Girl Gone Rogue (The Shadow Hunters #2)

13. Possession

"I feel funny." I told Alexei's shadow. The words tasted weird on my tongue. He hadn't moved an inch from the doorway. He was so quiet, I wondered briefly if I was speaking to the silhouette of the tree outside the window because I could be dumb like that.

"Alexei?" I whispered, trying again. There was a warm sensation where my heart thrummed. It wasn't unpleasant. Just different. New.

Why was he being so quiet?

I heard his rough exhale of breath. It almost felt like the whole house rattled from it, growing still once more when the sound faded into a hush.

Then a low rumble sounded.

It was throaty and deep, something I never heard Alexei do before. I felt my wolf stir a little, as if waking from a long, tranquil slumber.

I straightened up, catching Alexei's intense dark golden-brown eyes locked on me from across the room.

They shimmered with shards of hunger, confusion and understanding.

The smell I inhaled, tantalised my senses. I wanted to imprint the fragrance on my skin and leave it there.

Alexei approached, step by step. His socked feet barely made any noise as he ate the gap between us until he was a scant metre away. My wolf fluttered, perking up in alarm. Something smelled delicious.

What was that? My wolf was practically purring.

"Penelope."

His voice was off.

Raspier than usual.

I took another inhale of the mysterious, delectable scent.

My wolf preened, shuddering with delight.

"Penelope."

I took another inhale, longer and deeper than the previous.

Amber, jasmine...and a hint of something woodsy.

I was still under a haze of confusion until Alexei was standing right in front of me, a look of utter shock engraved on his features. The alluring scent was now potent. It took me seconds to realise that it was Alexei. He was the source of that mesmerising smell.

It took another second to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

I wanted to deny it at first. It couldn't be but the rush of blood I felt echo in my ears said otherwise.

My throat bobbed, "It's you."

My soft claim shattered the silence.

His head jerked to resemble a nod.

It was the first time I'd ever seen Alexei speechless.

Something possessive overwhelmed his gaze as he studied me. I went still, letting his gaze search and linger. He swallowed hard and I was more than intrigued by the way his eyes darkened to midnight. "I need you to run." His voice scraped his throat as he watched me closely. "My wolf, he's trying to surface."

"My ankle..." I didn't even want to run. My fingers wanted to explore the skin of his locked jaw. It was something I had always wanted to do. I also wanted to touch his hair and comb my fingers through the dark, silky locks.

Would he let me?

He closed his eyes tightly. "I can't walk away from you. Not now. I don't want to scare you. You're shaking."