I tripped back, fear making me clumsy before I righted myself and lifted my arms, ready to fend him off.

  His advance halted and he dropped his arms, shifting back to normal.

  A huff exploded from him as he spun on his heel. “I'm sorry,” he murmured, turning to look at me, “I should've controlled my temper.”

  Adrenaline made my arms shake as I slowly lowered them. Apparently, the joke about the testicle had been too much.

  “Who are you?” I pushed through my teeth.

  He tilted his head and narrowed his gaze on me, the desire suddenly clear in his eyes.

  “And,” I went on, swallowing, “why are you being so... pheromonal over me?”

  Shrugging, he chuckled. “I'm a nobody, as you know. And this...” He pointed between us. “...When I see something I want, I go for it. I saw you for the first time a year ago, almost to the day. You were training on Brighton beach with your pack. You stopped everyone so you could help a homeless woman who had fallen with her belongings. Since that day, I've done nothing but fantasise about you.”

  “Okay,” I said, snapping out of my schoolgirl crushing. “That's just stalkerish.”

  The rush of his fury had been forgotten as he licked his lips. “I'm a sucker for a strong woman with a soft heart. Makes me want to dominate her.”

  My breath rushed from me, but the rumble of engines snapped me out of any further reaction. It was a good job. My body had betrayed me by tingling all over at the thought of being dominated. No, that wasn't going to happen. If anything, I was the one holding the attraction strings. I was going to use him, not the other way around.

  “My friends are back,” Fender announced, as if he hadn't just turned me on with his words. “I'll introduce you.”

  When he went to walk past me, my hand shot out and gripped his strong wrist, brushing against the carved wooden face of his watch. My gaze dropped to the intricate detail on the clock face and my heart skipped a beat. A young wolf profile was carved into the wood behind the hands and the name Freya was engraved over its head. Something about the piece made my chest squeeze.

  “Did you want to skip introductions?” Fender whispered into my ear. “I can take us somewhere quiet.”

  A flash of anger heated my skin. He was so blasé and full of himself, he believed that I would get down and dirty with just a few smooth words. Fuck. Who was I kidding? My whole body hummed to be touched by him. Maybe I could use him to my advantage.

  “Not right now,” I replied, releasing him.

  He blinked slowly, his eyes daring me to resist him – which I did – albeit, only just.

  “Fender!”

  Three men climbed off their bikes and approached us. The twins were there and so was the man who had been in the pub, standing idly by while his boss beat the shit out of the poor barman.

  “Everyone accounted for?” Fender asked, leaving me to greet his friends.

  I turned to face the newcomers, aware of their stares as I crossed my arms over my waist. Most women would be intimidated by four hulking men, all staring. It was plain to see that they were rough and ready by their attire. The twins and their checked shirts were stylishly cool. I would've loved to have dressed them for a future runway show. Alas, my clothing business would have to take a backseat as I tried to regain my position as alpha.

  “Ah,” the other guy said, rubbing a hand over his dark straight, almost spikey, hair. “The alpha-heir has found her way to our camp. Did my friend entice you with a promise of his big cock? Because...” he said, cupping a hand to the side of his mouth as if he were about to divulge something interesting, “it's not as big as mine.”

  “You're so vulgar and immature, Joel.” One of the twins shoved him, snarling in disgust when Joel grabbed his hand and kissed it.

  “Don't be jealous, my friend.” Winking at me, he chuckled. “I've heard you're pretty well hung, too.”

  “A man who brags about his dick size,” I said loudly, “often has a small cock and a big ego. Neither one is attractive to a mate.”

  “Pft.” Joel snorted, waving away my accusation. “I don't want a mate. None of us do. It would hinder our goal of world domination and motorbike races. We'd have to actively stay alive. Who wants that?” Coming closer, he leaned in. “It's no fun.”

  “Fender,” the more acceptable twin said, “rein in your stray. He's been let loose for longer than needed and this poor girl-”

  “Girl?” I blurted, widening my eyes at him.

  Okay, so for a second, I'd respected him more than the others, but now he'd just gone down in my estimation. Would there be any Lawless Brother that I actually liked?

