Chapter One

WOLF

Days and nights have just morphed together; I can’t say how long it’s been since I had a warm meal or didn’t walk into a town and got uncomfortable and unwelcome stares from most folks there.

The truth is, yeah, I suppose I look fucking terrible; I probably reek something awful, too. I’ve been up in the mountains so long that I’ve started looking like I belong there; in a way, I guess I do. When I do make my way into a passing town, being butt-ass naked probably won’t go down well, so I tend to help myself to the occasional clean clothes off someone’s wash line; it usually only happens when I sneak myself into towns to grab some food, and by grab, I mean it, quite literally.

Being a mutt in the mountains doesn’t come with a free cash flow; it’s tough out there, and food isn’t as plentiful as you might think. So yeah, my conscience should probably be eating me up inside about taking stuff that doesn’t belong to me, right? But honestly, it’s this or walking around fucking naked when I’m in my human form. The last pair of decent clothes I had got shredded when I had to do an emergency shift during a mid-chase; actually, my ass was more like bolting in the opposite direction of a pack of wolves who, yes, you guessed it, didn’t want me on their territory.

I don’t like being a thief, but it is what it is: taking what I need or walking around naked. Take or go hungry and starve to death; it’s that simple. And I only ever take what I need. Never more than that. Besides, no one has ever been willing to give someone like me a job; every alpha of their territory controls their towns, so that’s like hitting a brick wall every time.

I think anyone who judges someone who has to steal food and clothes to survive is a hypocritical asshole; unless you’ve lived out here with nothing and no one to throw you a goddam lifeline of any sort, you can’t judge, now, can you?

So here I am, walking into yet another shitty little town with a bunch of mundane humans who keep looking at me funny. This town is undoubtedly run by yet another alpha male whose head is as big as his ego. I mean, sure, I need some soap and some other decent clean clothes; the ones I just grabbed off someone’s wash line are way too tight for my liking. Still, damn, I don’t smell that bad, do I? Taking a sudden whiff of myself, I wince; okay, maybe I do.

Out of nowhere, as if someone can read my goddam mind, I suddenly hear the most harmonic sound, a voice so angelic and crystal clear to me; it’s like she’s right in my head speaking to me instead of right behind me.

“Jeez, don’t they believe in soap and water from where you come from?”

And I’m instantly knocked off my axes, my brows furrowing in response when I swing right around. Blinking, I’m suddenly looking down, and it takes my brain twenty seconds to register the most breathtakingly beautiful girl standing before me. I blink twice, expecting her to disappear, but she doesn’t, meaning I’m not hallucinating.

My breath hitches in my throat; the minute her scent hits my nose, I physically take a step back, and she eyes my movement with curious suspicion. I’m so shocked she just spoke to me that I’ve completely forgotten how to form coherent words. I’m fumbling with what she said, staring at her like a goddamn mute idiot. Her scent and sweet voice are the only things registering in my mind right now. It’s also the first time anyone belonging to a pack has addressed me like that, and this girl is all alpha pack. The only times I ever get spoken to is when I’m brutally assaulted or ordered to leave, never for any other reason.

Never.

My eyes meet hers, and I blink again, completely lost in the emerald-green orbs, her wolf swirling around in them; I almost forget to breathe as my jaw goes slack. My eyes slowly rake over her body; she’s got a tiny and petite frame, at least half my size, and long black hair hanging down her lower back. Fuck. Her hair looks so soft, like silk, and I’m itching to touch it, run my fingers through it, pull a handful of her hair in a knot when I... Fuck. I quickly shove those thoughts out of my mind, but my beast is keenly interested, his ears perking up as my eyes move back up, landing on her lips, and I swallow hard. She has the plumpest-looking juicy lips I’ve ever seen. Fuck.

My heart immediately shudders as her scent hits my nose, fuck, fuck, fuck. She smells so good; I can’t place it, but I’ve already committed it to memory. I make a mental note to find out what her scent reminds me of.

I’m still lost in my thoughts when she clears her throat; it’s then that I realize that I’ve been staring at her lips way longer than expected. I’m still standing there like a fucking idiot, and she’s staring at me questioningly like she’s still waiting for a response.

Oh yeah, she asked me a question...

“I...” quickly looking up from her lips and into her deep emerald green eyes again, my throat thickens. ‘Fuck, Wolf, get it together; she’s just a girl,’ I try to remind myself, but the fact is, she isn’t just a girl; she’s a wolf just like me, and her proximity makes it difficult to think straight right now.

Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, she smirks, the corners of her mouth turning up into a grin,

“What, cat got your tongue?” Her sassy mouth has my dick twitching in these tight jeans. Making it fucking painful right now. Furrowing my brows, I shake my head,

“I’m just passing through; I won’t take up too much time here. I was just looking to get something to eat so you don’t have to call the cavalry.” Words are suddenly running away from me like a steam train like I can’t get them out fast enough fuck; I must sound like such an idiot to someone like her.

Scoffing, she playfully raises her brows as a grin spreads into a curious smile,

“I didn’t ask whether or not you were leaving, and don’t worry; I wasn’t about to order you to get out of town with your tail in between your legs, either. I was asking...”

“If I know how to use soap and water, yeah, I got that part, and the answer is yes.” I abruptly cut her off as I smirked, suddenly remembering the first damn question she asked, albeit it was more like a snarky remark than a question. She tilts her head, curiously eyeing me when she crosses her arms,

“Well, he can speak, remember questions, and has a sense of humor- impressive. So tell me, where exactly were you planning on getting something to eat?” I’m still mesmerized by her, but I quickly force myself to look away; when I turn my head to the side, the moment my eyes land on some diner not too far from where I’m standing, I tilt my chin up with a nudge in the direction of said diner.

