Alpha Wolf_A Paranormal Shifter Romance Page 3

  It was his turn to ask questions. He doubted she would stay long after they’d eaten. Right as he was opening his mouth the waitress came to the table. Kai ordered his usual water and wine and then waited for Amelia to order.

  “I’ll have what he’s having,” she said.

  “Do you know what you’d like to eat?” the waitress asked.

  Kai shrugged, not taking his eyes from Amelia despite the waitress leaning too close to him.

  It was too much. He leaned away from her, hoping neither female would notice. Amelia’s green eyes blazed as she honed in on him, eyes narrowing.

  “I’ll have my usual, but I’ll wait for Amelia to order,” he said, trying to keep his calm as his wolf snarled inside when the waitress brushed against his shoulder.

  Amelia watched him like a hawk. Kai’s skin crawled when the waitress touched him again. That one was most definitely not his mate. He reached for the menu as an excuse to move away. The waitress looked to Amelia who shrugged, practically glaring at Kai.

  “Same,” Amelia said.

  The waitress then placed a hand on his shoulder and Kai flinched. Having another woman hit on him was not a good way to convince Amelia to go out with him. “It’s good to see you again, Kai.”

  His nostrils flared. The waitress made it sound like they’d been intimate before, but he was a regular patron and nothing more. He glanced at Amelia and those two rosy spots on her cheeks brightened with her anger.

  God, how was he going to fix this?

  “Stop touching him,” Amelia snapped, turning that glare on the waitress. The raw emotion there made the woman step back. “You’re making him uncomfortable. Put in our orders and get us a different waiter.”

  The woman stumbled over her apology and hurried off.

  Kai couldn’t hide the shock from his face as he stared at this small whirlwind of a human before him. Amelia had just defended him; possessively. Maybe there was hope after all.

  Chapter Five

  Amelia

  Holy shit.

  Had she just said that out loud?

  God, she had just lost it. Amelia wished she could have kept her mouth shut, but the waitress had touched him. She knew firsthand what it was like to be touched without permission.

  Amelia wanted to crawl into a hole and die. She covered her face with her hands to hide the blush she knew was there. Now Kai was about to call her a crazy bitch just like every other man she’d been with.

  “Thank you,” he said softly.

  He was thanking her for being mean as fuck? She peered through her fingers and raised an eyebrow at him. “For what?”

  “I don’t like to be rude,” Kai admitted. “It can be difficult to redirect someone’s attention without hurting them.”

  Amelia snorted and dropped her hands, some of the embarrassment and stress easing from her body at the truth in his words. “So you need me to protect you from womenfolk?”

  For once he didn’t smile. “Yes.” He was absolutely serious. “I am having dinner with you, Amelia. Not anyone else. If I wanted her I would have asked her out. But I’m here, with you.”

  Because you want me.

  It was there, heavy in the air even though he didn’t say it out loud. Oh god, she was in too deep. This man made her melt inside. He’d never once looked at another woman despite the very pretty waitress practically rubbing herself all over him.

  And yes she’d been concerned for him, but it had also made Amelia jealous. Very, very jealous. Enough to lose her infamous temper in front of a man she barely knew. Her ex had loved to call her out on her psycho-bitch tendencies, as he called them.

  Kai didn’t say anything while she stared at him. He wasn’t going to change the subject to something less intense and save her. Amelia had to redirect the conversation to something safer…she wanted to talk about the weather, and maybe some stupid football game she knew nothing about, but that’s not why they were in this place having dinner together.

  “What exactly do you want to know?” she asked, cutting to the chase.

  For whatever reason Kai wanted to convince her that dating wouldn’t be a terrible idea after she’d just lost it. Amelia wanted to get it done and over with. The longer she was around him, the more her personality would reveal itself and he’d run away screaming when that happened. And despite her reticence to a relationship with him, she didn’t want him thinking badly of her.

  “Why don’t you date?” he asked, getting straight to the point.

  Amelia flinched at his direct question. A new waiter came back with water and a bottle of wine, saving her from answering right away. What should she even tell him? Getting into the ‘why’ of her rules would expose just how crazy and broken she was.

  The waiter silently poured wine, a man this time, and then left. No doubt the waitress had given him the sob story and words of luck when dealing with the red-headed harpy. She fumed as she watched the waiter practically run from their table. Amelia picked up her glass of wine and tasted it.

  It was very pleasant. She assumed there were plenty of wine-snob words she could use to describe it, but all she knew was she didn’t hate it. With a massive sigh she turned to face Kai, who’d stared at her the entire time.

  It was unsettling, but it was also flattering.

  “It’s one of my rules,” Amelia said. “I don’t date, I don’t sleep with anyone more than once, I don’t flirt, and I don’t let anyone buy me anything.” There were a few other rules like no male trainers at the gym. She had a weakness for muscles. Also seeing a trainer on a regular basis would create too much familiarity and she was weak. Amelia knew it, and she planned around it.

  After everything with her ex, she’d created these rules to protect herself, because she still didn’t think she knew how to recognize when a relationship was going bad…when it was becoming abusive.

