This marvelous creature standing before him was as feisty as she was beautiful. He must be at least twice her size and could easily overpower her if he wanted to, but she didn’t appear daunted in the least. At least that was how she was acting. Her loud and rapid heartbeats gave her away instantly. 

Whether she would admit it or not, she was startled.

Good thing he had decided to make Loki stay behind with the SUVs. Being chased by him was one thing. A two hundred and fifty pound wolf is completely different. As fragile as she looked his wolf might somehow break her in his excitement to meet his mate for the first time. Hell, she was so delicate he might accidentally hurt her himself. He would have to remember to be careful. 

His demeanor calmed somewhat. “You live amongst wolves so you must sense I am one as well,” She hadn’t answered his question but he would answer her’s. Eventually, he would find out everything about her. 

“You must also know our tempers are easily provoked. Since I have you at my mercy, you’d be smart to try and get on my good side,”.

He actually thought she should be afraid of him! Ha. She slapped her hand across his face so hard pain shot up the bones of her fingers and she felt like she had sprained her wrist. Of course, no mark was left on this face of steel. The only bruise she’d delivered was to his ego. 

The look on his face was worth it. Shock as if he couldn’t believe it was even possible for someone to lay a hand on him quickly turned into a fury she’d never witnessed before in her life. 

She couldn’t stop her lips from forming a smile as she snickered at her feat. 

He grabbed her and forcefully lifted her up to his eye level and crushed her body to his. She was pinned between the hard stone of the boulder and his pressing weight. 

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“You’ll regret that,” he grated out the promise between clenched teeth. 

“Oh please, you had it coming,” admittedly she was now a bit concerned for her well being. She really hadn’t thought too much about slapping him beforehand, it was just more of a reflex to his chauvinism. Oh well, she’d hit again, harder even, if she had to. 

His little mate was proving to be more difficult than he could have imagined. He witnessed friction when other wolves had found their mates in other species. Especially the ones who didn’t have a mating process of their own. But this was beyond reason. 

She was his mate. She is supposed to cling to him. Her provider and protector. He didn’t expect her to instantly accept her position, but she was treating him like a nuisance. One she’d like to be rid of. 

It was unacceptable. 

He set her back down but did not release his hold on her as he yanked her back into the direction of the village.  

“Enough of these games,” his brisk gait roughly dragged her along with him, “I’ve lots to do and I’m impatient to commence,” Impatient to commence? Okay seriously, who was this guy? 

“Let me go you son of a bitch!” He didn’t but a scowl briefly flitted across his face. She struggled against him but she quickly realized he was right about the whole being stronger thing. Just how old was he? Any resistance was going to be futile. But since when was that known to deter her actions? 

Never.

 When she could not pull her arm free she used all her body weight to throw herself into a backflip twisting her arm, albeit painfully, out of his grasp.

She didn’t try to run as she had finally learned that lesson but was nevertheless proud of herself for this Houdini act. She sarcastically gave a bow. 

“You may be stronger and faster than me but I’m not without my own merits. You can’t just drag me around as you please. Brute strength will only get you so far,” his shock was replaced by a menacing glare intended to strike fear but she crossed her arms and held ground.

“Are you going to make this harder than it needs to be?” 

“It’s what I’m known for. Besides, I don’t even know what this is. Who the hell are you and why won’t you leave me alone?”

There was an uneasy silence and she hoped he wouldn’t just grab her again. But he hadn’t made another move for her. He just stood there with a look of consideration, his hand rubbing his chiseled chin.

“ My name is Ander. Ander Nova,”

Why did that name sound so familiar? She felt her stomach drop as realization hit her.

“You mean like the Alpha Ander Nova?”

He nodded. So screwed…