  Holding up his hand, he widened his eyes also. “Welcome to the Lawless Pack. If you think you're going to get the alpha treatment here, think again. You've arrived at the place where everyone is an omega... and you get to decide who you really are.”

  Chapter Six

  Never had an alpha-heir seen such a glorious set of arses as the brothers of the Lawless Pack entered the camp grounds in front of me. They walked in a row, not one of them leading the way, as I'd expected. I'd assumed that Fender was their leader, he'd seemed to be their spokesman when they'd gate-crashed my alpha-ship ceremony.

  A bolt of hot humiliation made my palms perspire. The men who had just walked the path that led through the woods had witnessed my most embarrassing moment. I would pay Fender back and get him to retract his accusation. I just had to play him at his own game. A game I was frighteningly excited to start.

  I hung back, studying the tents and make-shift huts through the trees. The meadow was surrounded by the woods, hidden from the road that led into the city. There was a big wooden hut next to a larger tent. Quite a few figures milled around, although I couldn't see well enough to make out their faces. Rumours of the Lawless Pack were true. They lived in a fairly squalid camp with barely any necessities.

  The men paused on the edge of the wood and turned to look at me, their gazes questioning. My insides quaked at the idea of entering a place with a bunch of stray werewolves. Each one of them had either rejected their pack or been rejected themselves. Would they tear me down for wanting to belong to my people?

  Fender raised his eyebrows and shrugged before walking on. I stared after him, afraid at the pull that encouraged me to follow.

  “Ignore him,” Joel said, coming over and offering his arm, “He's just miffed he didn't get to kill that barkeep after he sexually assaulted one of our young she-wolves.”

  A gasp exploded from me as he linked his arm through mine and propelled me forward, not giving me a chance to resist.

  Wait, Fender had been seeking justice for a poor woman who had suffered at the hands of that barkeep? Shit, another perception of mine shattered. I had to stop being Miss Judgy Mac-Judgey. I also had to be careful or I might just start to respect the bastard.

  “This is our humble home.” Joel smiled broadly as he gestured to the fire pit area, which was to the right of the camp, tucked away at the edge of the woods.

  Two people were cooking something on the open pit, laughing and joking between themselves. For some reason, it brought a smile to myself.

  My own pack was nowhere near as rustic. I lived in a fair sized house with plenty of land to run. Everyone else had their own brick dwellings on the acres of land that belonged to the pack. We went about our day like a fairly normal human, only coming together for full moon runs and general meetings. Oh, and the blessing of the mating bond.

  Shuddering at the thought of binding myself to someone so solidly, I turned from the couple who suddenly gazed at one another with pure love. I would never allow someone to have that amount of power over me.

  “Not a fan of fated mates, either?” Joel said, flinging his arm over my shoulder in a friendly manner.

  Fender turned and scowled at his friend. The flash of fury that crossed his eyes made me question his possessiveness. If I got involved with him, would he become obsessed? Maybe he would tie me up and not allow me to leave. My body vibrated with a lustful hum. Bloody traitor.

  “I can't really hang around,” I blurted, shocked by my longing. Shrugging Joel’s arm off me, I winked when he placed a hand over his chest, pretending to be hurt. “But I need a quick word with Fender before I go,” I finished, slowly moving away.

  Holding up his hands, he laughed. “Have fun with grandad.”

  My feet stalled. “Grandad?”

  “He's so fucking serious,” Joel said. “I buy him slippers for his birthday every year. Bastard loves them, always wearing them in his hut.”

  Shaking his head in disbelief, he wandered off, muttering to himself. I watched him approach a couple of women, where his demeanour changed, his handsome face lighting up and a charming smile almost cracking his jaw.

  “Don't be fooled by his friendliness. He's excellent with a knife.” Fender's deep voice slipped over my skin, warming it.

  Looking up at him sideways, I cocked an eyebrow. “You don't need to try and scare me away. You’ve done that already.”

  “I have?” He grumbled. “Shame, I was going for the opposite effect.”

  “Can we go somewhere... more private?” I asked abruptly.

