Stealing Virgo

(SNEAK PEEK)

“Excuse me?” This man. He infuriates me. Like visceral anger, I want to claw his eyes out. I don’t know what I’m looking for; my internal voice mocks his words. “Fuck you, Will. I know what I’m looking for.”

“Enlighten me, Princess.” He leans his muscular body back in his seat while the truck idles on the edge of town. His thick arms wrap around each other as he pushes his head back into the seat rest and looks at the ceiling.

I pinch my lips, and the snarl that vibrates through my lungs raises his amused eyebrow, and he looks over me through a pinched eye.

‘Claw his gorgeous blue eyes out,’ my wolf says.

‘Agreed.’

“Well…”

“I’m looking for…” I’m embarrassed to admit the truth and ashamed to show how I feel. I lie, “A mate.”

“The fuck you are. I’m turning this truck around right now.”

“No, no, no, wait.” Okay, that was the wrong answer. “I’m looking for my place,” I say in a rush as he shifts the truck’s gears. “Wait, please, Will.” My hand lands on his, and the bolt of electricity that ripples through my skin has me yanking my hand back. “Wait,” I plead. “I can’t go back; I need to do this.”

His hand slides slowly from the shifter up to my throat. He squeezes it slightly, then holds my chin again. The pulsing in my body sinks lower with his touch. This man makes me feel things I should not feel. He turns my head so our eyes are locked. His deep blue eyes drag me underwater, and he’s the only way to live. I’ve never wanted something so much in my life as I want his touch.

“We need rules,” he says, squeezing my chin. His large thumb drags over my bottom lip. My core floods. He breathes in deeply, and I know he can tell what he’s doing to me because his eyes sharpen, and he touches my lip again.

“Rule number one, you are my mate. Meaning you will stay in my room and do as I say.”

“Will, that’s like?—”

“Shh,” his finger presses to my mouth.

“Rule two, you do not go anywhere without my approval. Then you have a chaperone with you at all times.”

“I’m not a child.”

“Rule three, you always keep a tracker on you.”

“What the…”

“Nope, you agree to these rules, I’ll take you.”

My heart stops. He holds all the cards. I’ve only ever wanted one thing more than I want this, and he is setting all our rules.

“Why are you doing this?” My voice shakes.

“Because you have no idea how bad this place is, and I—” His words cut off, and his hand drops from my chin.

The ice that fills my body from the loss of his touch has me shifting in my seat to take in the large, steep ditch on the side of the road. The sun is barely setting now that it’s late summer, and I can see garbage down the steep ravine. If I don’t agree, I’m trapped here. But it seems I’m trapped if I go.

“I agree.”

“Awesome.” His voice is laced with sarcasm as he shifts the truck to drive and turns right onto the interstate. I’m leaving my home for the first time in years, and it’s not to go to Anchorage. My heart races at the idea of an adventure, even if I have some rules. I’m excited and scared. My leg bounces as I watch the trees blur past us on the side of the road. Soon, the sight has my eyes falling shut.

“Sleep, Princess, I got you.” I hear Will’s rough voice say somewhere in the distance. I lean my head against the cool glass and fall asleep quickly.