Destined for Harmony Read Online Free Page A

He trailed with a frustrated sigh.
    “Want me to fill in the blank? Angry…disappointed…annoyed. Any of those fit?”
    “Yes, to all three.” Then his gaze zeroed in on her cheek. He reached up and touched the scabbed-over gash. “Where did you get this?”
    His tender touch contradicted the expression that said he wanted to throttle her. She swallowed hard. “Ranger work.”
    He arched a brow and dropped his hand. “More specifically?”
    A fight with a vampire she’d staked with a silver blade. “ Forest ranger work.” She stared at her hiking boots.
    “Woman!”
    She winced. So much for not provoking him.
    He paced an angry path in front of her, muttering and running his hands through his hair. She stood still, trying to appear innocent and repentant. What most people didn’t understand was that she wasn’t trying to frustrate anyone. She was just being herself.
    After a moment , he swung around to pin her with a furious glare. “I told you to stop filling the women’s heads with nonsense that you know isn’t going to happen!”
    “But I proved myself when we had our duel.”
    “You cheated.”
    She cocked her head. “Is there such thing in a fight?”
    “Of course there is,” he snapped. “We were hand-to-hand. We didn’t agree on weapons.”
    “So you’re saying if I was attacked by a vampire, I shouldn’t use a weapon if we don’t agree on it first?”
    “No, that’s not –” He cut off with a growl.
    She took a step back. An agitated werewolf was not so mething to fuck with.
    He noticed her retreat and gave her a sharp glare. “Don’t think you’re going anywhere. I’m not done with you.”
    She rolled her eyes.
    With one large stride, he closed the distance between them and loomed over her. “I won’t let women fight vampires, Harmony. So get it out of your head.”
    “What gives you the right to decide that? ”
    “Do you think a pack works like a democracy? Might makes right. I will stop you.”
    Her gaze dropped to his body, fit and defined. She gulped. No doubt he could stop her. But why? How did she suddenly come under the scrutiny of the pack beta? And why did he keep getting all worked up about her safety?
    “Why do you care what I do?” It was a question of curiosity, not challenge.
    His mouth opened then snapped shut. She waited for a gruff response but he froze, as if he didn’t know the answer himself. Then he blinked and spun away. “Fuck!”
    Several deep breaths later, he faced her again. “Look. Stay away from the fight or –”
    “Or what?” Her patience was dwindling. The contrary man made her blood boil. “I’m not a child you can dictate to. And I don’t answer to you.”
    His eyes widened and he bared his teeth.
    She could’ve kicked herself. Wrong thing to say to the acting pack alpha.
    “I am beta of this pack, goddamn it!”
    She sighed. She’d already pissed him off, she might as well keep going. “This is about your pride, isn’t it? Your ego is bruised ‘cause I bested you.”
    “You didn’t best me and…woman!” He exhaled a breath and closed his eyes. “It’s about your safety.” The last part was soft, almost tender.
    The man was a walking contradiction. Before she could respond, he grabbed her arm in a tight grip and whispered, “If you and your little groupies go near that fight, Harmony, there will be hell to pay. And you’ll be the first to get it.”
    “Are you threatening me?”
    “Damn right I am. And you should know, I don’t threaten idly.”
    She looked down at his painful grip on her arm then back at his blackened eyes. “I’m not scared of you.” Damn it, her voice shook.
    Faster than she could blink, his hand moved from her arm to her throat. He didn’t squeeze, just held her still, making her feel small and vulnerable.
    “ You should be,” he whispered.
    T rapped in his glacial eyes, it felt like he was stripping her bare. The comforting scent of pinewood enveloped her. He slid his hand to her nape and