Filed to story: The Alpha’s Pen Pal Book
“I’m going for a run.”
I don’t wait for his response. I’m out the door, shifting into my wolf form and taking off for the forest before he can say anything.
TARYNI
can’t believe
I
did that. I can’t believe I kissed him.
Sure, it was only a kiss on the cheek. And sure, he said it didn’t count, said it wasn’t breaking the rules, since we’re not fucking or haven’t fucked or whatever—but shit.
I don’t know what came over me. What possessed me to lean across the center console in his Mustang and press my lips to his cheek? Maybe it was how helpful he’d been, finding that law for me and making sure I knew about it. Maybe it was the extra cookies he bought me because I liked them so much. Or maybe it’s because everything is so damn easy with him, so natural.
Or maybe it’s because I am a crazy person. Or a glutton for punishment. Or both.
“It’s fine, Taryn,” I say for the thousandth time as I pull into the parking lot of the Silver Ridge packhouse. “He said it was fine, so it’s fine. Totally fine.”
And it was fine. It was more than fine. His cheek under my lips was warm, his scent inviting and comforting as I invaded his space. It felt so natural, so right.
It shouldn’t. He’s not mine. And he doesn’t want a relationship. He’s made that clear. I didn’t mean to cross a line with him. Our budding friendship is enjoyable, and I hope I didn’t ruin a good thing.
I cut the engine after I park and stare up at our packhouse, so different from the Crescent Lake packhouse. I didn’t go inside theirs, but the log cabin exterior gave off a homey vibe. Even with the craftsman exterior, our packhouse looks cold and stuffy—stuck up. Like an old money home in the south or a Wall Street heiress’s summer home in the Hamptons—all about keeping up the appearance of success and wealth and no concern for the comfort of the residents or visitors.
At least we’re allowed to decorate our personal apartments the way we want.
“I’m back,”
I mindlink Blake like I told her I would.
“You were gone for a while,”
she says.
“Did the one-on-one training session turn into a different type of one-on-one session?”
I chuckle to myself, put my small purse and the cookies into my gym bag, brace myself against the cold, and get out of the car.
“No, it did not. I already told you, I’m not going there with him.”
“You said you were respecting his choice to uphold his end of the bet the other night. He’s fulfilled his role. There are no rules now. You can take what you want if you want him.”
“Blake!”
“What?”
“For someone who is waiting for their mate, you sure think about sex a lot.”
“It’s because I know what there is to look forward to. I may be waiting, but that doesn’t mean I’m not ready. I’ll jump that male’s bones faster than you can say ‘moon goddess.'”
I shake my head, laughter still playing on my lips as I head inside the packhouse.
“Ok, well, I am exhausted from my double workout today. I am going to go back to my apartment to have a self-care spa day and binge-watch Queen Charlotte.”
“Does your self care include rubbing one out while thinking of a certain beta from Crescent Lake?”
I laugh out loud, drawing the eyes of the handful of my pack mates in the sitting area of the packhouse, but I don’t bother responding to Blake. She said that to get a rise out of me. I cover my mouth, dampening the sound as much as I can, and walk through the room towards the hallway leading to the apartments for single, unmated wolves.
This drawing room is my least favorite area of the packhouse. The couches are stiff and more for show than for comfort and lounging. The decor is ivory. Ivory everything, except for the shiny black grand piano in the corner that no one ever plays. Most families keep the pups away from this area of the house, too afraid they’ll take the blame for stains or broken furniture. The only person who uses the room is Luna Merina—Dominic’s mom—when she has her weekly tea parties with the other old biddies of the pack.
And I forgot today is tea party day.
“Taryn!” Luna Merina coos when she sees me. “How are you, sweetie?”
She rises from her seat near the large picture windows and waltzes over to me, arms outstretched. Her blue floral sheath dress hugs her body, showing off the fit physique she’s kept even with her age and the death of her mate. Her brown hair is swept into a French twist, and her gray eyes smile at me, the same gray eyes her son has.
“Hello, Luna Merina,” I say, embracing her, hyperaware of my sweat-scented clothes, body, and hair.
“Come, sit with us and have some tea!”
I smile and open my mouth to decline—I really want to have my me time—but Aunt Gigi is sitting with the other females, dressed in a dark green sheath dress cut in a similar style to Luna Merina’s. She catches my eye and gives me a look and a stern nod, pointing her chin at the empty seat next to her.
There is no arguing with that look. It’s either listen to Aunt Gigi and have tea or get an earful of her choice words later if I refuse.
“Thank you, Luna,” I say, although I want nothing less than to stay. “I would like that.”
I drop my gym bag on the floor and perch myself on the chair beside Aunt Gigi, sitting up straight with my ankles crossed, like she taught me growing up, even though I don’t have a dress on. I am underdressed compared to the other ladies having tea with the former luna, but none of them seem to mind. It’s clear I came from a workout, and they all used to train or be pack warriors in their day.
Aunt Gigi nods her approval at my posture and prepares my tea for me, exactly the way she knows I like it. Extra sweet.
I sit quietly, smiling and pretending to listen to the conversation around me, but my mind is in my apartment, where I should be having my spa day and watching Queen Charlotte’s love story—even though I’ve already watched it I don’t know how many times—while eating ice cream straight from the tub with the cookies Reid bought for me.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?