He was awake.
Larissa approached the door, raising her hand to knock, then hesitated.
This was her last chance to turn back, to pretend this moment of weakness had never happened.
But the memory of Malcolm’s touch, the way he looked at her with both challenge and desire, spurred her forward.Her knuckles rapped against the wooden door before she could change her mind.
For several seconds, silence reigned.Then Larissa picked up the sound of approaching footsteps.Malcolm’s scent grew stronger, wrapping around her like a warm blanket.She fought the urge to close her eyes and lose herself in it.
The door swung open, revealing Malcolm in a pair of low-slung sweatpants and nothing else.His hair was tousled, his eyelids heavy.Larissa’s gaze involuntarily traced the lines of his muscular chest, noting the way the moonlight played across his skin.
“Larissa?”Malcolm’s voice was husky with sleep.“What are you doing here?”
She opened her mouth to speak, to explain her presence with some logical reason.
But as she met Malcolm’s gaze, all words fled.The intensity of his gaze, the barely concealed desire there, stole her breath away.
She was tired of fighting this, tired of denying the pull between them.With a low sound that was more wolf than human, she stepped forward and pressed her lips to Malcolm’s.
For a split second, he tensed in surprise.Then, with a groan that echoed through Larissa’s very core, Malcolm responded.His arms wrapped around her, pulling her flush against his body as he deepened the kiss.
Larissa lost herself in the sensation.Malcolm’s lips were warm and demanding against hers, his stubble scratching deliciously against her skin.She tangled her fingers in his hair, luxuriating in its softness as she pressed herself closer.
The kiss was everything she had been denying herself—passionate, all-consuming, aflame with a fever that burned through her entire body.It was a battle and a surrender all at once, neither of them willing to cede control entirely.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, Larissa’s head spun, leaving her dizzy with want.She stared up at Malcolm, and a primal part of her preened at having put that expression of pure need on his face.
“What are we doing?”Malcolm breathed, his voice rough with desire.
It was a loaded question, one that brought reality crashing back down around them.Larissa stepped back, suddenly aware of where they were—on Malcolm’s porch, in full view of anyone who might pass by.
“I… I don’t know,” she said.“I couldn’t sleep.I kept thinking about everything—the pack, the alpha decision, you…”
Malcolm’s expression softened, and he reached out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear.The gentle gesture nearly undid Larissa’s composure entirely.
“Come inside,” he said softly.“We should talk.”
Larissa nodded, following Malcolm into the warmth of his home.The interior was simple but comfortable, with bookshelves lining one wall and a large, well-worn couch dominating the living room.It smelled of him—that amazing blend that made her wolf want to roll over and bare its throat.
Malcolm gestured for her to sit on the couch while he disappeared into the kitchen.Larissa perched on the edge, her body still thrumming with energy from their kiss.She heard the click of the stove, the soft clink of mugs.A few minutes later, Malcolm returned with two steaming cups of tea.
“Chamomile,” he said, handing her one.“Seemed like we could both use something calming.”
Larissa accepted the mug gratefully, wrapping her hands around its warmth as Malcolm settled into an armchair across from her.
For a long moment, they sat in silence, sipping their tea.Larissa struggled to find the right words, to explain the maelstrom of emotions that had driven her here tonight.
“I’m sorry,” she finally said, staring into her mug.“I shouldn’t have come here like this.It’s not fair to either of us, not with everything that’s happening.”
Malcolm set his tea aside, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.“Look at me.”
Reluctantly, she raised her gaze to meet his.The intensity there made her breath catch.
“Don’t apologize,” he said firmly.“I’m glad you came.We can’t keep dancing around this…whatever it is between us.”
“But the pack—”
“Will still be there in the morning,” Malcolm finished for her.“Right now, I think we need to be honest with each other.And with ourselves.”
