Book 1: Chapter: 8

Sienna , I marched straight to the Pack House, where I was sure to find Aiden. When I reached the entrance gate, I stopped to sniff the air.

Everything smelled of werewolves and humans, of vegetation and stinky vehicles. I scowled. I smelled everything except the one scent I was after. His scent.

Was it possible that marked females couldn’t scent? Wouldn’t that be a nice cherry on top of the already chauvinistic werewolf world.

The guard gave me a suspicious glance, so I plastered on a feminine smile and sauntered over.

“Excuse me,” I said silkily, “is Mr. – Norwood here?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Because I’d like to see him.”

Usually my conversational sway, my most effective dominant trait, would have done the trick. But this guard seemed like he’d , been trained to resist it.

“Have you made an appointment?” he asked in a condescending tone. “A lot of young girls want to see Mr. Norwood.’

I didn’t have time for this. “You’re going to let me in,” I growled. “Now.”

As my expression darkened, I allowed one of my fingers to shift into a long black claw.

I didn’t need to threaten him. The guard knew exactly what he was dealing with.

Fumbling to produce his keycard, the guard swiped open the gate.

“Thanks,” I replied, my hand returning to its human form.

And with that, I passed him, entering the premises of the Pack House.

I stormed through the front doors with a new rage burning inside of me, my wolf eyes glowing blue within my human form.

Aiden would know he’d marked the wrong woman.

The crowd parted as I headed for the stairs. Before climbing the steps, I paused and sniffed for him again.

The first scent to hit me was the sterile odor of the room then the scents of the other werewolves and humans.

I let out a frustrated growl until, suddenly, a whiff of woody essence, grassy aroma, and citrus cocktail hit me.

The fragrance was hypnotizing. It pricked my skin and made my mouth water, but I shook off these aromatic charms.

Aiden Norwood thought he could order me around like a slobbering fan girl because he was the Alpha.

He couldn’t have been more wrong I followed the scent to the third floor, where I came to a large oak door. I heard muffled voices on the other side. I put my ear to the door. I had found him. The Alpha.

Aiden I leaned back in my chair as Josh paced across the room, working himself up for some kind of grand discourse.

I was only half-paying attention. Something else had spiked my senses.

Jocelyn, Nelson, and Rhys looked on in silence. They knew better than to interrupt Josh when he was about to get on a roll.

“Josh, spit it out,” I snarled.

“Aiden,” he started, leaning in on my desk, “We’re worried about you, and it’s not just us. Other members of the pack are starting to notice. It’s not just rumors and gossip now. People are questioning your ability to lead. They think you’re compromised. A pack can’t function when its members start questioning their alpha.”

I stirred in my seat, flexing my muscles in case he had forgotten my strength. “Josh, there’s no reason to be concerned. I found someone.”

“You marked some nineteen-year-old you hardly know. How am I not supposed to be concerned after that? You should be looking for your mate, not fooling around with some teenager with a crush.”

“You don’t know her either,” interrupted Jocelyn. “It’s not fair for you to judge her.” Josh glared at Jocelyn, pursing his lips. “I’m not trying to put the girl on trial. I’m just saying the future of this Pack is bigger than any of us.”

“Aiden would do anything for the Pack. Are you questioning his leadership?” asked Rhys, becoming defensive.

As always, Jocelyn was quick to calm everyone. “I doubt Josh meant to call anyone’s loyalty into question, but he does bring up an important point. Aiden, what are you going to do?”

“That melancholy is behind me now, I promise.

I debated telling them the truth, but it might still be too early. I couldn’t afford to let it slip into the open.

But I knew Josh, and I couldn’t keep giving him the runaround. “All I want is for you to be honest with us,” Josh replied. “What’s going on with you lately?’

Before I could answer, a splintering crash ripped through the air and the office door flew open.

Sienna With my wolf in full control, I tore into the room. Twenty paces away, behind a massive desk, sat the man I’d come to see. He wasn’t alone, but I didn’t care.

Everyone’s eyes had snapped to me, including Aiden’s, which were looking gorgeous as ever.

Despite my entrance, he seemed shockingly unsurprised by my arrival. He must have scented me the moment I walked through the Pack House doors.

