can throw my power to an object and set it on fire without a spell. When I was younger, I had trouble controlling it. When I would get upset, objects near me would catch on fire. My mom went through five sets of curtains in my bedroom before she gave up and said I had to deal with uncovered windows until I could handle myself.”
He chuckled. “Sounds like what pups go through. It’s hard to know how to deal with power no matter what form it comes in. Young pups can lose control when they get emotional and people can get hurt.”
“Did you ever hurt anyone, when you were young?”
“No. I’ve always been careful to handle the beast, but others aren’t so lucky. I had great teachers in my father and grandfather.”
“Why isn’t your dad alpha? Aren’t packs like a family hierarchy with who becomes the alpha?”
“Not at all. The alpha is the best male in the pack. Before me, it was a male named Lit, and he was a great alpha, but he had family issues and was too distracted to take care of the pack. I was third ranked and knew that it was just a matter of time before someone tried to kill him to take over.”
“Why didn’t his number two guy become the alpha when he couldn’t?”
“Because I skipped over him and took out Lit. It was the right time, and the beta is Brick, who is my cousin. He’s an excellent beta, but he’s not alpha material. You have to be ruthless at times.”
“You mean being an asshole?”
“Not just that,” he said, laughing. He stopped the SUV in front of a restaurant and turned off the engine. “If I could go back, I would grab you on the dance floor that first night and sweep you off your feet. But I didn’t do that. I treated you like a wolf, and you almost died. I’m furious at myself for what happened.”
“I’ll forgive you eventually, don’t worry.”
“Eventually? At least there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”
She put her hand on his arm as he reached for the door handle. “I’m scared.”
“About dinner?”
“No, about what this means between us. I kind of hate you because of what you did, but I also really like being around you. You settle something inside me. I know what it means, and I’m scared because I don’t know if I can handle what’s coming.”
She swallowed hard and blinked at the sudden tears. He leaned over the console and pulled her close. She was immediately enveloped in his dark scent, and the tears eased away as quickly as they had come.
“I don’t know what’s coming for you either, Cinder, but I know I’m not going anywhere. Whatever comes, I’m there.”
She pressed her face into his neck and slid her arms inside his jacket to feel the heat of his skin through the silk dress shirt. “I’m not going to apologize for being pissed at you for what you did.”
“I didn’t ask you to,” he said with a chuckle. “Let’s have dinner and then we’ll see where the night takes us.”
* * * * *
By the time dinner was finished, Adam was head over heels for Cinder. She was amazing. More than once during dinner his conscience had been pricked over how he’d taken her two closest friends from her. She was a stranger in Northern Ohio, and he’d pulled from her the most important people in her life. Not that he planned to let her hang out with those unmated males anytime soon, but he still felt bad.
They shared a tiramisu, and he told her about the pack’s full moon gathering. “The town has been the pack’s territory for generations. No one hunts in the woods but us. We have pack members working in most every business, from city hall to the police force to the diner.”
“Do females hold rank in the pack?”
“No. The females are led as a group by the alpha female, but of course everyone, including her, is under the authority of the alpha.”
Adam watched as she stirred the spoon in her coffee and looked thoughtful. She
He chuckled. “Sounds like what pups go through. It’s hard to know how to deal with power no matter what form it comes in. Young pups can lose control when they get emotional and people can get hurt.”
“Did you ever hurt anyone, when you were young?”
“No. I’ve always been careful to handle the beast, but others aren’t so lucky. I had great teachers in my father and grandfather.”
“Why isn’t your dad alpha? Aren’t packs like a family hierarchy with who becomes the alpha?”
“Not at all. The alpha is the best male in the pack. Before me, it was a male named Lit, and he was a great alpha, but he had family issues and was too distracted to take care of the pack. I was third ranked and knew that it was just a matter of time before someone tried to kill him to take over.”
“Why didn’t his number two guy become the alpha when he couldn’t?”
“Because I skipped over him and took out Lit. It was the right time, and the beta is Brick, who is my cousin. He’s an excellent beta, but he’s not alpha material. You have to be ruthless at times.”
“You mean being an asshole?”
“Not just that,” he said, laughing. He stopped the SUV in front of a restaurant and turned off the engine. “If I could go back, I would grab you on the dance floor that first night and sweep you off your feet. But I didn’t do that. I treated you like a wolf, and you almost died. I’m furious at myself for what happened.”
“I’ll forgive you eventually, don’t worry.”
“Eventually? At least there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”
She put her hand on his arm as he reached for the door handle. “I’m scared.”
“About dinner?”
“No, about what this means between us. I kind of hate you because of what you did, but I also really like being around you. You settle something inside me. I know what it means, and I’m scared because I don’t know if I can handle what’s coming.”
She swallowed hard and blinked at the sudden tears. He leaned over the console and pulled her close. She was immediately enveloped in his dark scent, and the tears eased away as quickly as they had come.
“I don’t know what’s coming for you either, Cinder, but I know I’m not going anywhere. Whatever comes, I’m there.”
She pressed her face into his neck and slid her arms inside his jacket to feel the heat of his skin through the silk dress shirt. “I’m not going to apologize for being pissed at you for what you did.”
“I didn’t ask you to,” he said with a chuckle. “Let’s have dinner and then we’ll see where the night takes us.”
* * * * *
By the time dinner was finished, Adam was head over heels for Cinder. She was amazing. More than once during dinner his conscience had been pricked over how he’d taken her two closest friends from her. She was a stranger in Northern Ohio, and he’d pulled from her the most important people in her life. Not that he planned to let her hang out with those unmated males anytime soon, but he still felt bad.
They shared a tiramisu, and he told her about the pack’s full moon gathering. “The town has been the pack’s territory for generations. No one hunts in the woods but us. We have pack members working in most every business, from city hall to the police force to the diner.”
“Do females hold rank in the pack?”
“No. The females are led as a group by the alpha female, but of course everyone, including her, is under the authority of the alpha.”
Adam watched as she stirred the spoon in her coffee and looked thoughtful. She
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