I took a few wary steps back, "Ah, good wolfie."

I didn't know why I was communicating to him like he was some kind of wild beast but the look in his eyes wasn't the kind of look that elicited warm tummy flutters in my belly.

He appraised me in a way that forced my survival instincts to surface.

Jamison slowly rose. There was tension in his jaw as he watched me silently in the dark.

I glanced at the door, calculating how long it would take for me to reach it.

Would I even have a chance?

I was fast but Jamison was no doubt, faster.

As if sensing my rogue thoughts, Jamison prowled towards me on quiet feet. I turned on my heels and attempted to swerve around his body, but he was quicker, catching me by the waist with one extended arm and pressing me up against the wall with an ease that equally impressed and freaked me out.

I barely made sense of his movements until it was too late.

I gasped as he snuggled his face into the side of my neck, drawing a long inhale that made me flush with a tinge of embarrassment.

"What the hell are you doing?" I pushed against his shoulders. He was impossible to move. His weight barely budged as my fingers dug into the meaty side of his frame.

"My wolf can't seem to back away." Jamison said against my skin. That particular spot warmed from his breath as he spoke.

"Jamison, with all due respect, get a hold of your wolf, or I'm kicking you between the legs. This is my first and final warning."

Instead of taking my threat seriously, Jamison chuckled lightly as if I was simply amusing him and not contemplating the move to temporarily immobolise him. He raised his hands, flattening his palms just above my head. His hair brushed my forehead, leaving a tickling sensation.

"Alright, you asked for this." I lifted my knee, ready to deliver a lethal blow to the family jewels.

I should've known Jamison would find a way around my planned attack. As soon as I lifted my leg, Jamison took the opportunity to slide an arm beneath my thigh and guide it around his hip. I flinched, unprepared by the swift movement. I gritted my teeth and raised my other leg. Jamison had no qualms, lifting my thigh and pressing it against the other side of his hip until I was curled around him.

"Jamison-"

He pushed forward until I was pinned against the wall with no space to move.

If anyone caught sight of us, they'd think we were locked in a passionate lover's embrace.

"Let me go." I demanded.

"My wolf is going crazy." He admitted, as if in a drunk induced haze.

I froze as Jamison slowly guided his lips down the side of my neck. I was painfully aware of the velvet texture of his lips dipping lower until they skimmed across my collarbone in light, barely there touches.

When he stilled, I took a fistful of his hair and forced his gaze on mine. He didn't so much as flinch under my touch. In fact, the move seemed to spark an interest in his eyes. "Just what do you think you're doing Jamison?" I asked so quietly, one could've mistakenly my tone for pure seduction.

A tremble travelled through his body. He hunched over as he balled his fists. I could feel the heat travel through his body as he  battled another wave of unfiltered desire.

"Put me down. Now." I instructed.

Rather than listen to me, he rested his searing hot forehead against my chest and breathed deep that his chest decompressed from the force of it.  I released my hold on his hair and held his shoulders. Tension hardened the lines of his body but with each, measured breath he took, I felt his frame soften little by little beneath my fingertips.

"Give me a minute to settle my wolf." Jamison sighed, "Please."

I didn't want to even spare him a second more, but I did. I rested the back of my head against the wall and closed my eyes. I could feel the temperature or his body through his clothes. He was burning up, to the point his body heat seeped through to me. Curious, I slid my fingers down the side of his neck. Jamison flinched from my touch, but he didn't try to fling my hand away.

"Not only do you owe me a life debt, you owe me for this now." I spoke into the air.

"What do you want?" Jamison asked.

"What a dangerous question to ask someone." I snorted. I was aware that I was being unladylike but I couldn't seem to find where I cared.

It was only Jamison and I trapped in this dark cottage that smelt like mildew.

It wasn't like Jamison envisioned some kind of sexy siren when my name came to the forefront of his brain.

"Do you really want to know what I want?"

"Yes."

"I want to go swimming." I told him after a few seconds. It was the first thing that popped into mind. It wasn't like I was craving to feel the water. I didn't even know how to swim. I was just curious to see if Jamison would make it happen or if it was his lust talking. I was more than aware that he was only entertaining this conversation because he needed a distraction.

"I'll take you swimming." Jamison said.

"Really?" I knew I sounded sceptical, but Jamison nodded.

"I'll take you swimming- fuck." He gritted through his teeth as another wave of heat rolled through his body. I tensed, feeling the evidence of his arousal against me.

"Put me down Jamison."

After a prolonged second, Jamison slowly lowered me down until the soles of my boots touched the floor with a thump. He handled me like porcelain glass. The slight but brief touches of his hands on my hips and thighs felt unfamiliar, but pleasing as he adjusted my clothes.

Jamison's presence was confusing my wolf.

When I peered up at his face, I knew his wolf was struggling against the effects of the aphrodisiac but against me too. A thin sheet of sweat had begun to form along his temples and neck as he modulated his breathing. "You need to leave."