  She watched Kai closely. He didn’t look disgusted. Most people thought she was a crazy, selfish slut when she had to tell them her rules. Most men left it alone, happy for a one-night stand. Only a few had bothered to try more than once. It was why she never took a man to her own apartment. They couldn’t track her down if they didn’t know where she lived.

  That had been her first mistake with Kai. Amelia still didn’t know why she’d done it. A part of her felt safe with him, and she’d wanted to share a tiny part of her life with the man, even though she knew she would never see him again.

  That had backfired of course, the story of her life.

  Kai swirled his wine in the glass. There was no judgment on his face, but maybe sadness? “That sounds lonely,” he finally said.

  “I don’t need your pity,” she snapped. Geez, why was she so fucking defensive around him?

  “I do not pity you, Amelia, but I do feel sad you have isolated yourself like that. It’s not the way of my people. We live in groups and spend most of our lives with each other.” Kai shrugged and drank some of the wine. “I would be very lonely without them. That’s all I meant.”

  Amelia nodded, feeling a bit guilty about her assumption.

  She knew a bit about Native Americans and their customs. It was a life she couldn’t fathom, but it also tugged on her heartstrings. To have a family like that would be an amazing experience. Her family was nothing like that.

  “So why do you have all these rules?” Kai asked. His gorgeous brown eyes glittered when he looked at her, devouring her.

  Amelia cleared her throat awkwardly. She’d never told anyone why, but maybe if he knew how fucked up she was, Kai would leave her alone. “There was someone I was with a few years ago. It was…eye-opening.”

  Kai narrowed his eyes. “What happened?” He practically growled the words.

  Amelia shrugged and looked away. His gaze was too intense and she didn’t want to see his expression when he found out it had all been her own fault. “It made me realize I wasn’t built to have a relationship. I was too mean and demanding. The things I wanted were not realistic to ask for. Depending on someone only hurt me when the relationship ended. And it was because of what I asked for, what I needed. I had nothing and nowhere to live. Now I take care of myself, and I stay out of relationships. That way I don’t hurt anyone.”

  Kai said nothing when she finished. Amelia wasn’t brave enough to look at him. She knew she’d always wanted too much, demanded too much. Her temper hurt people and because of all that she’d almost killed herself when he’d left her. She’d depended on him for everything.

  David had asked her to quit her job and she had. He’d told her how much he liked her dresses so she wore them more. Whenever she argued with him he’d told her she was a mean, hateful woman and that’s why no one else would put up with her shit. She was lucky to have him. He was jealous so she stopped talking to men altogether. Without her family, he was all she had.

  Her best friend at the time had tried to tell her David was abusive, but she hadn’t listened. Because there was always a kernel of truth to what he said. Even her own parents had told her over and over again how mean and spiteful she was, disrespectful and rude.

  Amelia didn’t know what a healthy relationship looked like. She wouldn’t recognize one even if it slapped her in the face. She didn’t even talk to her own family anymore, not really. They never let her forget how badly she’d messed up with David, how it was her fault she’d been homeless. They’d let her flounder and struggle to survive alone.

  And if so many people kept telling her the same thing, it had to be true, right? She was the one who was messed up.

  Amelia had lost her best friend when she wouldn’t break up with him. She’d always been taught to be loyal, and David had never physically hurt her…but, he’d made her feel worthless without him.

  “What kinds of things did you wan
t?” Kai asked softly.

  Amelia looked up in surprise. It was the last thing she thought he’d ask her. She shrugged. “I always wanted more. It wasn’t ever enough, and I know now that’s because of me.”

  Tears pricked her eyes and she wanted to run away, but thankfully the waiter brought steaks slathered in onions with sweet potatoes and green beans. It was simple but smelled delicious.

  “Thank you,” she murmured, keeping her eyes down so she didn’t have to look at Kai.

  When the waiter left Kai reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I can’t imagine you asking for anything you didn’t deserve.”

  Amelia let him comfort her. She didn’t yank away like she normally would. Honestly she needed his touch at the moment, and it grounded her in a way she couldn’t explain. When she felt like she had her emotions back under control, Amelia slipped her hand out of Kai’s and began to cut into the perfect steak.

  He didn’t look like he was about to run away. If anything, Kai looked like he was about to hunker down and argue with her, digging in until she agreed to go out with him. It was time to let him see why David had left her, why her own parents hadn’t wanted her to live with them.

  “What I wanted may not seem like a lot, but it’s been a common problem. My parents kicked me out, David kicked me out, and I nearly starved to death on the streets because of my own stupidity. Yes, all three of them were a little controlling, but without them I would have constantly lost my temper. Even with them I could barely manage it. I haven’t exactly been pleasant with you, Kai. You’re either a masochist, or too dumb to see how badly I’d treat you if we were together.”

  Amelia took a bite of her steak and finally looked into Kai’s eyes.

  They glowed like silver fire.

  Chapter Six

  Kai

  Kai could barely control the snarling wolf inside. He gripped the table to keep from lashing out. He wanted to tear everything to pieces because he couldn’t tear apart the people who had hurt her, who had turned her against herself so completely.

