ALPHAS CONUNDRUM

Wolf

ANABELLA

I stumbled through the narrow alley, heart pounding as if it were trying to beat its way out of my chest. My breath came in ragged gasps, the sound almost drowned out by the thundering of my boots against the cobblestones. I didn’t dare look back, even though I knew Sebastian wasn’t on my tail anymore. My gut told me to keep running.

The streets grew busier as I moved forward, the murmur of voices swelling into a chaotic roar. Turning a corner, I nearly collided with a young couple holding hands. “Watch it!” the man barked, but I didn’t stop to apologize. My focus was fixed on escape, on weaving through the maze of bodies that filled the marketplace.

And then I heard it—the roar of engines, the screech of tires. My pace slowed as I emerged from the alley into a vast, open square. A sea of people pressed together, their faces illuminated by flashing lights and the excitement of competition.

Screams erupted as two cars—one a vivid red, the other an electric blue—sped toward the finish line. The noise was deafening, the crowd’s energy buzzing like static in the air. My feet moved almost on their own, carrying me closer to the barrier that separated the crowd from the race.

The red car surged ahead at the last second, crossing the finish line with a triumphant screech. The announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers, but the words were drowned out by the crowd’s chant: “Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!”

I turned to the nearest person, a woman clutching a poster of a stylized wolf emblem. “What’s going on?” I asked.

She barely spared me a glance. “It’s Wolf. He’s the best street racer in the city. Just won another title.”

The crowd surged forward as the red car rolled to a stop, its engine purring like a satisfied predator. The driver stepped out, and I caught my first glimpse of him. Tall and lean, with a cocky smirk plastered across his face. His leather jacket gleamed under the neon lights, the wolf emblem stitched on the back catching my eye.

Wolf basked in the crowd’s adoration, raising a hand in acknowledgment. People screamed his name, throwing their hands into the air as if reaching for him. I rolled my eyes. Typical.

I was about to turn away when the impossible happened.

Wolf, the untouchable champion, the hero of this screaming mob, walked straight into me.

The collision sent me sprawling onto the pavement, my palms scraping against the rough surface.

“s**t, I’m so sorry!” Wolf’s voice was sharp, his hand extended toward me.

I ignored it, glaring up at him as I scrambled to my feet. “Watch where you’re going,” I snapped, brushing dust off my clothes.

His brow furrowed, but the smirk didn’t fade completely. “I said I’m sorry. You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I muttered, not meeting his eyes.

He stood there for a moment, his hand still awkwardly hanging in the air. Then he dropped it and tilted his head, studying me with a faint grin. “You don’t seem like one of my fans.”

“Good observation,” I shot back, folding my arms. “Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

“Wait.”

I hesitated, glancing back at him. His expression softened, the cockiness replaced by something else. Curiosity, maybe?

“Let me make it up to you,” he said. “Buy you a drink?”

I blinked at him. “Seriously? You just crashed into me.”

“And I feel terrible about it.” He held up his hands, a teasing lilt in his voice. “Besides, it’s not every day I meet someone who isn’t screaming my name.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words stuck. I could feel the crowd’s eyes on us, the weight of their collective attention pressing down on me. Getting away from Sebastian was my top priority, but the truth was, I didn’t have a plan beyond running.

A drink didn’t sound so bad.

“Fine I’m Anabella by the way,” I said finally, earning a quick grin from him.

“Perfect name. Come on.”

He led me away from the crowd, the noise fading as we moved further into the city. The bar he chose was tucked into a quiet corner, the kind of place where the neon lights outside didn’t match the worn-down interior. A jukebox in the corner hummed softly, and the smell of stale beer hung in the air.

Wolf slid onto a barstool and gestured for me to do the same. “What’ll it be?”

I glanced at the selection of bottles behind the counter, suddenly unsure. “Surprise me.”

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue, ordering something simple—a whiskey for him, and s*x on the beach for me. As the bartender worked, Wolf turned his attention back to me.

“So,” he said, leaning against the counter. “What’s your story? Not every day someone like you wanders into one of my races.”

“Someone like me?”

“You know, not a screaming fan, not carrying a poster with my name on it.”

I shrugged, sipping my drink when it arrived. “Just passing through. Didn’t mean to stumble into your little victory parade.”

“Little?” He laughed, the sound warm and unexpected. “I like you already.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress a small smile.

He leaned forward, eyes skimming my face making everything and everyone blur into obscurity.

“The drink is really good. s*x on the beach, have you had that before, Wolf?” There was a slight tremor in my fingers as Wolf’s hands rested on my thigh, drawing small circles on them, inching upwards with every motion.

“Kade. That’s my name and no I haven’t had s*x on the beach, but it’s something that you’ve ingrained in my mind now. Depends on who I’m having it with though.” I didn’t even know when his hand was on the side of my inner thigh. I inhaled through my nose.

“I…. I meant the drink.” I inched closer, my lips dangerously close to his. It had to be the drinks. It had to. There was no other explanation.

“Can I kiss you?” He asked and when I nodded it didn’t take a second for his lips to meet mine. He nibbled on them, tasting the drink and he grinned, “You taste wonderful, love.”

The kiss blurred everything else in the bar. My fingers fisted into his hair and he grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me to him like there wasn’t enough proximity between us. His lips moved hungrily against mine, devouring every inch, probing them.

My lips parted slightly and his tongue was inside my mouth, fighting for dominance with mine. Till all the air left my lungs, we parted and I panted. My core was hot with need. I wondered what was going to happen next. Would he…

“Want to come home with me, love?”

“Yes,” I breathed.