Dark Shadow (Book 1 in the Original DARKNESS Duology) ✔

Seven: Pack Visitors

I stood still, eyes wide. No part of me could move. I wasn't even sure it was actually him physically here. But to make sure, I stammered, "R--Ridge? What are you---what are you doing here?"

Turning to look over my shoulder, I listened out for anyone coming up the stairs but no one was. Not that I could hear, anyway. Frowning, I slowly turned back to face the man in my room.

Ridge was by my window that he'd propped open somehow. I know I locked it. I think. He had his arms crossed as he was leaned back against my wall. Those green eyes of his squinted my way. We stood there without saying anything for what felt like forever. I was nervously shifting my feet.

After the minutes ticked away, I tried again and quietly asked why Ridge was here. To be more precise, I wondered why he couldn't use the front door like a normal person.

When Ridge took a step forward, leaning off the wall, I immediately took a step back. He stopped, his eyebrows furrowing and his arms uncrossed, falling to his sides. His shoulders slumped a bit, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down with the hard swallow he took. 

My frown was still in place, remembering that I wasn't what Ridge wanted. I was just someone who could ruin his relationship with the love of his life.

Ridge pursed his mouth to the side, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans and his gaze wandered around my room. I looked around too, frowning as I took in the drawings I painted on the walls. There was even some of my artwork on the ceiling.

I drew my attention back to Ridge when he voiced, "That's beautiful..." and saw him staring at the tall tree I had drawn in the corner of two connecting walls. The tree trunk was a dark navy blue and purple mixture and took up space on both sides of the walls. Each of the tree's branches spread out and the red-wine colored leaves I painted were outlined with a slight white highlight. To finish the look of the tree, I had pinned white fairy lights throughout the "leaves". 

I admired my tree, the corner of my lip curling up and nodded, "It is... thank you." My eyebrows furrowed, turning to look at Ridge who finally turned to me. Lowering an eyebrow more than the other, I put a bit of desperation in my voice and questioned, "What do you want?"

The Beta stared at me, eyes squinting a little. He had this curious look on his face and his broad shoulders rolled back though I didn't miss the way it flexed his muscles. My gaze quickly went back to his and Ridge's green eyes turned a deep green, like the forest leaves. A small growl vibrated from his chest and he lowered his chin towards his chest; his sight focused on me.

My wolf side was being coaxed by Ridge's. She sent shivers down my spine as Ridge's growl sounded delicious to her. I'd never felt aroused before and didn't know what it felt like until now. That growl of his, that enticing stare made my stomach clench and my heart race. 

My eyelids lowered a little, peering over at him through my lashes and bit my lip. Ridge focused on this, another growl---this one more hungry---rolled out of him. His lips pulled back a little, his revealing elongated teeth. This only added fuel to the heat I was feeling everywhere. I bit my lip again, grinning as my wolf allowed her golden hue to shield my human eyes. 

I wish I could say that we had been decent and remembered about our odd situation but that didn't happen. Not even a little bit. Not even close.

From trying to pry an answer out of him earlier to responding to his wolf's prowl, I ended up now pressed against my bedroom door, lip-locked with Ridge. The burst of energy within me came from the 'pull' we shared, those beautiful waves in our connection danced across the surface of my skin leaving goosebumps in their wake.

I've never kissed a boy until now and even if Ridge could tell, he was more than okay with showing me how. Ridge's touch was perfection. He first held my face to keep our mouths locked together, his lips moving against mine that I leaned into. I could feel his thumb caressing my cheek before his hands drifted downward along my sides to my hips.