  Amelia’s eyes widened and he knew she could see the wolf in his eyes. Kai breathed and tried to calm down. “You think those bits of temper hurt me?” he asked carefully. There was so much crap tangled up in her mind it was difficult to find the source of it, but he knew one thing for certain. She’d been emotionally abused for most of her life.

  Kai had seen wolves like that, and there were a few in his pack he cared for. They stayed wolf for the most part and without an alpha they ended up savage and killing people – like the one he hunted. Despite the damage done to them, they needed a pack. They couldn’t be isolated to suffer in their pain.

  Like his mate.

  His wolf snarled at him to take her and run. Bring her to the forest where they could take care of her and show her what she was missing out on. Kai had to calm his wolf, reassuring the beast that he’d take care of her. He had to convince a human to trust him after being abused and it was not going to be easy.

  Amelia searched his face, considering his question. She looked confused. “Well, it doesn’t seem so since you insisted on this dinner.” She wrinkled her brow and cocked her head to the side. It made him want to laugh and it settled his wolf a bit. “Like I said, you have to be a masochist.”

  She shook her head and continued to eat. Watching her soothed him even further and Kai was able to let go of the table. Amelia was small and thin. He wanted her to be strong and eating would do that. His wolf shook himself, setting his head on his paws but the rumbling growl remained. Someone had hurt his mate. Badly.

  “Maybe I like that you stand up for yourself,” Kai said, aggressively cutting into his steak. He shoved the meat into his mouth and tried not to snarl that it was cooked. His wolf was too close to the surface. “I’m a strange male who’s been following you. You have every right to be defensive.”

  Her fork clattered to the table and she looked frozen in her seat. “Excuse me?” Amelia whispered.

  Kai slammed his hand on the table and she jerked. A growl escaped him and he downed the glass of wine. She didn’t believe him. He eyed her and ran a hand through his hair before he spoke again. “You have instincts,” he tried to explain. “Those instincts are there to protect you. If you don’t listen to them, then you could end up hurt and dead. I like that you listen to them even if I am not a fan of how difficult that makes asking you out. I’d rather you be safe than accept my offer.”

  It was the truth. Amelia safe was better than her at his side, but he wanted both.

  She stared at him and gulped her wine. “Sure, fight or flight survival instincts or whatever. But that doesn’t excuse the fact I can’t seem to have decent manners or treat someone with the respect they deserve.”

  God, they’d fucked her up bad. “Did they though?” he asked, leaning forward. “Did they deserve your respect?”

  She shrank back under his gaze. “My parents did.”

  “Why? Because they had you, and paid for everything?”

  She flinched and looked out the window.

  “You don’t owe anybody anything, Amelia.” Kai cut off more of his steak. “If you wanted to honor me with your company and enjoy activities with me, because you want to I’d be ecstatic. But you owe me nothing. Having slept with you doesn’t entitle me to shit. You’re allowed to say no to a second time.” He practically tore into the steak.

  Her eyes were wide but she wasn’t appalled at his savage eating habits. The look was more curious than anything, as though she was trying to put what he’d said together with what she thought she knew.

  “If I were to put this to a trial, what would you want to do?” she asked.

  Instantly his wolf settled, happy he’d won. Amelia didn’t know it yet, but once Kai convinced her what a real relationship could be like, she would be his. He chewed as he considered the possibilities, what she liked, and what would be reasonable.

  “I like to go camping,” he said.

  “It’s fucking freezing outside, no.”

  Kai chuckled. Damn, he kept forgetting how human and fragile she was. “Hm, good point. What about dinner and a movie?”

  Amelia almost looked disappointed at the mundane suggestion.

  “I would cook,” Kai clarified. “We could stream something and just have a quiet night.” It sounded like something she would enjoy, rather than being surrounded by strangers.

  Amelia dug into her sweet potato. “You can cook?” That laugh-snort was quickly becoming a sound he could live for. “I don’t believe you.”

  Kai laughed. He was so relieved that he laughed hard. “Well, now I have to pull out all the stops. Any allergies or dislikes?”

  That strange look came over her face again and she tilted her head, eyes narrowing. “Your eyes are brown again.”

  It should terrify him she noticed, but Kai grinned wide and poured more wine into their glasses. His mate was a smart cookie. He loved it. She was practically fearless. “So any allergies?”

  Amelia ate and considered his question. It gave him time to study her. There were still a few shadows in her eyes. They may never leave her fully, but Kai would do anything and everything in his power to help her forget about her past, even for a moment. He wanted to make her happy. If she’d let him.

  “I’m allergic to shellfish,” she finally said. “And I don’t like mushrooms.”

  Kai nodded. “I can work with that. Would you like to come to my place, or should I come to yours?”

  She glared at him. “I never agreed to this.”

  He chuckled and finished his steak. The green beans were good, but his wolf curled a lip at the vegetable. It wanted him to hunt and bring down something that would gush blood into his mouth; still hot and steamy.

  Kai didn’t press the matter. She’d agree.

  “I thought you said you were only in town on business?” she asked. “How do you have a place? Did you use Airbnb?”