2 - AROUSED

RYDER'S POV

I watched her stumble backward. Her spine hit the hard stone of the staircase railing. She gasped for air, and she gripped the ledge to keep her balance. My palms burned where I touched her skin and static shock of our connection still sent hot sparks up my arms. 

My inner wolf paced frantically inside my head.

Mate.

The word echoed in my brain over and over. My wolf wanted me to pull her back. He wanted to claim her right here on the hot marble steps.

I stared down at her fragile frame. She wore cheap denim shorts and a faded t-shirt. Her brown eyes were wide with sheer terror. 

She was just a human girl.

And she was Vanessa’s daughter.

I felt a cold chill run down my spine. This was Jaslyn Carter. She was the human girl moving into my house today, and worse, she was my new stepsister.

Jaslyn swallowed hard and looked down at the scattered cardboard box. Books and framed photos covered the steps between us.

"I am sorry," she stammered. Her voice was shaking. "I just lost my grip on the tape because the box was heavy."

I did not answer her right away. 

I could not open my mouth because I knew that if I spoke, a feral growl would slip past my lips and expose the monster hiding under my skin.

A sudden breeze blew across the driveway. It carried her scent straight to my nose. She smelled like vanilla and fresh rain, and the scent hit my senses hard, and my fangs ached to drop.

"Can you just hand me that book?" Jaslyn asked. She pointed a trembling finger at a thick textbook near my boot.

I clenched my hands into tight fists at my sides. My fingernails dug deep into my palms. I welcomed the sharp pain because it kept me grounded.

"Pick it up yourself," I forced the words out. My voice sounded harsh and foreign.

Jaslyn flinched. The fear in her eyes deepened, but a spark of anger replaced some of her panic.

"Are you always this rude to people?" she asked. She slowly knelt down to gather her things. Her hands shook as she stacked the books together. "I already said I was sorry for bumping into you."

"You need to watch where you walk," I told her in a flat tone.

"The box blocked my view," she argued back, although she kept her eyes on the ground.

"Then carry less," I replied.

"I just want to get my things inside," Jaslyn said. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. 

"Do you work here?"

"I live here," I said.

Jaslyn stopped moving. She looked up at me. Her eyes darted over my expensive clothes and my face. "You are Ryder Blackwood."

"Yes."

"Oh," Jaslyn whispered. She looked back down at her books. "My mother did not tell me you would be home."

I hated myself for causing her so much stress. However, a human mate was a death sentence in my world. If my father found out about this bond, he would strip my title. If my pack found out, they would demand a trial. And if my girlfriend Sienna discovered the truth, she would murder Jaslyn before the week ended.

I had to protect her from my own people. I had to push her away right now so she would stay far away from me.

I forced my face into a mask of cold fury.

"I was just asking for a little help," Jaslyn muttered as she shoved the books back into the broken box.

"I do not help humans," I said.

I could not stand here any longer. My wolf begged me to drop to my knees and help her. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to rub his scent all over her clothes so every male would know she belonged to me.

I took a step forward. Jaslyn scrambled backward until her shoulders hit the stone railing again.

I made sure to leave a wide gap between us as I walked past her. I refused to let our skin brush. The physical distance hurt my chest, but I ignored the ache.

"Stay out of my way, Jaslyn," I said over my shoulder.

I did not wait for her to answer. I grabbed the heavy brass handle of the front doors. I pulled the double doors open and stepped inside the grand foyer. The air conditioning hit my face, but it did nothing to cool the boiling heat in my blood.

I let the heavy doors slam shut behind me. The loud noise echoed across the high ceilings. I leaned my back against the cool marble wall and closed my eyes.

I focused on my breathing. In and out. Slow and steady. I forced my wolf to retreat to the back of my mind. I pushed the glowing amber color out of my eyes until I knew they were hazel again.

"Get it together," I muttered to myself.

I pushed off the wall and started walking down the long hallway. I needed to get to my private office. I needed a drink, and I needed to figure out how I was going to live in the same house as my fated mate.

I turned a sharp corner near the east wing.

I walked straight into a solid chest.

"Hey, watch it," a familiar voice grunted.

I stepped back. It was Evan. He was my best friend and the future Beta of our pack. He wore a dark suit, and he held a stack of financial reports under his arm.

"Sorry," I said quickly. I tried to walk around him. "I have to get to my office."

Evan shifted his weight and blocked my path. "Wait a second. You skipped the morning briefing with the security team. Your father asked me to find you."

"Tell him I was busy handling an issue outside."

"What kind of issue?" Evan asked. He narrowed his eyes and studied my face. "You look pale, Ryder. Are you feeling sick?"

"I am fine, Evan. Move out of my way."

"Did Sienna start another argument?" Evan pressed. "She called me twice this morning looking for you. She said you ignored her text messages."

"I do not want to talk about Sienna right now."

Evan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I know she can be difficult. But you have a pack meeting tonight. The elders are going to be there. You need to be focused."

"I am focused," I snapped.

"You do not sound focused," Evan argued. "You sound angry."

"Just leave me alone for ten minutes," I demanded.

Evan paused. He stopped talking and tilted his head to the side. He took a short breath through his nose. Then he took a deeper breath.

His dark eyebrows pulled together in confusion. He took one step closer to me and sniffed the air right next to my shoulder.

All the color drained from Evan's face. His eyes went wide, and the financial reports slipped out of his hands. The papers scattered across the marble floor.

He stared at me in absolute shock.

"Ryder..." Evan whispered, his voice trembling. "Why do you smell like a distressed human and an aroused wolf?"