Chapter 3

Once Eileen entered the kitchen, I was left alone in the living room with Veronica.

One of the pack rules stated that an Alpha should not remain alone with an unbonded female for too long to avoid rumors.

However, this was my own home, and my mate was in the kitchen just ten yards away. Who could find fault with that?

"Why didn't your mate come with you?" I asked as I sat down opposite her.

She let out a heavy sigh.

"Don't even mention him. We've been fighting lately, and I'm in a terrible mood. His wolf soul is too weak, and he can't even maintain a basic mate connection."

"These past few years with him have been... Well, never mind. I came here to drown my sorrows with Eileen."

"Sure, enjoy yourself tonight."

"You'd better keep me good company, Cayden," Veronica said with a smile. She slowly spread her legs while sitting on the sofa.

Beneath that short skirt, a pair of pink panties flashed into my field of vision. I could even see the faint indentation traced by the fabric.

My wolf stood at attention. My eyes widened instantly.

The visual impact was no less than seeing an enemy's exposed throat on a battlefield. I felt like my nose was about to bleed.

Was she testing me on purpose? For a female to strike such a pose in front of an Alpha was either a sign of reckless trust or a signal I shouldn't be interpreting.

I swallowed hard. A tent immediately pitched in my trousers. I quickly tried to press it down with my hand, but Veronica had already seen it.

"Hey, Cayden!" Her face blushed with embarrassment, and she snapped her knees shut.

"Veronica, I..." Her voice snapped me back to reality. I forced my gaze away from her and spoke awkwardly.

"Hmph. Careful now. You've got a beautiful wife at home. Don't go looking for trouble, or Eileen will kill you."

She was teasing, but the glow in her eyes gave her away. Her wolf was curious, testing the waters, and hungry for satisfaction.

I gave a chuckle. "What Alpha wouldn't look twice at a stunner like you? The Moon Goddess gave us these noses so we could appreciate a good scent, right?"

"I didn't know you were such a flirt. Do you talk like that to all the girls?"

"Hardly. I'm just being honest."

Eileen called out from the kitchen, "Cayden! Food's ready, come help!"

I brought out the dishes and grabbed a bottle of the pack's strongest moonshine from the back of the cabinet.

It was brewed with silver-leaf grass picked under a full moon. It hit werewolves like a freight train.

Most wolves were out after one glass. Even the best bloodlines couldn't handle three.

"Alright, bottoms up!"

The ladies each took a sip, winced, and immediately turned beet-red. We metabolized alcohol fast, but this stuff? Even a pureblood Alpha had to watch out.

After one glass, I was burning up. The AC was broken, and my scent was leaking out everywhere.

A tipsy Eileen patted my arm. "If you're hot, just take your shirt off."

I looked at Veronica and hesitated.

She giggled. "Go for it, Cayden. It's not like I haven't seen the guys at the Full Moon Festivals. I know what a topless Alpha looks like."

I stopped being polite and pulled my shirt off, leaving me in just my shorts. I knew I looked good. I'd got the muscles and the V-taper to prove it.

The house was sweltering. Veronica started sweating, too, and a damp patch appeared on the front of her shirt.

I was sitting right next to her, and I was a good head taller. From where I sat, I could look right down her shirt at her black bra and her breasts.

Between the wine and the view, my cock was rock hard again.

My wolf was pacing. Being trapped between the scents of two women was driving it crazy with excitement and confusion.

Clink.

Veronica dropped her fork.

When she leaned down to get them, her eyes locked right onto my crotch. She looked shocked but also completely thirsty.

Her wolf peeked through her eyes as she stared at the bulge in my shorts, and she let out a tiny whimper.

In the Silverclaw Pack, an Alpha's virility was always a benchmark of his raw power. Seeing her react that way sent a surge of dominant pride straight to my head.

I'd always been proud of what I was packing. I was thick and exceptionally long, a fact Eileen reminded me of every time we mated by screaming that she couldn't take all of me.

Now, watching Veronica stare at my crotch with that hungry expression, I figured she was dying to feel what it was like to be filled by a cock like mine.

Veronica seemed terrified that I'd catch her looking. She scrambled to pick up her fork, her already flushed face turning a deep shade of crimson.

But as the dinner went on and the drinks kept flowing, I noticed her eyes drifting back to my crotch again and again.

I came to one of two conclusions. Either she had a bottomless appetite, or her mate's wolf was so pathetic that he couldn't even handle her basic needs.

The mere thought of it had me picturing myself riding her hard.

After three rounds of drinks, we were all feeling the buzz.

"Cayden, Veronica and I are heading up to shower. Be a sweetheart and clear the table," Eileen said with a suggestive smirk.

She took Veronica's hand and led her toward the bathroom.

"Go ahead. I've got it covered," I replied.

I started clearing the plates and eventually slumped onto the sofa to flip through the channels.

I couldn't focus on the TV at all. My mind was anchored to the sound of splashing water coming from the bathroom.

Between the alcohol and my own thoughts, my skin felt like it was on fire.

Driven by a heat I couldn't ignore, I found myself walking toward the bathroom door.