“Over there, I guess.” Only then do I notice that the diner is smack-dab between a hair salon and some clothing outlet? I guess I can’t help but smirk at the irony. She gives me a look of disbelief when she smirks,

“You don’t plan on going there dressed like that, do you? Even here in Sitka, we have standards.” The sarcasm dripping off this girl’s tongue is enough to have me wanting to take her in my arms and... Fuck. ‘Stop it, Wolf,’ I scold myself internally. This girl is sharp and not meant to even talk to someone like me, but I can’t help wanting to engage with her; there’s something about her. Smirking, I playfully narrow my eyes as I tilt my head back towards her,

“Don’t worry; I wasn’t planning on going in.” The instant confused look she gives me looks comical, mainly because I just said I’m grabbing something to eat, and then I do a complete one-eighty by saying I’m not going in.

“Well, how else do you plan on getting food?” Her voice trails off in confusion.

“I’m sure they have plenty of food they throw away out the back; I should be able to scrummage up a descent platter for two. If you’d like to join me, you’re more than welcome.” Scrunching up her nose in distaste, she shakes her head, that same confused look still etches across her face; my face remains unchanged as I stare at her, and then, the penny drops the moment she realizes I’m being dead serious and not joking.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Narrowing my eyes, I take a step toward her, and she doesn’t step back true to her nature, only confirming what I already suspected to be true... Alpha female.

“Do I look like I’m joking?” She blinks back in surprise, and there’s this moment of awkward silence that stretches out between us. I swear I’ve never hated my disposition in life more than in this moment; a breathtakingly beautiful she-wolf is standing right in front of me, giving me the time of day, only for her expression to change from interest to pity in a heartbeat. Sighing, I lower my eyes to the ground; as I said, it is what it is, and I made peace with it long ago.

Her next question stumped me because I didn’t expect her to stick around after realizing I was some bum wolf mutt. But even more so, because her whole demeanor suddenly shifts, her wolf shimmering brightly in her eyes.

“So, what’s your name?”

My eyes fly up as they lock with hers, brows furrowing in response, and I swear her wolf is looking back at me like some playful puppy; what the fuck gives with this chick?

“I don’t think it’s wise for us to exchange personal information about ourselves with one another, considering that I don’t even know you.” She instantly lets out the most adorable little chuckle I’ve ever heard as she tilts her head, clearly intrigued by my stubborn way of brushing her off,

“I didn’t realize you were so protective over your name.” Narrowing my eyes, I smirk with a shrug,

“It’s all I have.” And she might not know this, but the truth in those words is more accurate than she could ever imagine.

“Well, my name is Sasha.” She says with a bright smile. What is it with this girl and her optimistic curiosity? “And, I’m a...” But before she can finish that sentence, I cut her off,

“I know what you are and can figure out who you are, too. You are an alpha’s daughter, and clearly, you are pretty actively involved in this shitty little town in the middle of nowhere, am I right?”

Her smile falls from her lips as she bites her bottom lip; my eyes trace the movement, and something begins to ache inside, not because I’m hungry.

Fuck.

“It’s Alaska,” She blurts out, and I immediately frown at her response. Straightening up with a sigh, I shrug, “What?” in response,

“Our shitty little town; it isn’t in the middle of nowhere; it’s in Alaska. What I mean, you’re partly right because, getting here, you’d have to fly or take a ferry...did you take a ferry from wherever it is that you didn’t say you came from again?” My eyes narrowed suspiciously at her as I questioned,

“What the hell are you on about?” I instantly feel this strange, uneasy feeling creeping deep inside my gut. I forcibly push it back down because I’m a nobody, and she’s a somebody.

“Hey, I’m just conversing; you’re acting weird and not wanting to give me your name.” Her wolf is peering at me through the irises of her eyes, and I know I shouldn’t encourage this. Still, how she’s suddenly looking at me has my wolf wanting to do crazy things to her.

“It’s Wolf,” I blurt out. Blinking twice, she looks surprised,

“What is?”

“My name, it’s Wolf.” Her mouth curls into an “o” as her eyes widen with newfound understanding. Tilting my head slightly, my eyes narrow in a challenging way, daring her to mock my name, but she doesn’t say a word. Instead, she starts walking past me in the diner’s direction; her scent again hits my nose. Fuck.

“Come on, Wolf, I’ll buy you lunch. Call it a welcome to Sitka, a peace offering kinda thing.” Turning my head, I eye her suspiciously as I watch her heading towards the diner,

“I’m not a charity case,” I mumble back at her. Smirking, she shrugs nonchalantly,

“Well, I guess it’s good that I don’t belong to a charity organization, then.”

“You know what I mean,” I huff, rolling my eyes at her. “Yes, okay, fine,” She groans as she turns back to look at me; rolling her eyes, she shrugs, “It’s just lunch, Wolf. It’s not like I’m asking you to tie your life to mine or something. Besides, being the alpha’s daughter comes with some perks, free food being one of them.”

“Hmm, must be tough being daddy’s little princess,” I scoff, and she instantly shoots me a glare, clenching her jaw in irritation, but she quickly masks her annoyance with a smug smirk,

“Yeah, suppose so; now, come on before I change my mind.” I want to resist, but my wolf is being pulled towards her, clearly just wanting to get his dick wet, which I hope he knows is not going to happen. The last thing I need is her alpha father coming after me for fucking his daughter.

With my hands shoved into the pockets of the jeans I’m wearing, I find myself following after this girl and towards the diner-like it was just some natural thing to do, two friends having lunch on an overcast afternoon. Except, we don’t know a damn thing about one another. I should be bolting in the opposite direction; the cautious part of my brain says to run, yet my body is powerless to resist the natural pull she seems to have on me.