paced back and forth in front of the departures board for a long time before deciding Ottawa would be a better place for her to go. Farther from Michigan, in case Tank was trying to find her, and closer to the wilderness so it would be easy to change. She hadn’t been able to shift in a couple of weeks and her wolf was itching to be set free. And with the money she’d taken from Caleb, she’d have enough to put down first and last month’s rent on a small place while she looked for a job.
She felt a little guilty for robbing Caleb. He’d been kind to her and cared about her in a way nobody had for a long time. And he’d ignited a spark in her that had been dormant for so long. In truth, she didn’t think she’d ever had a man make her feel the way Caleb did last night, like she was the most precious thing in the world. And that made him dangerous. She couldn’t afford to make another mistake.
A scent wafted past her and she closed her eyes. It reminded her of Caleb, all woodsy and sweet pine. When she opened her eyes again, the man stood right in front of her, arms crossed and glaring. Of course. She should have known better than to walk here. She darted a quick glance around and realized she had nowhere to run. There were too many people and no easy way to get to the exit.
Caleb squatted down in front of her. “Where are you going?” His eyes flashed with emotion. Was he angry? After stealing from him, she really couldn’t blame him. At least they were in a public place. He wouldn’t risk making a scene. Would he? But there was something besides anger in his gaze. Worry? Fear? Why would she frighten him?
“I needed to get away.” Erica took a deep breath and tried to look anywhere but at Caleb. “I really appreciate everything you did, but…”
He placed a hand on her knee. “I want to talk to you. Please come back to the hotel with me.”
Erica crossed her arms over her chest and resisted the urge to pout. “You can talk here.”
“Erica, come on.”
“No. We talk here, or we don’t talk, but I’m not leaving.”
She got a bit of satisfaction from the growl he let out along with a curse. He took the seat beside her on the bench. “I don’t know how you ended up here, but I know you can’t be happy living on the streets in the middle of a huge city. We need to be out in the open where we can run, where the air is clean, and where there’s a pack who cares about us.”
Her wolf salivated at his words, longing for the picture he painted, but she shook her head. “I don’t need any of that. I’ll be fine.”
“Please. Come with me to my home and let me show you how good it can be.” He’d started running his fingers along her leg, the touch leaving no doubt what would be good. Everything about him drew her in, his masculine scent, the heat of his body, the light touch of his hands. Even his wolf called to hers. Never had the wolf been so eager to be around a man.
“Bus number eighty-seven for Ottawa now boarding on platform three.” The tinny voice of the announcement cut into her thoughts. Her bus. If she wanted freedom, she had to go now.
She looked into Caleb’s warm eyes. He held the power of an Alpha, there was no doubt about it, but right now instead of commanding her, he was a man asking for a chance. And for the first time, she realized she held power over him, too. Maybe this could work out after all.
****
Caleb nearly leaped for joy when Erica stood up and agreed to go back to the hotel with him. He took her hand, and though she hesitated at first, she wrapped her fingers around his. He didn’t know what he would have done if she’d refused. Sure, as an Alpha he could command her to go with him, but that would only make her resent him. She’d obviously been burned in the past and he’d have to work to prove to her he could be the kind of partner she deserved.
At the door to the hotel, Jake said good-bye and headed for his place while Caleb and Erica went back to their suite.
“Did you want to leave now or stay here for another night?” he asked her.
She’d ditched her coat and shoes and sat on the couch with her legs tucked up under her. “Where do you want to take me?”
“I guess I didn’t explain that part, did I?” Caleb ran his hands through his hair. “Okay, well, I live in the Muskokas, northwest of the city. There are lots of trees and wilderness. My family owns a big property and we rent cottages, but it’s still got plenty of privacy.”
“Is your pack big?”
“I guess. Our territory is large, most of the southern part of the province up to North Bay, but we mostly keep to the main pack lands. We have about a hundred wolves, though some are just passing through.”
Her eyes widened. “A hundred? Wow.”
“How big was your pack?” And where was your pack? Why did you run away from them? Though he longed to ask the questions, he didn’t want to press her.
A strand of her hair had come loose from her ponytail and when she glanced down, it swung in front of her eyes. He brushed it back behind her ear, earning a small smile. “We have about thirty guys. I have no idea how many women because they come and go so frequently and I’m never sure who’s human and who’s not.”
Caleb frowned. “There are humans in your pack? I mean we have humans living in the town, and some of them know about us, but we don’t consider them part of the pack.”
The hair came loose again, but she tucked it back before he could. What would it feel like to thread his fingers through the silky lengths? Did she like having it pulled during sex? He shifted in his seat as his cock started to thicken. God, she was speaking to him and he was imagining her in bed. Way to show her you’re a good guy. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
She frowned and gave a light shake of her head. “Nothing. Well, my pack did a lot of mixing around. Not that they’re my pack anymore.” She stood and walked to the window. “Would your pack accept me?”
He went to stand behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder. Their faces reflected back at them in the dark glass while the lights of the city spread out below. “They have to accept their Alpha’s m—” He stopped short. He didn’t want to freak her out.
She stiffened. “Their Alpha’s what?”
Caleb didn’t know what to say. Erica turned around to face him, eyes dark, challenging him. Though he stared back, she wouldn’t look away. He couldn’t back down. So much for not upsetting her. Straightening up, he allowed a bit of his power to seep into his words. “The Alpha’s mate.”
She sucked in a breath and pressed her lips into a fine line, finally breaking eye contact. His wolf approved. Until she stepped around him and ran for the bedroom. Though she caught him off guard, he managed to get his hand through the door before she could close it.
“Move your hand!” She leaned against the door, squeezing his arm between the door and the frame.
“No. I told you we’d talk about it, so let’s talk. We need to work this out.”
“There’s nothing to work out. I’m not your mate. I’m not anyone’s fucking mate.”
Caleb’s wolf wanted to charge in, throw her on the bed, and show her once and for all who was the dominant one in this relationship. But the man refused to give in. If he had to resort to force, then he didn’t deserve to be Alpha. He braced one hand against the doorframe and pressed his forehead to the door. “Tell me you don’t feel it, too.”
He waited, but she said nothing. “I know it’s crazy,” he continued. “To think we could be mates without knowing each other is ridiculous, but if you can tell me you don’t feel it, too, I’ll leave you alone, and drive you wherever you want to go tomorrow. No more questions, no more pressure.” He took a deep breath. “Do you feel it?”
The silence stretched on. One heartbeat. Five. Twenty.
“I don’t.”