Free Matthew's Chance by Odessa Lynne Page A

collection of sounds that most likely named one of the other wolves. “… a stronger dose.”
    “Yes, Alpha.”
    “Your alpha will be proud of your strength.”
    “Yes, Alpha,” Ash said again, voice low, straightening until his weight was on his feet instead of the wall at his back.
    Alpha slowly released Ash, and Matthew was startled to see a trickle of the wolves’ dark red blood at the side of Ash’s neck. Alpha stepped back.
    Ash’s gaze collided with Matthew’s. Matthew hadn’t meant to be caught staring and he quickly dropped his own to the table in front of him.
    His stomach roiled as Ash passed him on his way out of the room, but not because he was afraid of Ash. If Ash tried to take him for a mate, Matthew would submit, and he would do it without hesitation.
    But Ash had never expressed any desire for Matthew before now, so if Ash did try to take him for a mate, it would only be because of Matthew’s human scent. Nothing would change.
    Matthew would still end up alone.
    * * *
    Matthew stole two pairs of socks and a worn out pair of black athletic shoes one size too large from the cabin’s owner. The extra thickness of the doubled up socks made the shoes fit better, although they still didn’t feel quite right on his feet. Better than nothing though, because he sure as hell didn’t want to hike through the woods in socks again. He healed quickly, but he still felt pain and he’d had enough pain the last couple of days to last him a while—preferably the rest of his life, although he doubted he’d be so lucky.
    He had trouble with the laces, the same as he’d had trouble zipping his pants that morning. His injured hand had stiffened to the point of uselessness overnight—as if the damn biotech was fusing his bones together.
    He gritted his teeth, tried again, and finally got the fucking laces tied on his fourth attempt.
    Then he realized he still had to tie the other shoe.
    “Goddammit!”
    Ash found him with his foot up on the edge of the bed, his back bent low, trying to tug his first two fingers free of the knot without undoing the entire thing.
    “I can help,” Ash said.
    “No, dammit. I’ve just about—son of a bitch!” Matthew yanked the lace and started over.
    Ash pushed his hand aside. He quickly knotted the laces while Matthew fumed.
    “Thanks,” Matthew bit out.
    Ash gave Matthew a flat stare that did just as good a job of calling Matthew out for being an asshole as words would’ve done.
    Matthew stood and rolled the tension out of his shoulders. Calmer, he said, “I mean it. Thanks.”
    The corner of Ash’s mouth turned up in what might have been the first smile Matthew had seen from him since he’d arrived.
    Matthew grinned. “Sorry for being an asshole.”
    “You’re injured and your body’s working hard to repair itself.”
    “You don’t have to make excuses for me. I can admit when I’ve been acting like an asshole.”
    Ash’s steady look made Matthew’s heart pound faster. Ash dropped his gaze to Matthew’s throat. “Your pulse is racing.”
    Matthew swallowed hard. He could feel the sweat collecting under his arms. “Sorry,” he said, too breathy, too faint.
    Ash took a step closer to Matthew and his hand came up. Matthew caught sight of those claws, the deadly sharp points extended from beneath the dark material of Ash’s fingernails. When Ash’s hand wrapped around the back of Matthew’s neck, he shuffled forward a step.
    “I want to mate you,” Ash said simply. “But I can’t.”
    Matthew stared at Ash, understanding slow to come. Then he blinked and cleared his throat and stepped back.
    Ash’s hand fell away.
    “Those drugs are sure the hell working, aren’t they?”
    Ash frowned. “The drugs aren’t working as well as they should be.”
    “Not what it looks like from here.” Matthew rubbed his shoulder and then turned away, looking around the room. Goddamn, his chest hurt. He tried to shake it off, but he couldn’t, so he grabbed up the