Jogs

Zeff

The morning air was crisp, filled with the familiar scent of dew and the earthy aroma of the forest. My boots moved silently through the underbrush, the end of a grueling training session nearing as I patrolled the edge of the pack's territory. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft golden glow over the reservoir ahead. My muscles ached in that satisfying way that only a hard run could bring, my mind clear and focused—until the unmistakable scent hit me.

Blackberries. Fresh, sweet, and overwhelming.

I froze, instinctively raising my head to catch the breeze more fully. The scent was too strong, too specific. And it wasn't alone. My senses picked up something else mixed in—a scent I knew all too well.

Liliam.

My feet moved before my brain could catch up, instincts kicking in as I tracked the familiar sweetness of her perfume mingled with the blackberries. As I approached the reservoir's edge, there she was, jogging along the path with her earbuds in, completely unaware of me. Her expression was calm, flushed from the exercise, but there was something in her face—dreamy, focused.

Curious, I strained my hearing. With my heightened senses, I could just pick up the faintest hint of what she was listening to. The narrator's voice was low and intimate, the tone unmistakably… spicy.

I stopped dead in my tracks, eyes widening slightly. She listens to *this?*

Heat rose to my face as my mind raced ahead of me, imagining things I shouldn't be. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of approval rumbling deep in my chest as I envisioned myself as the alpha in that audiobook, pulling her close, my hands running down her body, her breath hitching—

Get a grip, Zeff! I shook my head, snapping out of it, but it was harder than I expected. She was just jogging. And she was too damn close to the pack's territory.

I sniffed the air again, catching more of her scent—strong, sweet, and with that undercurrent of something… more. Desire. It tugged at me in a way that felt dangerous. She had no idea how close she was to crossing a line. Not just the border of the pack's land, but the invisible boundary that I was barely holding onto right now.

The rest of the pack wouldn't be as understanding as I was, especially with a human wandering this close. A human who smelled like that.

I had to stop her before she wandered somewhere she shouldn't, but a part of me—an admittedly larger part than I'd care to admit—wanted to see her reaction when I interrupted her.

"What are you doing here?"

Her reaction didn't disappoint. She yelped, her eyes wide with surprise, and shoved at me instinctively. She stumbled, losing her grip on Shadow's leash, and I had to stop myself from grinning too much as I reached out, catching her before she hit the ground.

"Whoa, easy there," I said, my voice coming out more amused than I intended.

I could feel the heat radiating off her as her heart raced in her chest. She looked up at me, her breath catching, and I enjoyed every second of it. "Z-Zeff!" she gasped, clearly still trying to calm herself. "Damn, don't scare me like that!"

I gave her a teasing smile, taking in the way her flushed face glowed. Her eyes darted over me—she was checking me out, and she didn't even realize it. The tight spandex I was wearing didn't leave much to the imagination, and I knew she noticed.

Her cheeks burned even more, and I couldn't help but be entertained. She tried to compose herself, but the flustered look on her face turned me on more than I'd like to admit.

"W-what are you doing out here?" she finally stammered.

I chuckled, pointing in the direction of the forest. "Reservoir's nearby. I'm just doing my morning run." Then, just to see her squirm a little more, I tilted my head and added, "Didn't realize you were so into running… or were you just following me?"

Her eyes widened, caught completely off guard by the tease. "What? No! I wasn't—"

I smirked, watching her try to recover. "Sure, sure. Just happened to be wandering in my direction, listening to… whatever that is?" I gestured toward her earbuds, the faint trace of the audiobook still playing.

Her face went beet red as she quickly pulled out the earbuds, fumbling to pause it. Adorable.

"It's… just an audiobook," she muttered, clearly embarrassed. "Helps me focus while running."

I raised an eyebrow, my smirk growing. "Yeah? From the look on your face, it sounded like something… intense." The grin on my face widened, knowing exactly the kind of reaction I was pulling out of her.

She looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole, and I was loving every second of it. "It's just a story," she mumbled, trying to change the subject, but her voice betrayed her.

"Sure it is," I teased, my voice light but definitely playful. "Maybe you should pay more attention to where you're going instead of those 'stories.' Wouldn't want to end up lost in the forest, would you?"

She rolled her eyes at me, but that blush wasn't going away. "Yeah, yeah. I get it."