I hesitated. I felt terrible that I did want to leave. I couldn't do much for him, and I had a feeling that if I wanted to help him relieve the tension in his body, I would have to offer mine.

And I was unwilling to do that.

Yet lingering in Jamison's immediate presence was not helping.

I had to choose.

"Go. Get out of here Mila. Let the Alpha know where I am when you get out of here." Jamison instructed.

I was surprised that he was making the choice for me. I didn't know what kind of expression I was making, but it was enough to make him scrunch up his face and look away.

"Leave Mila or my wolf is going to take your presence the wrong way and keep you here."

I knew that was my final warning. I would be an idiot if I remained behind. The truth was, I was a little scared to be left alone with him in this state. I couldn't help him. I peeled myself away from the wall and brushed by him. He stiffened when my arm accidentally brushed his ribcage. "I'll let the Alpha know now." I told him.

"Thank you." Jamison sighed.

I kept my focus on my boots as I left the dark cottage. I didn't dare look back. I knew if I did, I wouldn't be able to leave. I'd helped the man more than enough.

I made my way to the Pack House. The Alpha greeted me on the front of his porch in nothing but a plain shirt and a pair of blue faded pyjama pants. "That was fast." He greeted me, running a hand through his wet strands of hair.

I told him about Jamison without preamble.

"He's still there now?" The Alpha asked when I finished explaining the horse shit we'd buried ourselves in.

I nodded.

The Alpha didn't say much else as he peered over my shoulder, as if lost in thought. He rested a hand against the knob of the front door, looking way more relaxed than I felt. "Do you think he'll be fine?" He asked me with a raised brow.

I studied the Alpha's gaze.

There was a slight trace of mirth in those storm cloud eyes. His lips twitched the longer I held his gaze.

"Huh." I couldn't help but scoff when realisation settled. "You know about Jamison...and I."

The Alpha didn't deny or acknowledge my words. He simply crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his chin in contemplation. "He'll be fine in another few hours. I'll check up on him in a bit. You on the other hand need to stay clear from that cottage for the whole night. The effects of the aphrodisiac will fade once morning comes."

"You sure he'll be fine?"

"Are you asking because you're curious or are you asking because you're worried about him?"

I clamped my lips together.

Even if I did fish out an answer, I wasn't sure if my response would ring true.

Despite my lack of response, the Alpha seemed to understand all the same. "Get some rest for now Mila. Jamison is a big boy. An aphrodisiac wouldn't tie him down for long. He'll be pissed in the morning and will probably want to go find the woman who gave him the potion."

"I see."

"Get some rest and stay away from that cottage for the night."

"Ok." I nodded. I had no intentions of steering close to the old cottage.

**

Once at home, I took the longest bath in the tub. The warm water was infused with healing salts to ease my muscles. My feet were aching and my eyelids were giving up on me by the time I moisturised, donned a robe and blow dried my hair in front of my bathroom mirror in a drowsy state.

I didn't remember when I fell asleep or if I rolled into bed. I was too tired to note anything.

When I opened my eyes, I wasn't in my bed.

No, I was back at the old cottage.

The inside was no longer cold or smelt like mouldy grass. The place was enveloped in a nice warmth and there is was a small, crackling fire in the hearth, filling the air with the scent of burnt wood and ash.

I stared at my hands, lost in thought. I instinctively knew I wasn't really at the old cottage.

Was this a dream?

From my peripheral, I spotted movement from the corner of the room. I angled my head to the side so I could see better.

I stilled when I made sense of the blurry vision in front of me.

Jamison slowly approached me where I was languidly sprawled on the length of the lounge couch.

I'd never dreamed of Jamison ever.

He never once, since I'd met him, ever graced my dreams or fantasies for that matter.

This version of Jamison was different though. He wore his E.S uniform, which did remarkable things to his athletic form but he was smirking down at me, with a familiarity that shocked and confused me.

This had to be a lucid dream.

I blinked as Jamison lowered to his knees and tangled his fingers through my hair. My throat tightened. I had a feeling I resembled a deer caught in headlights as he dipped his head and pressed his lips against mine without a single word.

There wasn't even a warning.

There was the brush of his soft lips, then the puff of his hot breath against my skin.

I didn't have time to make a sound as he parted my lips with his and swiped his tongue against my mouth. The shock of it all made me gasp. I felt his hand tighten around my hair as he held my chin hostage and seized my mouth in a long, languid kiss that made my core pulse with desire.

When he slowly pulled away, I was stunned by the small grin on his pink lips. He lowered his head again and nipped my bottom lip twice before he pulled away again, flashing his teeth.

There was a certain playfulness about him that caught me off guard.

"Move over." He instructed with a chuckle when I only stared up at him, dumbfounded. When I made no move to inch forward, Jamison gently moved me across the couch and took up space behind me like he'd done this more than a few times. His arms took my waist as he shoved a thigh between mine and snuggled his face into the back of my neck.

I had only one thought as I stayed on the couch, wrapped up in Jamison's embrace.

What the fuck was going on?