Chapter 6:

• Flora’s P.O.V
• I closed my eyes as I saw light consuming his wolf form, beginning his shift. Within a split second, I felt him place his hands on either side of my head, on the ground as dried leaves crunched under his palms.
• “Open your eyes.” Clay whispered next to my ears, his warm breath fanning my cheeks.
• “You’re naked.” I reminded him, squeezing my eyes tighter.
• “I have some clothes behind the bushes.” He told me and I felt his weight being lifted off me as he stood up from the ground. I heard some movement and rustling for a few seconds that felt like he was putting his clothes on.
• “Are you dressed?” I asked after a minute as I sat up on the forest floor, dusting the dried leaves off my hair.
• “Yes.”
• I opened my eyes a fraction only to gasp and close them again, this time with my hands in front of my face. Clay’s throaty laughter echoed through the trees as my cheeks turned red.
• “You lied!” I accused, pulling my knees up to my chest, feeling embarrassed to have witnessed him completely unclothed.
• “We are both wolves. Nakedness comes naturally, its part of who we are.” Clay reminded me as I finally heard him pull on his…what I hopefully thought were his pants. The sound of a zipper being pulled up gave me reassurance that Clay was indeed dressed.
• “You’re my brother’s best friend.” I told him in a futile attempt to hide the fact that I was indeed affected by watching him in all his glory. The man was gorgeous; there was no doubt about that. “And I don’t find it comfortable watching people change in front of me.”
• “Oh?” Before I knew it, my hands were being pried away from in front of my face, shocking me into opening my eyes and meeting emerald green orbs that had gone golden at the edges.
• “Who was your first?” There was a hard edge to that question.
• “Excuse me?” I looked at him wide eyed as my face heated up. “That’s no-“
• “Everything concerning you is very much my business!” He snapped as a low growl vibrated through his chest.
• The next thing I know, he had me back on the ground with him on top of me and his entire body was pressed to mine, front to front, making me feel every hard ridge and muscle. I didn’t need to feel his erection against my stomach to know that he was turned on. The scent of arousal was heavy in the air. I didn’t dare think it was because of me though. How could it possibly be that this gorgeous man could even remotely like me?
• Also, I knew that some wolves got turned on while chasing their prey. Was that what Clay thought of me? A prey he could toy with and then toss aside?
• “Garrick.” I told him, my voice coming out in a squeak.
• “That good for nothing soldier?” He scrunched his face like I had just insulted him. “Is that what you were up to in the woods that night as well?”
• “No!” I squeaked out again. “I told you already, he trains me to fight! There’s nothing like that between us now.”
• Why was I explaining everything to him like I was guilty of something? Garrick and my relationship wasn’t anyone’s business. I never asked Clay who his first time was with and I don’t think I’d ever be able to ask him such a personal question. But why was I being so meek in front of him? Damn it! I hate being this submissive!
• “I know what’s going through your mind, Flora.” Clay’s husky whisper snapped my attention to him. “I can tell you anything you want to know about me. You only need to ask.”
• “I’d rather not.” I mumbled under my breath as my cheeks heated.
• Ask him about his girlfriends or who he’s been with between the sheets? How could I? It’s not just that those were embarrassing topics, but they were private and personal and-who am I kidding? I’d probably sulk for days and compare myself to every single one of them just to figure out my flaws. Clay brought out a lot of insecurities inside me and that was one of the reasons why I had to stay away from him. He was way out of my league.
• But what I hadn’t noticed however, was just how close to me Clay had gotten while I was just laying there, over-thinking every tiny thing as usual.
• “You and me…it’s bound to happen, Flora.” Clay whispered against my throat as he flicked his tongue on my neck, around my carotid artery, making me shiver. “I can scent it all around me…you want me, just as much as I want you.”
• Maybe it was the roughness in his voice or the possessiveness in it that finally snapped me out of my trance but I used my hands to shove at his chest then. “No!”
• Clay must have been surprised by my sudden rejection or I could’ve never been able to shove him off me with the strength I had.
• Scrambling out from under his body, I put as much distance between us as I physically could. I seem to have developed this new weakness towards Clay ever since he came back; I was always drawn to him like a magnet. But in this case, I was a moth drawn to his flame, and the closer I got, the higher the risk I was in of burning myself.
• Clay didn’t say anything as he stood up from the ground and dusted himself off. The look he gave me afterwards however, seared me right to my core. I lowered my eyes to the ground, unable to keep the eye contact.
• “I didn’t mean to anger you…but you’re Riley’s best friend.” I told him in a breathless whisper. “And you’re the future Alpha of the pack. You can have your pick of any woman you please.”
• “What are you scared of?” Clay asked me instead, startling me into looking at his wolf gold eyes. “Riley? Or your own attraction towards me? I can scent you in every breath, Flora. Just know that I’ve waited a long time for you too, fearing about mine and Riley’s friendship and what not. But I’m tired of listening to what others will say. This is my life and I want you in it. The rest is up to you.”
• With that, Clay turned his back on me and walked away, leaving me alone to deal with all these confusing emotions that have been keeping me up all night ever since he returned.