Wiping the sweat from my forehead with the edge of my tank top, I caught her eyes flick down, taking in the bare skin of my abs for just a moment too long. It was impossible to miss how flustered she was, and damn if it didn't make me want her even more.

"Don't worry," I leaned in slightly, my voice dropping lower. "Next time you get lost, I'll be here to catch you." I gave her a smug grin, enjoying the way her flustered confidence wavered.

"Thanks, but I'll try not to need saving," she shot back, her voice still shaking just a little.

I chuckled, savoring her reaction. Too much fun. "Good. Just don't let that audiobook distract you too much. Might be dangerous."

Her face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she looked down at the ground, muttering something under her breath that I couldn't quite catch. I almost laughed at her reaction—it was just too cute—but I held back, trying to keep it together. I needed to stay in control. She was too close, too tempting, and the last thing I needed was to let my wolf take over.

I cleared my throat, taking a step back to give myself some space. "I'll walk you back," I said, keeping my tone casual. "Just to make sure you don't get lost again."

She looked up at me, still flustered, her cheeks still tinged with that deep blush. It was hard not to focus on it, but I kept my gaze steady. She nodded, almost shyly. "Thanks, Zeff."

I watched her cheeks stay flushed, that adorable mix of embarrassment and nervousness still radiating off her. I couldn't help myself—I had to push just a little more. The teasing had been too much fun.

"So, what were you listening to, anyway?" I asked, my eyebrow quirking up, keeping my tone casual even though there was a playful edge to it. I knew exactly what kind of audiobook she had been absorbed in, and the curiosity of how she'd respond to being called out was too tempting to ignore.

Her eyes widened immediately, and she opened her mouth to respond but quickly shut it again. The flush in her cheeks deepened, spreading across her face as she shifted uncomfortably. She looked anywhere but at me, clearly flustered, her fingers fidgeting as she struggled to come up with a response. Anything.

"Uh, it's... nothing," she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper, like she was trying to make herself as small as possible. "Just a story…"

I couldn't help but smirk, savoring her reaction. The way she avoided my gaze, the embarrassment clear on her face—it was too easy, too entertaining. But I didn't stop there.

Taking a step closer, I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against me in one fluid motion. Her breath hitched, and I could feel the rapid beat of her heart against my chest. Her eyes went wide with surprise, her body tense yet not pulling away.

My hand moved up, brushing a damp strand of hair away from her face, tucking it back behind her ear with deliberate care. "I can be your Alpha," I whispered, my voice low and husky, letting the words hang between us, charged with intention.

Her breath caught in her throat, the red in her face deepening as her lips parted in shock. My thumb grazed her bottom lip, tracing it slowly, feeling the softness beneath my touch. She didn't push me away. She didn't even flinch. She just stood there, frozen in place, her bright, flushed face betraying her inner turmoil.

I could see it in her eyes—the struggle between desire and the uncertainty of what to do next. It was intoxicating, watching her teeter on the edge of resistance and surrender, her body responding even if her mind hadn't fully caught up.

Her lips quivered under my thumb, her breath coming in shallow, shaky inhales, and for a moment, it felt like the world around us had faded into the background. There was only the two of us, the heat between us growing unbearable.

And yet, despite everything, she stayed. She didn't move away.

I leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a whisper against her ear. "What do you say, Liliam?"

I could smell her arousal, thick and heady in the air, and it took every ounce of control I had to bite down, suppressing the growl that threatened to escape. My wolf was clawing at the surface, eager and impatient, but I forced him back, tightening my grip on control. The last thing I needed was to scare her.

But then, without warning, Liliam pushed away hastily, her hands trembling as they pressed against my chest. Her breath came out in shallow, panicked gasps as her wide eyes locked onto mine for a split second before she turned and bolted.

Shadow, her ever-loyal companion, barely had time to react as she yanked his leash, dragging him along with hurried, uneven steps. Her feet stumbled slightly, but she didn't stop. She just kept moving, putting as much distance between us as possible.

I watched her retreat, my body still tense, my wolf pacing restlessly within me. I couldn't help the low, frustrated growl that rumbled in my chest, but I didn't chase her. I stayed rooted in place, fists clenched, forcing myself to let her go.

For now.