The Alpha's Captive (11 page)

Aiden got to work making scrambled eggs. It was one thing he could make without burning. As he waited for the eggs to cook, he snooped around until he found a coffeemaker and a can of coffee grounds. He started the coffee and took a deep breath as the mouthwatering smell filled the kitchen.

He’d just turned off the stove when he heard footsteps coming down the hall. Aiden quickly dished some eggs onto a plate, wanting to surprise Devon when he came into the room. With a plate in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other he turned around.

“What the fuck!” Viktor shouted.

Aiden’s hands began to shake, and he set the plate and cup down before he dropped them. The one person he wanted to avoid stood right in front of him.
Shit!

“I—” Aiden tried to make his throat work, but nothing came out. His jaws just flapped in the wind. He absently rubbed at the healing scratches around his wrist. “Dev…”

“What’s going on in here?” Devon appeared in the doorway. He moved past his brother and came to Aiden’s side.

“Are we letting our prisoner roam free now?” Viktor turned narrowed eyes on his brother. “If that little shit escapes, we have nothing to bargain with. You might be blinded by a piece of ass, but I’m not.”

Aiden’s fear subsided to be replaced by anger. How dare this man talk about him as if he wasn’t even in the room? And refer to him as a piece of ass, hell no. Looking around him, Aiden grabbed the first thing he saw, a fork and threw it at Viktor, hitting him square in the chest.

Viktor took a step back, taken by surprise by the flying utensil. Devon gave him a curious look.

“Excuse me, but I’m standing right here.” He slapped his hand down on the counter, the sound echoing in the room. “I have no intentions of leaving Devon, so you don’t have to worry about chaining me up like some dog. Also, I have a name. It’s Aiden. Start using it.”

His heart beat out of control, but he wasn’t going to let Viktor intimidate him. Aiden felt pretty confident in thinking Devon wouldn’t let anyone harm him. But still, he could be mistaken.

“What the hell?” Viktor stood there stunned.

Devon tried to choke back his laughter, but it squeaked out and Aiden punched him in the arm.

“Hey!” Devon held his hand up in surrender. “I didn’t say it.” He gestured to Viktor. “It was him being the disrespectful asshole. I’m an innocent bystander.”

“Still, you’re laughing.” Aiden crossed his arms over his chest. “And you took forever, and now your breakfast is getting cold.” Now that he put Viktor in his place, he was pissed that the food he prepared for Devon had gone cold.

“You made me breakfast?” Devon asked. Aiden nodded his head, and when Devon tugged him to his side, he went willingly. “That’s sweet. Thanks.” Devon kissed him on the tip of his nose, and Aiden beamed under the praise.

“You’ve got to be shitting me.” Viktor ran a hand through his hair. “You’re acting like fucking newlyweds. Not good, Devon, not good.” With those parting words, Viktor stormed out of the kitchen.

Aiden looked up at Devon and was just about to ask him what that meant when Josef came into the kitchen.

“Hey, guys,” Josef said as he made his way to the coffeepot. “Oh eggs. Is there any left?”

Aiden looked to Devon, but he wasn’t paying any attention. Devon stood there staring after his brother. So, being polite, Aiden answered the other man. “Sure. Have these and I’ll make some more.” He pulled away from Devon and went back to the stove.

“I don’t want to take yours. I can make my own,” Josef offered.

“No, it’s no trouble at all. I’d like to.” Aiden started to crack eggs into the pan. Devon’s silence bothered him, and he needed something to take his mind off what Viktor had said and how his lover reacted to it.

“You sure?” Aiden smiled and nodded his head. “Cool. I could get used to having you around.” Josef patted him on the back then took a seat at the high counter.

“Excuse me?” Skyler sauntered in glaring at Josef.

Aiden chuckled at the hurt look on the other man’s face. “Oh, Skyler, you’re still the number-one cook around here. I could never replace you.”

“I know, but I love the compliments. Keep them coming, sweetie.” Skyler kissed him on the cheek as he came to stand next to Aiden. “I must say, I’m loving the chain-free look.”

