“Yeah, It’s like that. Out!” A.K. said as she shot a conspiratorial wink my way.
Alex left the room, calling out over his shoulder. “See? Always popping off for no reason.”
They were cute together. Despite their bickering, it was easy to see how in love they were.
“Enough distractions. What are your outfit options? It’s been ages since I’ve had a girlfriend. Female wolves are bitches--no pun intended.”
I let out a surprised laugh. We spent the next hour and a half primping me up. I stood in the mirror, looking at A.K.’s masterpiece.
“You should really do this for a living,” I murmured in awe. I wore a pair of fitted high waisted pants that were a stretchy black material, a chiffon top in the prettiest shade of teal I’d ever seen, and a pair of cute suede ankle boots completed the ensemble. I’d owned each piece of the outfit for at least a year but never would I have thought to pair all three together. I looked pretty damn good. Between the outfit, the beach waves she’d managed to tame my wild hair into, and the smokey eye look she’d given me--I looked ready for a night out on the town.
“Nah, It wouldn’t be fun then,” she replied as she fluffed my hair once more. “All done and just in time.”
I looked at her, confused by her phrasing, until I heard the door open a second later.
“Damn wolf hearing,” I mumbled.
“I heard that,” echoed around the house, coming from A.K., Sam, and Alex.
“I’m never going to get used to that,” I said as I crossed my arms.
“Yeah, you will. You ready?” Sam’s voice came from the bottom of the stairs.
“Go show him my masterpiece and have a blast,” A.K. said as she headed downstairs.
I followed her to the living room and pulled up short. I had expected Sam to need time to get ready for the date after training but he already was. He wore a long sleeve grey henley with the sleeves pushed up to show off his tanned, muscular forearms. The top two buttons were undone, leaving my mouth literally watering at the sight of him. Slim fit, dark washed jeans hugged his thighs and he wore honest to goodness cowboy boots to top it off.
“I think I’m in love,” I muttered as I looked him over.
“I know you are,” he said as he met me halfway through the room and gave me a kiss that was way too hot considering we had company.
“Y’all need to leave or you’re never gonna make it out of here,” Alex snarked, causing A.K. to shove him playfully.
“Let’s go. We have to get Selena from your dad’s,” she said as she shoved Alex towards the front door.
My cheeks flamed in embarrassment as I stepped back from Sam.
“They’re right. We should go... Before I lose my battle of wills and peel those painted-on pants off of you.”
My blush grew hotter because I knew the couple that had just left could still hear him.
“Behave,” I admonished as we made our way out of the house.
32
Sam
Lily stood in front of me, her back pressed against my chest as I covered her eyes. I led her forward ever so slowly before I removed my hands from her face.
“Open your eyes, love,” I whispered in her ear.
She gasped as she leaned back into me, “Oh Sam. It’s gorgeous.”
A candlelit dinner was set on the deck of a small boat I’d rented for the day. I enlisted Nate to set the table with our meal and light the candles so it was perfect when we arrived. We’d developed a “bromance”, as Lily called it, after I’d apologized for nearly attacking him the night he returned to the pack lands smelling like Lily. He’d been more than happy to help out with the schematics of the date.
She turned and leaned up to kiss me, “When did you get so romantic, Hernandez?”
“When I got you back, Moretti. Doesn’t hurt that I have a real job now. Our old dates were on a lawn mowing, pool cleaning budget--not conducive to real meals let alone candles.”
She giggled, the sweetest sound, and kissed me again gently before pulling away. I grabbed her hand in mine and led her to the dock. I climbed aboard before reaching back to help her in.
After I pulled her chair out and she sat down, the boat began it’s slow meander down the Tennessee river. Good timing, Nate.
I uncovered our meals and popped open a bottle of wine as she sighed happily, “Chicken piccata--my favorite.”
“We haven’t had a lot of time to enjoy being back together. I wanted to make everything perfect.”
