The Sweetest Alpha | H.S.

Chapter 6

☆☆☆

As she rushed through her shower and hurried to don her pajamas and slide into bed so that she could be available for Harry's call, it occurred to Raina that over the course of a week she'd come to do more than simply accept his phone calls.

She'd begun to anticipate them. Talking to him was easily the best part of her day. It was nice to have someone listen to her and be genuinely interested in what she had to say.

As she settled back against her pillows, her phone rang. She pulled her comforter up over her legs and answered his call. "Hello, Harry."

"Hi, Raina. How was your day?"

She closed her eyes and held in a sigh at the sound of his voice. There was something so sexy about the way he said her name. Well, Harry would sound sexy reciting the alphabet. He had a deep baritone that many a man would envy. But she especially enjoyed the way he said her name. It was filled with longing and desire and... something more.

"Pretty good. Your friends are really generous tippers."

"They had better be." He growled. "Casper said that you walked to work today and that you wouldn't accept a ride home. It was freezing out. Why didn't you drive your car?"

She really should be irritated that his friends were spying on her and reporting back to him. But she wasn't surprised. She'd suspected that they were doing such from the beginning. "The check engine light is on and I'm not ready to deal with it."

"I'll pay to have it fixed." He offered.

"I don't need your money, Harry. I can pay for it."

"But—"

Raina expelled an exasperated huff of air. "Harry, I will handle it."

"I want to take care of you."

She bit her lip. Man, he really knew what to say to make her melt. She'd been taking care of herself since she could remember. Even when her parents had been alive, she'd been independent. She'd worked summers and after school to save up money for college and for her first car.

"That's really sweet, but I can take care of this."

He grumbled but finally he relented. "Okay. I won't pay for it."

"Thank you."

"You shouldn't be thanking me for not providing for you."

"So, I take it that werewolves are a bit... archaic."

"I'd call it chivalrous."

"And female werewolves put up with this? What are they like?"

"There's no real way to answer that. Werewolves are just like humans. We're individuals. No two are exactly the same."

She got the impression that she'd offended him and when she thought back over her statement, she couldn't blame him. "I'm sorry. That was... rather species insensitive of me."

He emitted a short laugh. "I don't think I've heard that term before, but I appreciate the apology."

"You're welcome. Can I ask another potentially stupid question?"

"Ask away."

"Does it hurt... when you shift into a wolf?"

"Not really. It's like when you stretch. There's a moment of pleasure that's sweeter for the edge of discomfort. And then it's nothing but pure... freedom. It's like sprouting a pair of wings."

"You make it sound beautiful."

"It is." He didn't say more, but she knew what he was thinking. If things went the way he wanted, she'd gain first-hand knowledge of shifting. He did have her wondering what it would be like.