“Me, too.” Aiden grinned over his shoulder at Skyler. “Gunmetal just isn’t my color.”

“No shit. And I have to say all that clattering was driving me crazy.” Skyler got to work pulling out more pans. “Let’s make some French toast to go with these eggs, shall we?”

Aiden worked alongside Skyler. They bantered back and forth as Devon sat quietly at the counter next to Josef. Every now and again Aiden would look at him, and Devon would smile, but he could tell something was bothering him. Aiden just wished he knew what it was.

* * * *

Viktor’s words cut deep. He was acting like a newlywed, and that wasn’t right. Already he’d grown attached to Aiden. Letting him go got more difficult by the second.

“Yo, Devon?” Josef waved a hand in front of his face. “Any calls this morning?”

Shaking his head, Devon looked toward his friend. “No, not yet.”

“It’s still early.” Josef poured some sugar and milk into his coffee mug. “I bet we’ll hear something by this evening.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” He picked up his fork and started to eat the eggs Aiden made for him. He chanced a glance over to his mate, but Aiden had his back to him.

Devon watched as Aiden moved around the kitchen as if he belonged there. He made more eggs while Skyler made French toast. They joked back and forth, laughing at the playful insults they hurled at one another. He had been right. Aiden and Skyler did get along perfectly.

Devon finished the rest of his coffee and put his dishes in the sink. He needed to put some distance between him and Aiden.

“Skyler, do you mind hanging out with Aiden?” Devon asked as he walked toward the door. “I’ve got some things in my office to work on.”

“Of course not. He’s the only good conversationalist around here,” Skyler answered, not seeming to notice Devon’s distress.

Aiden looked up and gave him a weak smile and curt nod. Devon wanted to race across the room and kiss him good-bye but he held back. He had to make it easy for Aiden to be able to walk away from him.

Devon raced down to his office and slammed the door shut once inside. He had some non-pack-related work to finish up. Time flew by as he went through papers and wrote up job proposals. He never heard when Viktor came into the room.

“Any word?”

Devon glanced up then back down to the papers lying on his desk. “Nope, not a peep. It’s still early yet, Brother.”

“Where’s your little pet?” Viktor sneered.

Devon dropped his pen and slowly raised his head up to meet his brother’s stare. His jaw ticked as he clenched his teeth tightly together. “His name is Aiden, and he’s not my pet.”

“No he’s something much worse.” Viktor sat forward in his chair. “He’s a problem, and he needs to be dealt with.”

“Excuse me? Tell me how he’s a problem.” Devon wanted to jump across his desk and punch his brother right in the face, but that would get him nowhere.

“He’s your mate, and your affection for him is clouding your goddamn judgment.” Viktor stood and began to pace the floor. “The end game here is getting Erik back, not you getting laid.”

“Brother, watch your tone. You know Aiden is my mate, so this is about more than just fucking him.” He tracked his brother’s movements, readying to pounce if the opportunity arose.

“Whatever, he’s just an ass for you to fuck that you need to be able to send on his merry fucking way when it’s time.”

That was it. Devon lunged across the table and pinned his brother to the wall. “You selfish, inconsiderate little shit. I’m giving him up for you, Erik, and the pack. So please stop tearing down what he and I are to one another.” He held his forearm against Viktor’s throat.

“I’m doing this to you keep you focused. All we’ve done is to get Erik back. I’m sorry that he’s your mate, but you have to be able to let him go.”

Devon’s breathing sped up, and his teeth started to elongate, and his claws grew. “I will. When Aiden’s father calls, I’ll be more than willing to trade him for Erik. I haven’t lost my focus, Brother.” His voice was raw with emotion. What he wanted and what needed to be done were battling for purchase in his brain and tearing his heart apart.

“Am I really that easy to give up?”

Viktor and Devon both turned at Aiden’s sad, whispered words. Devon released his hold on Viktor and took a step toward Aiden.

“No, stop.” Aiden held up a hand. “I thought I meant something to you, but I guess you played me. You never had any intentions on being with me after all this. You just wanted your brother back. You used me.” Aiden turned and ran down the hallway and out the front door.

