Free Un.Requited (Claimed Series) by Reese Morgan Page A

room for comfort, let alone breathing room.
    The taxicab even smelt horrible, her enhanced senses making it worse. The driver was currently indulging in a bag of mini donuts, carefully using his large belly and elbows to steer the car. Hayden had been watching him since they left the city in Oregon, which happened to be more than an hour ago.
    Her eyes drifted toward Cole’s side of the window, observing the stunning scenery. She had never been to Oregon, only Montana, but both areas were rich with forests and greenery. The trees were broad, thick, their leaves spreading selfishly at the top. The high sun reflected richly off the lakes and streams, casting golden hues across the water and making it appear like gold-encrusted jewels.
    As she mentally compared the greenery here to New York, Hayden began thinking about her family. Before they had left, she had asked Cole if she could go home to pack a few things and to say goodbye to her family.
    Cole had refused her request, distractedly promising to purchase her new belonging when they got to Oregon. As far as her family went, Blake had reassured her that Gregory and his family would be speaking to them in hopes of easing them into the transition.
    Through the reflection of the window, Hayden was aware of Cole watching her with intrigue. Throughout the trip, she had noticed the Alpha inspecting her, especially at times when he thought she wasn’t paying attention.
    Was he simply trying to observe, to get to know her better? Or was he watching, waiting for her to lose control? If she ever lost control, Cole would have a reasonable excuse to send her away. Now more than ever, Hayden was determined to keep her self-control in check.
    Cole had already needed to hold her wrist on the plane. Once Hayden had stopped trying to pull away from him, Cole had rubbed small circles near her pulse. It had surprisingly worked, as the humans around her hadn’t been nearly as appealing as they had been without his presence.
    Pulling herself back to the present, Hayden turned her stare onto Cole’s scrutiny, observing him with just as much intensity as he was her . She could easily admit to being infatuated with his eyes. They were so green, focused, and intelligent. A sharp thrill traveled down her spine as she kept eye contact with him, an act of defiance in itself.
    The corner of the man’s mouth twitched as he kept his eyes leveled hers. “Are you challenging me, pup?” he inquired deeply, his tone hoarse with amusement. “I don’t remember the last time a female challenged me so outright.”
    A frown tugged at her lips. “Then you obviously aren’t around females very often.”
    Through lowered lashes, she studied the man closely. Although attractive, the Alpha next to her was arrogant, almost conceitedly so. He also seemed to possess a unique ability of being able to both calm her and get a rise out of her.
    Blake chuckled lightly at her comment, causing Hayden to break eye contact with Cole. The beta played it safe by pretending to be ignorant of the proceedings next to him. He kept his attention firmly fixated on the passing scenery, avoiding any possible chiding from Cole.
    “I know you said there were two other female werewolves in your pack,” Hayden said as she turned back to look at Cole. “Is it really true that females are so rare?” she ventured quietly, mindful of the human driving the taxi.
    Cole inclined his head in contemplation. “Addie and Devan are older females and have been around for quite some time. But yes, newborn females have a very low probability of surviving the bite. A human’s body must go through a transformation that essentially kills them. Most females don’t awaken when it’s completed.”
    Reverting in on herself, Hayden thought back to that night in Montana. Her shivering had been uncontrollable and the dirt underneath her had been moist and warm. She remembered her pulse racing dangerously fast until it stopped abruptly. It seemed like