“Well, then you might want to get over there.” With that, Logan turned and left.
Cursing, Gage stood. He needed to set the ground rules down for this woman.
Gage walked up to Elizabeth’s attractive two-storey house a few minutes later. Before he could ring the bell, the door opened and a young pack member stepped out onto the porch.
Gage stepped aside to let the man pass. Jeff looked surprised to see him before quickly dropping his eyes.
“Alpha.”
Gage nodded his hello and stepped into the open doorway and right into the middle of a conversation in progress.
“I’m going upstairs to unpack. If you have any more visitors, tell them to come back in a week.”
Elizabeth stood with her back to him, her hands clasped tightly behind her. It only took a few seconds for her to realise he was there, because she turned and faced Gage with a surprised look on her face.
“Gage,” she greeted and he wasn’t certain if it was in welcome or not. He could practically feel the tension coming off of her. “I didn’t know you were coming by. I mean, I thought you might, but with some many…” She trailed off, looking nervously around her.
He only lifted an eyebrow. “I take it you’ve had a lot of guests?”
Elizabeth didn’t look amused. “Yeah, and it’s driving her crazy. I’m sorry. I don’t know where my manners are. Please come in.”
Gage entered the living room, immediately taking in the new scent and the others mixed in with it. He could have named the wolves who had stopped by. There was only one smell he didn’t recognise, and that had to be Elizabeth’s sister.
His nostrils flared as he took in the new scent. The fresh wood and spice smell of the newcomer had his body immediately coming to life. He knew that if her scent was so strong he was going to have his hands full keeping the available wolves away from her.
“I’ll go get Marissa.”
Gage laid a gentle hand on her arm. “I’ll go up. I need to talk to her privately.”
Elizabeth looked uncertain for a moment, shifting on her feet and looking upstairs.
“I just want to welcome her, tell her a few things about the ceremony, and make sure she understands some Pack rules.”
Elizabeth nodded. Gage knew she was worried about not only her sister but him also.
“She…she’s not always the nicest.” Elizabeth looked away when she said it, and Gage knew it wasn’t easy for her to be in between her sister and her Alpha.
Gage smiled and patted her arm. “Don’t worry. We’ll both be fine,” Gage assured her.
That seemed to console Elizabeth, and she nodded. “I’ll just be in the kitchen starting dinner then.”
Gage listened as he made his way upstairs. He had heard the woman’s annoyed comment while he stood at the door. He could also hear her muttering to herself from the far bedroom.
He walked into the bedroom and stopped in his tracks. It was one of the most amazing sights he’d ever seen—her butt was sticking out from under the bed with her legs tucked under her. She moved from side to side and felt himself growing hard.
He growled at the reaction, and she must have heard because there was a bang against the bottom of the bed, which was followed by a stream of curses.
She peered out from under the bed, then crawled out, rubbing her head.
“What the hell are you doing in here?” she demanded.
“I was going to ask you the same thing. Do you always crawl under beds?”
Marissa gave him the once over. Her attraction was immediate—he could sense it. Gage could hear her heart beat pick up and watched as she wiped nervous hands on her pants. She shifted from foot to foot and he could smell her arousal. The stubborn look on her face told him she was going to fight it.
“Gage Wolf?” Even though he was certain she knew exactly who he was, she phrased it as a question.
Gage nodded at the beauty in front of him. To say he was taken by surprise was an understatement. Where Elizabeth was pale and slender with blue eyes and blonde hair, her sister looked nothing like her.
For one thing, she was scowling at him even though he could smell her desire. She had long dark hair and crystal green eyes that were narrowed. It was quite obvious she didn’t like her attraction to him, but he couldn’t say the same. It had been a very long time since he’d felt this instant hunger.
“I am,” he answered her unnecessary question. “And you are Marissa.”
Marissa nodded, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. His voice was deep and she could almost feel it wrapping around her. This reaction wasn’t good and she needed to get herself under control.
He was absolutely, positively the best looking man she had ever seen. He was taller than she was—she’d guess over six-two. He wore black slacks and a button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
“Is there something you needed?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
Gage followed the gesture with his eyes, and Marissa blushed when she realised she had just brought more attention to herself.
“I came to welcome you to my territory as is proper for any Pack Alpha,” Gage said, taking a step closer. “And to go over some rules.”
Marissa stiffened at his words. She shouldn’t be surprised. She could guess what rules he was going to make sure she knew. She’d heard them all her life. Even steeling herself for them didn’t keep the hurt out.
“You were raised in a Pack?” he asked.
Marissa nodded, though she knew he already knew the answer. Elizabeth already told her that Gage knew about her differences.
“I don’t expect things will be such different here.”
Marissa didn’t either. “I understand,” she said, stiffening her shoulders and fisting her hand at her side.
“Do you have any questions for me on how to behave?”
The pep talk she had given herself on the drive allowed her to speak calmly. “No, I don’t believe I have any questions on my behaviour here. I assure you that I have no interest in your Pack. One week—seven days—I’ll be here. I think you can deal with it as I have to. Then I’ll be gone and you won’t have to worry about me corrupting your precious Pack.”
When she finished, something like surprise crossed his face briefly, and he growled. No one had probably ever spoken to him that way before. But Marissa wasn’t going to be intimidated.
When he took a step closer, she could sense the anger from him.
“I’ll warn you once about the way you talk to me. I don’t know how your Alpha reacted, but that kind of disrespect will not be tolerated here.”
Marissa didn’t tell him that she’d never been brave enough to talk to her old Alpha like that. Marissa backed up as the Alpha stepped closer.
“Also, I know how long you are here for. I know a selfish woman like you wouldn’t give up more than a week for the sister who loves her and has waited far too long to be happy because of her.”
His words stopped her retreat. “Selfish? You just called me selfish.”
Even with the smile that touched his lips, he didn’t look any less furious. “I did.”
“Well, let me tell you something, Mr. Wolf. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t love my sister. I wouldn’t set foot on this territory if it had not meant so much to Elizabeth. I gave my blessing to her a long time ago.” Marissa took a deep breath as she wound down. She realised she was explaining herself to him, and not wanting to give him an information he could use on her later, she quickly tried to cover her outburst. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
Marissa backed up until she felt the wall at her back, and Gage closed the distance between them.
“You do know who I am. My status here?”
Marissa didn’t trust the smooth smile or easy tone. “Yes.”