She smiled happily, her gaze sweeping up and down the river as I poured her wine. Stars shone brightly above us, filling the sky as a full moon cast its silvery light down on us. The water was calm and the sound of crickets added to its majesty. The scenery was lovely but it all paled in comparison to Lily. The flickering flame of the candles illuminated her face as she brought her wine glass to her lips, the moon casting a halo of light behind her. She was an absolutely stunning creature and, in that moment, I realized I was the luckiest man alive.
“What?” She asked. “Do I have something on my face?”
I laughed quietly and shook my head, “No. Just admiring your beauty.”
She blushed a delicate shade of pink before rolling her eyes in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. The girl was trash at accepting compliments--she always had been.
We dug into our meals as we reminisced about old times. Liliana and I had grown up together. Our fathers had been best friends since before we were born. I was convinced she had cooties for the first twelve years of my life--a fact that she never let me live down.
“Cooties! Seriously Sam. You were way too old to believe girls had special germs,” she chuckled as she finished her second glass of wine.
“Whatever. I was an idiot. I get it,” I joined her laughter as I opened a second bottle of wine. While she had to be beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol, I could consume six bottles alone before my wolf metabolism would even allow me to begin to feel a buzz.
I set the bottle down before continuing to speak, “I’ll never forget the day I stopped seeing you as Ale’s annoying daughter. You went to Italy with your family the summer before freshman year and when you came back for school, I remember thinking how beautiful you’d gotten. You finally grew into your two front teeth.”
She covered her face and groaned, “I looked like a bunny.”
“A super cute bunny… besides wolves like bunnies.”
She rolled her eyes as she ignored my comment, “I can’t believe that’s when you started to crush on me. You were such an ass the first half of the school year.”
“Talk all the smack you want. It obviously worked. You fell for me,” I smirked.
Liliana, the classy girl that she was, threw a bread roll at my head. I snatched it out of the air and took a bite.
“That’s not why I fell for you. Do you remember Jason? He was being teased for having holes in his clothes. You jumped in and defended him. I noticed the following week he started wearing clothes that were yours. That kindness made me fall for you,” she said, her hand reaching across the table to grasp mine.
I flashed a cocky grin, “All I’m hearing is that you recognized my clothes... Which means you were checking me out before the Jason incident.”
“You and your selective hearing,” she grumbled.
We continued to talk our way through dinner. Time flew by as our boat docked further down the river.
“I can’t believe it’s over already,” Lily sighed wistfully.
“It’s not,” I murmured in her ear as I stood behind her and lifted her out of the boat, “Want to see something cool?”
She nodded her agreement as she linked our arms together, “Lead the way.”
I walked her down a moonlit path. Rocks outlined the walkway with a variety of plants and flowers blooming between the cracks. It had an untamed look to it that made you feel like you were walking into a storybook forest. Once we’d walked deep enough into the cover of night, I stepped a
way from Lily and began to strip naked.
“Um... I’m... uh... Not really into the idea of sex in public. I mean I know there is no one out here but still.”
I snorted out a harsh laugh, nearly doubling over. My eyes watered and I wiped them before responding. “I’m not trying to turn you into an exhibitionist, babe. I am trying to give you the ride of your life though.”
I didn’t give her a chance to respond as I called the change to me. Once my wolf was fully released, I walked back over to Lily and beckoned her with a jerk of my lupine chin.
“What? Do you want me to like… climb on your back?” she asked skeptically as she grabbed my discarded clothes of the ground and stuffed them into her purse.
I nodded in assent before crouching down to make it easier for her to climb up.
She swallowed hard and walked over, mumbling to herself all the while. “I am way too tipsy for this shit. I’m going to fall and break my neck. R.I.P to me.”
Her mutterings cause me to laugh, the sound strange coming from my animal form.
Once she was firmly on my back, she leaned forward enough to basically put me in a choke hold. Thankfully, she didn’t have wolf strength or I’d be out cold from strangulation.
