The Devil Inside (Wolf Guard Book 1) by Roxanne Lee Page A

from the
cabinet and pulled a bottle of whiskey from a mysterious hiding place. He
poured long and slow as he continued. "He'll love ya like no otha' can.
Maybe tha dun mean much ta ya righ' now, you think ya got everythin' straight
an' ya know exactly wha' ya can handle but ya dun know him and ya dun know how
she move, twists an' turns your path till ya end up righ' where she wan' you,
righ' wherever tha' Captain is."
    I screwed up my face, "she can try, I
think she's got a fight with me."
    Sam bellowed again,"yeah, ya might be
righ' on tha' one."
    I took a long gulp at the glass he handed
to me and sighed in pleasure and frustration,"It wasn't meant to be this.
I'm not giving up my end for him."
    Sam matched my gulp with one of his own,
"why ya hav'ta give anythin' up? Tha' man be happy wit' a part of ya, dun
hav'ta be everythin' all at once."
    I looked at those old eyes, aged in life
and experience."I don't think there's any part of me that would be good
for him."
    Sam scoffed, “got me a piece of ya didn' I?
Kinda like tha bit I got."
    I was utterly unable to stop a little smile
at that, "yes, I suppose you did."
    Sam huffed as he grabbed meat from the
fridge to add to the frying onions, "damn righ' I did and ya ain't getting
it back neither."
    I found I couldn't stop smiling for a long
time while watching that old man cook.
    When Carver didn't appear for dinner I
assumed he'd let his wolf out and gone on a run. I had thought on Sam’s words
as I ate. I understood the facts on wolves and mating, I seemed to have
underestimated the reality though. There was not a single part of me that could
envisage this life that he seemed to so desperately want, all this time he'd
spent building this home in hopes of the mate he hadn't yet met. Buried deep,
Submerged in nebulous, gnarled versions of myself there was one vivid element
that so wished I could be that for him. That small indistinct piece of me
however, would never break free, it was wrapped in memories of fear and pain; a
by-product of my previous complacency.
    As we sat at the table, dinner finished
with, Sam sipping his whiskey and Remy staring at my leftovers with mournful
eyes. The doorbell rang, I got up to open it, expecting a guard for the still
missing Carver. The man at the door however was not a guard. The blonde hair
that hung to his jaw, broad shoulders and scowl disfiguring his face were
instantly recognisable.
    The sly little smile that came over his
mouth was disturbing and my wolf wholeheartedly agreed. She peeked out beneath
the trappings I made for her, a semblance of locks and bolts that kept her
caged, a pretty box for the vicious creature within, an illusion of smoke and
mirrors that she allowed.
    "Hello, Arya."
    That sickly sweet smile widened as he put
his hand out to shake. I obviously ignored it and that fake little grin dropped
a little. "Why are you here, Alex?"
    The beta glared at me, a length of his
blonde hair obscuring his vision and ruining the image he tried to create.
    "I suggest you find a little respect
in your tone when you speak to me female." His purposely low and dangerous
voice did nothing for my wolf, she pranced around inside, happily awaiting the
opportunity to show this wolf what respect meant.
    "Hm, why exactly would I do that
Alex?" I smirked at his expression. Male wolves, so easy to anger.
    "That's Alpha to you, " He
hissed.
    My smile grew wider," Oh that's right,
I killed the last Alpha." My wolf let out a macabre snarl, all teeth and
claws and a promise that he'd bleed.
    His thick forearms tensed, that new Alpha
inside pushing to show his worth. "I should kill you for that," he
growled.
    I stepped forward, pushing his control,
forcing his wolf to strike or back down. "You're more than welcome to try Alex. "
My beast pushed that claw out again, showing off her talents to the new Alpha.
He caught the movement in the corner of his eye and his gaze widened. He would
not have that ability yet.
    Sam’s sneaky feet whispered