Taken By The Pack (Werewolf's Harem Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the fuck does that mean, Ben?”
    She started to rise from the couch, intending to leave the room and its occupant behind.
    Warmth caressed her elbow, and then Ben’s big hand locked around her wrist. Aurelia halted with a shiver. He stood, coming to his full height at her back. The fine hairs on her neck and arms raised, although she wasn’t sure if it was fear or excitement.
    “I was calling you beautiful,” he said. “Or trying to, and failing. I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear.”
    Aurelia swallowed, feeling the heat radiating from his body and sinking into her bare skin. Her mouth was dry, face hot, breath shallow. Still, she didn’t pull away from Ben’s touch.
    “Come see,” Ben urged softly, pulling her down to the couch where he’d been lying. He released her wrist, and she was relieved. A little disappointed, sure. But mostly relieved, she told herself.
    Ben opened his laptop, and the first thing that caught Aurelia’s eye was a huge picture of a kitten. It was surrounded by text, the joke a bad pun. Despite herself, she laughed when Ben flushed.
    “Who doesn’t like kitten memes?” he asked, dimples flashing.
    “No one,” she sighed, shaking her head. At least the tension had broken.
    “So my program…” Ben started, excited to show her his work. Aurelia relaxed a little more and allowed herself to be drawn into his explanation.  
    Hours later, Aurelia stretched and groaned. She and Ben had stayed up all night, talking about his project and passing ideas back and forth. Their minds were a perfect yin and yang; they both thought alike, but tackled issues differently, making them an amazing team. They’d been so blown away by one another that before they knew it, the sun was rising.  
    When Aurelia had yawned and stood up, ready to excuse herself and head to her room for a little sleep, Ben had stopped her with a simple touch.
    “Stay,” he’d asked, his sweetly sleepy eyes irresistible. “I’m not asking for anything, I promise.”
    Biting her lip to keep from grinning, Aurelia had melted into his arms. Ben had curled around her just so, and she’d burrowed into his arms without a moment of regret.
    Aurelia stood now, looking down at Ben’s still-sleeping form. Her heart wrenched a little, looking at him. He looked so young like this, guileless and vulnerable. Her thoughts wandered to Lucas, a man who never looked anything but combat-ready. Even in sleep, Lucas was a proud, golden lion to Ben’s clever, dark canine.
    Shaking her head at herself, Aurelia turned and headed back to her room. She’d only just found Lucas, only just opened her heart to him. Lucas fulfilled her on so many levels, she would be insane to ask for more. And yet, Ben…  
    Aurelia shut down that line of thinking. It was too early, and she was too tired to consider this insanity. She’d just been starved for affection and love for so long that anyone with half a brain and six pack abs could win her over in a matter of hours.  
    She scolded herself as she entered her room. Shook a mental finger at herself as she climbed into her bed. Groaned aloud at her stupidity as she willed her exhausted self back to sleep.
    None of her efforts made a difference, it seemed, because it wasn’t until she admitted it aloud that she was able to relax.
    “I really like Ben,” she whispered to herself. “Really, really, really like him.”
    Like a magical spell, once the words were released Aurelia drifted right off to sleep.

    A light knock on her bedroom door startled Aurelia into wakefulness. She sat up, blinking.
    “Aurelia?” came Ben’s voice, muffled by the door.
    “Just a sec,” Aurelia grumbled, frowning. Glancing at the soft light filtering through her curtained windows, she guessed it was probably late afternoon by now. Staying up all night with Ben had totally thrown her off schedule.
    Rolling out of her bed, she grabbed the oversized sleep shirt she’d abandoned earlier and pulled it over her head. No