Todos os capítulos de Alpha Maddox's Mortal Temptation : Capítulo 201 - Capítulo 210

Zane wraps his entire arm around my shoulder, the heel of his open hand bouncing loosely on my chest, and pulls me into him. It’s less a gesture of affection and more of a statement, so I don’t take it personally. But neither do I break away the second Boden disappears.Zane’s heat is like . . . like thermal water. Like one of those pillow chairs Seraphine loves, the ones that are terrible for your posture. Something to sink into.“That sounded mean,” I say softly.“Yeah. Unfortunately, I am mean.” He says it like he couldn’t care less but feels like he should. Kind of endearing. “And no one’s touching you on my watch.”“Noted.” I clear my throat. Because my heart is beating in it. Zane is just . . . very, very close. And his touch, unlike everyone else’s, doesn’t make me want to fling myself down a scarp. “That was some intense stuff. I’m . . . flattered.”“Don’t be. The threats were highly embellished, and less about you than about keeping pack assholes in line.”“Right, yeah.” It’s

THE NIGHT BRINGS SPANKING NEW LEVELS OF PAIN AND MORTIFICATION.The recollections do not abound, but as far as I can tell: I wake up a few hours after going to bed, gasping like a rhino with sleep apnea, and make my way to the bathroom as my body works through spasms, cramps, and the fire taking over every layer of my epidermis.I sit in the shower as cold water flows over my head and beg my soon- to- be corpse to pipe the fuck down. I picture Zane walking in to find what’s left of me, a beached manta ray lifeless on the bathroom floor, deflated after puking up her internal organs.That’s when it all gets fuzzy. I don’t recall getting up or leaving the bathroom. I definitely don’t recall crawling into Zane’s bed. And yet it’s where I wake up. Could be a Were evolutionary trait: in the face of probable death, seek refuge close to Alpha. I might be onto something. I should ask Zane, if I’m ever able to face him after what I’ve done to his room.It’s . . . a lot.In the harsh morning li

He made it sound like he didn’t want to be with me. Never mentioned that he wasn’t allowed to.“We were wondering . . .” A male voice interrupts my thoughts. When I glance up, Saul and Jorma are standing in front of the cabin, naked. I deliberately keep my eyes above their necks and try not to choke on my own breath. “Hey, guys.”Saul grins. Winks at me, like one does. “Hey, honey. Jorma and I were in the area, to . . .”“Take Zane’s beatings?” Amanda offers.“Yeah, that. And we remembered that last night you mentioned how much you love to cook. So we figured you probably made something for breakfast today, and since it’s so hard to eyeball portions, you might have leftovers. Wouldn’t want it to go to waste, you know?”I bite back a smile. “What would you guys like?”“Oh, we don’t want to put you out. Just, if you have something you’re gonna toss anyway . . .”I turn to Jorma, who’s high on directness and low on bullshit. “What would he like?”“French toast, please,” Jorma says. “Wit

"DON’T BE NERVOUS.”“I’m not.”“Zane. I know it’s been a while for you.”“Just fucking get it over with.”“What? No, that’s not how you do it. This is an experience.”“Then make it a quick experience.”“Why are you being like this? I’ll be gentle. Am I not gentle?”“You mispronounced ‘annoying.’ ”“Oh, come on. I’m having fun.”“I wish I could say the feeling is mutual.”“Should we put down a sheet or something? You’re making way more of a mess than I thought you would. Though I guess it’s normal, since it’s been so long.”“If anyone’s making a mess, it’s you.”“Hush. I’m doing this for you. The entire pack thinks you’re hopeless, but I’ll help you show them that— ”The door bursts open, and Zane and I fall silent mid-haircut.It’s very poor timing. I’m almost done with what will surely be known, postmortem, as Anna Paris’s most challenging and powerful artistic endeavor, but two women and a man are rudely letting themselves inside and interrupting my creative process.“Does anyone ev

THE DRIVE LASTS ABOUT HALF AN HOUR, ONCE AGAIN ALONG the jagged coast. Zane spends most of it on the phone with a dozen different people, discussing pack matters that seem to range from crop rotation to solar power to children’s swimming lessons.I listen to him talking a group of teachers out of taking a shit on their principal’s desk and wonder if all Alphas are this intimately involved with the goings- on of their packs. Why am I surprised that Zane is this good at this job?We park in front of a red-roofed farmhouse that looks like something I once saw on a postcard. “No way.” I once again paste my face to the window. “This place is unreal.”“Of course it is. It’s my territory.”“I still don’t think you can take credit for that.” I laugh. “Look— they have cows!”“If I’d known what a fan of livestock manure you are, I’d have— ”I ignore him and exit the car right as a young man comes toward us. His mop of dark curls is swept around by the wind, and his frame is slight, especially f