Alpha Do I Know You (Book 1 of the Rosewood Trilogy)

Chapter 2

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Revised Chapter

Chapter 2

Most of the pack had been excited to tonight's party for months because it formally ties Guijero to Alcatrozz, on account of the mating of two wolves from each pack. It was a rare occasion, having found a mate outside of the pack that it often led to the packs that had their wolves mate to form an alliance.

And with such rarity, Elizabeth pushed that she host the party to celebrate the alliance. Of course, she got me scrubbing the floors, cleaning the windows for the littlest speck of dust and grime, and cooking a feast first thing in the morning.

I would have loved to enjoy the party tonight, but with the long list of tasks she had me doing, I doubt I'd have any breathing room tonight. But maybe it's a good thing. I'd be so busy that I wouldn't encounter Tate the whole day, thus avoiding the pain of being rejected for a while longer.

As I was stirring the warm pot of soup, loving the idea of being overworked, I heard a couple of footsteps heading toward the kitchen where I was. My hair rose to its ends and I stiffened, smelling a familiar leather-y smokey scent of wood among those that are heading my way.

Before I could fully prepare myself into seeing him, he stepped into the kitchen, his emerald eyes meeting mine without pause.

All the air in my lungs and in the surroundings seemed to be sucked out of existence as I drank the sight of him. He seemed bigger than life as he stood under the kitchen arch, blocking the way for his friends to come in. His deep-set bright eyes pulled focus from the way his yellow shirt loosely framed his sun-kissed skin. His white blonde hair was a mess of curls that framed his face.

I gripped the ladle hard, feeling the metal be dented, and imagined solid chains tying my feet to the ground, so I wouldn't run and wrap my body around him. My heart was running a mile per second and his scent seemed to wrap its smoky tendrils around me and all I could focus on was him.

His eyes narrowed and a fraction of a second later, widened. This is it, I realized, the moment I've been readying myself for.

His fingers curled into fists as he took a step toward me, his eyes darkening into dark emerald pools.

Unconsciously, I growled softly at him and I grabbed the ladle properly, holding it to my side in case he decides to attack.

"Man, there's a starving wolf here. Move over," grumbled a guy—Mark—as he sidestepped Tate and headed to the refrigerator. He opened it, taking out a huge bag of chips.

Mark's sudden appearance was like a bucket of water thrown onto a fire that just started, before it could harm anything. I blinked and started stirring the pot of soup again, trying hard to ignore Tate who was still looking at me.

The rest of Tate's friends—Quentin and Lowell—entered the kitchen, patting Tate's back as he stood still under the kitchen arch, staring at me.

Quentin joined Mark in happily munching the chips by the far end of the counter and talking about the football game they were training for.

Lowell walked slowly to where I was, grabbing a sandwich from the pile I made earlier, staring at me all the while. He started eating it, glancing at Tate who was still looking at me, as I continue to look at the soup in front of me.

However, instead of the warm rage I felt him exude earlier, all I felt now was sheer curiosity as he walked to the counter where I was and sat down at the stool in front of me. He watched as I lessened the stove fire and started cutting up the potatoes for the salad bowl.