  His head tilted to the side as his gaze narrowed on me. “Yesss.”

  Checking around us, he nodded towards the fire pit before setting off. I swallowed my nerves as I followed, not quite sure what I was about to get myself into, but also extremely turned on by the idea of what might happen. No, I had to keep my head clear in order to exact my revenge... or at least persuade him to reverse his accusation. That would probably be my strongest angle.

  Glancing over my shoulder, I admired the camp. The meadow stretched away to the treeline in the distance, almost covered by the different coloured tarpaulin and tent material. There were even some wooden structures dotted around.

  Several people were sitting outside their homes, eating lunch and chatting amongst themselves. A sense of community was clear, even though they weren’t technically a pack. I envied the ease of their lifestyle, although I still missed my structured days. I had been trained to have a strict routine since the moment I turned alpha-heir. I’d even missed my morning run since being stuck in the hotel.

  My insides quivered as we slunk through the trees, passing a cave entrance. A young man came out, drying his hair with a towel. I frowned, confused by his appearance.

  “There's a natural hot spring in that cave.” Fender read my frown as I dawdled behind. “We use it for bathing, but as you can imagine, it's not big enough for the whole pack.”

  Yeah, I wouldn't be seen dead washing in front of everyone. That was beyond what I was used to. And there was my privilege. Maybe hanging around the Lawless Pack would help me see how lucky I had been growing up.

  “Let's stop here,” I said, going behind a tree and indicating that he follow.

  He raised his eyebrows and hooked his thumbs into the rings on his jeans waistband. His steps were slow and confident as he came to stand near me. I swallowed down the nervous excitement that made my hands shake. Would he hear my plea?

  “What did you want to talk about?” Fender said, his eyes hooded, “or did you want something else?”

  His suggestive tone made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I was unexplainably drawn to the werewolf, there was no doubt. However, I had to remember that I was an alpha-heir. I had to be careful when playing the game.

  Placing my hands on my hips, I stared at him. “I want you to tell my pack the truth.”

  Cocking his head to the side, he blinked slowly. “Look, I'm sorry for your predicament.”

  His stony expression told a whole different story.

  “Really?” I said sarcastically, “Because it looks like you give less shits than a werewolf with diarrhoea.”

  The corner of his lip rose into his cheek. “Your feistiness turns me on, but be careful, little wolf.” Coming closer, he looked down at me and snarled gently. “You might be alpha where you come from, but we're all equal here. You would do anything for your pack, I would do anything for mine.”

  Lifting my head, I stared up at him. Heat zipped over my skin, fury laced with an inexplicable desire. The burst of warmth between my legs was an annoyance that I knew I shouldn't scratch. Instead, I had to own him.

  “Why do you have to be such a contradiction?” I asked, narrowing my gaze on him.

  Reaching out, he moved my blonde hair from off my shoulder. His fingers brushed the skin of my neck, tickling lightly. I failed to hide the shudder that shook me. There was something about the way he was prepared to do anything for those in his pack – yeah, okay, that meant he hurt others in the process, but a girl only had so much willpower in the face of a hot male – that made me want to rip his clothes off.

  “Don't look at me like that,” he growled, taking several steps closer.

  My heartbeat increased as I backed up, only stopping when my spine hit a tree trunk. His eyes were hooded and his jaw was tight, inviting me to smooth it. He stood almost flush against me, leaving just an inch between us. My arm extended of its own accord, my fingers tracing the stubble on his jaw, which tightened even more. Wait, this was the opposite of what I'd planned.

  “You want to play games?” I muttered. “Let's do it.”

  My hand wrapped around the back of his neck, yanking hard. His head came down with no resistance, until our lips almost met.

  “I will win,” he said, his breath fanning over my face.

  The scent of him, so masculine, so naughty, did things to my insides. My pussy pulsed and I flicked my tongue out to lick his lips.

  My breath was sucked out of me as he crushed his lips against mine, opening and closing, capturing my bottom lip with his movements. Sparks shot over my skin, dancing in erotic waves until they gathered in the pit of my stomach.

  Pulling away, Fender looked down at me. “I won't tell anyone our little secret.”

