The Alpha's Gaze

POV: ELOWEN

I jerk upright in the passenger seat. Torin’s harsh warning aggressively pulls me from my swirling thoughts. I blink against the glaring sunlight, staring through the windshield. The dense forest gives way to a sprawling, manicured estate. This is not the familiar, modest house of our childhood. A massive stone structure looms at the end of the long, paved driveway.

"What do you mean?" I frown, turning to my brother with genuine confusion. "This is not home as I remember it. This is the packhouse. Do you and Dad live here now?"

Torin hits the brakes, bringing the car to a smooth halt near the grand stone steps. He unbuckles his seatbelt without looking at me. "No. I stay here, but Dad lives alone in our house. I will stay at home with you and Dad for a few days until you turn eighteen. I figured I needed to teach you the basics of pack life first. But for now, hop out. We are meeting Alpha Zarek. He is expecting us."

He delivers the news with terrifying casualness, acting like this sudden detour is a simple grocery run. He pushes his door open before I can even shout at him for keeping this a secret.

I slump back into the leather seat. I let out a harsh breath, my fingers digging into the strap of my seatbelt. A sudden, sickening wave of pure nerves hits my stomach. I am not ready for this. I just spent hours crammed in a car, my mind racing with memories of the past, and now I have to face him without a single second to prepare.

I have no choice.

I release the buckle and force myself to look out the window. My gaze wanders up the towering stone steps leading to the grand entrance.

There he is.

Alpha Zarek stands at the top of the stairs in all his god-like glory.

My heart instantly begins pounding erratically against my ribs. A loud drumming fills my ears. This man is not the skinny, awkward seventeen-year-old boy I left behind. The person staring down at our car is a massive, towering wall of muscle. He wears a light blue shirt that clings desperately to a perfectly toned body. The thin fabric stretches tight across his broad chest and wraps around bulging biceps. A dark shadow of stubble coats his strong jawline. He radiates a heavy, intimidating aura that pins me to my seat.

My mouth waters. A hot flush of heat creeps up my neck and stains my cheeks.

I slap a hand over my forehead, desperate to tame my inappropriate thoughts. I cannot sit here drooling over him. He used to be like a brother to me. But the undeniable truth crashes into my mind. I harbored a tiny, secret crush on him before I left, and seeing him like this only amplifies it. I cannot tear my eyes away from his raw, masculine frame. My gaze drifts down to his perfectly fitted black pants. Wicked thoughts flood my brain. I find myself wondering about the heavy bulge resting at his front, wondering if his ass looks just as good in those slacks.

My throat goes bone dry. Panic sets in. Facing the Alpha with travel-stale breath and a parched mouth is a terrible idea. I scramble around the console, searching for a water bottle, but come up empty. My eyes land on a crumpled pack of bubble gum resting on Torin's dashboard. I despise chewing gum. It is an obnoxious habit. But I grab a piece anyway, peel off the wrapper, and pop it into my mouth. I chew with determination, using the sweet mint to soothe my dry throat and calm my racing nerves.

Taking a deep breath, I push the car door open. I step out into the warm afternoon air. I force my spine straight and command my trembling legs to act natural. I walk around the front of the vehicle, keeping my chin high. Every step feels like wading through thick mud. The air grows heavier the closer I get to him. As I close the distance, my eyes discreetly devour every single inch of him. I study the sharp lines of his face, the broad span of his shoulders, and the raw power coiled in his stance. I pray to the Moon Goddess that I do not look like a hormonal teenager eyeing her high school crush.

POV: ZAREK

Beta Bram and I stand in silence at the top of the stone steps. The afternoon sun beats down on the packhouse grounds. Torin sent a mindlink a few minutes ago, announcing their arrival. I left my office immediately, a strange sense of anticipation tightening my chest. I watch Torin's familiar car crunch over the gravel driveway and come to a smooth stop near the base of the stairs.

Torin steps out first. I offer my Gamma a curt nod, acknowledging his presence, but my attention immediately shifts to the passenger side. The dark tint of the windows and the harsh glare of the sun make it impossible to see inside.

I brace myself. I fully expect the door to fly open and a skipping, energetic twelve-year-old girl to come running up the steps, throwing her arms around me for a hug just like she used to do.

The passenger door clicks open. A figure steps out into the sunlight.

