Alpha (3 page)

Deep
down, he couldn’t blame Alisha even though she’d humiliated him in front of
half the pack. He wasn’t overjoyed about pairing with someone he didn’t like
much less love, but an Alpha whether male or female had to do what was best for
the pack. There was a reason she could have almost any wolf she wanted and a
reason why everyone had listened to what she had to say today. Alisha was an
Alpha. Regardless of what he had said, he would never take her against her will.
Right now she didn’t need to know that though. He’d still try and win, gain her
submission.

Fat
chance.

The
Chaser being there to see what happened had made it worse. Why exactly, he
couldn’t say, except that maybe he didn’t want outsiders privy to pack business
which didn’t seem right because Ash didn’t feel like an outsider.

Phoenix
had warned him that his second in command, Rage, might be planning a challenge.
All he’d said was that it was a gut feeling. When Phoenix had a feeling about
something it was best you listened to it. That was the whole reason his friend
had gone into criminal law in the first place. His gut was never wrong. So,
chances were that Rage would challenge him soon. Hounds, he was having putrid
luck at the moment. Rage was the strongest wolf in the pack. There were some wolves
he could take and some, he’d have a hard time bringing down. And, he liked the
guy, didn’t want to fight him.

The
sound of heels alerted him to someone’s approach. Very high heels. If it
weren’t for the heavy scent of peaches he’d never have believed it was Ash even
though he had sent her a message to meet him. He had to press his lips together
to stop himself from gaping.

Hounds
teeth…

The
tiny dress she wore was not just pink, it was smoking hot pink with two thin
strips of fabric holding the thing on. It was so mouth-wateringly tight that it
would probably stay on even without the straps. He had an unreasonable urge to
tell her to go and change. Or at least to go and put a bra on, because how the
hell was he supposed to look at anything else but her perfect breasts. Even
they looked distinctly like small ripe, pearl tipped peaches. Juicy, soft,
perfectly edible. He was trying to catch a killer for hound’s sake.

“I
thought you only owned jeans and t-shirts,” he couldn’t seem to unclench his
teeth.

“We’re
going to a club. Look at you, collared shirt, designer jeans.”

If
he didn’t know better, he’d think she was actually checking him out. He
responded with a sound that came out sounding more like a low growl. Damned if
his cock wasn’t responding. Her voice, her smell, her body.
Her.
How was
it that this little human, so un-wolf-like, had him so wound up? Why didn’t he
feel this for Alisha? Every other hot blooded wolf on Wilderness lusted after
her. Yet here he was feeling things he really shouldn’t for a pint sized woman.
A human.

“Why
are you looking at me like that?”

“Like
what?” Again it sounded too much like a growl which kind of happened when wolves
were this turned on.

“Like
I’m…um…food and why are your eyes glowing?”

Damn,
he needed to get some control back and right now. “I’m angry and I’m not sure
you should be dressed quite so…like that”−
Sexy
−“we’re
supposed to blend in not attract attention.” That same self-satisfied smile was
back. He cringed inwardly waiting for her smart ass reply.

“Look,
I borrowed this dress to blend in and sure, one or two morons might look but
I’m not going to attract any real attention.”

“Why
not?”

“Dog…Gray,
human men, like wolf men and probably all species of male, like curves and I
guess they like their women compliant, soft, I don’t know giggly. Oh did I
mention the curves. I’m…not…any of those things.”

Anger
flashed through him. Were human men so stupid they didn’t recognize a beautiful,
intelligent woman when she was standing right in front of them? “You’re curvy.
Plenty curvy.” His eyes, hades help him, couldn’t help but to slide down each
and every one of her blood heating curves, stopping at the tiny mound at the
juncture of her thighs. He licked his lips, thinking where he’d like his tongue
to be.

“Since
when were Omegas so blind? Just wait for the next full moon and your pup…um…thanks
Gray.”

Why
was she being so nice to him? Twice she’d stopped herself from teasing him and
just when he’d seriously started to look forward to their sparing. The one
thing he loved about being around her was that she treated him like a regular
guy. He didn’t feel like an Alpha or a mongrel, he just felt like…himself.  “Say
it.”

“No.
It was rude of me unkind…”

“Since
when do you care about my feelings?” Then it dawned on him. So that was why he
hadn’t wanted her to see what had transpired at dinner, he’d been right to feel
worried because she did think less of him. Even worse, she felt sorry for him and
was trying to be nice.

