Book 1: Chapter: 10

Sienna , “I thought you said it was an emergency,” I said, shooting daggers at my mother.

“What and spoil the surprise? I was just showing Mr. Norwood some of your baby photos. Wasn‘t she adorable?”

“Yes, even then, you could tell she‘d grow up to be a strong, beautiful woman,” he replie d, casting his mesmerizing, gold–streaked green eyes in my direction. “This tea is delicious, Mrs. Mercer.”

“Please, call me, Melissa,” she replied with a giggle.

I wanted to throw up. My own mother was more smitten with my partner than I was.

I bet she thought that I would mate with Aiden by the end of the Season, but I‘d looked into his eyes plenty of times now, and the recogniti on had never occurred.

He was just using me, after all.

“How was Uptown?” he asked, flashing a devilishly handsome grin.

Why did he care? Did he know about Jocelyn?

“It was okay,” I replied, trying not to let his looks get the best of me.

It didn‘t help that his shirt gripped every inch of his broad chest and bulging arms or that his jeans fit snugly around his powerful, defined legs.

From his roguish smile, I could tell that he knew I was fighting to keep my Haze from flar ing up “I don‘t think I‘ve seen you with your hair up before. It suits you, especially with that mark you have.”

I had completely forgotten that I‘d pulled my hair into a loose ponytail when I got to the g allery. Frizzy, windswept strands were everywhere. Dried sweat clung to my temples.

I looked messy and hideous, and he knew it. And of course the arrogant bastard would admire his own handiwork.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, not caring for formalities. I think that after this afternoon it was pointless to try and act civil.

“I‘m a man on a mission,” he said, amused. “I want to learn more about you and your fa mily. I realized this afternoon that we hardly know each other.”

Of course we don‘t. You marked me out of nowhere.

Still, this change in tact made me think that Jocelyn had relayed my message that he‘d better shape up. That was fast, I thought.

I folded my arms and gave him an annoyed look. “And what would that ‘task‘ be?”

With wide eyes, I watched as he rose and took my hand. “Sienna, would you care to join me for dinner this evening?”

The asshole was wooing me, and dammit, it was working So polite all of a sudden. Probably on account of my mom‘s presence. She looked like s he could‘ve died right there and gone to heaven.

My cheeks flushed, and my heart beat so loudly he probably heard it. I was charmed. D eeply charmed.

Maybe Jocelyn was right about him.

Maybe Aiden Norwood deserved a chance.

“I‘m not dressed for the occasion,” I said, trying to protest.

“Neither am I,” he said, grinning. “We‘ll take care of that. Shall we?”

Maybe we shall, I thought. But I made him wait for it. I wasn‘t about to give in that easily. Finally, I nodded my head.

“Yes,” I replied. Then, thinking I better hedge my bets, “This time.”

Aiden laughed and shook his head, amused by my continued restraint. Without another word, he ushered me outside into his car and we were off.

I knew I wasn‘t supposed to let the Alpha catch me. But, so far he‘d been polite, calm, g entleman–like even. Why run when no one was chasing you?

The drive was quiet and quick. Aiden pulled up to a boutique, and we went inside.

I was still on guard, but finding it easier every second to be around him.

The saleswoman flashed an infatuated smile. “What can I help you with, Mr. Norwood?” she chirped.

The two of us locked eyes, and her smile immediately shifted to a glower.

I guess someone wanted Mr. Norwood to herself.

Twenty minutes ago I would have let her have him, but I felt strangely possessive for a s econd. Before I could stop myself, my lip curled into a snarl.

The saleswoman quickly looked away. I blinked. What was wrong with me? The alpha w asn‘t worth getting worked up over. Get a grip, Sienna!

“Will you help me find something?” I asked her, trying to send a peace offering.

She nodded curtly and led me to a row of beautiful silky pieces.

I chose a navy dress and went to the changing room. The dress was skin– tight, highlighting all my assets and complementing my ivory skin.

The saleswoman pushed a pair of white pumps under the curtain. They fit perfectly. I let down my hair and ran my fingers through it until everything was tamed.

I took one last look at myself in the mirror before stepping out. I looked damn good.

Aiden‘s eyes couldn‘t seem to move away. His heated stare scanned my body from head to toe, lingering on my hips and chest for a second too long second too long “You look...breathtaking,” he said, eyes glinting My Haze, thank God, was under control for once. Not that I can understand why. We‘d n ever shared such a one–on–one moment like this before.

It should have been blazing. But instead, I found myself blushing and looking away. It w asn‘t hot. It was just weirdly...nice. Almost cute.

That was when I noticed that Aiden had also changed.

He wore fitted blue slacks that left little to the imagination and a collared white shirt tailored to perfection. The man was devastatingly handsome.

