Chapter 2

'Mate.' Magnus clenched his jaw, muscles tightening as Demetrius snarled inside him. After 110 years of iron control, his wolf had never challenged him like this. Never been so... insistent. 'Down,' Magnus growled under his breath. But Demetrius only pushed harder, desperate to claim the human female mere feet away. The wolf was practically vibrating with need. Cathy. Her name echoed in his mind, stoking a primal hunger he'd never experienced. His penis strained painfully against his pants. He wanted her in every sense of the word. Which was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Magnus gripped the arms of his chair, claws threatening to emerge. He was Alpha - how could a mere human affect him this way? It made no sense. Slowly, he turned his head. Cathy sat primly in the chair to his right, her hazelnut hair cascading over slim shoulders. As if sensing his gaze, she met his eyes. A visible shudder ran through her body. Her breath caught, chest rising and falling rapidly. Fast. Too fast. The scent hit him like a freight train - sweet, musky arousal. His nostrils flared, drinking it in. By the moon, she wanted him. And he could just easily command everybody out and fuck her until she screamed his name, over and over. The thought was almost overwhelming. "Alpha?" Cathy's voice was breathy. "Is everything alright?" Magnus swallowed hard. "Yes. Fine." The words came out as a growl. Definitely not fine. She shifted in her seat, thighs pressing together. Another wave of her scent washed over him as her arousal called to him. Dammit. This was not happening. Demetrius howled. 'Mate. Take her. Now.' "Excuse me," Magnus bit out, abruptly standing, he knocked his chair back in his haste. He needed air, needed to escape her intoxicating presence before he did something unforgivable. Before anyone noticed just how erect his penis was. Embarrassing. Completely embarrassing. As he strode from the room, one thought consumed him - was she as wet as she smelled? The urge to find out was nearly overwhelming as he almost lost his balance. Smooth, Magnus. Really smooth. For the first time in over a century, Magnus feared losing control. Magnus stalked down the hallway, Demetrius snarling within him. 'She's mine. Go back. Claim her.' "No," Magnus growled under his breath. He leaned against the cool stone wall, trying to regain his composure. The wall was nice. Cold. Grounding. Cathy was human. Young. Vulnerable. She'd come to them seeking refuge, not to be claimed by an ancient werewolf. The memory of her arrival flashed through his mind - wide-eyed, bruised, desperate to escape her father's cruelty. She deserved better than this. Better than him. "Alpha?" Cathy's soft voice came from behind him. "Did I... did I do something wrong?" Magnus turned, his breath catching at the sight of her. She stood nervously twisting her hands, biting her lower lip in a way that made his cock throb painfully. That lip-biting thing should be illegal. "No!" He said curtly, as he fought to keep his voice steady. She took a step closer. "Then why did you leave so suddenly? Everyone looked... scared." Another step. Why was she getting closer? 'Because I want to bend you over and fuck you until you scream my name,' Demetrius snarled in his mind. There was a war within him, he knew his eyes were probably yellow now, his wolf's eyes and he didn't want to scare his little mate away. He couldn't claim her, but he didn't want to scare her away either. The contradiction was maddening. Magnus knew he had a lot of enemies and if he claimed her, his enemies would be hers by default. She was too innocent for his dark, twisted world. Too pure. Magnus closed his eyes, willing his erection to subside. "It's complicated, little mate. Pack politics." "Oh." She sounded disappointed. "I thought maybe... never mind. It's silly." He opened his eyes to find her mere inches away. The urge to pull her close, to claim those soft lips, was almost unbearable. He clenched his fist and felt his claws digging into his palm. He could smell his own blood and a wave of disgust rolled through him as he lost complete control as he partially shifted. This human couldn't handle him, he'd kill her, fuck her too rough and she'd be dead. He couldn't risk it. Wouldn't risk it. "Cathy," he said, his voice rough. "You should return to the dining hall." She looked up at him, confusion, and desire warring in her eyes. "But I..." Magnus growled low in his throat. "Now, Cathy. Before I do something, I'll regret." Magnus watched as Cathy's eyes widened at his growl. She opened her mouth to speak again, but no words came out. Instead, a soft whimper escaped her lips, sending a jolt of electricity through his body. He smelt her disappointment and sadness even though she kept her face composed. The scent was almost worse than her arousal. "I wonder if you'd scream like that," he muttered under his breath, unable to stop the thought from forming. "What?" Cathy asked, her brow furrowing. Magnus shook his head, trying to clear the fog of desire. He strode back to the dining hall, determined to focus on anything but the intoxicating scent of her arousal. As he reached for a plate at the end of the table, intending to dish up some food, his control slipped. The ceramic shattered in his grip, shards scattering across the polished wood. "Shit," he growled, frustration evident in his voice. Great. Just great. Cathy sighed and moved towards him. "Here, let me clean that up." Before she could reach the mess, several omegas rushed forward, eager to assist their Alpha. "No, no," Cathy insisted, waving them off. "I've got this. Please, go back to your seats." Her voice was firm. Determined. Territorial? The omegas hesitated, looking between Cathy and Magnus with uncertainty. When they didn't immediately retreat, Cathy's face flushed with anger. "I said I'll do it!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the suddenly silent room. "Just... just leave it alone!"