Alpha Doms Box Set: 9 Delicious Stories + 10 Sexy Heroes = 19 Reasons to Indulge (30 page)

Worse. She wasn’t even the reason I was
holding off. Granted, I’d been taking it slow because she was
human, but it was my adoptive parent’s strict religious beliefs
that had me waiting until after marriage.

They’d taken in a baby, who turned out to be
a pup; I’d been abandoned at their local church. With no
conceivable way to have children, they decided to take me in and
raise me as their own. They even moved halfway across the country
for me to live with a pack, a pack I was now alpha of. I couldn’t
disappoint them. They’d sacrificed so much for me; a few hormonal
desires weren’t that much in return, but it was what they’d asked
for after my first rebellion, a string of partying and sex with any
willing woman.

It went against every instinct I had; it
forced me to deny every part of me, to turn my back on nature’s
impulsive design of claiming the same day I meet my mate. But this
meant a lot to them, to their moral and religious code of ethics. I
had faith, I believed in their God, but I didn’t understand why He
allowed the animals in us to control our desires if he wanted us to
wait until marriage. Why would He design our physical instincts to
rival our spiritual ones?

I focused on Michelle. She wasn’t herself.
She was typically assertive. She never steeled herself before
facing me. She had a quiet confidence that others underestimated. I
loved that about her.

But now she was a timid woman unable to even
look me in the eye.

I frowned, my wolf silencing for a moment to
assess our mate. “I need you to talk to me, sweetie.”

She looked up at me through hooded lashes.
Her full rose-colored lips were mashed together, not out of anger,
but out of uncertainty. She didn’t want to say the wrong thing.

“
Come here.” I tugged
lightly on her hand.

Rather than welcome my embrace though, she
stole her hand back. She stared at her plate, a wave of varying
emotions passing through her eyes. “Do you… Um.” She fidgeted,
working up her courage.

I sat back, taking notice; listening
closely. I put a firm hand on my wolf’s neck, ensuring he didn’t
interrupt.

She glanced up at me. “Do you not find me
attractive?” Her brows stitched together as her lips slightly
pursed. Now that the question was out there, she had the courage to
face me. She didn’t look away.

I lifted a single brow. “Seriously?”

She swallowed hard, but sat quietly,
continuing to watch me.

Shit. She was serious. She really thought I
didn’t find her attractive. I frowned. “You have no idea how bad I
want you.”

She gave me a small smile, but it wasn’t
genuine. It was a wistful smile.

Crap. I didn’t answer her right.

—

Chapter Two

MICHELLE

My heart broke as I gazed at Bryan. A part
of me knew it was too good to be true. All my life I’d been told
that I would have to settle, that I wouldn’t find the man of my
dreams. When Bryan showed up at the art gallery that night,
complimenting my work before asking me out, I thought I’d hit the
jackpot.

Six months later, I moved three towns over
to be closer to him. Now, I was regretting that decision. I didn’t
regret the time I had with him. We hadn’t done anything for me to
regret. That was the red flag though.

The way he looked at me was like he was
waiting for something. After over a year of being together and
never having sex, that was when it finally hit me. His wolf wanted
me, nature told him that he wanted me, but he wasn’t actually
physically attracted to me. He was waiting for that spark to hit
him, but it never did.

That had been a hard pill to swallow.

Looking at him, I knew I was out of his
league. All the confidence in the world didn’t give me enough balls
to stand beside him with my head held high. He was gorgeous. I
would always be proud of him on my arms. But in the back of my
head, I’d know he’d settled. I would know that he had accepted what
nature told him to, rather than what he wanted.

I gazed at him. His brown hair was in
perfect disarray. His lips were pouty with just the right amount of
plump to them. His dark eyes seemed to pierce me as he studied me.
I knew he was gaging me, trying to decide what I wanted to
hear.

His white t-shirt was thin, hinting at the
lean muscles beneath. His pecks rose and fell, teasing me with
their outline as he breathed. God, I wanted him so bad. It was
pathetic.

