TOUCH ME ALPHA

CHAPTER 1

The forest didn't want her there after dark

Lena Mercer knew it every wildlife photographer knew it . nocturnal shots meant risk , fines and occasional ranger with a flash light

but the gray wolf she'd been tracking for three weeks only moved at night

So here she was camera in one hand quiet breath fogging in the cold , boots silent on pine needles

she found him by the creek he was human

barely

Torn shirt blood on his ribs one knee in the water like he'd been dragged there his head lifted when she stepped into the clearing and his eyes caught the moonlight

his eyes no longer black but gold

Lena froze hey ' you're hurt'

he didn't answer his chest was rising too fast like he was holding something back .the air smelled like ozone and wet earth and something sharp she couldn't name

'you need help ' she said moving closer I can call

Don't

his voice was rough low and it cut through her he pushed to his feet and for a second she saw it . the way his shoulder shifted like something under his skin didn't fit right

There he was in front of her too close .he was tall , soaked angry in a way that had nothing to do with her his gaze dropped to her mouth then snapped back to her eyes like it hurt him to look

You shouldn't be here he said

I could say the same to you her heart was hammering and she hated that it wasn't just fear

A branch cracked behind her .

he moved before she could think one arm around her waist , hauling her against him and turning them both his back took the impact as something big crashed through the bush where she'd been standing

her camera hit the dirt his scent surrounded her ,storm ,air blood ,heat .

'Don't make a sound ' _ he growled into her hair

she couldn't even if she tried cause the bond hit then

It wasn't gentle it was gravity. like her lungs remembered how to breath only when he was touching her, his wolf lifted his head inside him and she felt it even if she didn't know how she was feeling

his grip tightened

Lena he said and she hadn't told him her name

the thing in the bush snarled and lunged again he didn't let her go he stepped between her and it , eyes flashing full gold , teeth bared in a way that was not human at all

Run he said

she didn't , not because she was brave but because she couldn't make her feet move away from him

The truck ride was silent

Kael drove like he was angry at the road one hand on the wheel , the other clenched on his thigh like he was holding himself together blood was still drying on his ribs his gold had faded bark to dark but Lena could feel him watching her in the rear view anyway

She was soaked , shivering and her camera was cracked in the footwell the bond was still there .dumb and loud like a second heartbeat she hadn't asked for

where are you taking me she asked finally . somewhere you won't get killed he said not reassuring

The Estate appeared through the trees and hour later , high walls iron gates , men with sharp eyes who snapped to attention when they saw the truck.no one spoke when Kael got out and opened her door

Inside he said .she didn't move 'i don't even know your name '

his jaw tightened 'Kael'

'Kael' she repeated .it sounded dangerous in her mouth

he stepped closer blocking the wind close enough that she could still smell him from the woods "you're safe here Lena that's all you need to know tonight

he led her through a stone house that was too quiet for considering the amount of people who were watching

he stopped at the door pushed it open bedroom ,big bed clean clothes folded on a chair , fire already going

you'll stay here he said don't leave the room don't talk to anyone expecially not me

she should have laughed " that's going to be hard considering you carried me out of the forest

his eyes flicked to her lips again just for a second then away , the bond does that it makes you think you know me

The bond

He looked tired then . not Alpha, just tired

when a wolf meets his mates he knows instantly and it doesn't care if she's human or if he's an ass .

Lena's breath caught ..... you think I'm your mate

I don't think he said . his voice dropped I feel it every second you're in the same room with me the room gets smaller

He took a step back like the space between them was the only thing keeping him sane , clothes are clean food is coming try to sleep.

'Kael'......

don't he cut in his control cracked right there vin his voice " If you say my name like that I'm not leaving"

he shut the door

Lena stood there heart hammering staring at the door handle , he didn't lock it he was trusting her not to open it .

and she was trusting herself not to

The light went out by midnight

Lena had been lying awake for hours listening to rain hit the stone roof . the storm rolled in fast over the Estate howling through the walls like something alive

then the whole house went blank. a knock hit her door a second later

Lena .... Kael

she opened it before she thought better of it

he was s shadow in the hallway . backlit by lightning v. wet hair. shirt clinging to him he looked like he'd been fighting the storm and losing

generators down he said . stay in your room the building shuddered . A tree branch hit the roof with a crack

she flinched

he was moving before she could breath. one hand on her door frame the other catching her arm as she stumbled back , suddenly she wasn't in the hallway anymore she was against his chest v

His grip was careful. too careful like if he held her any tighter he'd break

you're shaking he said voice low

it's the cold

it was a lie

his thumb brushed her wrist where he held her

' Bare skin to Bare skin ' ....

The bond flared ....heat rushed through her like he'd touched her every where at once her lungs forgot how to work for a second .... his eyes caught the lightning and went gold again wolf right under the surface

Lena ...he said like it was a warning

Kael ...that was a mistake

his head dropped not to kiss her ...he stopped with his forehead against her's ... her name breaking on his mouth like he was bleeding it out one hand came up to her jaw thumb at her lip not moving just there

The restraints in him was shaking

Don't he whispered if you touch me back I can't hold back .... lightning flashed...she touched him not with her hands,she had said his name again softer. that was enough he broke ....he pulled back hand falling from her face like it burned him

'inside now' she went because the look on his face looked like he was fighting pain...the door wouldn't be shut it for her ... didn't lock it

in the dark, with the storm still ranging Lena pressed her back to the wood and put her hand where his hand been her skin still burning ...