Chapter 7

Meg POV

I watched as Quinn left. I know I shouldn’t have brought Matt tonight but I thought I could use him to hide behind, a way to hide my feelings. Feelings I shouldn’t be having. I mean it's Quinn. Our future Beta, my long-time friend I can’t have these types of feelings for him. But for the last month or so the thoughts I have been having about him are anything but in the friend zone. They have been there off and on in small amounts ever since that time in the woods when he pinned me to the ground. I am still not sure what I saw when he was in the stream that day, but every once and a while that image pops up in one of my dreams. So I guess I would have to admit that it had been longer than a month they have just gotten stronger in the last month. I have watched him develop, physically as he has increased his training to get ready to go to his Beta training next September after he graduates high school. I hadn’t noticed at first. At least I hadn’t until one of the girls at school asked me how it felt to have his arms wrapped around me. I wasn’t sure what she was talking about first. Seeing the confusion on my face she said “You know when you spar with him?” At first, I thought she had somehow found out about what happened in the woods a few years ago. Then I realized that she was talking about the present sparring sessions. I told them that I wasn’t his sparring partner. He had to spar with my brother Levi, the twins, or one of the current ranked members since they are the only ones who can give him a challenge. But that question is what started it all. That night was the first time I had a dream that involved more than seeing Quinn in the stream. It was about what it would feel like to have him pin me to the ground again or better yet a bed with his arms around me. To have his chest pressed to mine. To feel his large strong hands caress down my body. To have his hips cradled between my thighs. I remembered what his hardened length had felt like when he had made that small thrust with his hips. Had he grown since then? How much bigger was he now? I stopped that line of thinking quickly. I didn't need Matt to smell my arousal, which I couldn't seem to control and have him think it was because of him.

When the movie was over I walked with Matt to the edge of the pack boarder to say goodnight. Matt had pulled me into his arms cupping my cheeks and giving me a kiss that seemed to be missing something. This may sound gross, but I think that there is more emotion in a kiss on my cheek from my brother than there was in this one. There was no missing the fact, the hard fact that was poking me in the stomach that he wanted more, but the kiss was just so disappointing that it didn’t do anything for me. I had no interest whatsoever. And that was the other thing that I had noticed that had changed in the last month or so. All the guys that were around just seemed to be missing something. I had no attraction to them at all.

After Matt left looking disappointed, I just started walking I didn’t know for sure where I was going I just knew I was restless. I noticed that lights were on in the gym so I decided to walk over and make sure that they hadn’t been forgotten. The first thing I see as I walk in is a very sweaty, shirtless Quinn in a pair of form-fitting shorts that just enhance his toned thighs. The wonderful smell of wild strawberries filled the space. He lands a few more punches to the heavy bag. I admired the way his muscles flexed as he moved, before turning to face me. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He answers with a nod of his head as he picks up a towel that is sitting on what I now see as a broken heavy bag. What the hell?

“Did you do that?” I ask tilting my head towards the bag.

“Yeah. The hanging chain broke and I think one of the seams is starting to let go too.” He answers wiping the sweat from his face. I follow his movements as he slowly drags the towel down his throat, around his neck, across his pecs and down his eight-pack of abs. Shit when did he get those? My mind started to imagine what it would feel like to run my fingers down those abs. I could help dry him off. I could think of a few things that we could do to put that sweat right back on. No, stop thinking like that. Shaking my head I step up to the bag and crouch down to take a look at the seam he was talking about to distract myself from where my thoughts had been going. How can my body get more excited looking at Quinn, who is only a friend, than it, does when a good-looking, sexy guy like Matt kisses me?

A shadow falls over me and I realize that Quinn has moved up behind me. I stand up but he is closer than I thought and as I step back I trip on the bag. Before I hit the ground there is a strong very powerful arm wrapped around me and I’m pulled against his chest that I had just been ogling. “Careful.” He said in a very husky voice. Oh great now I have that to add to my dreams. As if they weren’t hard enough to control as they were.

“Thanks.” That is all I’m able to squeak out.

“No problem. I’ll always save you, Meg.” The look that he is giving me is enough to make anyone melt. I need to step away from him. I place my hands on his chest and give a little push. Oh big mistake, is all I think as I feel small tingles in my fingertips. He reluctantly lets me go.

“I can help you clean this up if you want,” I say nodding towards the bag on the floor. My statement seems to snap him out of whatever trance he is in.

“No, it is fine you can go back to your date.” He said with a coldness in his voice.

“Matt is already gone,” I tell him.

He takes a deep breath. “Oh, I figured you be with him for the night.”

“Why would you think that?”

“The way you two were all over each other in the games room and the movie. What else was I supposed to think?” The coldness in his voice is such a one-eighty from the tone it had when he said that he would always save me, it is shocking. How can it change that fast? “What is your problem, tonight?”

“Nothing, Ok, forget I said anything.” He snaps at me.

“Fine, keep being a jackass see if I care. Maybe I will call Matt, and see if he wants to come back and have some more fun. It’s not like he didn’t suggest having fun before he left.”

I stomp past Quinn making my way to the door. Just as I reach for the handle I’m spun around and pinned to the door.

“You will not be calling him back,” Quinn growls at me.

We stand there staring at each other. The only sound is our ragged breathing. The anger slowly leaves Quinn's expression. He places his forehead on mine and whispers. “You can do so much better than him, Meg. So much better.” He backs away from me and quickly turns heading for the change room muttering to himself. Pulling myself together I race out the door and start heading home. What the hell just happened? My whole body is buzzing I can still feel small tingles in my hands from when I had touched his chest. I had never felt anything like it before. Not with anyone, that I had sparred with, and most defiantly not with Matt. Not even with Quinn before, what was different this time?