“Okay, I’m ready. I guess,” she sounded uncertain but she shouldn’t have. There was no way I was ever going to let anything happen to my invaluable cargo.
I took off at a jog, her light weight no challenge for my wolf. I felt the moment she began to relax and enjoy herself. The tight grip she had on my neck loosened and her leg muscles that were tense as they gripped my flank relaxed. I picked up the pace, bringing it up to a run so she could feel the wind in her hair.
Happy giggles flowed freely from her as she sat up some, “This is amazing, Sam!”
We continued the run until we grew closer to the lot where my truck was parked. I shifted back and she handed me my clothes.
As soon as I was dressed, she jumped on my back and bit at my ear, “I’m officially spoiled. I don’t want to walk anymore.”
I chuckled as I gave her a piggyback ride to our vehicle, “I take it you enjoyed our date.”
“I loved it. What an incredible night. Good luck topping this next time though,” she said playfully.
I set her down when we reached the truck and pressed her back against the passenger door as I leaned in for a kiss. I paused millimeters from her lips as I spoke. “Challenge accepted.”
I didn’t give her a chance to reply. I covered her mouth with mine, the taste of blueberry wine still lingering on her lips. I pulled away, breathless, “We should go... unless you changed your mind about sex in public?”
“Not at all,” she replied, her breathy tone suggesting she’d briefly considered it.
I opened her door and offered her a hand in before walking around to the driver’s side. I planned on breaking every speed limit from the riverbank to our house.
33
Liliana
Sam drove like a madman and I didn’t fault him. I wanted to get home and get naked just as badly as he did. After a date as romantic as the boat portion, I had wanted him. Having to see him naked before and after his shift? That was cruel and unusual punishment.
I placed my hand on his thigh, rubbing it up and down. I touched a fraction higher with each pass, causing a sexy growl to unleash from his throat. Holy hotness.
The delicious sound morphed into a menacing one as we neared the community his pack lived in. I looked out the window, confused at first, until I saw what caused his distress. Several homes were ablaze, the fires raging uncontrollably. Wolves fought in the road, tearing into one another. I couldn’t tell who was on which side. It was pure mayhem. Thick, dark smoke billowed through the air--obscuring the view.
Sam looked from our surroundings to me and back again. I could see his internal struggle tearing him apart.
“Go. I’ll stay in the car,” I said, sensing his need to join the fight.
“No. You have to stay safe,” he said, his voice thickening as his wolf rose to the surface. He slammed on his brakes, throwing it in park, and hopped out of the vehicle, yanking my door open as he reached my side in an instant. He left the truck running as I joined him amid the chaos. His grip squeezed my arm as he pulled me alongside him at a brisk run. The heeled boots I wore made keeping up with him difficult but I tried my best.
“Chelsea,” he roared as a russet wolf ran past. The wolf circled back and stared at him, “Shift back.”
She let out a howl of outrage before obeying, “What?”
“I don’t have time to argue with you. Take Lily and get the hell out of here. I need to fight. I can’t do that and keep her safe.”
“Of course, Beta,” she began to protest before Sam cut her off.
“Do not argue. Get Liliana out of here safely! That’s an order,” his voice was becoming less human.
He turned to me and pulled me in for a kiss, “Stay safe, love. I’ll come get you as soon as this is over. Keep your phone on.”
I nodded, tears flowing freely down my cheeks as I worried about his safety, “I love you.”
“I love you too, mi reina. I’ll be alright, I promise.”
There was no time for me to respond. He turned and shifted. His clothes fell in shreds from his body as he launched himself at the nearest enemy, tearing the wolf’s throat out with no hesitation. Upon his death, the foreign wolf shifted back into his human form. A pale, blond man lay upon the ground, his limbs jutting out at awkward angles. The sight of his shredded neck made my stomach lurch as Chelsea, still naked in her human form, grasped my bicep in a bruising grip and began dragging me to Sam’s truck. I wanted to shake her off, mostly to return the blood flow to my arm, but I wasn’t an idiot. I knew how much danger I was in--a human in a wolf fight was useless.
