Emma realized it was impolite to let her eyes wander towards the man's virile member. However, referring to it as a mere "member" did not do it justice. Perhaps it was better to call it a weapon of mass destruction, a huge bat, or even an axe! Yes, this man could probably split logs with what was between his legs.

She had never seen anything like it before. Although she had to admit that her knowledge of the male anatomy was limited, if not non-existent. Growing up with her brother Ethan, she had never thought to ask him to reveal what men kept hidden. The male form had never caught Emma's attention until that moment, when the display of masculinity before her attracted her with a fascination beyond words.

Maybe she was lying to herself. Emma grew up in a single-parent family without a father to care for her. Her mother never wanted to talk much about him, always claiming that the responsibility of being a father to very special children was too big for him.

Big... She shouldn't have thought of that word, as her eyes remained transfixed by the sight of the naked man before her. He stood tall and imposing, radiating a dominant aura that seemed to disregard her own scanty clothing. Perhaps it was the custom of the people in this small town, where warmth was as rare as her own clothing.

He was an impressive sight, like a mighty Viking god, with his striking green eyes, black hair, and full lips that seemed perfectly designed for a warm and passionate kiss. His face exuded masculinity and handsomeness; a smile on it instead of a frown would make him even more attractive.

Normally, the idea of undressing in such extreme cold would be considered absurd, but the more she looked at this captivating man, the more she felt the urge to throw her clothes in the air and embrace him, seeking the warmth of his body.

Emma tried to compose herself and greet the newcomer, though she couldn't help but notice the way he bared his fangs and growled, more like a wild animal than a human being. Ethan's presence beside her brought comfort, and she noticed that he had silently positioned himself at her side. Out of the corner of her eye she could see his dominant stance.

The two men seemed to be sizing each other up, as if deciding who would assert their dominance and claim their territory around her.

"Clean yourself up, Emma," she heard her brother hiss, and he wiped the corner of her mouth with his thumb.

That gesture caught her attention, and she finally managed to look away from the stranger. But the memory of his impressive height and nakedness would remain etched in her retinas. How much did he measure? in terms of height, because it was clear that the part between his legs was of considerable size. Perhaps more than six feet. With broad shoulders, muscular arms, and a sturdy, chiseled torso, as if every part of his abdomen had been meticulously sculpted.

"Of course... Sure, clean myself up. Wait, what do I need to clean?" Emma croaked with a dry throat.

"The drool that falls from your mouth, Emma. Come on, try not to make it too obvious. Jeez! I didn't know you were one of those women who loses her head over the first slightly attractive man they meet," her brother's words made the internal heat that had settled in her body come out in her face. She was so flushed that she thought her hair was going to turn red again, like it had when she was a child.

That thought made her tense up because she had never had red hair; it had always been a very strange silver color, shiny like her brother's and the same color as her eyes. Both of them had this unusual coloring that could be compared to the light of the moon at night.

She didn't understand why she thought that or where that memory came from. Perhaps because red hair was associated with fire, and at that moment she seemed to have an inner fire that insisted on staying. Finally, she pushed that thought away to concentrate on that naked man. She had to stop looking. Otherwise she would spontaneously combust.

"Now I get why my throat felt so dry," she joked, a hint of nervousness slipping through her attempt to hide it. She felt ashamed for being so obvious. "I was practically drooling over him, but can you blame me? I've never seen anything so… stunning in my life."

Her voice was barely a whisper to her brother, but the man couldn't take his eyes off her, and that strange growl came out of his chest again, as if he had heard her words. He even took a step closer, making them both tense. However, he clenched his fists tightly, making his already impressive muscles appear even more pronounced.

He seemed to be holding himself back from jumping on top of her, leaving her puzzled as to why he was holding back when she was more than willing to embrace him. The thought made her gasp - what was happening to her! Emma wasn’t like that. She did not lose her composure over a mere display of muscles, nor did she have such a strong desire for a stranger.

"Are you both deaf?" the man shouted again, interrupting her thoughts. Before Emma could tell him that her hearing was fine and there was no need to shout, another man appeared on the path.

