Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 48567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
And then I wonder why not? Why can’t it happen? Because she might reject me? Because it’s not fair to trap her with me for the rest of her life? Because her career is at stake.
Then again, I own the company, people will talk, but I’m still the CEO. Would Xavier use it as leverage?
Would she feel used?
“Hey,” Ava taps me on the shoulder.
“Are we getting off?”
We already got off.
Bad joke.
Good thing I said it in my head.
We walk down the hall; she stops at her door and I keep walking, then stop the minute she starts typing in her code. I walk backward and grab her by the wrist and tug her toward me.
“I’m not in pain. I don’t need you…” I hesitate.
“I just want to be by you. Is that okay?”
She follows me willingly and then holds my hand.
“And here I thought I was only your whore.”
“Well, this pimp”—I smile—“only needed a few doses before he realized what an ass he was in treating this whore a certain way. Why don’t I…” I type in my code at my door.
“Cook for you?”
She gasps.
“You know how to use your kitchen?”
"I’m both offended and curious why you would think I don’t know how to cook or use a stove.”
She giggles into her hand.
“Let me just go back to my apartment and grab some clothes.”
"No.” I bark.
“I meant to say that in a gentler tone, just imagine you’re dealing with the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, though I have no talking clock, no candlesticks, and as depressing as it is—the wardrobe does not in fact dress you, but I can. I want to see you in my clothes. Comfy enough for you?”
She leans into me.
“Comfy? Did you use the word comfy? And make a Disney reference as a werewolf? Be honest, is it the apocalypse?”
Kinda feels like it. I kiss the top of her head.
“Maybe I just grew a heart.”
"Okay, Grinch.” She pats me on the chest.
“But you better impress me with your skills or I won’t put you in the lineup for future suitors.”
"What?” I trip walking into the penthouse.
“I’m not even in the lineup?”
She does a twirl toward me.
“Yet.”
"I should at least be last place. I demand a recount!”
"Oops, those are illegal, after all, you did just say I was a booty call during a full moon then go all full wolf on me without warning.” She drops her purse onto the counter, takes off her coat, then stumbles toward the couch.
“Just gonna lay here and breathe for a bit.”
I like her in my space.
“Breathe you say?”
“Yeah, you always smell so good, just like your apartment.”
“Pheromones.” I point out.
“You’re just drugged by them, it’s how we find our—“
She sits up.
“Your?”
I swallow and look away.
“Our mate.”
"And once you find your mate, you and I will be…” She looks away.
“Right…it won’t matter.”
I open my mouth to say something, to break the tense mood, instead I go into the bedroom and call over my shoulder.
“I’ll grab you some clothes.”
I snatch a pair of grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt, but by the time I’m back in the living room she’s sound asleep on the couch.
I do my best to change her clothes without her waking up and then I stare at her like the freak I am.
I touch her cheeks.
I caress her skin.
I wish for more.
And realize how petrified I am to ask for it.
This isn’t a marriage proposal, this isn’t dating, this is an eternity and I don’t think someone like her, someone so great—should be trapped with someone like me.
Chapter 28
For When I See You Again
AVA
I wake up to the smell of bacon.
I sniff the air and then look down at my clothes. He must have made me comfy while I slept.
See, this is the problem.
He’s not just my boss, or a werewolf of lore, but he’s also cruel at times then, so sweet I want to cry.
My emotions are all over the place, and my dreams, well those are just a different scenario all together.
I’m running through the forest still.
Friends follow me. At least I think they’re my friends, and a boy stands next to me, we’re both maybe eleven.
In the dream, he’s crying.
“They don’t want me.”
“I’ll always want you,” I whisper.
“No. You’re leaving too.”
“We’re all leaving.”
He frowns at me, tears staining his cheeks.
“Where will we go?”
"Some families.” I squeeze his hand.
“Some will take us in, we don’t have an Alpha anymore, we can’t stay here.”
"Why doesn’t someone step up?” he asks.
“Why not?”
The girl, I guess me, answers, “You’re born an Alpha, not made, and there are rumors, really weird rumors about the next Alpha being different. They’re scared, so we should be scared too, right? We should just listen and go.”
"I don’t want to.” He shakes his head.
“I want to stay with my best friend.”
“You called me your best friend.”