Chapter 17 #2
They seemed close, and I could tell the Beta had much respect for his Alpha.
“Thank you,” I said and smiled. “What’s your name?”
“Alexander.” He returned my smile and straightened up after finishing his work on my head. He then looked at Torin. “Is it any better now? She’s all bandaged up.”
Torin’s nostrils flared, and he scowled at me. “It’s fine. I’m suppressing it enough for her to live.”
My temper fired up, and a slew of curse words hung off my tongue.
Torin had saved my life but then was going to eat me. What was I supposed to make out of it?
My heart raced as I replayed the horrifying moment of Torin’s lips near my neck as he teetered on the edge of losing control. I’d witnessed the raw power that lurked beneath the calm exterior he put up in the kingdom—a power that could have taken my life.
But relief washed over me as I recalled Torin stopping the thugs from hurting me, and my body started to relax.
The Beta turned to speak with someone in the doorway and came back with a stack of clothes, which he gave to his Alpha. Alexander spoke to the men at the door, giving them instructions, and when he came back inside, he mumbled under his breath about always having to do the cleanup.
Alexander paced in my office while Torin pulled his shirt at the collar and took it off.
Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I imagined my face was the color of a radish. Wasn’t there any royal decree forbidding him from undressing right in front of me?
I had to clear my throat before choking on my own words. “What are you doing?”
I swallowed hard, but my gaze had fixed on his naked upper body. His muscles, honed from countless fights and grueling trainings, were taut and a testament to years of discipline and endurance.
His hard pectoral muscles looked like armor while his chiseled abs rippled down his torso in a way that made more blood rush to my head.
His otherwise perfect body was marked by several bumpy scars around his collarbone and shoulders, their rugged texture a stark contrast against the rest of his skin.
The size and shape of the bumpy skin on his shoulders reminded me of Dad’s scar left by the vampire Queen thirty years ago.
Grimacing at Torin’s scars, I couldn’t understand why they bothered me so much.
I sank my gaze from his shoulders to his hands, craving more of his touch now than ever. My mind clung to the disturbing thought of the feel of him on my skin, and my body betrayed me by sending a shiver down my spine.
Shutting my eyes briefly, I attempted to control the intimate images in my head—of Torin’s thumb tracing a line along my lower lip and of his fingers grazing against my cheek in a soft, exploratory touch. The touch of a mate—the most divine experience for supernaturals.
I’d be lying if I said Torin’s body wasn’t attractive, but there was so much more to him than his allure. His scarred upper body wasn’t merely muscular and tempting, but it gave me a glimpse into his past and his enduring strength.
Torin’s tattoos covered both arms all the way to his shoulders, and an intricate tribal line merged toward his pec muscles. I couldn’t make out what the tattoos were exactly—maybe flowers.
His neck revealed his pack markings. To a human, it would look like another set of beautiful tattoos. The tribal tattoo was that of a wolf head and neck curved into the shape of the moon.
This was the only pack marking visible. It was possible that the royal crescent marking was somewhere I couldn’t see. Usually, the Alphas and some powerful Betas had both when they were accepted by their own pack and the kingdom.
But if Torin lacked the crescent tattoo, the marking of the royal kingdom, I wouldn’t be surprised since the other werewolves feared Torin’s vampire side and mostly avoided him.
It was a good thing I was still seated in the chair. I wasn’t sure how long I gawked at Torin, but his voice pulled me back to reality.
“Alexander, give a tissue to the princess to wipe her drool,” he said in a husky voice that sent shivers prickling down my spine, and I glared at him.
His Beta chuckled and gave me an apologetic look.
I shook my head. “Don’t flatter yourself, Torin. Any woman would react in the same way. After all, you’re built as the perfect predator.”
I turned my back on him exactly at the moment when Torin fumbled with the waistband of his pants.
My human heart could only take so much delicious masculinity.
His pants thumped to the floor, and I bit my lip to stifle my groan. He knew or could feel my body's reactions to him, and he still played with me.
I faced a wall and waited for Torin to let me know when he was dressed. The cleaning crew’s voices in my office became louder, and clacking and scraping echoed behind me.
I drew an uneven breath, and with it came Torin's forest scent mixed with bleach and other chemicals. A gloved hand gently grasped my shoulder and turned my body. I faced a crouching Torin, our heads almost level, our gazes locked.
“Were you afraid, Anna?”
I blinked. “N-no.”
“You’re a terrible liar.” His amber eyes traveled to my forehead. “But I like that about you.”
“You like that I can’t lie for shit?” I raised my eyebrows and realized he still held my shoulder with his gloved hand.
