Chapter 2. Mr. Carrot

Selene doesn't dare to breathe loudly. She is literally trapped between two huge mountains with orange-red hair, making her look even smaller than she is. Both men at her sides are too big, and their legs even suffer in the back seat of the car. What kind of wolves are they? Not even her father or brother are this big. Why had she never seen or heard about them before? What is that scent they emit?

Selene stopped struggling the exact moment she realized she was at a clear disadvantage. The man on her left hasn't stopped staring at her, and that silly smile on his face gives her the creeps. What's his problem? Does he find something on her face amusing? Aren’t his cheeks hurting from smiling so much? She tries to scoot away from him, but it's impossible to move even half a centimeter without bumping into the other one.

The man on her right hasn’t moved the entire trip. He keeps his eyes closed, and his broad hand rests on his thigh while his long fingers move in a coordinated way, as if weighing something very important in his own world.

Selene lifts her gaze little by little, examining him meticulously. His shoulders are broad, very broad and strong, quite noticeable under the white fabric of his shirt. His beard, also red, gives him a rugged and wild appearance that makes Selene shudder. Her wolf, Saya, is attentive inside her mind, watching both men intently, wagging her tail nonstop.

“What’s wrong with you?” Selene asks Saya mentally. She had been acting strange all week, but this definitely worries her. Is she trying to sniff out these strangers?

“I feel something.” A simple response that doesn’t please Selene at all. What could she be feeling? Anger? Rage? That’s what she should feel. After all, they ran her over and took her to the hospital by force.

“Alpha, we’ve arrived,” the driver’s voice snaps the young woman out of her reverie, and for the first time during the whole trip, Connor looks up and turns to see Selene. Their eyes meet, and though she tries to repel her emotions, it’s impossible with Saya not cooperating at all. Connor’s green gaze is so intense and penetrating that she looks down to avoid further intimidation.

The door opens, and suddenly her body is lifted, surprising Selene.

“Heyyy! What’s wrong with you?! Put me down! I can walk; my legs are fine.” The young woman doesn’t know where to hold onto, finding herself at a height she’s never been before.

Connor strides through the long hallway leading to the emergency room. Of course, Selene’s wound isn’t that serious, and she’s noticed it’s already starting to heal, but he doesn’t want her to think he’s a jerk leaving her to her fate after injuring her. Besides, Sorem, his wolf, had been insisting he help her, to the point of giving him a headache.

Selene finally, and impulsively to protect herself, wraps both arms around Connor's neck and lets herself be carried. It’s clear this man isn’t going to listen to her, and she doesn’t want to waste time explaining.

She takes advantage of their closeness to observe every brown freckle on his face, the texture of his beard hairs, the shape of his nose, the hue of his eyes. Wow! His eyes have the exact shade of the forest. Now that she thinks about it, he smells like a forest after a gentle rain, like dry and fresh leaves intertwined underfoot while running along trails, like little flowers, like cool, fresh spring water.

Suddenly, her gaze lowers to his lips, following their movements in slow motion, completely absorbed by that part of his anatomy.

“You can let go now,” Connor says for the third time, but Selene seems not to be listening. Her hands are gripping the back of his head, playing with the tuft of hair there. The Alpha feels a delicate and pleasant tingling from her touch. They are already inside the consulting room.

“Miss…!” Connor raises his voice slightly, and Selene blushes in an instant, realizing what she was doing. If embarrassment could eat her alive, she would be completely consumed by now.

Connor places her on the examination table and turns to the nurse.

“Her wound needs suturing. I was told that Dr. Moreira could help me in this city.” Connor can't help but clear his throat, noticing the nurse's lascivious gaze towards him. He isn’t used to dealing with many people, and today he's already reaching his limit.

“I’m fiiine!” Selene grumbles from behind. “Sara, there's no need to call the doctor. He must be very busy; I'll go home now.”

“You're not going anywhere!” Connor’s growl shakes not only Selene but also the nurse. “Miss, please call the doctor,” he now addresses the nurse, who nods and quickly leaves the room.

“Let's get this straight, Mr. ‘Carrot’.” Connor turns to look at Selene, eyebrow raised, surprised but not entirely displeased by the nickname she’s given him. “You don’t order me around or shout at me. I don’t know you, you don’t know me, and I have no reason to obey you. I'm going home now, and you won't do anything to stop me.”

Both Beltrán and Jackson, watching from the doorway, are amused by how this small, feisty young woman is treating their Alpha. If she were a member of their pack, she would likely spend a month in the dungeon for such disrespect.

Connor reaches her before Selene can react. He corners her between the examination table and the wall, staring at her intently. Their faces are just a couple of centimeters apart. What happens next, no one sees coming.

The Alpha grabs her by the waist and, with a swift and precise movement, sits down with her on the only chair a few meters away, placing her on his lap.