  Digging my hand into his hair, I laughed. “You already did, you bastard.”

  His hand tugged my hair backwards, gently guiding me to expose my neck. “Don't patronise me. I only have sex with good girls.”

  His teeth nibbled on the skin beneath my jaw and sent desire throbbing through me. My breasts ached to be touched, but I wouldn't let him have me, not yet.

  “You like good girls?” I purred, “Is that your kink?”

  A low affirmative groan rumbled up his chest. Okay, so the dominating man liked to take control in every way. Not today, my friend.

  With a sigh, I gripped his shirt, curling the material in my palm until it pulled tight across his pecs. His mouth found mine again and his tongue plunged inside, swirling with mine. Our breath mingled, the warmth of it raising my temperature. I couldn't let myself get distracted by the intensity of our attraction.

  Pulling away, I raised my eyebrows. “Will you let me...” I paused and released his shirt, trailing my fingers down his muscles and over the waistband of his jeans. “...get on my knees?”

  Air huffed over my face as he exhaled, his eyes burning into mine. “You want to please me?”

  The intensity of his yearning rocked through me and I nodded, genuinely excited to be naughty with him. Ever since I'd met him four days ago, my life had been turned upside down. I'd been a good girl, behaving like an alpha, since I was a child. I'd followed rules and aspired to be what everyone else wanted me to be. Fender wasn't like that. He was rude, obnoxious, strangely honourable to his pack... and fucking sexy. He'd awakened something inside me and made me doubt who I was. All in the space of a few days. My pack had thrown me out on the belief that I'd been promiscuous, so fuck it, why not enjoy myself?

  Moving my hand to the button of his waistband, I raised my eyebrows. He smirked and nodded, inviting me to go ahead.

  Something about the longing in his eyes made me flick the button open. A thrill chased down my spine, shocking my core. I wanted to touch him, to tease him. Shit, I wanted to taste his cock in my mouth. Where had my sense gone?

  He waited, watching me with bated breath as I hesitated. I liked that he wasn't trying to force me, and yet, the idea of doing as I was told by the forbidden wolf was oh so tempting.

  Licking my lip, I tugged down the zipper of his jeans and dug my hand inside. His breath inhaled when my hand brushed against his cock. It was encased in tight material, bound against his body. I pushed my way underneath the band of his boxers and gripped the length of him. He was extremely long and thick, rising up to greet my touch. I gasped when he moved against my hand, rubbing himself.

  “Shit, that feels so good,” he moaned.

  I looked up into his eyes, which were partially closed as I stroked down his length. His head was still close to mine, bent to the side so he could bring his mouth down for a kiss.

  My breath grew heavy as he captured my bottom lip in his teeth and nibbled lightly. I struggled to hold his cock with the amount of material restricting him.

  “Push them down,” he muttered, his tone strong, despite my touch.

  I liked that he told me what to do, it flooded my pussy with warmth. His order was easy to follow as I dropped to my knees and yanked his clothes down so they rested against his thighs.

  “Okay.” He chuckled. “You could've just unsheathed me, but I'm not complaining.”

  He checked around us briefly before looking down again.

  Gazing up at him, I admired the long form of his penis. It was as strong as his muscles and as veiny, too. Bloody hell, it was a beast, just like its owner. I couldn't even pretend that I wasn't impressed. No doubt my eyes were as wide as the full moon.

  “Have you ever done this before?”

  Fender's question jolted me out of my admiring session. My cheeks flamed and I fought the urge to back away. Why had his simple question shocked me? He had presumed I was a good girl. The wolf had me all wrong.

  “I'll let you be the judge,” I muttered, wrapping my fingers around his cock, one by one.

  Leaning forward, I pressed my tongue against the base of his cock and dragged it up and over his head. He breathed loudly through his nose and held his hands against his hips, balancing strongly on his feet. I wanted to make him shake, just a little. My hands tingled as the salty taste of him made me clench my core muscles. What would it feel like to have him enter me? A rush of desire made it hard for me to concentrate as I serviced him, working his length until his legs started to shake and he held onto the tree with one hand.