A Cold Wind Blows (Forgotten series, #3)

Chapter 8

She had moved on from the romance novel to what I could see was The Hobbit. She was an interesting creature. Her behaviour towards Maricella was strange. She wasn't warm or comforting but she was a bit more receptive towards the small shifter. She was proving difficult to read and it was getting increasingly hard to focus on anything because her scent had filled the interior of the vehicle.

It was wrapping itself around me, urging me to act, to claim what was rightfully mine. I had similar issues with my previous mates but nothing to the extent of what I was dealing with. My wolf was interested in her more than the rest, his added interest made her scent even more enticing and intoxicating.

She wasn't even effected by the pheromones I was clearly giving off. I had told her the truth. I couldn't control what my body did but her scent remained neutral and soft. There was no spike of receptiveness, just the same scent throughout. I wasn't sure how she managed it. I glanced at her as she turned the page to the book. She was only a quarter way into it but she wasn't making faces at the pages like she did with the romance.

"If my scent bothers you that much, roll down the windows." Her tone was even as she turned the page of her book. She looked relaxed, her posture and her positioning spoke of relaxation but if you looked closely you could see her muscles tensing in readiness. It was a very well crafted ruse.

"It is cold outside." The temperature had grown colder the closer we drew to the mountains and opening the windows would lower the humvee's temperature. The heater didn't work well in it, I had been meaning to fix it but hadn't gotten around to it.

"Our internal temperatures run high and you originate in the mountains. I doubt the cold will be bothersome." She shifted in her seat and I tried not to grind my teeth together. She was as agitating as she was appealing. My wolf disagreed, he disliked her disrespect but he was all for her. She disrespected us and treated us as if she were equal to our power. It was something he wanted to figure out.

"Why do you care?" It didn't make any sense for her to have a preference on my current state. She claimed to be apathetic but the fact she cared enough to give me a suggestion to control her scent was giving me contradictory signals.

"I don't but you stink. You are spreading out your pheromones and it is irritating me." She turned the page in the book and it was like back at the house. She cared more about what was in the book than about the conversation we were having.

"I can't help it." The words came out clipped. She was upset at a biological response I had to her scent. I couldn't help how my body responded to hers.

"I know. Which is why I told you to roll down the windows." She didn't seem particularly phased by my tone as she stared at the pages in front of her. I couldn't get a feel from her. Maricella had given me a small smile and said things would take time when I had asked her about it.

"Why are you-"

"Damascus used have a similar scent to yours when aroused." It was said carelessly, a harmless remark that was being used deliberately to needle me. She wasn't nearly as clever as she thought she was. However I couldn't stop how my hands tightened on the steering wheel.

"I am not Damascus." I repeated it over and over again to her but she refused to listen. The comparisons made an ugly anger simmer in my stomach. My wolf and I did not like being compared to a cruel Old Way Alpha that had given his mate to a fate worse than death. It was our right to be upset at it.

"We will see." At the flippant remark I slammed on the brakes, my chest hitting the seat belt. I would not drive while having this discussion with her. The wheels squealed on the pavement as the humvee came to a skidding stop. I threw it into park and tried my hardest not to let my anger affect the vehicle. I wanted to hit something.