2. Kate

Trapped by the downpour, the small white porch meant he was just inches away from me, the smoky, bonfire scent of his wolf lingering. I hugged my waist, keeping my face forward. Pretend I didn't look like a desperate wet tshirt contestant.

I wondered if I could just sprint across the path but the wet cobbles looked tricky.

“Don’t run, you might fall," he grinned.

“I think it’s more dangerous for me to stay here,” my voice a dropping to a whisper as I studied his side-profile.

“Take your chance, see what happens," his voice husky and tempting as I tried to work out exactly what he meant. His voice, his manner, the way his eyes were blatantly looking me made a dark desire curl in my stomach.

How easy would it be to just lose myself in this tango?

Raya, my wolf gave me an idea instead. I turned around, connecting once more with those devastatingly dark eyes, the darkest espresso and mahogany combined, and smiled.

“Could I borrow your jacket?” though I wasn’t able to help my eyes flicking down to his perfectly shaped lips. “I’m cold,” I explained, unfolding my arms, and gesturing downwards. The longer I stood out here with him with those shivery tingles racing under my skin the more I wanted to head inside.

“Of course,” he said, quickly shrugging off the battered black leather jacket. Underneath he wore a fitted black t-shirt. He was muscular and ripped without being a bulky chump.

There was the end of a tattoo design visible just past the hem of his sleeve that I couldn't help noticing too.

Handing the jacket to me our fingertips touched and for the first time in my life I felt that so-called crackle of attraction shifters produce.

He paused too, the jacket aloft in the air as we stared at each other.

No self-satisfied grin now, just a steely, steady stare as if I'd tricked him. I let out a tiny gasp at the firecracker sensation.

He seemed to consume the space around me with his presence. I was very aware that with every breath I took the wet material of my thin cotton top clung to my chest, rising up and down.

I needed to see my plan through. “Thank you,” softly taking the rumpled jacket from his grasp, opening it out.

He came around the back of me. When I felt his hand move to lift my damp honey-coloured tresses to the side I knew I was in danger. I quickly put the jacket over the books.

Picking up the now waterproofed pile I sprinted out into the pouring rain. “I’ll give it back! Thank you for your help!”

“What the hell!” I heard him shout back as I sprinted home. Climbing up three flights of stairs to our room I was still giddy and tingling as well as drenched.

Reaching our room I found Roxie along with the blonde-bobbed fellow newbie Cherry sat on the cushioned windowsill. Roxie had changed into another neon plunging top whilst Cherry wore cosy flannel pyjamas and a dressing gown. Like a scolding mother she wagged a finger of disapproval at me.

“Not even here a day and tempting the Alpha’s son!”

“He’s what?” I cried.

“Don’t be coy, that’s Dex Fyrestone, the future Alpha? Surely you’ve heard about him?”

My mind was swirling, that flirty, sexy jerk was the future Alpha? “No! I swear…I mean I just fobbed him off and stole his jacket.”

“NO!” Cherry yelled, running towards me and grabbing the pile of books from me. “Oh my god, you didn't, what did he say, tell us everything!” She took the jacket and even gave it a dramatic sniff. “Shit, he smells good doesn’t he,” she said making me laugh as I agreed “It’s a smoky one for sure”.

I could hardly confess it was still circling around my mind. And the crackle, just a fingertip made me hungry for more.

“What do you think Roxie, I thought you said you were the one hoping for some action, not Kate!” Cherry exclaimed, throwing the jacket towards her.

“I didn’t think she was,” Roxie said flatly, tightly gripped the jacket in her lap. A sinking feeling hit me, wiping away my giddiness.

She was upset with me. Perhaps she had been getting to know Cherry and thought I had one-upped her or something. I could never always tell to be honest. I prefer to just see the simpler side of things sometimes.

“Hey, how did you know anyway?” I said, trying to lighten the topic.

“We could see everything from the window, I told you it was the packhouse on our walk?” Roxie said with a thin smile.

“We just talked about the weather,” I lied,”He gave me the jacket to get rid of me I guess.”

Most people would probably tell their best friend everything that had happened. All those little details are currently burning away inside, but that’s not how me and Roxie work. She could tell me everything, but it didn’t go both ways.

"He needed to get that close to your ear to talk about the weather…Kate you are a shitty liar," Cherry joked as she bid us good night.

Roxie changed the subject to tomorrow's first lessons until we called it a night. It's fine though.

Laid in my crisp white single bed, white walls, white ceiling all I can see are the dark swirls that make up his hair and eyes.

The smell of bonfire from his jacket fired my dreams with inspiration.