After he paid for the dress and heels, we were back in the car, driving toward downtown .

We parked in front of the hottest restaurant in the city, and after opening my door, he le d me inside with one hand on the small of my back.

The moment we stepped through the door, everyone‘s eyes snapped to us.

Some were shocked, some envious, but I really didn‘t care. I was enjoying the evening so much there was nothing that could have distra cted me.

The hostess led us to an intimate table in the far corner, away from the prying eyes of th e other patrons.

We sat across from each other, and my body tensed as Aiden leaned closer. “Is this so bad?” he asked.

“That depends,” I said, and he raised an eyebrow, “on how good the food is.”

We both laughed now. And I realized how much I had to learn about the Alpha. I‘d never thought him capable of such easy– going warmth. He was a leader. A man to be feared. Not... this.

Just then, Aiden reached for my hand.

I flinched for a second. But then I let him take it We both were on autopilot, it seemed like. There were no words, no clear motives or ag endas to define what happened next.

Aiden brought my hand up to his soft lips and kissed the back of it.

I sucked in a breath of shock, as his kiss made the Haze erupt, spreading through my body, making my skin taut with anticip ation, swelling my sex, dampening my panties.

He looked up through his lashes, eyes swarming with surprise and unhidden hunger, his Haze sparking with my own.

Neither of us had meant for this to happen. But it was happening. And now I didn‘t know if we‘d be able to stop it.

“Sienna, you’re..”

– “I know,” I breathed, licking my lips. “You are too…Mr. Norwood.”

“Aiden,” he growled in hunger, “call me Aiden.

“Aiden.” I tasted his name in my mouth, closing my eyes and gasping. “Oh God, Aiden. I feel so hot.”

He growled stronger this time. “Keep that up and we won‘t make it past the first course.”

That sounded fine to me, but something inside my head kept nagging me, poking, trying to snap me out of my Haze.

) This was not a normal haze. No, it was like I barely recognized myself right now.

With one kiss to my hand, Aiden has erased everything I thought of as myself. My past. My desires. My fears.

They were all gone. I was mesmerized.

A part of me knew this was wrong, but I didn‘t want it to stop. I didn‘t want to interrupt th e tension that was building inside me as I scented this mouth–watering man.

We barely acknowledged the waiter who came to take our orders. Aiden ordered somet hing fancy, but the only course I wanted to taste wasn‘t on their menu.

It was seated across from me.

Stop! Emily‘s voice was back again. Stop, Sienna! Save yourself for your mate!

“Oh, for fuck‘s sake, shut up!” I said aloud, not meaning to.

Aiden gave me a questioning look. “Are you going crazy?”

” You make me go crazy,” I answered seductively, one set of lips parting, the other clen ching “Is that so?” he said, eyes blazing. “I thought you wanted to be chased.”

Wait, he thought I wanted to be chased? Is that what he‘d taken away from our convers ation?

Before I could protest, his hand curled around my wrist and raised my hand to his face. Everything in my head scattered to the wind.

“Your skin is so soft,” he murmured, kissing my palm. “So silky and soft. I want to put my tongue on every inch of your body.‘

My face flushed, and I moaned as he slipped one of my fingers into his mouth.

Something is wrong! Stop it!

How could anything be wrong?

“Sienna.” The sound of my name made me jump. “I can‘t wait. I want you now.’

Looking into his eyes, I wanted him too. I didn‘t care where or how, but I wanted every i nch of him.

“Take me.”

In an instant I was yanked from my seat and stumbling into a dimly lit back room.

Spreading my legs, he wrapped his strong hands under my thighs and pinned me to the wall. His mouth massaged my mark.

I had never been kissed on the lips before in my life. But these past few days, my neck had been getting more than enough action to make up for that.

I moaned in pleasure as one of Aiden‘s hands slid between my legs, his fingertips teasi ng my inner thigh.

He inched closer and closer until I was ready to scream. “What are you waiting for?” I gr oaned, my legs trembling.

His fingers pressed against my wet panties, and a wave of pleasure blurred my vision.

I‘d touched myself there countless times. But it was nothing like feeling a man‘s hands, Aiden‘s han ds, on me.

I fell under the strongest Haze I had ever experienced when the voice came back, crying out in my mind.

Remember your vow!

I snapped from my Haze like someone coming out of a trance. The pleasure I felt was transformed into sheer terr or as I pushed Aiden off me and bolted out the door, I flew from the city to the woods, tearing right through the beautiful dress that Aiden bought me, shifting into wolf form.

Once I was on four legs, everything became instinctual. And right now my instincts were telling me to run I reached the woods and kept going for what felt like miles. I stopped to rest when I reac hed a clearing in the trees, but my respite was short–lived.

A gust of wind brought a familiar scent to my nose.

It was Aiden, and he was headed straight for me.