“Fuck!” Devon roared as he gave chase. He really messed things up this time.

I’m such an idiot. How could I really think a man like Devon would be interested in someone like me? I just gave my virginity to a man who used me.

Tears spilled down his cheeks as he threw open the front door and took off running. He didn’t have any shoes on, and the dry grass and broken twigs bit into his feet with every step. Pain shot up his leg as he stepped on a jagged rock, but he didn’t stop. He knew before long Devon would catch him, but he didn’t plan on making it easy for the man.

The sound of heavy footfalls and leaves crunching under foot signaled his captor was getting closer. Aiden dug harder and dodged a low-hanging limb. Sometimes being short had its advantages.

“Aiden,” Devon shouted.

Aiden ignored him and kept running. His heart had just been shattered into a million pieces. The man he’d grown to love didn’t want him. Devon was ready to hand him back over to his father without any hesitation. Yeah they just met, but he’d never felt like this before. The thought of living without Devon seemed inconceivable to him.

The wind got knocked out of Aiden as Devon tackled him from behind. He hit the ground hard, and they rolled down a small hill. When they stopped moving, Aiden wound up on the bottom with Devon holding him down. His body instantly started to react to having this beautiful man lying on top of him.

Taking a deep breath, Devon’s wild scent filled his senses. His cock ached to be touched, and Aiden despised how his body betrayed him. Devon didn’t want him, or at least not for long-term, so he needed to get over this silly infatuation now.

“Get off me!” Aiden screamed as he fought Devon’s hold. He kicked his legs and tried to flail his arms about but Devon held him down with brute force.

“Aiden, stop fighting me,” Devon shouted.

“You’re a liar, and I fucking hate you.” His voice cracked with each word. “I thought I meant something to you, but I’m nothing. You got what you wanted, and now you’re done with me.” A bitter laugh proceeded Aiden’s next words. “I’m the stupid virgin who fell in love with the first man to have me. I’m just a fool.”

* * * *

Devon’s breath hitched at Aiden’s words.
He loves me.
Devon couldn’t help it. He fell forward and captured Aiden’s lips in a bruising kiss. Aiden fought him, but his resistance soon slipped away. Devon bit at Aiden’s bottom lip and seized the opportunity to invade his damp, luscious mouth when he gasped in pain. The gasp faded to a long moan, and Aiden started to kiss him back.

Reaching down, Devon pulled at Aiden’s shirt and pushed it up his body to settle at his neck. He didn’t want to break the kiss to remove the shirt, but he wanted to feel his mate’s bare skin on his.

When Aiden tugged at his arms, Devon let him go. Aiden’s frantic fingers went for Devon’s shirt, hiking it up his chest. The heat coming off their exposed chests chased away the chill in the air. Devon got lost in the moment, and by Aiden’s grabby hands and cries of need, he wasn’t alone.

Devon opened his mouth wide and sucked at the pulse point on Aiden’s neck. His teeth pressed against the fragile skin, but he resisted the urge to bite down. Devon’s willpower to hold back was chipping away with every kiss and every touch Aiden gifted him with.

“God, I want you so fucking bad.” Devon fumbled with Aiden’s pants, and Aiden lifted his hips to help assist Devon in pulling them down. Devon wrapped his fingers around Aiden’s hot, hard length and squeezed tight.

“Then do something about it,” Aiden challenged him.

Devon began to move his hand up and down on Aiden’s shaft, twisting his palm around the tip on the up stroke. He wanted to fuck Aiden but didn’t come prepared. He sped up his hand. “Come for me, Aiden,” Devon ordered. He wanted to use Aiden’s cum as lube to make love to him with. Just the thought had his balls squeezing tight.

Aiden fisted his hands in Devon’s shirt and thrust his hips upward, matching Devon’s rhythm. His body went rigid, and Aiden threw his head back and cried out. Birds in a nearby tree squawked and took flight.

Devon collected the warm liquid in one hand and yanked Aiden up with the other. “On your knees,” he growled.