Transparent by Soccerluv4 (: (100 books to read in a lifetime .txt) 📖

quiet. Considering the pack house was only inhabited by the Alpha and his family, it wasn’t strange. But for me, it felt unsettling, knowing that everyone was quietly sleeping while my mate was out there somewhere. I couldn’t rest like everyone else.

Alex and I walked up to our respective bedrooms and said goodnight before slipping into them. I shut the door behind me softly and changed into my night shirt. When I was finally out of my uncomfortable clothes, I walked towards the window seat on the opposite side of the room. I sat on the bench as I looked out the window towards the wide expanse of our backyard and extended territory. The woods cast a silent shadow over the house, darkening the fields with its earthy presence. The moon, however, broke through its dark mist and radiated on a small expanse of the field. As I stared at this area, a wolf suddenly emerged from the trees, its dark coat illuminated by the gleam of the moon as it stood right on that glimmering field.

Biting my lip, I got down from the window seat, breathing a sigh of relief. My feet padded out of my room and down the stairs as quietly as possible, until I reached the sliding glass doors to the backyard.

I slipped out and walked over to the towering wolf, my right hand clutching a pair of Alex’s sweats that he’d kept downstairs for when he needed to change out of his wolf. I wasn’t sure if they were the same size, but it was all I had anyway.

I approached him slowly, but he obviously heard my feet brushing against the grass. His black eyes turned their chilling gold as he stared at me walking towards him.

“I brought you a pair of Alex’s sweatpants,” I muttered, holding them out for him. I kept my eyes downcast, but I could feel his eyes burrowing holes into my face. Even in wolf form, he still affected me in ways I could never possibly describe.

A minute later, I felt the pants leave my grasp, and I looked up just in time to see him run behind a tree.

I crossed my arms, and looked back up at the moon, sending a silent thanks to the moon goddess for protecting him. I knew Reece’s Alpha status would always protect him, but it was my stupid mate bond that had me so worried. Either way, I was thankful he was okay, even if I knew the tension between us was still very much alive.

He emerged from the trees and I yet again had to suck in a sharp breath as I saw his sculpted chest. The moon’s light glittered off of it and the shadows of the night fell at every crevice he had in his toned torso. The sweatpants hung loosely on his hips, outlining his taut lower body and very sculpted v-line. His face was stoic, with his jaw clenched impossibly tight, outlining his hollow cheeks and raised cheekbones. He stood towering, a few inches above 6 feet, and I knew then just how powerful of an Alpha he really was.

I saw him stop walking, glaring at me with those electric gold eyes, but I couldn’t stop staring at his body, imagining what it would be like if his pants weren’t there.

My teeth clamped down on my lip hard. The mate bond was getting increasingly stronger, and I didn’t know how much more I could take before things got too out of control.

Before I could even comprehend, the air was knocked out of my lungs as I felt my back hit a tree.

“Fuck,” I heard Reece’s voice growl by the base of my throat, his hands clamping down on my hips with a tough but gentle touch.

I couldn’t hide the desire in my eyes when he growled that. It was like all the tingling had gone to a specific area of my body. My cheeks turned a rosy pink at my thoughts.

Reece trailed his nose up my neck, inhaling my scent deeply, before laying small but feverish kisses in his path. His kisses led him up my jaw and closer to my mouth.

Pulling back slightly, he looked at me, judging my face. I could feel my own eyes turn their light brown as my wolf’s lustful side took over. Nothing in my gut made me feel nervous right now, like I had that night. I felt safe with him and my eyes were clearly displaying that. I guess it was all the permission he needed, as I felt his lips descend on my own.

To say kissing him felt like fireworks would be an understatement. His lips, soft and warm, mingled with my own in perfect rhythm, even as he opened his mouth and let his tongue slowly slip past my mouth.

I moaned, giving him better access as I explored his mouth as well. Tingles erupted from my mouth and settled in the pit of my stomach, and I felt my body thrum with desire. I trailed my hands up his chest, feeling my hands rise and fall with every peak and valley on his gorgeously molded chest.

His own hands skimmed down my hips and rested on the sides of my thighs, before hoisting me up. I wrapped my legs around his hips and pulled him impossibly closer to my own body, shivering at his lustful growl as he deepened the kiss.

All too soon, we broke apart, our heavy, lust-filled breaths echoing in the expanse of the forest.

I glanced at his eyes, which were still a deep golden brown, and gave him a small smile. He seemed a bit stunned at that, as I saw his eyes open wider. I couldn’t help but let out a giggle, biting my lip to stop from laughing harder. He looked like a lost little boy, fascinated by what he was seeing.

