Chapter 10

Control!

It's what he was struggling for the moment he raced to her side and held her; then placed her back in bed.

The rhythmic pounding of her heart and the overwhelming scent of panic, fright and then pain had his wolf careening over the edge clawing his insides up to take over.

The moment their eyes met and held the intense gaze, he felt Koda pushing through. He fought to keep the beast under control as he spoke to her.

And when she did......Sweet Mercy! Her voice was like music to his ears. The most meek and softest thing he has ever heard.

"I fell"...she had told him...

The words spilled from her lips without thought but truthfully because he could sense it.

A faint smile curved his lips as he tried to calm her. Koda didn't like her scent of sadness and pain.

Help her!... He growled.

For a while, he battled in his mind about what to do. The more he stood so close to her, the quicker he was losing himself in those eyes, the stronger he wanted her which was not an option right now and Koda wasn't cooperating.

"Our mate reeks of the forest."  Koda paced impatiently. He was aware of it too. But he could still smell her sweet scent beneath it all. She held his gaze with a hint of fascination as he argued with Koda that ignored him completely but was so intrigued with her.

"You must want a shower? " he managed to say.

He needed to get her a couple of inches away. He needed to calm Koda down. He held out his hands for her. Her fingers small and soft, gently landed in his rough large hand; it sent a tingle up his arms. With a deep breath, he managed not to growl as her touch caused something deep inside him to stir.

He could not have turned on the shower any quicker and left the bathroom. Relief washed over him as he closed the door and leaned against it.

A brief unwavering moment of silence had him completely involved in a heated conversation with Koda until the scent of anxiety and panic pulled him to attention. Then she called out to him.

The rapid pounding of her heart all but deafened him. He rushed into the bathroom and cursed as he watched her shivering under the shower still wrapped in the bed sheets. He quickly turned it off and pulled her out of the tub. She trembled fiercely clutching the ice-cold wet sheet to her, then she let it fall.

She stood shivering and naked before him. His breath catching on the sight of her glistening bare skin. Abruptly, he looked away and reached for a large fluffy towel and covered her.

*******

Now he knelt before her, kicking himself mentally and repeating her name.

Hannah

He let her name roll off his tongue and felt the way it caressed him internally and had Koda's tail wagging.

Mate! He panted with appreciation.

Behave or I walk away! He threatened Koda.

The stare down for dominance was won by the Alpha kneeling before her.

By then as he held her gaze, he was the epitome of control as he spoke.

"My name is Maddox."

"Mad-dox," she repeated it softly and that alone sent a rush of warming awareness and pleasure to his lower abdomen.

He needed to get out of this room.

He swallowed hard and stood. Then he gestured towards the clothes on the bed.

"Get dressed. I will be right back. Stay here," He said then turned away.

Finally out of the room, he walked double-time taking the steps in two's until he stumbled into the kitchen like the devil was at his heels.

A set of confused eyes looked up at him as he leaned against the island table for support.

"Maddox? Are you O.K.?" Brody stood and slowly approached him.

Drawing on the deepest breath he had ever needed to fill his lungs, he shook his head. It was as if he was being held at the bottom of a pool, being deprived of oxygen.

"Jesus! Man breath," Brody rubbed his back with worry.

He waved him away. "I'm fine," he stood and walked towards the refrigerator and grabbed a water. Although he would have happily opted for a couple of bottles of Jack to numb his suffering.

Koda wasn't onboard with that as he growled.

He shook off the beasts annoying growl and turned to face Brody that was still staring at him.

"Mind explaining to me, what's going on with you?" Brody watched him guzzle down the water in two gulps before leaning his elbow against the steel door to the refrigerator.

Anything but calm, he thought of the reason for his predicament. His 5'1" predicament with honey brown skin and large brown eyes that had him on the brink of losing more than just his sanity.

Suddenly the chuckle that started beside him pulled him away from his musing.

"It's her. Isn't it?" Brody shook his head with amusement and awe.

Maddox frowned.

"What?"

"She is the chick that showed up in your room," Brody pointed out putting two and two together.

"What chick?" a female voice interrupted.

They turned in time to watch his cousin, Nikki, Brody's sister walk towards them. He leaned forward, hugged her and stood back as she hugged her brother before stepping back under her questioning gaze.

Just great!

"Maddox here, has a chick in his room," Brody teased.

Wide-eyed and bubbly with joy, Nikki clapped. "Finally!"

Maddox clenched his jaw. "It's not like that," before giving Brody a death glare.

"She is not staying," he clarified between clenched teeth. "We know nothing about her."

"Oh come on Maddox, you can't toss her out!" Nikki argued.

"Watch me," he shot back.

And soon the trio was in a heated argument.

"You need to lighten up Bro, she is a helpless-," Brody began.

"What ......female? Human? ....Rogue?," Maddox cut him off.

"We have no idea who or what the hell she is," he paused. "For all we know she could be dangerous," he grounded out with a growl.

'You couldn't believe that load of bullcrap even if you tried.'  Koda scoffed rolling over to give his back.

Nikki shook her head in awe then laughed. "Dude if that is what you call dangerous.," she pointed out behind him. "Then.... I believe you have the concept of Predator vs. Prey,  backwards," She stared passed his shoulder.

The scent hit him way before he had time to brace himself.

Then he turned.

Christ!!!

"Male? I don't believe these fit me correctly," Hannah mumbled softly clutching his jogging pants up.

Silence enveloped them all as they looked at her.

"Wow!" Brody blew out a breath.

Maddox shot him a murderous glare that had him inching back behind Nikki.

His gaze turned slowly to focus on Hannah. Koda perked up.

His eyes dropped down the length of her slender-petite frame wearing his t-shirt that hung off of her shoulder and his jogging pants that swallowed her whole. The fact that she wore what was his and that it would be drenched in her alluring scent, had him slowly getting hard. He could feel his fangs tickling the surface of his gums. It took all the strength in him to not close the distance, pull her close and sink them into her soft neck to claim her.

Lifting his eyes to hers was not such a good idea. He has never seen anything like them. Warm whiskey browns... that spoke volumes of innocence. They stirred a craving within him.

He was definitely high on something if he thought she could be a threat.

A low rumbling growl escaped his throat.

Before he could say or do anything, Nikki exchanged a questioning look with her brother then leaped forward giddy and happy to greet Hannah.

"OMG! You look so beautiful," she beamed walking towards her and wrapping her arms around her.

"I got something you can wear," Nikki offered, looking back at Maddox that now sported dark amber eyes.

A sense of possession coursed through him watching his cousin turn away with her. He shook it off immediately. She wasn't in any harm. And..... He didn't have time for these feelings, he reminded himself.

"Bro, let's get some fresh air. I think it will do you some good," Brody insisted, gently patting Maddox on his tensed rigid shoulder.

Still staring off at the spot where Hannah stood, he inhaled deeply before shutting his eyes.

He was gonna need more than fresh air.

*********

Another update guys...

Forgive me you guys for not updating Tempests Embrace I wrote myself into a doozy with the last chapter so I'm brainstorming a banging chapter update for that one . I was told that if I continue writing instead of waiting for something inspiring to combat writers block, I will eventually have a breakthrough with my writing funk I'm stuck in. So until then...I will write away with this story because my writing mojo is clear on this one. Plus I already daydreamed this dreamy bad boy up to its very heartwarming ending😂

So pop your popcorn and pour some wine and let's see where this goes...

Ciao...