The closest we’d come to any sort of
intimacy was kissing. I’d never been in his bedroom; he’d never
been in mine. He kept me at arm’s length. The moment things got
heated, he backed away, taking his warmth with him. He wouldn’t
even hug me after things got carried away. It was this constant
battle that kept me questioning his stance.

He wanted me because his wolf wanted me,
because nature told him he should. Physically, he was drawn to me,
but he wasn’t attracted to me. He could kiss me because our eyes
were closed. I could be anyone he wanted me to be then…or at least
that was the conclusion I’d drawn. Why else would he avoid cuddling
with me or touching me period outside of that?

His answer proved my theory. He wanted me
bad, but he wasn’t attracted to me.

I slid my chair back and stood. I swallowed
my emotions, swallowed the pain quickly stabbing my chest over what
I was doing. “I’m sorry, Bryan, but I can’t do this. I can’t let
you marry me.”

He was on his feet in a split second,
blocking my exit. “What? Why?” His tone rode a fine line between
anger and panic.

I stared down at the ground, working on
breathing deeply and steadily. I needed to escape as soon as
possible before I broke down.

My stomach churned, anguish coursing through
my veins, bumping my pulse up. He didn’t get it. I didn’t expect
him to see it. He was too blinded by his instincts as a werewolf I
assumed. He was doing what he thought he had to, not what he truly
wanted to do.

He cupped my face. “Look at me, sweetie.”
His voice was calm despite his muscles coiling and flexing beneath
his clothes.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath,
gathering my courage. I looked up at him, straight into eyes the
color of bark, so deep and intense.

“
What’s wrong? What did I
do? Talk to me, please.” His words were a gentle plea, so soft, so
reverent.

No. Why was he being amazing now when I’d
prepared myself to walk away? It was this side of him that had kept
me with him all this time.

He didn’t touch me, but he was still gentle
with me. He tended to every need I had. He stocked my favorite
drink in his fridge. He watched more cheesy romantic comedies than
I could count. He wrapped me in a blanket when I was cold. He took
care of me when I was sick. He did all these great things, but he
did it all from a distance.

“
You didn’t do anything
wrong, Bry. But I can’t marry a man who, well, who doesn’t want me
physically.” With trembling hands, I slid the ring off my left ring
finger. It was that move that solidified it for me. It was that
move that had the tears spilling over.

With my free hand, I grabbed his wrist,
pulling his hand away from my face. I pushed the ring into his palm
and closed his fist around it.

His breathing was labored, that much I
heard. He threaded his fingers through my hair, cradling me tighter
with his other hand.

I chanced a look up at him. There was a
storm brewing in his eyes. He clenched his jaw as he speared me
with a pool of emotions in his intense gaze.

It took him a couple of minutes to regain
his composure. He held tight to me, not allowing me to escape.
“What makes you think I don’t want you physically?”

I dropped my gaze to his chest. I could
still make out the muscles beneath, trembling lightly before he
steeled himself. I knew it would be his wolf’s desire to break free
should I really walk away. He’d told me as much. He warned me never
to run away from him; he only had so much control, he’d said.
Running incited his wolf; running would automatically make me his
prey.

“
I’m going crazy here,
Chel,” he clipped.

Indulgently, I placed a hand on his chest,
feeling the hard plains and dips of his body. “You want me because
your wolf wants me. You want me because nature tells you to want
me, because I smell delicious and appealing, as a mate should.
While you’re drawn to me instinctually, you’re not physically
attracted to me.” I sniffed, the last of my tears drying as I faced
the truth while speaking it; I accepted my cruel fate. God, I was
always so much stronger than this. I took a deep breath, facing him
head on. We both deserved more. “I can’t let you settle for me,
and, likewise, I refuse to settle with a man who doesn’t love all
of me, excess stuffing and all.” I patted his chest gently before
pulling away. “Plus, no offense, but it’s been too many years. I
may be fuller than most girls, but I have needs too.”

He chuckled, his face splitting into a
charming smile. Not exactly the reaction I was expecting. “Is that
what this is about?” He quirked a brow, accenting his question.

