Slade (Team Greywolf 1)

He swore and turned to leave when the door opened.

“Can I help you?”

Lev turned and gaped. The woman, in her twenties, dressed in a light wool robe over baggy pajamas looked up at him with enchanting jeweled amber eyes that matched her golden blonde curls, messily ponytailed on the side. Much too thin. Despite her disheveled look, perhaps after a debilitating illness, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Krasivaya, dusha-devitsa. He whispered the translation. “Beautiful, pretty maiden.”

She met his eyes and gazed. Entranced. Not moving, not speaking, not reacting. As if she was a mesmerist’s victim, she waited for his next command.

Such beautiful eyes. The color of expensive Baltic amber. Lev could drown in them and die happy.

She tilted her head, exposing her carotid artery. Teasing his wolf to sink his fangs into her soft throat. The pretty maiden desired him.

Lev shook his head. What was he thinking? He’d unknowingly rendered her mute with his alpha magnetism. All werewolves had some mind control over humans, but his ability was superior to even the most gifted of alpha werewolves. He’d promised Team Greywolf he’d never mesmerize humans, unless necessary and then only in a life and death situation. And never to submit to his sexual desires.

Lev released her mind and snapped his fingers to distract her momentarily from meeting his gaze.

She pressed her hand against the forehead and shook her head. “I’m sorry I just zoned out.” Even her voice played like music to his ears. Her accent was from the West Coast of America.

“I’m sorry to have disturbed you. I expected Dr. Howard Becker.”

“And you are?”

“Lev Volkov, a former patient.”

“Really? Howard said he no longer practiced medicine. Not since working for some research center.”

She didn’t call him father. Odd, she smelled related to him. “Ah, he’s a friend or uncle then?”

“Howard, no, he’d my biological father.”

His body tensed. Lev still mourned his beloved father and couldn’t imagine such a lack of respect. Only in America did one call one’s parent by their name. Then again, he was told she’d been raised by her mom and stepfather. Why should he rationalize her insolence?

Damn. Something about her kept Lev enthralled. Her blood of course. He needed to get the hell out of here, before his wolf took the maiden for his. “His daughter…”

“Rachel.” She tightened her robe as if suddenly embarrassed about her comfortable sloppiness. How easy it would be for him to shred her robe and take in her nakedness.

“I brought him a gift from Russia.” He picked up the box and handed her the bottle of vodka.

“Thank you.” Rachel took it, but narrowed a glance at the box. “Open it before I let you bring it inside.”

Good for her, a suspicious woman. “Certainly.” He slowly knelt as if she had a gun pointed at him and opened the crate. Not that shooting him would hurt. Normal bullets wouldn’t kill him. He unwrapped it and lifted the samovar as he stood, allowing her a close inspection.

Her eyes brightened. “Beautiful, my grandmother had a samovar, but nothing like this. Please, bring it in.”

His wolf stirred, but he collared the beast back to the den. His reaction was only biological, because of her blood, nothing more. He should leave before he betrayed the man who saved his life by doing things to his daughter no father would approve of. He scanned the living room cluttered with books. “I’ll put it by the fireplace.”

“That’ll work.”

Lev set it down. “I must go now.”

“I’m sure Howard will want to see you. Does he have your number?”

“Yes, don’t worry. I’ll contact him.”

“He went to the hardware store. I’m sure he’ll be back in thirty minutes or less if you want to wait. There is fresh brewed coffee or if you prefer tea.” She held onto the counter as if dizzy.

My alpha aura? No, you egotistical bastard, she’s recovering from an illness. Now close to her, he understood. Rachel’s immune system was weak as if it had just battled a fierce illness.

One more minute with her and he’d have no control over his moonstruck and now concerned wolf, who wished to cuddle her next to his warmth. If he bit her, she’d benefit from the special healing properties of his werewolf saliva. Compared to other alpha werewolves, Becker discovered his saliva was exceptional in destroying dangerous microbes. Fool! “No. Thank you. I must go.”