by Erin R Flynn
“But not because I’m Alpha, right?” I checked, knowing I’d made it clear I was his Alpha and not Haton in the past, but I wouldn’t get involved with someone who wanted an Alpha.
I wanted him to want Sera.
“I don’t want you because you’re Alpha. There’s an extra layer of desperate to make you happy that comes from my tiger, but I promise you that the man I am doesn’t give a fuck you’re Alpha.”
“I don’t give a fuck you’re a tiger, but my wolf and siren—it’s the wildness, not what you are,” I told him, knowing that was a sensitive topic for him too. “And maybe a bit of tiger sex sounding hot after you told me what it was.”
“Glad we made it clear because I was worried too. I didn’t think you cared, but I needed to hear it.” He gave me a chaste kiss before pressing his lips against my ear. “I want you for real, Sera. I want us to be real. I want that more than I want to make you scream. Whatever you need because I want to do this right. You might just have to smack me back sometimes because my tiger’s aggressive.”
“I’ll try, but it’s not my strong suit either,” I admitted. “Carter helps. I know that’s weird to say, but he helps me a lot like saying dates should be flirty or you’ll want to pay. It’s like he leaves me little bread crumbs so I don’t get too flustered or upset I don’t know what I’m doing and I should by my age.”
“I honestly think it’s fucking sexy that you don’t and will admit it. You don’t do bluster. You’re real and honest.” Another kiss and he spun me around. “Let’s get Tommy some duckies.”
By the third try I managed a pink dragon duck and then a duck wearing a frog mask and paint that was fairly terrifying. Axel got the tiger duck his first try, and I burst out laughing at how he puffed out his chest that he’d done it.
I knew he did it so I would laugh, which was why it was perfect.
Next, he showed me a game called the Speed of Light, which was to hit the buttons that lit up before they went dark and to get as many as I could before the timer went out. The catch was they were spread out over a five by five foot area.
“Ready?” he asked, chuckling as I pushed up my sleeves and nodded. He started it, and I moved as quick as I could, thinking it was pretty fantastic for reflex testing.
Except it was made for humans, so I almost felt bad like I was cheating.
“How did I do?” I asked when the timer went out.
“You turned on about every guy around,” someone muttered as he walked by with his friends.
“She does that a lot,” Axel replied, letting him know we’d heard him.
The guy gave me a onceover. “Yeah, I bet. Your girlfriend is seriously smokin’, man.”
“Well, glad you got that compliment somehow?” I grumbled, shaking my head.
“Because I called him on what he said,” he explained. “And you did great. You got the high score and a ton of tickets.”
Which we turned in later and picked prizes. Even I knew that part, but I was just glad that they went on the card so we weren’t holding physical tickets.
We played some timing games, like digital spin the wheel and press the button to try and stop it on the item you wanted it to. They reminded me of like the slots in casinos but a way to skirt gambling instead of doing something to earn tickets. Axel didn’t seem into them either, but I appreciated he wanted me to try as many games as I wanted.
I did like the physical ones. It wasn’t as if they were tiring, but it was fun to try and get the ball in the jug and laugh when we missed or how it bounced just wrong… Not that we missed that often. I felt a bit like we were cheating, but then again, there were humans who could rock the football throwing as well.
Which Axel seriously did. He was so fast and accurate he kept having to wait for the next ball to roll down as the timer counted down. I played a basic carnival game of hitting over ugly dolls, and then we went head to head on a basketball game. I won by a few points and smirked at him.
“It’s fine, I got distracted too,” he muttered, staring at where my skirt had rode up. “Fuck, you are so hot.”
I wasn’t big into video games, but we had fun doing a racing game where we both sat in the fake vehicles and raced each other. I was laughing so hard when I hit him on purpose and spun him off the track and into the water that I ended up crashing.
It really was a great date, and we both had fun. A few hours of play and we were very, very ready for another type of playing. Axel couldn’t even hide how ready he was as I played a shooter game and his hands were all over me.
