Richard Morgan looked at her seriously.
The girl had at least courage. Another would surely have passed out. His intention at first had been just to get her circulation back. It was common for the fingers and extremities of the body to react to the cold with complications. Only he had a problem.
.The simple gesture was suddenly too intimate. His hand held her calf delighting with satin skin. She tried to look expressionless.
-Well, if you were mine, certainly wouldn't be venturing into the forest. - The answer surprised him. -Do you have any idea how dangerous the forest can be? How old is it?
What are you doing, man?
Cassie, as she was called by her foster parents, struggled to look away without believing that he was going to start all the slow torture on the other foot. The sensation was unbelievable. She couldn't believe the simple gesture made her so sensitive.
-I can take care of myself very well. - replied rudely. Your age ?! Ah, it was a total disaster.
She was fifteen on that day. Most of the girls her age had already been introduced to the clan. She noticed his smile spreading more and that was enough. I wouldn't be treated like a child.
-Seventeen years. - replied defiantly.
He raised an even more amused eyebrow. Seventeen? He could very well remember his seventeen years. The temerity of that age ... At least there was no child to take care of on the cold night that arrived.
-So ?! - He teased by raising his eyebrow.
She is certainly attractive. Amazingly, those eyes aren't flirting with me!
-I'm not a child anymore! -Kassuim stubbornly crossed her arms.
-I don't agree, Rick replied to provoke her. - It was a reckless and risky attitude.
Mentally he caught the way of her trying to appear indifferent as his fingers slid over her delicate foot. It was pure pheromone. It was a complete mixture of small gestures, her scent and her unconscious posture that attacked his most primitive senses. The caress made her very aware of his presence no matter how much she was trying to appear otherwise. Morgan shook his head.
It was incredible. No other girl would have done that. It would have taken the opportunity. The delicate face was of unique beauty. He let himself watch her lips, her well-made mouth, wondering what it would be like to experiment and test her control. How old was she? It couldn't be seventeen!
The satisfied low moan between clenched teeth had direct communication with his body reacting to her presence. Was there a smell around it ... jasmine? And something else he couldn't identify ... Oh, no! The female body showed feminine curves and firm breasts.
-It was ... it was a distraction.
- You didn't quite know what to say.
A distraction that could have caused her death.
I would love to take care of you, baby.
-I can guarantee that You won't be doing such nonsense. I would keep you busier.-Morgan sighed again.
What absurd thoughts were those?
The temptation was hell! For three years, high-level life in command of the ship was his whole life. The people around do not usually trade with their clan. The practice of raising wolves, infecting humans with their blood, had created terrible and bloody creatures. Transformed. For almost a decade the pack hunted them, fearing an intervention by the Sucessorium in the matter. Clan men were forced to engage in the spice trade to keep secrecy protected.
There was another, perhaps even more important, rule. Their existence should not be revealed to humans. Her scent, however ... He took a deep breath, his inner animal evaluating suggestively. She was not human. Once again in doubt, he was unsettled. He never failed to notice a face like that.
-Got to go. They must have noticed my absence by now. - Her embarrassment was even greater.
You will not leave like that, sweetness. At least not alone.
Cassie sighed trying to break contact. There was a wave of pure and intense magnetism that drew her to those eyes. It was clear that she remembered very well the first time she had seen him. God! He had hardly changed anything.
Sometimes, Thalagar used to court her, which was annoying. She never reacted like this before with the presence of a man. Shee had grown up surrounded by men on a deck. Was the face attractive? The deep eyes that seemed to be able to see any secret? Power? The heart came to the mouth.
I need to get out of here!
-I need ... - she repeated very awkwardly looking around.
Morgan frowned. He wanted her to look him in the eye to know what she was thinking. Only it was promising the way she failed to face him. The girl piqued his interest. Her elusive way.
It was a challenge ...
Look in my eyes ..., the thought surprised him even more. It was instinctive.
The emerald eyes stare at him with genuine amazement. In a fraction of a second, there was a momentary, intense black flash and she looked surprised. As much as he did.
Was the girl one of them?
A wolf?
How had he never felt her presence before? As an alpha, he always knew when new wolves demonstrated their ability. It was instinct. She was a mystery. That explained the interest it aroused. More inopportune thoughts flooded his mind. She looked at him intently as if she could share like any wolf in the pack of her thoughts.
She was certainly some elder's daughter. But what was she is doing there? It didn't make any sense. Guardians never attacked wolves, and the girl had narrowly escaped if she hadn't interfered. Another more significant detail puzzled him. Wolves were not sensitive to the cold, the temperature was higher than a normal human.
-I'll take you back to the castle! - warned grimly.
He could curse. He was going to take her back to the castle before he gave in to the unfortunate temptation.
-I will not come back! - the statement came too quickly.
Then she had run away. Morgan looked at her seriously. Hells! He was going to end up doing nonsense. Just a wolf?
-They don't know you're here, do they? - he marvelled approaching. - God, do you realize how much you could have been hurt? What's your name, petite loup?
Kassuim was unable to face him. The affliction came back intensified from before. If Will found out ... She couldn't tell the truth.
-No one would care. - The comment was full of hurt when she got up, breaking the brief contact suddenly.
I would go, honey.
Morgan intercepted the path that prevented her from leaving the tent. His hand held hers tightly. An imperceptible tremor made her shiver. Before he knew it, his hands held her face with strained expressions. Capturing the surprised look again, he gave in to the animal instinct. She was not leaving at all. His mouth was close to hers.
-Please ... - The plea came too low.
He took a deep breath of the jasmine scent that seemed to penetrate his skin.
-Please. what honey? - the voice was a velvety caress. - Do you want me to stop, petite?
She closed her eyes apprehensively. Everything was getting out of hand. No one there should know who it was. The hand on the skin gave the sensation of intense burning. An admirable heat was beginning to make her very aware of his presence.
Not a moment later Kassuim wondered if everything was not a delusion. The mouth over hers was deliciously soft and provocative. She had never been kissed before. Not like that. Not knowing how she was in his arms.
It had been relatively easy. Take Cassie away from family members. Trying to earn their trust. The only mistake in all of her plans... Damn Zagorra. The unfortunate slave... It was to be expected that he would follow simple orders... Philip was irritated. He had already sent his lover Corner to settle the matter. Kill the African who protected the girl...
The real mother dead.....there was a dowry that was the dream of someone who had nothing in life. A father trying to protect his daughter... And a brother... Jackie was easy to manipulate. A friend of partying and drinking... It would be even easier to convince him to keep the girl away.
Easier still to control the family with the strange deaths that happened. Accidents... Nothing that influence wouldn't help. He was a liar par excellence. Giving orders to have her young friend murdered... He didn't intend to take any risk that the unfortunate man would attract the girl's attention. He had made it very clear that no one would reach out to the girl. He needed to harness her pride and earn her trust. A simple accident...
The ship unloaded goods. And the frightened racing horses... the death had been instantaneous. I would take care of Zagorra. All that mattered was keeping the dowry deal. Will had been uncompromising. He knew the daughter. Only with a marriage... The old man demanded that she marry...
That had been a big problem. The girl's diaries... Talked about him... The damn alpha. An adversary and rival that got in the way of her life. Philip was waiting for the right moment to act.
Assassinate Richard Morgan. Ensure that the sorceress who walked among the wolves stayed away... Only then would he gain Muir's support... He would raise the Successrium troops to destroy the Armada...
Philip Morgan from afar still watched.