"Good morning, ladies!" Kellan hollered as he entered the kitchen.

"Shhh!" Julie held her head in her hands. "Not so loud."

"How are we feeling today?" Jason chimed in, grabbing a bowl from the cabinet.

"I hate you both," I mumbled, my forehead pressed against the cool countertop. I lifted it to glare at them. "You did this to me."

"Looks like someone can't handle their alcohol," Kellan mockingly sang into his glass of orange juice.

"I actually hate you. Why did you let me take those shots?"

"It's something I like to call 'having fun.'" Kellan grinned at me cheekily. "Maybe you were just having a little too much of it?"

"No such thing!" Jason protested loudly.

Julie groaned. I moaned, letting my pounding head fall to rest on my arms. "Did I mention I hate you?"

"Twice, milady."

I chuckled and slid off the stool, the plate the cook made for me still untouched on the counter. "If you need me, I'll be dying in my bedroom."

"Dibs on her bacon!" Kellan shouted. The two boys dove for my abandoned plate of food on the breakfast bar.

I dragged my body into the bedroom upstairs and made sure the blinds were completely shut before sliding into bed. I snuggled into the pillow, glancing at the alarm clock—half-past ten in the morning. Four hours of sleep definitely wasn't enough, and truth be told, I still felt a little drunk.

I had barely closed my eyes when the bedroom door swung open. I pretended to be asleep as someone entered the room.

"Phoebe," Alpha Alexander's hand gently brushed against my cheek. I flinched away from the shocks his touch always brought.

"Go away," I groaned, rolling to my stomach.

"How are you feeling?"

"Let me die in peace."

"Do you need anything?"

I opened an eye to stare at him. He was in his workout clothes, a sweat stain on the front of his shirt. I sat up and scooted away from him. He frowned but stopped when I patted the space I had vacated. Hesitantly, he sat down next to me.

"Lean back," I demanded. He looked like he was about to protest, but I glared at him until he finally complied. I smirked in triumph and grabbed the blankets, pulling them over me as I settled into Alpha Alexander's side, my head against his chest.

"Phoebe . . ."

He was at a loss for words. I was suddenly showing affection that he hadn't initiated. Naturally, the big, bad Alpha was confused.

"Shh," I mumbled. "I sleep better when you're here."

My hand released the blankets and rested against his chest. When he shifted, my fingers curled around the fabric of his shirt. I heard two heavy thunks hit the floor before he shifted again. My hand tightened around his shirt, but he lifted the blankets so he could slide his body beneath them. I realized he had kicked off his shoes and settled his body closer to mine, his arms wrapping around me. My fingers never released his shirt, and as I closed my eyes, I started to realize how desperate I was to keep him close to me.

When I woke, I was draped in the limbs of Alpha Alexander. His legs were tangled with mine and his arms were wrapped around me, holding me to his chest. My cheek was pressed against his shoulder. I glanced up and eyed his sleeping face curiously. My fingers inched to trace the lines of his face, but I kept them glued to my chest.

He shifted, his arm falling away from around me as he rolled to his back. Only then did I realize that he was shirtless. My eyes desperately drunk in his physique. His stomach was almost perfectly sculpted into ripples of abdominal muscle. His bare arms were larger than I originally thought, his right one flexing as he pulled me closer until I was nearly lying on top of him. I glanced at his face, unsurprised to find him staring back at me. He had caught me staring at his body, but I refused to blush or look even the slightest bit sheepish.

He moved too quickly for me to even try to stop him. He rolled me onto my back, his body covering mine. Our chests were pressed so tightly together, I wouldn't be surprised if he could feel how hard and fast my heart was pounding. His eyes lingered at my lips, a deep desire evident in the hungry gaze. I couldn't breathe, and it wasn't because his weight was crushing me. I wanted him to kiss me, but was afraid of initiating it. He was bossy and controlling and hard-headed, but every time he looked at me, I felt beautiful and desirable. His touch, whether innocent or intentional, was enough to drive me insane with deeply pitted desire. His eyes finally found mine and held the heavy gaze before he slowly leaned forward an inch.

That was all I needed.

I grabbed his face and unceremoniously pulled it to mine, our lips crashing against one another as our bodies pressed impossibly closer together. Before I even realized what I was doing, my legs easily spread apart, cradling his torso between my thighs. My hands slid from his face to his back, my nails digging gently at his skin. He growled and abruptly pulled away. He all but leapt off the bed, shoving himself back against the wall near the bathroom. He bent forward, his hands on his knees, and he took in deep breaths.

"I'm sorry," I blurted, sitting up and pushing loose hair from my face. "I—I didn't mean to—"

"It's not . . . your fault . . . Phoebe," he gritted his teeth as harsh pants broke up his sentences. "I can't . . . You did not know—"

"Did I hurt you?" I asked. Almost immediately, I realized what a dumb question that was.

He chuckled, but it was devoid of humor. "No, far from it."

I untangled my ankles from the sheet and crawled across the bed toward him. "Don't . . ." he said, a slightly warning in his voice. "Just stay where you are, Phoebe," he huffed, standing up straight and turning his body away from me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, a slight panic rising in me.

He didn't respond. I started to stand but he held up his hand. "If you wish to keep our agreement about how this mating is to proceed, you will not touch me."

I finally understood what was happening. His wolf—he was trying to control it. I hesitated for a full minute before I slowly slipped off the bed and stood before him. Tentatively, I reached a hand out to his shoulder. He tensed beneath it. "Phoebe," he groaned. "Do not . . ." I heard a growl that rumbled deep in his chest. It was like it had a direct connection to my stomach, which twisted excitedly at the animal sound.

"It's okay," I whispered. I pushed on his shoulder, forcing him to face me. He turned quickly, his hands reaching up to cup my face, his mouth claiming mine effortlessly. I felt the tension of his arms beneath my fingers, as if he was holding himself back. He pushed away from me almost instantly. He started for the bedroom door, but I still had a hold of his arm. "Wait."

"Phoebe," he ground out. "If I do not leave now, I won't be able to stop myself from . . ." he trailed off before growling, "from claiming you."

My stomach dropped. Excitement surged through me. The words fell from my mouth before I could even think twice about them, "Don't leave, then."

His reaction was instantaneous. I was suddenly on the bed, his body nestled between my legs like a piece of a puzzle. I grabbed at him almost desperately as our lips locked. Pure primal desire rattled through me as my body moved instinctively. My hips lifted, pressing against him as my thighs tightened around his waist. He responded with a deep, long growl, his lips tearing from mine. His nose dove for the crook of my neck, his lips leaving a trail of scorching kisses along my collarbone.

He hesitated at the meat of my shoulder, his teeth grazing against the tender skin. I could feel them grow sharp and my heart fell into a frenzied rhythm. His breath was hot and heavy as he spoke, his voice barely human. "Last chance to stop me, Phoebe."

I couldn't find my voice. I responded by digging my nails into his shoulder blades. His growl was loud and pulsed through my body, rattling my bones and awakening a fresh wave of lust . . . a wave which crashed inside of me when his teeth sunk into my flesh. I think I screamed, but that might have been just my mind crying out as pain laced through my entire body, paralyzing me. His teeth retracted and his tongue lapped at my wound. A warmth spread through me quicker than any drug I knew of, blanketing me with a sense of euphoria. My limbs grew heavy, my arms fell away from Alpha Alexander. My eyes couldn't stay open. I could hear his voice, calling my name, but it was distant and I just wanted to fade into the welcoming darkness.