Free Fated Desire: A Paranormal Romance Novel (The Twisted Destiny Saga Book 1) by Franca Storm Page B

to him as he strode into the room. He nodded at Josh. And then he turned to Cora. “Hey,” he said, smiling as he approached the couch.
    “Hey there,” she returned in a drunken drawl.
    Christ, she’s smashed. “A little drunk there, darlin’?” he asked with amusement.
    “No. I’ve only had a couple of glasses.”
    Ryan eyed Josh. He held up four fingers. Ryan shook his head with disbelief. He perched on the arm of the couch beside her head and, deciding to play along, asked, “Two, huh?”
    She grinned mischievously and let out a small laugh.
    “How did you get out of there?” he asked gently, laying his hands on her shoulders. He’d been out searching for his former flame, Shaye. She was a powerful witch and if anyone could have broken through Luca’s magic, it would have been her. But he hadn’t even had the chance to pick up her scent when Josh had called him and told him that Cora had escaped on her own and had come looking for him at the compound.
    “I blasted my way out.”
    “What?”
    She craned her neck to look at him. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she said, “With magic.”
    “I didn’t think you could control it.”
    She shrugged her shoulders. “It just happened. I got upset. Scared.”
    “Scared?” he growled.
    “Ry,” Josh cautioned.
    Ryan drew in a calming breath and forced himself to ask calmly, “He hurt you?”
    She shook her head. “I stopped him.”
    He drew back from her and clenched his fists in fury. What the hell did that mean? Stopped him from doing what? What the fuck was he trying to do to her that had scared her so much?
    She shifted on the couch, moving into a sitting position and eyeing him worriedly through intoxicated, glazed eyes. “You’re mad at me?”
    He shook his head sadly and said, “No, sweetheart. Not at you.”
    She smiled back and then she suddenly lunged at him. She flung her arms around his neck and tried to pull him down onto the couch with her. When she failed to do so, her hands slipped under his ribbed t-shirt and slid up his chest.
    “Time for bed,” he said, stopping her sensual assault by sweeping her off the couch. “Get some sleep,” he called over his shoulder to Josh as he carried Cora out of the room.
    He strode down the corridor until he came to the last door. His room. He kicked it open and stepped inside. He adjusted her weight in his arms, freeing one so he could shut it. And then he carried her over to the bed. He dropped her on it and she shrieked excitedly.
    “Shh,” he told her. “Don’t wake the boys, or I’ll have to fight to stop an orgy from happening here. They’re not used to a woman being on base.”
    “Wolves listen to their Alpha,” she responded, chuckling to herself.
    He smiled and turned away. He crossed to a chest of drawers in the corner and quickly pulled out one of his gray t-shirts. He threw it to her and said, “Put that on.”
    “Okay,” she murmured without the slightest protest.
    But then he watched her hold it to her face, rather than making any attempt to actually put it on. “What are you doing?”
    “Smelling you.”
    “I’m right here, darlin’,” he told her as he shook off his leather jacket and quickly shed his t-shirt as well.
    “You smell…manly.”
    “I hope so,” he said as he shed his jeans. “Now put on the shirt and go to sleep,” he ordered as he approached the bed. He watched warily as her gaze raked over him, drinking in the sight of him in nothing but a white wife-beater and a pair of boxers. Uh oh. Please don’t come on to me. I don’t know if I can hold back. That last time was fucking intense. But I can’t take her drunk like this. Any other woman, sure. But not her—not my mate. It’s not how things are done.
    To his relief, she looked away. He sighed inwardly with relief. He climbed into bed and settled himself under the covers. He was just about to close his eyes when he heard little grunts of frustration coming from her. His gaze snapped to hers