“I
do care and I would rather not−”

“I
insist,” he growled.

Ash
stood her ground outwardly showing that innate defiance, but he couldn’t help
but sense an aura of vulnerability. It was unexpected.

“Fine.
I was going to tell you to open your puppy dog eyes doggie boy because this”−Ash
glanced down at herself before running her hands down the length of her body in
a rush. She met his eyes before looking away while she continued to speak−“is
not a body that was built for standing out in a club. In a fight maybe, but
definitely not in a club. Can we go please?”

He
walked to the corvette and opened the passenger door for her without looking
her way. His teeth clenched to the point where he worried they might crack, but
he couldn’t seem to let up. Part of him wondered if she was serious and the
rest wanted to demand if she was just fishing for compliments. 
Doesn’t
stand out?
Christ, he was in the most stressful and demanding time of his
life, and all he could think about was tasting her delectable body every time
she got near
. A body made for fighting.
Not hardly. Petite, athletic
with just enough curves to keep a man up nights. The muscles in his neck
bunched as he clenched his teeth tighter still.

After
Ash got in, he slammed the door closed behind her. She looked hurt for just a
moment before she closed her expression down. He shook his head as if that
would clear it. He had to take Alisha as his mate soon due to obligations. He
couldn’t leave Ash thinking that about herself though, simply because it wasn’t
true.

Gray
opened the passenger door back up and leaned in. He slid his hand under her
chin and forced her to look at him as he said, “For some reason, I don’t think
you are actually fishing for compliments”—he closed his eyes for a brief moment
before he opened them again and continued—“you actually don’t realize your own
worth, and evidently the males of the human race don’t either. Think on that
next time you look in the mirror.”

With
that, he straightened out of the car and slammed the door in her astonished
face. He walked around to the driver’s side and got in while thinking about the
undeniable truth that if it weren’t for his pack, his responsibilities, Alisha,
he’d prove to her exactly how much she stood out in his mind.
Hounds
,
he’d show her with his hands, his tongue, every part of him on every part of
her.
Deep inside her.
He’d make her come more times and in more ways
than she could ever think possible.

They
drove for a while in awkward silence. Ash was finally the one to break the
tension. “What’s the story with you and Alisha?” her glacial eyes widened and
she slapped a hand over her mouth for a quick second. “Sorry that was rude.”

“I
said to stop with the being nice.” He was glad she had asked although why, he
could not say. “Alisha was always Bain’s girl. I don’t think she knows that he
had decided to take another mate right before he died.” Gray thought back on
the Omega Katy and how his half-brother had marked and chased her, planning on
taking her as his life mate. This was the reason Cole had fought with Bain. Except
Gray had been the one to deliver the death blow sparing Cole from having to
take the Alpha responsibility. “She thinks I killed Bain to take the Alpha
position and that I just expect her to fall in line and become my mate. I can’t
blame her for hating me. I killed the man she loved. After our talk and the
whole dinner debacle she thinks I plan on forcing myself on her.”  

“But
you won’t.”

“I’ve
never had to force myself on a woman before, so why would I start now?”

Ash
started to say something, but she clamped her mouth shut instead.

“Ask
me,” he took his eyes from the road for a second and caught her playing with
her belt buckle.

“It’s
rude.”

He
growled.

“Ooh,
I kinda like it when you do that, maybe I’ll be even more polite from now on.”

It
made him want to growl some more, but he didn’t.

“Um…you
don’t seem to be in love with Alisha and she…hates you so why do you want her
to become your mate?”

“I
have to mate with the highest ranking Alpha female during a full moon in order
to turn into a full demon wolf. It can only happen if the male wolf has won the
right to be Alpha, and by killing Bain I have done that. Alisha is the most
eligible demon wolf. The Lores are strict, I need to turn before I am
challenged and there will be challenges. All I need is a bit of luck and a way
to get Alisha on my side. There is one other Lore, but it’ll never happen so
it’s Alisha or…”

“Okay,
so that explains the whole three days or else thing.” He cringed and she
continued. “How do you feel about her?”

His
mind couldn’t help but to wander as he listened to her voice. There was
definitely something there between him and the little Chaser. Sparks that could
very easily ignite into something more.

His
destiny was set.

It
would also be wrong on all levels to admit that he didn’t love Alisha and that
he never would love her. On the outside chance that she agreed and ended up
becoming his mate, possible future mother of his pups, he could not disrespect
her in such a way. It would be unacceptable. Yet, at the same time, the last
thing he felt like doing was proclaiming feelings for someone else most
especially to Ash which was really stupid since he could never have her.