I ran with her, keeping up better than I had with my boyfriend. As soon as we reached the truck she shoved me in roughly. I glared at her but buckled up. I had the urge to snap at her for being so rough but I didn’t because I understood her anger. I’d be pissed too if I was pulled from a battle that my loved ones were fighting to protect someone else’s girlfriend.
We drove in silence for miles. The highway was an endless stretch of darkness broken only by the headlights. I kept my gaze straight ahead, my thoughts on Sam. Was he alright? Was his family? How many of his wolves had their throats torn out the same way he’d ripped that wolf’s? My heart ached. I hated being useless--being a liability. I wished there was some way I could help but I couldn’t. The best thing I could do was stay out of the way so Sam could help them with no distraction.
After we’d been flying down the interstate for a half an hour I turned to Chelsea, “Haven’t we gone far enough? I don’t want to be too far in case...”
I trailed off, not wanting to vocalize the fact that Sam getting hurt was a possibility. I didn’t want to speak something so horrible into existence.
“Yeah, you’re right. I felt his orders fade a while ago. I think you’re officially considered ‘out of there safe’,” she said, her tone full of bitterness.
“Look, Chelsea, I’m sorry you had to leave your family back there. That wasn’t fair for Sam to ask of you.”
She scoffed as she pulled over to the shoulder and put the truck in park, “Sam has done a lot of things that weren’t fair to me. Did he tell you that after you left, we were together? He dropped me like a bad habit as soon as you came back into town. You ruin everything.”
The news that her and Sam had been together was like a punch to the gut. I knew there had to have been other women in the years that we’d been apart but seriously? Did it have to be the girl he was accused of cheating on me with?
She powered on as I floundered for a reply, “It’s okay. I don’t want him anymore. He’s a fucking asshole, but you? I don’t want you to have him either.”
She reached out, her hands wrapping around my throat. I clawed at her skin in an attempt to loosen her hold but it was to no avail. Her
wolf lent her a strength that I could never hope to overcome. Still I didn’t give up. Black dots filled my vision as I continued to punched and scratched at her. I wouldn’t give up.
“Nighty-night,” she sneered as my consciousness slowly faded away.
34
Sam
The battle raged around me. Jameson and his thugs attacked in full force. The noise surrounding me deafened me. Children crying, human mates screaming in fear as our rivals rounded them up. Our wolves held their own but they weren’t prepared for such a full scale assault on our lands. We didn’t think the enemy would be brazen enough and we suffered from our lack of preparedness.
I leapt from the wolf I had just taken out onto the back of the next. I was on autopilot--a killing machine, completely animal. If they weren’t pack, they were dead. My numbness came to a screeching halt when I felt it. The death blow.
A howl of grief tore from my throat. No.
“Sam!” A voice shouted from the middle of the road. I whipped my head to the left and saw him.
Jameson stood in the center of the road, stark naked in his human form, as blood dripped down the length of him. He held my father by his throat, his lifeless body dangling as his eyes stared at me--unseeing.
“You’ve lost. Command your pack to obey me and I might let those of you who remain to live.”
I didn’t give him a chance to say another word. I charged him as he threw my dad carelessly to the ground and called his own wolf to the surface. We met in the middle, both snarling and jumping at each other. He locked his jaws on one of my front paws. My bone snapped under the pressure. I didn’t even feel it. All I could think about was Dad.
The man who had coached my little league team, who read my bed time stories and double checked my closet to make sure there were no monsters back when I was afraid of the dark--dead. My grief and rage numbed me to the physical pain as I bit down on Jameson’s skull, tearing flesh away as I yanked my head back. He let out a howl of pain as he released his hold on my leg but I didn’t let up. Swiping out at his face, I caught his eye with my claw and ripped it to shreds. We wrestled and rolled before I finally managed to clamp my jaws around his neck. I bit down, blood gushing until it overflowed from my mouth.
Alpha's Ultimatum Page 11