His reaction left me
confused. Had I missed something? I frowned at the amusement
plastered in his expression. “Define
this.
”

He secured my left hand and slid the
solitaire diamond ring back into place. He kissed the back of my
hand. “Sweetie, I’ve wanted you since the second I laid eyes on
you.”

I sighed. He wasn’t getting it. “Bryan, take
away your wolf, take away nature telling you to want me and ask
yourself if you would still want me then.”

“
Of course I would.” He
held my hands in his against his chest.

He didn’t even hug me now, when I was ready
to walk away. “Why?”

“
You want me to list the
reasons?”

“
Yes.”

“
You’re smart, you’re
talented; you’re feisty and courageous.”

“
Stop.” I closed my eyes,
fighting for patience. “I know I’m a good person. I know I have a
personality and characteristics that someone could love. What I
don’t have is the body.” I opened my eyes and faced him. “You care
about me, Bryan, as a person. I get that. But you don’t like my
body. Otherwise you would have touched it by now. You don’t even
hug me for crying out loud.”

His brows went up; his expression grew
solemn. He gritted his teeth for a moment, his lips inadvertently
pursing. He froze me with a single, knee breaking, earth shattering
glare, so intense, so potent, it left me catching my breath. “I
love your body, Michelle. I don’t hug you because I’m afraid I’ll
lose control. I don’t dare caress your hips because I know I’ll
jerk them against my erection so hard I’d bruise them. I’m
petrified to go below the neck because I know once I do, I won’t be
able to stop.” His tone was low, seductive and dangerous.

He cupped my face harshly, ensuring I paid
attention. “I fucking love your body, baby. I walk around with a
rock hard cock twenty-four seven because of you. Every time you
walk in front of me I have to fight the urge to slap your sexy ass.
I have to stop myself from pulling you into my lap and groping
you.”

He leaned in close, his breath tickling my
lips. His pupils dilated as he stared into my eyes. “The things I
want to do to your beautiful body scare the shit out of me. Mark my
words. Once we’re married, all bets are off. I’m going to kiss,
lick and suck every inch of you.”

My breath hitched as warmth flooded my
pussy. I had a physical need before, but now it was on high alert.
I couldn’t ignore it anymore. His words washed over me, sending
jolts of awareness to every part of me before pooling low in my
womb.

He moved his lips to my ear. “I can’t wait
to watch you writhe beneath me. I can’t wait to watch you fly when
I make you come.” His whisper sent chills down my spine.

He drew back, meeting my gaze; my eyes were
wide with surprise I was sure. “Look at my crotch, sweetie. That’s
what your curves do to me every time I see you and every time I
think about you.”

I dropped my gaze, shocked to see his cock
bulging, straining against the zipper of his jeans. His dick was so
enlarged that it pulled his jeans tight across his hips, and I’m
sure if I moved behind him, his ass too.

Goose pimples prickled my flesh as a chill
chased down my spine. A tiny whimper escaped me as I stared
longingly at it. My pussy wept, craving for him to slide into me. I
wanted to wrap my body around him, feel his tongue on my flesh, his
hands gripping my curves as we joined.

I squirmed, biting my lower lip as I looked
away from him.

“
Aw, sweetie. Come
here.”

He sat down at his chair at the table again,
immediately sliding it back and tugging me between his legs.

My body was alive, flaring with need. My
pussy throbbed, my nipples pebbled, thrusting outwards against my
bra. Material that once smoothed over my skin was now chafing it,
making me further aware of my physical state.

Bryan was so close. His cock strained
against my thigh. I couldn’t help but shuffle my legs,
inadvertently rubbing it. He hissed, his entire body shaking.

I tried to take a step back, but he ensnared
me, clasping his arms around my waist.

“
Please don’t move.” His
words were a rough imploration.

I frowned, observing him. His muscles flexed
beneath his shirt against me, around me. His limbs quivered, as if
his desire was as intense as mine, or possibly more. His breathing
was sketchy, erratic short breaths that certainly didn’t fill his
lungs.

I jumped as a low growl escaped him. He
clamped his eyes shut.

Shit. How had I missed it? How had I been so
blind to his struggle? It was as bad for him as it was for me. He
really did desire my body.