“Let’s leave the tickets on your card for next time,” I murmured as he kissed along my neck. “We got duckies. That’s enough for me.”
“I should get you to bed,” he added. He let out a soft growl as he cupped my breast as he hugged me to him.
I wasn’t sure what was going on, but then I saw a group of guys staring at me like I was their next easy lay. “Keep walking.” I moved Axel’s hand off my boob. “Don’t get that jealous in public over idiots.”
“I smell more than you do,” he defended as he nodded. He moved his arm around me, and we headed for the exit, stopping when we saw Sander was in the middle of a racing game. “Great guards.”
“Don’t be mean,” I chuckled, knowing he was just teasing them. It had to suck to be on a date with us like this, and seriously, they could hear any problems across the large area. I didn’t care if they were all reading books and just there in case I needed them. If they stared at me every second of every day, that would creep me out, and they knew that.
Not even ten minutes later we were all over each other in the elevator heading up to my apartment. I said good night to my detail, ignoring Sander when he offered to come up and help Axel if he needed it.
“I’m punching you in the morning,” Axel warned the ancient vampire when they got off on their floor. Then he was back to mapping every inch of my mouth with his tongue. He had my bag and everything I’d gotten back from Carter, and the second we arrived at my floor, I was over his shoulder and we were at my door he was unlocking.
“Caveman,” I chuckled, so amused I couldn’t even get annoyed by how often one of them toted me around. They were all big guys, so it wasn’t hard for them to do it even if I was five-ten. I mean, Axel was seven fucking feet, so yeah, it was like me picking up a kid.
“Say yes,” he whimpered after the door was closed and locked.
“No sex,” I reminded him, giving him permission for whatever else once he agreed. He was careful not to ruin the dress he loved, but had it off of me quickly. Then I was on my hands and knees on the bed before he walked over to my tablet and webcam. “Really?”
“Yes,” he growled. “My turn to tease others, and I’ve been dying to.”
I shrugged, my wolf and siren loving the attention and others in my life getting so turned on. I took off my shoes while he started the call others could join in on and got undressed. Then he ripped off my bra and panties before kneeling next to the bed.
“You submit to me on all fours, and I’m kneeling for you,” he explained before burying his face everywhere fun. I fisted the bedding as I let out a deep groan, not having had any attention or fun in almost a week because of Topher showing up. I wasn’t mad about it—of course not—but it made sense I was so desperate and came so fast. A week for a siren and new wolf was way, way too long.
I dropped my shoulders to the bed, smirking when he growled in approval, and made sure I was facing the webcam so the others could see me. I got several more orgasms before he climbed on the bed and moved over me. I flipped us and straddled him, his hard and monster dick pressed against me.
“Is this what you want?” I teased him, grinding against him so my scent was all over him and it brought us both pleasure.
“Yes,” he hissed, his eyes flashing power as he reached up and teased my breasts. “Ride me, Sera. Tease me and bite me.”
I licked my lips as I eyed his neck. Yeah, I could do that. I moved faster and faster,
and we both finished hard. I did it again just to make sure he was well sated and then bit him, pleased when it gave him another, smaller orgasm.
After a bit of a snuggle and some hot kisses, I got up and headed to the bathroom for my nightly routine. I stuck my head out when I heard Axel growling. “What?”
“Carter’s offering to come wash your back while he fucks you hard since we’re not having sex,” he answered.
I swallowed a laugh as I looked over at the webcam. “Stop pushing everyone’s buttons, Carter. Night guys.” I finished up and crawled in bed once my ring was back on. Axel handled what he needed to and then joined me, wrapping himself around me protectively but also like I was his favorite snuggly.
I hoped I was.
8
The next morning I was standing in court ready to battle the injunction filed against using my nose to sniff out evidence. I’d expected that, so I really only had one question I needed an answer on. “How the fuck did they get a hearing on an injunction for arrests that happened last night?”