He was equally impressive, perhaps not to the same extent, slightly shorter and dressed, but it did not diminish his appeal or masculinity. Surprisingly, she had no desire to see the other man undressed, despite his handsome appearance. However, her eyes remained fixated on the specimen before her, emanating an aura of danger and magnetism that she should have been repelled by. Yet, there she stood, resisting the urge to drool and pleading silently for him to embrace her for warmth.

That town must have had toxic gases in the air, it was the only explanation she could find for the sudden attack of lust that seemed to have overtaken her.

"Alpha," the newcomer, whom Emma had mentally dubbed as the "dressed man" until she learned his name, called out to the naked man. Though it seemed like he was trying to get his attention, Alpha's gaze remained fixed on her.

"What a peculiar name, but it suits him perfectly, Alpha, like an 'Alpha male.' I've never encountered anyone so fitting to be called a 'male,'"

"What a strange name, although it suits him, Alpha, like an "alpha male". The truth is, I never in my life imagined that anyone could fit the label of 'macho' as perfectly as that man," she mused. Suddenly, she felt a slap on the back of her head and then looked disapprovingly at her brother.

Ethan had slapped her with an open hand, and her head made a sharp movement forward, not going unnoticed by the alpha.

"Alpha, like the werewolf men Mom used to talk about in her stories," her brother muttered in a whisper, and Emma burst into a loud laughter that drew the attention of their visitors.

She shook her head and looked at her brother squinting her eyes. "Those were just stories for children, Ethan," she murmured, and without thinking much about it, she closed the distance with the naked male and offered her hand. "Hello, my name is Emma, and he is Ethan. We are new in town and would like to get along with everyone."

Her voice didn't tremble, although the hand she held in the air, waiting for a handshake, did. It trembled either from the cold or from excitement at the thought of touching him; she wasn't sure.

The naked man looked at her hand as if it were dirty and repulsive. Emma lost her smile, and just as she was about to retract it, the one they called alpha shouted, "Witch, don't take another step, or I'll rip your head off!"

Emma gasped in fright, put a hand to her neck, and stumbled, which turned out to be counterproductive. She tripped and ended up with her buttocks in the snow, very embarrassed. Ethan, who hadn't moved too far away, was in front of her before the naked man finished speaking.

"Threaten Emma again, and you'll be the one losing your head!" her brother shouted in a violent outburst she had never seen in him.

Of course, she had never been in a situation where someone wanted to separate his head from his body. Ethan wasn't small, but he wasn't as bulky as that man, and the fear that he might do something to her brother forced her to get up quickly. Before Ethan could prevent it, she stood in front of him to shield him. That's how it would always be. They came into the world together, and they would leave together if something unfortunate happened.

"I thought the people here would be friendly, you know? You're being really rude. I don't understand what you're thinking. Is it because we're not nudists? If that's the issue, I can undress right now, although I'd prefer not to do it here. We can go to the house..."

"Alpha, please, maybe this is our only opportunity," the dressed man murmured, attempting to position himself between her and the arrogant, dominant male. He extended his hand, trying to put on a kind expression. "I'm Alaric. I apologize for this unwelcoming reception. We're not accustomed to having outsiders here. How did you find us?"

Emma hurried to shake his hand, despite the furious glare from the naked man's companion, which frightened her.

"We're from Pennsylvania; we received a..."

"You don't have to explain anything," Ethan interjected hastily. "Who do you think you are, coming onto our property and treating us like this? Come on, Emma, let them stay here. Let's go inside. We haven't done anything wrong, and I won't tolerate this."

Her brother grabbed her arm and pulled her away, not giving her a chance to refuse. She had to admit that Ethan was right; they hadn't done anything to deserve the man's aggressive behavior. However, she couldn't resist stealing one last glance at him as they walked away, and the hateful look he gave her sent a chill down her spine. What had she done to earn such disdain from him?

The first man she found attractive seemed to harbor an unexplained hatred towards her.