My rage had finally reached its boiling point, and I let loose a ferocious howl that shook the room.

“You,” I snarled, baring my teeth and holding his gaze, challenging him.

Aiden’s eyes narrowed as he rose and walked from behind the desk to face me.

“I was wondering when you’d show up,” he said. “Sooner than I predicted. I’m flattered.” If I were fully shifted, my fur would’ve risen at his arrogance. “Flattered? Is that what you think this is? That I’m here for you?” I growled, not breaking eye contact.

“Why else would you be here? In my office? Surrounded by my leadership?”

“To show you,” I spat, “I’m not scared of you.”

Now, Aiden cocked an eyebrow, taking a slow step forward. “No?” he said. “Maybe you should be.”

I felt a tremor of unease go down my spine. The man’s eyes were intoxicating. But his growl was that of a carnivorous predator. I would not be his prey.

“You may be the Alpha,” I said slowly, “but I don’t belong to you.”

“That mark on your neck says otherwise.”

I’d had enough of his games. Alpha or not, no one talked to me like that and got away with it.

My claws slashed out at his neck, but he caught my wrists before I could sink them into his neck I was about to throw a knee when he spun me around and pinned me to his desk.

His hips pressed against me while one hand restrained both of mine and the other held my jaw shut “Out,” he snapped, and for a second, I thought he meant me until I heard footsteps and remembered that there were other people in the room.

Now we were completely alone.

He leaned in so I could feel the heat of his breath on my neck. “Rein in your wolf,” he ordered.

I wasn’t ready to relent and growled through my teeth. He grabbed me harder and pressed himself into me, making my Haze blaze to life.

LITY “Woman,” he murmured, hovering his lips over the mark he’d given me. “I told you you were mine, and I meant it. Accept it, give 1. in. ”

I growled again, but this time with less conviction.

He could sense my Haze taking over and stretched out a finger, teasing my lower lip.

A soft gasp escaped my mouth. My eyes fluttered closed as his fingertip danced across my wet lips.

“That’s better,” he began again, engulfing my mark with his mouth, making my abdomen contract, hardening my nipples, setting me aflame.

Before I knew it, my wolf had retreated and all that was left was the Haze and its carnal demands.

Damn him.

“I don’t want to fight you,” he said, taking his lips from my hot skin, “but don’t ever challenge me publicly again.”

“-But challenging you in private is fine?” I mumbled out, fighting the tremors that tore through me as the growing bulge in his pants rubbed against my aching sex.

He chuckled, the sound intoxicating and the heaving of his chest sending shivers through my body.

“Oh, I’m counting on it,” he said, his voice stroking me in all sorts of places. “That’s why I marked you.”

“So, this is just a game to you?” I shot back, trying to break free of his hold.

“Are you not having fun?” he teased, planting a warm kiss on my neck.

Of course! What a fool I was to think he may actually be interested in me when the reality was I was nothing more than a new challenge.

Another submissive female for him to dominate then brag about to his boys.

Well, I wasn’t about to be his fun little diversion for the Season.

The Haze that had flared to life moments ago faded as violently as it had come. If he wanted a chase, he would get one.

From here on out, it was my mission to make Aiden Norwood the most sexually frustrated werewolf in all of North America.

“No, as a matter of fact, I’m not,” I said stiffly. “Let go of me.” He pressed himself closer. “Are you going to move in with me?”

“No.” What an asshole. He laughed again, except this time it made me want to punch his face in. “I thought not.

It appears I’ll have to catch you first.”

“At least one of us is amused,” I replied. “Now get off of me. I won’t say please again. “As you wish,” he said, easing the pressure on my body, “but sooner or later, the Haze will hit you again and you’ll crave my touch like never before.”

I got up and pushed him out of the way. A slight smirk on his face taunted me. “You can try to catch me, Alpha, but don’t expect to succeed.

He watched me go, but before I reached the door, he called out in a low, rumbling tone, “Sienna.”

I turned. I’d never heard him say my name before. “Call me Aiden.”

I made eye contact with him once more. His eyes looked more gold and less green than I’d ever seen them. But I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

I turned and walked out the door, hearing him taunt me as I left.

“The chase is on…”