Marshall, the attorney from the AG’s office I’d worked with too many times to count, gave a sigh. “They filed, and the AG agreed we should see if this will fly before all the time and energy is invested in a case this big with multiple agencies.”
“Right, so could someone have checked with me that I was ready?” I seethed. “What if I couldn’t be here? No one called me until this morning and to get my ass here. Are you like kidding me?”
“Not my call,” he reminded me, giving me a look that was all he could say, and I backed off. Right, the AG was probably pissed he was getting thrown into this without me talking to him first.
Uh-huh, but that would scream this was a setup. That was the last thing we wanted.
We took our spots, Dain joining us given he was an attorney and FBI, and the judge got us going. Unfortunately for my temper, the attorney on the other side started with a bang.
“Your Honor, I’m requesting this blatant abuse of authority be ruled as such and the whole case tossed,” he said sweetly. “Just because Chief Thomas is a bitch wolf and more animal than person doesn’t mean she can just do what she wants when she wants. On top of that, everyone knows how loose her morals are where—”
“I don’t want a lecture on morals when I smell two women on you that you’ve had sex with recently and you wear a wedding ring,” I cut in. “So either you have a mistress or two, but I think cheater is worse morally than my personal dating life. And I’m better behaved, not name calling, while you brand me an animal.”
“You are a bitch, are you not? I’ve heard multiple times you’re Alpha Bitch too.”
“I’m Alpha, not Alpha Mate, and I’m not a natural wolf but a werewolf, so it’s just as unacceptable to call me that in court just as if I was a human woman.” I shot the judge a peeved look. “I get you don’t like me, Your Honor, but this is a conversation for adults and a respectable discussion to happen, not crazy accusations.”
His eyes flashed shock before he opened and closed his mouth. “I dislike this situation, Chief Thomas, and being the one dragged into it, not you specifically.”
“She can’t even get that right, and we’re supposed to trust anything else she just tells us?” the attorney snipped, and I gave the judge a look that it was time to spill.
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Yes, fine, I don’t like you, Chief Thomas. You start a lot of problems that don’t need to be, and I have a problem with your personal life as well.”
I shrugged. “Great, I don’t care, Your Honor. That doesn’t change the fact this is a line we need a ruling on. You don’t like me, so what? We won’t braid each other’s hair.” I winced, glancing at his balding head. “Sorry, didn’t mean it as a slight. I work with people all the time I don’t like. All I need to know is you’ll still hear me and my argument and keep the other side civil. There’s a lot on the line here.”
“Yes, you have lots to protect,” the attorney said with a smirk.
Rage flared in the judge’s eyes. “That’s a warning right here, counselor. Control yourself or I’m dismissing your injunction and ruling this was a fair bust. I may not agree with Chief Thomas on much, but I don’t like you either. So don’t make this we’re friends as humans, as we’re not. And you just got knocked to the top of the list of people I would sign a warrant to arrest if something happens to Chief Thomas.”
“I apologize, Your Honor, that wasn’t how I meant it,” he lied. “Her very career could be on the line with this ruling.”
“I don’t need a werewolf’s nose to know that was a lie, so behave and stop with the insults or I will find you in contempt.” He waited until the attorney nodded before glancing at me. “Now, we’re here on you using your heightened senses to initiate this bust.”
“There is precedence to throw that out,” the attorney cut in. “Cops can’t smell pot and search a person they think might have pot on them. The ruling in California a few years ago clearly states that.”
“And I agree with that,” I said quickly. “I do. This is different. I didn’t just smell pot, which could have been a guy around someone smoking or too close to people on a bus wearing too much hemp oil. I smelled the actual cocaine.”
“You know drugs that well?” the attorney shot back.
“I know what they smell like from all the busts I’ve been on since becoming a wolf,” I threw right back.
“Have you ever done drugs, Chief Thomas?”
