Every Difference Ch. 02

"Frost?" I enquired tightly. I wanted his hands off me but he clearly didn't give a shit about my wants or needs. It infuriated me that I didn't have the strength to just push him away. How much easier would my life have been if I was bigger and stronger? Stupid beasts, all they cared about was their damned pack dynamics. In the human world it wouldn't have mattered that I wasn't the best fighter. I could have made something of myself among them.

"It's your new name." He reached out and ran his fingers through my too long hair. "It suits you I think."

"Don't touch me." I growled at him, bearing my teeth even as I tried to twist away. Jesus he was strong. He didn't even twitch. "You don't just get to take away my name." I looked over at Rachel who was watching us with wide and frightened eyes. "You don't own us."

"I'll call you whatever the hell I like." He said, smiling at me with his perfect white teeth.

I debated slamming my heel into his foot. Maybe if I did it with enough force I could break the damn thing. I settled for ignoring him. I turned away and concentrated on anything other than the infuriating alpha.

The party was supposed to be in our honour. They called it an official welcome to the pack. I could have laughed at such obvious stupidity. Did they expect us to be thankful, to feel like we were a part of their family?

I jumped as a huge hand grabbed my jaw. Daniel forced my face up until our eyes locked. He expected me to drop my gaze but I'd be damned if I'd give him the satisfaction. He seemed surprised by my brazenness. I supposed a shifter brought up among the many taboos of a pack would be understandably confused by a loner that did not comply with the normal expectations of pack law.

"Are you really so intent in challenging me?" He asked, intrigue clear in his tone.

"I intend to leave and very little else." I said truthfully.

"Can I ask why you're so intent to return to your previous life? From the little I saw of it you hardly lived well. The apartment you stayed in was tiny by anyone's standards. The two of you must have felt smothered living there."

"It was fine." I said, because the truth was we had both stayed in much smaller spaces for longer periods of time. We were pretty good at squashing the more claustrophobic tendencies that affected most of our kind. Besides, I even kind of liked our crappy little flat and took offence that he would think otherwise.

He smirked at me and gave my hair a quick ruffle. I knocked his hand away furiously and all of the light went out of his eyes as he grabbed my wrist and tugged me forward. "You need to learn your place Frost."

Memories from before flared through me and I felt a sudden jolt of fear as I sensed his anger. Would he hit me if I disobeyed, beat me even? The last time they'd almost killed me. Would he be the same?

"Hey now," Daniel said gently, letting go of my wrist. His arm slid around my waist and pulled me close. "Calm down Nicolas, you don't need to shake. I'm not going to hurt you. I didn't mean to scare you." He shook his head ruefully. "You keep acting like such a little firecracker; it's easy to forget what you are."

I wanted to ask him what he thought I was but I couldn't control the shaking. It was odd though, that having him so close was suddenly as soothing as it was terrifying. I tried not to take in his scent but with him so close it was hard. There was no lust in his smell now, just clean, honest wolf with an underlay of must and freshly cut grass.

His body relaxed into mine and I felt him smile into my hair. A sudden thrum of happiness coursed through me and I let myself lean into him. He really did smell really nice.

"Nicolas?" I heard Rachel whisper worridly.

My eyes snapped open and I pushed myself away from him with more force than was probably necessary. What the hell was I doing? I stumbled to Rachel's side and caught her hand. My eyes passed warily over the alpha. I was being so stupid, leading him on like that. I stepped back and pulled her with me. Daniel was watching me, clearly frustrated and obviously irritated.

"Come on," I mumbled, tugging her after me as I wobbled my way towards the other side of the room.

"What the hell was that?" Rachel snapped at me the moment we had a bit of peace.

"I'm sorry." I sputtered, my cheeks flaming. "I don't know what happened."

"Nicolas!" Her hands dug into my arm. "Don't ever act that way with anyone. You know what they'll do to you!"

"I know." I whispered furiously back her. I just about managed to drag her fingers off me. "Really, I didn't mean it. It must be the stress."

"He's still watching you." Rachel whispered frantically. "He hasn't taken his eyes of you all night!"

I shook my head wordlessly. I was used to other weres wanting me, but the alpha? It didn't make any sense.

"We're going to get out of here Rachel." I promised her softly. I grabbed her waist and pulled her in for a tight hug. "I promise Rachel, we're going to be okay."

"How?" She whispered.

I shook my head. I didn't know yet but I'd find a way. I had to.