Page 10 of Alpha Bride
After asking Garret to help me demonstrate one of the moves to the group and enjoying having his large hands grasp my waist, I pause and glance at where Tristen had been standing, but notice he’s gone. As Garret helps the others with the move, I look around the hall, not seeing Tristen anywhere.
“You’re doing great,” Garret says, startling me. “I’m impressed. Want to go again?”
“Thanks,” I mumble, realizing my victory feels hollow now that Tristen isn't even around to see it. “I’m actually just going to make a quick call,” I say, grabbing my towel and heading for the door.
Outside, I check to make sure no one is around before closing the door behind me and leaning against the side of the building. The sun beats down on my face, worn from the class and the weight of my own emotions. I close my eyes and lean my head back. I stand like that, listening to the sound of the birds and my own erratic breathing for a few minutes, until something blocks the sun's rays. I begin to open my eyes, but a shadowy figure clamps a large hand across my mouth.
“So much for your self-defense skills,” a voice I instantly recognize as Tristen’s mocks as I push him away.
He steps back, but only by a fraction, and I glare up at him, trying to ignore how having him this close makes me feel. After trying to calm my nervous system, it’s now racing out of control. “That’s not fair, Tristen,” I snap.
He leans forward and plants his hand firmly on the wall beside me, his arm muscles flexing next to me, but I’m determined not to be caught looking, however much I find them distracting. Being a shifter, I know he’ll be able to sense my heart rate picking up, and I’m hoping he thinks it’s because I’m annoyed, not because his proximity is affecting me so much.
“Oh, it’s not fair, is it?” he replies, his voice neutral, but the fire in his amber eyes is anything but. “Do you think it’s fair that I’ve just watched my luna flaunt herself for all my betas? How do you think that makes me look?”
Knowing this was exactly what I wanted, I’m not sure why I don’t feel more triumphant. But I still lift my chin, meeting his fiery gaze with one of my own as I reply, “Foolish. Which seems about right.”
We stare at each other for a moment until I can’t take it anymore and look away. I wait for him to back up, but hedoesn’t. Instead, his warm breath fans my face as he whispers, “You’re playing with fire, little witch. Don’t forget, I bite.”
My heart leaps into my throat as I feel the heat of his breath on my neck and the gentle brush of his lips against my earlobe. A shiver runs down my spine, but I try to ignore it, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. He moves closer, and I can feel the hard wall behind me, forcing me to stay still. He traces a finger down my jawline, and I close my eyes tightly, trying to focus on anything but how his touch is making me tremble. Suddenly, it feels like we’re right back there in the forest two years ago.
“Tristen,” I breathe, trying to sound bored but knowing it doesn’t come out that way.
His hand gently cups the side of my face and tilts it up so our eyes meet again. His other hand slides into my hair and tugs gently, forcing me to tilt my head back further. I whimper softly as his mouth hovers over mine for what feels like an eternity before he jerks back and pulls away suddenly.
“I’m not falling for your games again, witch,” he growls lowly between clenched teeth before turning and walking away.
I silently curse the tears gathering in my eyes, and not for the first time, I’m left wondering why he thinks any of this is my fault.
Chapter 5 - Tristen
My muscles burn as I complete the final set. Ryan, who has already tapped out, sits on the bench opposite, waiting for me to finish. I know he wants to talk to me, but that’s the last thing I’m going to do. Nothing he can say is going to help my mood right now.
I’ve been avoiding talking about anything to do with Emily, my mood, or how I punched Garret in the face the moment I had him alone.
Garret’s always been a sucker for a pretty face; he’s also a terrible flirt who would never actually mean to piss off his alpha. But the fact is, he did piss off his alpha, and I think I may well have exploded if I didn’t punch him. I did what I had to do; he apologized for the disrespect, and I just want to move on. I like Garret, and I sure as hell don’t want to be fighting over that witch.
Except that’s exactly what I did, and the whole damn thing is pissing me off.
I’ve had a headache for days about it, and I know Ryan, as my second in command, is working up to dealing with it. But I really wish he wouldn’t. My wolf feels primed and ready to take on anyone who even so much as breathes Emily’s name near me.
It’s bad enough that I am living and breathing her intoxicating scent at home, having to avoid the whole building for anything other than sleep. I don’t need anyone else’s input on it.
What am I supposed to do? Admit that she bewitched me years ago and that I seem to still be under her influence? An alpha could never admit something like that.
I’ve already had Callum and Ava in my ear about how sweet and kind Emily is, suggesting I give the union a chance. I literally don’t know what to even say to them; they seem blind to the threat witches pose, as if Malik and the rogues weren’t enough to deal with.
Hating her would be so much easier if I didn’t feel so drawn to her. It’s not just her beauty, though it’s hard to miss her incredible green eyes, or the way her unique red hair falls down her back in soft curls that make my hands itch to run my hands through it, or how her smile melts everyone around her. It’s also her natural warmth, her laughter when I overhear her on the phone with Ava, and how she draws everyone to her without seeming to realize it.
More bewitching on her part, possibly, though I’ve never heard of a witch being able to bewitch multiple people, so I assume this is just her. And that makes it even worse.
Despite her ability to bond so well with others, the only surprise has been how disconnected she is from her coven. I half expected my home to be overrun with witches, and I was already thinking of ways to minimize any intrusions into my life. And yet, although I see they value Emily as a conduit for negotiation, there are no close friendships, coven meetings, or spells in my house. I’m not there much, but my wolf would know.
I find it infuriatingly difficult to know what is real where Emily is concerned. The other day, with her pinned against the wall, I looked into her eyes, and it was like our connection was the purest thing on earth. It took me right back to that night in the forest when I’d never felt so aligned with my wolf, so sure of everything.
To find out she was just a witch playing games…rage bubbles from my core again just thinking about it, and I slam the weights down, sitting up to grab my towel.
Sensing Ryan’s eyes on me again, I turn to him and growl, “Say whatever you’re going to say, or stop staring at me.”