“I
wanted Alisha as a young wolf. Had the biggest, baddest crush on her. There are
many differences and misunderstandings to iron out but I’m sure we’ll get there
in the end.” He glanced at Ash in time to see her face cloud. For just a second
she seemed hurt and then she smiled.

“Don’t
worry. I’ll help you,” her smile grew. Peaches and cream. The smile of an
angel.

“How?”
he had to choke out the word.

“Duh!
I’m a woman dummy, I know what women want. I’ll help you romance the toes, or
should I say paws off of her.”

There
were many things he wanted from this woman. Helping him romance Alisha was not
one of them, but it was the way things were whether he liked it or not.

****

Ashlyn
decided there and then that she would do
anything
to help Gray including
teaching him how to romance Alisha. Even if the woman was a complete bitch and
didn’t deserve a man like Gray. In order for him to stay alive he had to become
the demon wolf’s mate. Had to. And she would have to help him do it. Ash had
liked the way he had gone about things. How he had taken Alisha that plate of
food. Simple yet meaningful. Flowers, chocolates were all bullshit at the end
of the day. Ash knew that Alisha was a bullshit kind of a girl. The man needed
help alright.

They
arrived at the up market club. A line of would be patrons were wrapped half way
round the block.

“Stay
close and don’t talk,” Gray instructed as they got out of the car.

They
walked straight up to the front double doors and as they approached Gray put
his arm around her shoulders pulling her in close. When their bodies connected
there was an almost audible crackle as electricity sparked between them. Her
skin tingled. Gray didn’t react. Did he feel it?

Oh
God…please make him feel it.

“Shhhh…,”
he whispered, his breath tickling her ear. Hot. Seductive. She sucked back a
needy whimper. Damnit, she wasn’t needy, she was a Demon Chaser. She ate demons
for breakfast, lunch and supper.

She
held her breath but no one tried to stop them or engage with them in any way.
“How did we do that?”

“Wolves,
especially Alphas have the ability to blend into their surrounds.” His voice
had lowered back to a semi growl.

It
had her nipples tightening, heaven help her but she felt herself go wet. “That
wasn’t blending that was disappearing altogether.” She felt appalled to hear
how husky her own voice had become.

Gray
pulled away from her abruptly, she swallowed back a moan. Had to force her body
from moving back into him. Her skin craved his contact.

“It
was just an illusion, one very easily broken. Let’s go get a drink. We’ll be able
to scan the crowd better from up there.” He moved ahead of her.

The
bar top was made of ice, above hung crystal chandeliers. Below a sea of
gyrating bodies. The beat vibrated through her. Ash closed her eyes trying to
forget the feel of Gray’s touch. It was unnerving; no one had ever affected her
this deeply and by a single touch alone.

The
crowd surrounding the bar moved aside as Gray approached, he didn’t have to say
or do anything. Two of the female bartenders saw him coming and almost tripped
over themselves, and each other, as they raced for a chance to serve him. Although
she would never fall all over a man, Ash couldn’t blame them when it came to a
man like Gray. Tall, built and deadly. She pulled her eyes from his broad back and
scanned the crowd while she waited.

Minutes
later Gray stepped in beside her and handed her a pink cocktail. “It’s a
virgin. I hope you don’t mind?”

Parts
of her reacted to his deep voice. His presence. She shook her head. A bottle of
water for himself. “What are we looking for?”

“Something
or someone out of the ordinary. I have a picture of Brice to show around.”  

Why
hadn’t she thought of that? If her head wasn’t so fixated on a certain wolf
demon maybe she would have. Enough, she needed to put her energy to good use.
They were trying to find a brutal killer, one who would strike again. They were
racing against a clock and here she was making googly eyes at a man she could
never have.

****

There
was too much going on to be able to fixate on one scent. It was all one big
confusing mess of sights and sounds. Only one scent still burned his nostrils
with crystal clear clarity.
Peaches.
Freshly picked. Oh so ripe. Peaches
that had erupted with the unmistakable edge of arousal the moment he’d touched
her. He’d been too busy trying to keep his cock from playing peck-a-boo with
the waistband of his jeans, as well as keeping them masked from the bouncers at
the door, to think on it.  Hounds, but in that instant he’d wanted to take her
more than anyone ever before. Wolf, human, all women, had vanished from his
mind, only she remained, past, present and future.