“Fuck Cass,” he breathed out, staring at my lips. He brought his lips to my own, hovering over them so close I could feel the electricity buzzing between us.

“Kiss me Reece,” I breathed out, tightening my grip on his chest.

Reece wasted no time in diving right in, but softer and gentler this time, like he was trying to trace the outline of my lips into his memory to hold forever.

When we broke apart again, I felt him let me down on my feet and lean his forehead on my own.

“Cass, I’m sorry, I –”

I cut him off before he could say anymore.

“We were both stupid. I didn’t mean to hurt you and I know you didn’t mean to hurt me,” I whispered, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

My hands flew up to his face and rested on either side, pulling him away from my own.

I looked at him deeply, allowing my thumbs to trace his jaw and finally rest on his lips.

“I should be the one to say sorry. Not just for what happened at the club, but…for everything,” I let out, dropping my hands from his face and down to my sides.

He gave a low growl and pulled my waist in so that our chests bumped together.

“Don’t ever say that. It wasn’t your fault. It was both our faults,” he stated sharply, his eyes staring down my own.

I glanced away, still feeling like absolute shit for treating him the way I had. Maybe we were supposed to do something so stupid to realize how much we really needed each other.

His finger and thumb tilted my face back to his, and his thumb stroked down my neck in circles. We just stood there awhile, admiring each other’s faces.

I had to admit, I was surprised I lasted this long. Just looking at his taut body, flawless skin, gorgeous eyes, and full lips, I found it hard to resist such a man, mate or not. His long lashes fell down and hit his perfectly arched cheekbones every time he blinked, and his eyes glowed brightly against his olive skin.

“I think it’s your shirt,” he finally muttered, picking at the hem of my night shirt I slept with. For a second, I didn’t know what he meant, until I realized that I wasn’t wearing any pants.

“Or maybe it’s because you’re not wearing any pants, which, by the way, shouldn’t ever happen unless it’s with me,” he growled, his hand gripping my thigh possessively.

“Relax Alpha,” I chuckled, “nobody besides my parents and brother are in the house. It’s not like anyone would see me like this anyway.”

“The guards could,” he shot back, clenching his jaw so that a visible tick could be seen on his face.

“Okay, okay,” I surrendered, sensing his wolf was having a tough time controlling his possessive nature of me.

“You’re right, I won’t I promise,” I nodded at him, “only for you.”

He seemed very satisfied with my answer, because he gave me a knowing smirk and slipped his hands under my shirt, pushing it up slightly.

“Good, but I should warn you, that won’t usually happen, since I plan on not having the shirt on at all,” he stated with a smug look.

I felt my cheeks blush even hotter if that was possible. I guess the way I was dressing made him attack me, but I couldn’t imagine what would happen if we were sharing a room together.

He smirked again, and stepped back. I felt a rush of cold air and shivered slightly, missing my mate’s protective warmth.

I felt his arms around me a second later, as he hoisted me up bridal style and walked back into the pack house. I didn’t know how he managed to open all the doors, but somehow, we ended up back in my room, where he laid me down gently on my bed.

Giving me a soft kiss on my forehead, he stepped back, about to leave, when I grabbed his wrist.

“No, please stay,” I whimpered, surprised at my sudden vulnerability.

I’d given into the mate bond, and now I needed my mate around more than ever.

He seemed torn, but eventually laid down in my bed, wrapping the covers around us.

I snuggled into his chest, glad for its warmth, and closed my eyes. I felt his arm around my waist push me impossibly close to him and his chin rest on the top of my head. I intertwined my fingers with his and snuggled them closer to my chest. Before I knew it, I felt my eyelids droop and my mind drift off to one of the best nights of sleep I’ve ever had.

Chapter 9

My eyes squinted as they tried to get adjusted to the light in the room. My window, with its delicate silk curtains pulled aside, allowed a steady stream of light to land on my bed, waking me up from my blissful sleep.

I rolled over on my back and patted the bed beside me, only to find an empty space.

Sitting up abruptly, I glanced down at the space beside me and indeed saw no sleeping Reece there. Furrowing my eyebrows, I pulled the blankets off of me and stood up, heading towards the bathroom to freshen up.

After I’d brushed my teeth and taken a shower, I slipped on a t-shirt and fleece shorts before heading downstairs.

I could smell Reece’s scent in the kitchen, as well as the scent of freshly prepared food. My stomach