Moaning against his lips I relax into his large form as his arms tighten around me. Growling into my mouth he picks me up colliding with my living room wall behind me. I wrap my thighs around his waist, holding on tightly as his hands move to my arse - holding me up.

His beard scratches and tickles my lips and chin and I whine softly, needing more. Chuckling he pulls away a little to rest his forehead against mine. "You are an amazing woman, Rosie."

"You're only saying that because you have your hands on my arse." I tease. He smiles kissing my nose before lowering me down to my feet. The spell broken and reality setting in. This was fast. Maybe too fast and my senses were so full of him I wasn't thinking straight. He seemed to sense this and cupped my flushed cheeks kissing me gently. "Let's cool down. We have all the time in the world."

"But you're leaving soon." My eyes flick up to meet his and he nods sadly. "I am, but maybe I don't have to go alone - you know - if this goes well." He mumbles quickly. It takes me a minute to understand what he's suggesting.

"Are you asking me to go with you?" My eyes widen and I step back. Suddenly startled. His beautifully cheeky smile falters and he straightens his jacket stepping into the room.

My home felt smaller of a sudden, almost claustrophobic. His huge form filled the tiny room as he took a couple of steps to me. The alpha was out. "A: I'm not going to leave my mate behind and B: I'm not asking."

"And C: I'm not your property." I snap, moving away to grab my pink fluffy robe and sliding it on to dissolve my sense of vulnerability. He follows as I lead the way to my kitchen, grabbing a can of Coke from the fridge to keep myself from stomping my foot like a little girl being told no. "I will not leave my home."

"You'll have to if you become my mate." He declares, taking the can of Coke from me so I'll look at him.

"Then maybe I don't want to be. You can't take me away from everything I know to a place where I'll end up just pumping out babies!" I snatch the can back. "I refuse."

"That's not what I'm saying." He growls. Using his alpha aura to calm me. I could sense it washing over me like hot bath water. Soothing but also infuriating. "Stop it!" I push against his chest but he doesn't budge.

"Then calm down and let me speak." He seems calm, controlled. He take my hand and forces me to stay near him as his eyes meet mine. "I know you don't want to leave your family. I'm not asking you too. If we did become mates then your family would become my family and my family is always with me."

"I don't understand."

"They would either come too or we would stay and build a home here."

"Seriously?"

"I'd have my mate, more numbers and I can keep an eye on the business as well."

"So I'm just a political situation?" I frown. "I want more than to be 'sold' like an Xbox."

"Xbox?" He raises his brows. His lips lifting on one side in amusement. "Didn't take you for a gamer, gorgeous."

"I'm not. Not really." The tension relaxes in my muscles. "I prefer reading."

"You make a cute little bookworm." He grins, and kisses my lips and I feel my anger melting. How he managed to soothe my anger I'm not sure. Maybe it was the adorable way he smiled at me through his bushy beard or the way his voice cracked when he was trying to clarify what he meant before I burst and ripped his dick off? If he was wanting a submissive female he'd come to the wrong person. Which was probably why I was single in the first place. Their problem not mine.

"Little?" I grin up at him and he wraps his arms around me for one last lingering kiss. "Mhm. A little warrior."

"I'm far from a warrior. I'm not one of the packs fighters." I smile shyly. "My sister - Sammy - is the warrior queen."

"Maybe I should mate her." He grins wickedly. Watching my reaction intensely.

"Don't you dare!"

"Why not, little warrior?" He bursts into laughter and my face burns.

"She's mated to Mitch. Has been for a long time now." I stutter.

"Come here." He pulls me against him and captures my lips with his and suddenly everything is forgiven and forgotten. Everything falls away and only we remain. But a tiny voice in the back of my head is telling me that something isn't quite right.