My Alpha Panicked When I Accepted His Rejection novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Poppy

Poppy stopped two feet from Corbin and tipped her head back to look up at him.

"You smell like my dream," she said.

Corbin went completely still.

I reached the bottom of the steps with gravel biting into my bare feet and could not make my legs move any further.

"Poppy," I said. "Come here, baby."

She didn't turn around.

"I smelled you in my sleep," she told him. "You smell like pine trees and the rain. Are you a wolf?"

"Yes," Corbin said.

His voice came out cracked.

"Is it okay if I touch your coat?"

"It's okay."

She patted his sleeve with one small hand. Then she grinned at him, and the gap in the front of her teeth showed.

"I lost this one on Tuesday," she said, and poked at it with her tongue. "The tooth fairy gave me three dollars. That's more than anybody at school got."

"That's a lot of money," Corbin said.

"I know."

He lowered himself onto the step slowly, until his eyes were level with hers.

He studied her face. The dark curls, the grey eyes with the gold in them, the stubborn chin.

I watched it land.

I watched the whole five years arrive in him at once.

He turned his head and looked at me over her shoulder.

"How old is she?" he said, very softly.

I didn't answer.

"Rhiannon. How old?"

"Five," Poppy said, and held up a hand with the fingers spread. "And a half. And I can read a whole book."

Corbin shut his eyes.

When he opened them they were full gold, blazing, and they were not looking at the child. They were fixed on me.

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