I frowned at him, thinking that was a bit much. “No, I’ve never…” I winced, glancing at the judge and knowing he might have access to my FBI file. “I’ve never willingly done drugs. Someone gave a pot brownie to the sixteen-year-old college sophomore, but I spit it out when someone else warned me. I’ve been around lots of drugs undercover and maybe a few contact highs, but that’s it.”
He nodded. “I wasn’t going to make you answer. That’s not even remotely relevant to any of this, but thank you for being honest and clear.” He gave me a curious look. “How does cocaine smell to you, Chief Thomas?”
I thought about that a moment. “Have you ever taken a pill, I’m thinking of my migraine pills, and you didn’t fully get it down quick enough? Like it starts to melt on your tongue and you gag at the taste and then you can smell it too?”
“I have.”
“That’s the smell. That’s the closest thing I can compare cocaine to. It’s that gross, chemical aftertaste that burns your nose.” I shrugged. “And I could smell it and a lot of it. There are lines that are confusing, especially for a new shifter even if I’m powerful.”
“For example?” he asked, knowing I had a point I was making.
“I know you took a shower this morning with Ivory soap. I can smell it from here.” I gave him a moment to let that sink in, and he nodded I was right. “Now, I think it’s bar, but it could be body wash. That’s a hard line since I’m new. I think you used the aloe one, but you could have put on aloe extra something. So there are lines that I understand some would have problems with.
“This just isn’t one of them. I didn’t smell cigarettes and try to say they were counterfeit. That would be ridiculous. This is a smell that is as clear as smelling fresh coffee that’s strong and wakes you up. And we could all smell it. The centuries old tiger shifter and ancient vampires with me. We all knew there was cocaine and a lot of it.”
“That’s a hard line to enforce, Chief Thomas,” the judge admitted after a moment.
“Is it, Your Honor?” I challenged. “Do I have to limit my vision as well?” I smelled his confusion and was glad he was at least taking this seriously. “So this injunction is saying I should have walked away because I smelled something a human couldn’t. Do I have to limit my vision too? If I see a crime, can I only count it if it’s something a human with 20/20 vision can see?
“Some humans can see 20/10. Do we not count their testimony? Or do we turn it back to what only people with bad eyes can see? No, that’s a fast way to discount
witness testimony. So at what point am I neglectful in my duties if I don’t act just because I have better senses than humans as a werewolf?”
He studied me for several moments. “You’re right that this was a discussion and ruling needed.”
“I’ve thought so, but it hasn’t come up until now in this way, and I know it’s a headache, it is on my end as well, but it’s valid. I didn’t smell the money in the house and bust them for assuming it was made selling drugs. I smelled the pounds of cocaine, and it brought me there.”
“And how did you get there to smell it?” the attorney challenged. “That’s part of my issue with this and filing the injunction. There are rules about when to use detection dogs for traffic stops to sniff cars, and you being a dog and there just—”
“Call Chief Thomas another name and I’ll find you in contempt of court,” the judge warned him, giving him a withering stare. “I let the other slide, as I thought it was an actual label like top female wolf in a pack, but a wolf isn’t a dog. Enough.”
“Yes, Your Honor, but my point is still valid.”
“It is,” I agreed, chuckling when they both gave me shocked looks. “I know my rep is I don’t care for the rules, the maverick who spent too much time undercover, or whatever other bull people like to spout about a successful woman in law enforcement because if I was male, there would be Bond praises. But I believe in the law and rules and lines, having busted many who abused their power.
“This wasn’t delaying a traffic stop to get the detection dogs. We were there on a called in tip that some guys were roughing up a person they thought was a vampire. It sounded more like a possible sexual assault in the context given, but it could have been a vampire being harassed to show fangs and suck someone, as we’ve seen that.
“I was headed that way and agreed to check out the tip. It’s not normally me, but we don’t go alone into dicey areas any more than CPD does. I, however, have my security detail after what happened to me. They’re all FBI. We didn’t find anything to the tip, none of us smelling a vampire had been there anytime recently, so it was probably a human being harassed, and we gave that information to CPD.”