Free Reclaiming Her Alpha (Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance) by Celina Reyer Page A

you, he'd be with you. He wants me. He chose me. It's as simple as that."
    Kat knew at that moment that she had never met a more se lfish person in her entire life than her sister. But there was nothing she could do. And maybe Monique was right. If there really was something between her and Nathaniel, why was he with Monique? Why wouldn't he be with her?
    ***
    She would never forgive her sister for stealing Nathaniel from her. It was unspeakable what she had done, but Kat blamed Nathaniel more. He had told her he loved her... he had touched her... he had marked her... and then he turned around and started dating her sister only a month later. Who did that? 
    With a sigh she pulled herself together and headed off toward the Council Meeting.
    ***
    The pack Alpha, Roman, was pacing when she arrived, deep in discussion with Nathaniel. He was tense, energy radiating from his muscular frame as he delivered his orders. Kat wondered what it could be. Every fall brought a migration from a nomad pack of bloodsuckers, and it was likely they were hunting too close to the pack's borders again, though there had never been any serious trouble. Still, she watched Roman's face carefully, concerned by his furrowed brow and steely eyes.
    Nathaniel gestured toward her and Roman waved her over.
    "Willmont," he said gruffly when she joined the men. "Ready to serve your pack?"
    "Of course." Her heart galloped in her che st and her mouth was dry. "How can I help?"
    "I need you to go with Hawke and patrol the northern border. There's a potential breach. We can do without you two tonight. You're the fastest if we need you back."
    She nodded, remaining composed but secretly pleased that he had acknowledged her as the fastest. And then she had a sudden, fevered flash of Nathaniel running. They often crossed paths during their morning runs, and just the sight of his tightly muscled thighs pumping and muscular shoulders shiny with sweat was usually enough to break her stride. Even just thinking about it, she struggled to maintain her neutral expression.
    "Ready?" Nathaniel asked, and she nodded and headed off beside him. Her legs were weak as it registered that she was going all t he way to the northern border with Nathaniel - alone. 
    ***
    "I requested you," he said finally, after they had walked nearly a mile together in silence, enveloped by the sounds of the forest around them.
    "Oh..." Her insides were aflutter and she knew she s hould say something more, but she had no idea how to begin.
    He was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "You were magnificent today." He turned to her, his face filled with admiration. "You must be training hard."
    She nodded. "I feel better when I train hard. It's easier to phase, too, when I push myself. I think it's because I'm more in tune with my body." She didn't say, Mostly I run to take my mind off you. She wished she were the kind of woman who could say things like that, a woman like Monique who took what she wanted and made no apologies for it.
    Something she couldn't identify flashed in his eyes, and she looked away as they fell into step once again.
    "By the way, you don't need to worry," he said. "The border breach isn't a serious concern. We're not going to run into anyone. The only people in this woods are you and me."
    She breathed a sigh of relief, even as her heartbeat kicked into overdrive. Nathaniel was so close she could smell his soap, the fabric softener that scented his clothes, and underneath it all his own earthy, musky male scent. She longed to bury her face in his neck and just breathe him in. And her body, in full agreement, began to tingle. She wondered if he smelled her, too, her soap and hair products and sweat - and arousal.
    "We'll probably be out here all night," he continued.
    "Fine," she managed to squeak. Again he looked at her, his gaze holding hers a bit longer, and her hands began trembling. She shoved them in her pockets.
    "Cold?" he asked, suddenly concerned. Sh e shook her