My entire body freezes in shock.

*What the fuck?!* I shout the words to my wolf, Raze.

Raze is already pacing madly inside my mind, his claws tearing up the mental dirt, a low growl rumbling in his chest. Elowen is no longer a little girl. She has grown into a stunningly gorgeous woman. Her long, dark hair falls over her shoulders in thick waves. She wears a tight white shirt that clings to every curve, showcasing perfectly sized breasts that make my mouth go dry. My eyes drag down her form, tracing a tiny waist and round, flared hips that sit perfectly in all the right places.

She walks toward the steps. Just watching the seductive, natural sway of her hips makes something twitch aggressively in my pants. A hot, heavy rush of blood surges straight to my groin. The physical reaction is immediate and visceral.

I grind my teeth together, brutally masking my raw, surging desire with a heavy, intimidating scowl. I lock down the mate-driven instinct to step forward and drag her against my chest. My jaw clenches so hard it aches. I force my expression into a mask of pure fury to hide the blatant arousal hardening between my legs.

Then I see her jaw moving. She is chewing gum.

My annoyance flares instantly. I deeply despise the trashy habit. It reminds me of the desperate women who loiter around the bars downtown, trying to act provocative. Seeing Elowen chew gum like she does not give a damn about standing in front of an Alpha rubs me the wrong way. The scowl on my face deepens into a vicious glare.

She stops at the bottom of the steps. She tilts her head back, her eyes meeting mine. She definitely notices my glare, and her posture shifts. The sweet, nostalgic memory of her voice shatters the moment she opens her mouth, turning sharp and sarcastic.

"Are we just going to stand here for eternity, or can I go home now? If you have no idea, Zarek, I drove through three states to get here." She huffs out a breath.

Torin stiffens beside her. "It is Alpha Zarek, Elowen!" He shoots her a warning glare before bowing his head toward me. "My apologies, Alpha. Elowen is just tired. If it suits you, we can come back tomorrow when she is fully rested and in her right mind."

Elowen physically rolls her eyes at her brother. She crosses her arms over her chest in a deliberate, defiant way. The motion squeezes her breasts together, emphasizing her cleavage beneath the white fabric. My pulse thumps heavily in my ears. She lets out an annoyed sigh and shifts her weight to one leg.

"You do not need to jump up and defend me, Torin. I am not twelve anymore." She looks back up at me, offering a half-hearted apology that sounds more like a challenge. "My apologies, Alpha. I am just tired. I have no idea why I am here right now, and you are not saying anything. I just want to lie down and rest."

I tear my eyes away from the distracting swell of her chest. Frowning, I look sharply at my Gamma. "You did not tell her why she needed to see me?"

Torin scratches the back of his neck, shooting me a nervous, apologetic look. "It slipped my mind, Alpha. I was busy catching up with her, and before I knew it, we were in front of the packhouse."

Torin tilts his head to the side, exposing his neck in submission to appease my rising temper.

I stare at the two of them for a long moment. The tension in the air is thick enough to cut with a blade. I refuse to stand out here and argue with a woman who has my wolf scratching at the walls of my mind.

I give Torin a curt nod. I turn my back to them, my voice turning cold and authoritative. "Very well then. Follow me to my office, Elowen."

I walk up the remaining steps and stride through the grand double doors. I walk away without looking back, trusting the command to do its work. I listen closely. I hear Torin murmur something about waiting outside. A second later, the soft, steady sound of Elowen's footsteps follows me down the long, polished hallway.

I reach the end of the corridor and step into my office. I walk around the large mahogany desk and lower myself into my leather chair. I leave the door wide open. Elowen steps inside a moment later. She reaches back, closing the heavy wooden door behind her until it clicks shut.

I gesture toward the seat across from my desk. She drops into the chair.

A heavy, suffocating silence stretches between us. The air in the room grows dense. Neither of us speaks a single word. The quiet beats against my eardrums, charging the space with a tense, antagonistic energy. My hands grip the armrests of my chair. I keep my expression stoic, locking away the feral urge to snap that gum out of her mouth and taste her lips instead. I sit perfectly still, watching her chew, waiting to see who will crack first.

Elowen is the same stubborn girl she always was. She cannot stand the silence.

She finally raises a brow, fixing me with a challenging stare to break the standoff. "So... why am I here?"