He
wanted, he
wanted
badly. 

The
tingling sensation had stayed until he couldn’t take it anymore and had to let
her go. It wasn’t easy. Not when he wanted to embrace her further, much harder.
He took another sip of the ice cold water trying to douse the flames. Keeping
his eyes on the crowd so that she wouldn’t be able to distract him further.

Hades
,
that tight ass in a dress that was made for sliding up over hips that were made
for riding, it all taunted him. Gray could feel himself thicken. He willed
himself to think about something else. Anything else. It wasn’t working. “It’s
no good. We’re not going to get anywhere by standing around.” She turned to
face him as he spoke, but he kept his eyes on the nameless faces. Too many to
count.  “Time to show and tell.” He took the picture from his pocket. When he
turned to look at her, she nodded once. “We’ll stick together. I’ll do the talking;
you keep an eye out for anything unusual, agreed?” He quickly added the
question at the end, knowing how she didn’t like to be told what to do.

There
was a slight hesitation before she finally nodded her head. “Let’s start with the
club employees before we start harassing half-drunk clubbers.”

“Yeah,
sounds good.” What it sounded like was a wild goose chase but it was all they
had right now. They worked their way around the club, before making their way
back to the bar where they first started. Gray let Ash lead the way. That way
he could keep an eye on her without touching.

Men
looked plenty, they tracked her with their eyes. They reacted when she
accidentally brushed against them. Had she lied to him about human men not
being attracted to her? Why would she lie about something like that? One man in
particular caressed her with his gaze. He knew how a man’s mind worked. The guy
was undressing her mentally.

Gray’s
jaw clenched, then his hands fisted at his sides. This from a man who had never
been jealous a day in his life. He felt like beating each of those men
senseless even though he couldn’t blame them. Boiling point neared, he needed
to calm himself, so he reached for her placing his hands securely on her hips.
Mine
.
Shock waves fired through his fingertips and she moaned. A sound no human would
have heard. His body reacted and as much as he wanted to show the other men in
the room that she was off limits, he had to let her go.

Thank
hades they’d reached the bar, a different server surged forward to take his
order. Her tight tank had been cut just below her ample breasts. She smelt like
vodka, human, yet not. It was because he couldn’t zone in on her scent that he
realized they’d found what they were looking for.

“You’ve
been asking questions about a woman that was here.” Without waiting for an
answer she nodded, reached for a glass and filled it with ice. She spoke for his
ears alone. “Get ready to pay me. Take your drinks and then meet me in the
parking lot in fifteen minutes.”

He
nodded.

Damn,
he didn’t like it one bit but instead of arguing, he paid, took the drinks,
handing one to Ash before sliding his arm around her narrow waist. This time he
anticipated the sensations, yet in amongst all these people and the situation
they found themselves in, the contact still affected him. “Let’s walk.”

“What
the hell was that?”

He
smiled at the violence etched in her voice, at the scent of gunpowder that hit
his nose. His little Chaser hated it when she wasn’t the one pulling all the
strings.

“That
girl wasn’t quite human. She had the same scent as the one I picked up in the
alley. She wants us to meet her outside in fifteen minutes.”

“That’s
madness. We could walk straight into a trap.”

“That’s
why I’m going alone.”

“Bullshit!”
She pulled away from him, anchoring her hands on her hips. “I’ve been doing a
bit of research and I think I know what we’re dealing with here.”

“Why
didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“Maybe
because I was scared you would pull a little stunt like this. Looks like I was
right.”

He
took a step towards her and her frown intensified. “Ash, I’m only going to ask
once at which point I’ll…” What would he do to her? Sweet talk her until she
told him. It wouldn’t work on a woman like Ash so he snapped his jaw shut
grinding his teeth in frustration.

She
cocked her head to the side and her mouth quirked up. “I’ll tell you but only if
you take me willingly, because I’m coming whether you like it or not. I’m a Demon
Chaser. Why do I have to keep reminding you of that?”

She
didn’t look like a Demon Chaser and certainly didn’t smell like one, but he
couldn’t tell her that now could he? “Fine Ash but I’m taking lead. If anything
happens to you I’ll…” his hands bunched into fists at his sides.

****

He
left the sentence hanging. His concern was touching. It made her want to
believe that he might feel something for her which was ludicrous. Although he’d
sort of admitted to finding her attractive, he’d made it clear that Alisha was
his future when they were just partners working a case. It was normal for
partners to feel concerned for one another.