Page 26 of Alpha Hunt

Chapter 11

Casey

I stare up at Edirn, my heart pounding against my ribcage as a cocktail of shock, astonishment, and something unidentifiable floods my system.

How did he catch me so fast?

It’s unbelievable. I’ve been using every trick I know to throw off my pursuers, and yet here he is, standing before me like some sort of apparition.

Get a grip, Stone. You were just sulking because there was nobody on your tail.

My eyes rake over his tall form, taking in the breadth of his shoulders, the corded muscles of arms that strain the fabric of his sleeves. The intensity of his gaze burns me.

I hate to admit it, but he really is a magnificent specimen. If I was looking for a good sire for my pups, he would be an excellent candidate. It’s just that he’s so fucking intolerable. Why does it have to be him? I fight against the pull of his magnetism, determined not to let him see how he affects me.

This wasn’t the male I’d hoped would find me…was it?

Of course it wasn’t!

Although, if I’m being honest with myself, there hadn’t been anyone from the pack who I’d truly wanted to catch me. At least, not that I’ll admit to.

Unbidden memories of our previous encounters flash through my mind. The electric jolt when our bodies collided outside the bar in Sweetwaters. The charged tension during our sparring session, when his every move seemed perfectly attuned to mine. I try to push these thoughts aside, but they linger, taunting me with possibilities I’m not ready to confront.

I try to pull myself together. “You…you…you…” I jab a finger into his chest. It’s like hitting granite.

“I…?” His voice rumbles over me, through me, as he raises a dark eyebrow.

I glare at him, my temper flaring as I struggle to comprehend how he could have possibly caught me so easily. There’s no way he did this fairly.

“You cheated!” I accuse, my voice ringing out in the stillness of the forest.

He doesn’t deny it. Instead, he just stands there, his expression implacable, his blue eyes drilling into mine with such intensity that I have to suppress a shiver.

I press the point, determined to get to the bottom of this. “We need to start over. There’s no way you could have caught me that fast without some sort of trick up your sleeve.”

Edirn’s jaw tightens, but he remains infuriatingly calm. “The rules were clear, Casey. Whoever catches you, claims you. There’s nothing about what happens in a case like this.”

“When someone cheats, you mean?” My tone is belligerent.

“The rules don’t say anything about how I catch you, aside from not sabotaging the others.”

“So then youdidcheat.” That has to be it.

“That’s not what I said.” His bland expression is still maddening. As if he doesn’t care about the outcome either way. Did he join this hunt just to drive me crazy?

I’m dumbfounded. Around us, the forest seems to hold its breath. Water drips from the leaves overhead, the sound amplified in the tense silence. The trees stand watch, their trunks a patchwork of light and shadow. The entire world seems oblivious to my turmoil.

My mind races as I try to process his words. This can’t be happening. I can’t be claimed by Edirn Alpen, of all people. There has to be a way out of this.

“You cheated,” I repeat pigheadedly, my voice rising with each word. “I demand another chance. It’s only fair.” My chest heaves. I’m breathless. But it’s not from running.

Something flickers in his eyes, and for a moment, I think he’s going to refuse. But then he nods slowly, seemingly coming to a decision.

“Alright,” he says as he takes a step away from me. “Run.”

I blink, confused. “What?”

“Run,” he repeats, his gaze never leaving mine.