He must have gotten new ones from his Beta. He shook his head slightly and pulled his hand back to his side. Then he stood and crossed his arms. The Alpha didn’t seem bothered by the lower October temperatures. He’d changed into a dark-green short-sleeved shirt.
His eyes narrowed on me, and a touch of anger suffused my veins.
“Don’t give me that look, Torin.”
“What kind of look?”
“Like you’re mad at me.”
He let out a loud sigh. “I’m mad that you’re getting hurt.”
He moved his arms, and every sculpted muscle moved in a delicious way. He pinched the bridge of his nose.
“What would have happened if I hadn’t walked in on time? Those bullets would have…” Pain surged behind his eyes.
There was some other emotion there too, but I couldn’t decipher it.
“I would have been dead,” I answered.
His eyes darkened, and a storm brewed behind them.
“Have you not considered that we all have a destiny to fulfill? Mine may end up short since I’m a human born in the supernatural world.”
Torin gave me a murderous look and let out a loud growl.
I sprang to my feet and poked him in his hard chest. “Don’t you growl at me, Alpha.”
The edges of his eyes softened. “Then don’t talk nonsense, Princess. And these men were human.”
“They were humans who knew of the supernatural secret and said they worked for vampires. They could have been sent by the vampires from the club,” I said, but something bothered me about that. “But then why didn’t the vampire master visit me instead of sending someone, especially humans?”
I wrapped my arms around my torso, hugging myself. Torin reached for me but must’ve thought better of it and dropped his hand. He walked to the window and then faced me, seeming to be waiting for me to continue.
I sighed. He wasn’t going to let me go if I didn’t give him something.
“The three men came asking for my book,” I said, realizing that the vampire master didn’t know I possessed a magic book.
Maybe I was wrong to think the vampire master sent the human attackers. Perhaps it was a different group of vampires.
Torin raised his eyebrows. “You were going to die for a book?”
His voice held disbelief, and I understood how it probably sounded to him.
“Well, it’s apparently a valuable book.” I walked to my desk and picked it up. “It’s a magic book. I found it in the library.”
With the help of an oversized butterfly. Now I really sounded crazy even in my own head. I could blame the bump on my forehead.
Torin came closer to me and extended his arm, but I clutched the book to my chest. He crooked an eyebrow in a “are you kidding me” way, groaned, and stepped back.
“And what’s with the handcuffs?” he asked.
“One of them took them out to play.” I almost laughed but thought better of it when Torin’s eyes flared red.
This man, who claimed he had no feelings for me, got triggered an awful lot by everything that had to do with me. He was not immune to me, but his rejection still stung under my skin.
His cleaning crew packed their equipment. My office smelled of cleaning supplies and chemicals, making me scrunch my nose.
“I also thought these men could be hunters since they were human, but then I realized this attack wasn’t their style, and they clearly said vampires sent them,” I said.
Torin nodded. “Hunters don’t use guns. Maybe arrows and knives, but not guns. Just like the supernaturals, the hunters believe people should display their strength in a combat battle rather than immediately go for the kill.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, where’s the fun in that?”
The last of his men left my office.
“Don’t you have Alpha stuff to do?” I asked.
“Take your stuff, and let’s go,” Torin said, and I sent him a look that told him my answer.
“Don’t argue with me, Princess. Right now. I’m barely holding on.”
“That’s why you can just go, then.”
He took two steps toward me but halted as if he remembered he wasn’t supposed to do that. He was so close that I could see the dark-green rim around the amber of his eyes.
I’d had enough vampire sightseeing to last me a lifetime, and I didn’t want Torin’s crimson eyes to greet me again. With a sigh, I put my book in the bag and followed him downstairs. I’d have to text Steven some excuse. I couldn’t believe how my life was turning out.
A parked car waited for us at the bottom of the outside stairwell. We rode to my apartment building. I kept asking Torin about his plans, but he only answered once, “You’ll see,” and ignored the rest of my questions.
When we arrived, I slid out of the car, thanking the driver and Torin, but the Alpha kept trailing behind me. My pulse accelerated. “No need to check my apartment again, Torin.”
He kept on walking, and my body tensed.
At the front doors, I twirled to face him. “You shouldn’t come with me. I’ll be fine. Thank you for saving me today.”
Please leave, you stubborn Alpha.
“I’m coming with you, Anna,” was all he said, walking past me.
I sighed and rushed to catch up to him. At my apartment door, Torin’s body stiffened, and he elbowed in front of me.
I held my breath for the inevitable. Before I could unlock my apartment, the door swung wide open, revealing a smirking Hayden.
“What a surprise, Alpha,” he greeted Torin, but my bodyguard’s pale-blue eyes searched for me.
The two men hadn’t met in my dream realm. They didn’t yet know they were both my mates.