The Wolf's Prey

by Edugardo Gilbert X

  "You what?" He asks, shocked.

  "I didn't want to. Marta told me too." I clarify. "As a distraction."

  "I'm sure it worked." He chuckles.

  "It did." I respond, taking a bite of pizza. "Why do you have to watch me? What does he think is going to happen? I'm in school."

  "I don't ask questions. I just do my job." He replies. "He probably doesn't want a repeat of the boys fighting over you."

  "Oh, please. I think there was more to it than that. Who's going to fight over a girl they don't know?"

  "Horny adolescent boys with too much testosterone." He states, smirking.

  After lunch there was more gossip. Now, it involved me and Beta Holden. I just rolled my eyes and finished the rest of the day. The final bell rings, as I’m walking to the front of the building. I see Tom walking towards me with his head down looking at a clip board. I don't know what to say to him, hopefully he doesn't look up.

  As soon as I thought that, his eyes snap to mine. I give him a weak smile. "Hi." I look at his neck and see the bruising from Lennox hands. "I'm so sorry about that." I say, looking at his neck sympathetically.

  "It's not your fault." He replies, seriously rubbing at his neck.

  I shrug. "I still feel bad."

  "It was stupid of me to say anything."

  I nod. At least we can agree on that. "Well, I better go. Lennox is waiting for me. Take care."

  I see his eyes harden. "You too."

  I nod and walk away. I get out to the parking lot and see Lennox waiting by his truck. I can't help but smile when I see him. I walk up to him. "Thanks for the ride."

  He pulls me closer to him and kisses me deeply. He stops and opens the truck door and lifts me in. I'm still in a daze, until I look and see the whole school looking at us. I see most of them are either shocked, outraged or jealous. The rest are wearing an ‘I told you so’ look. Wow, that shut them up.

  Lennox gets in and drives away. "I want to take you to dinner tonight."

  "What time?"

  "I'll come get you at six."

  "Okay. I should be able get my homework done by then."

  "Anything happen?"

  "In school?" He nods. "No, it's school."

  "Why don't you have friends?" He asks. I shrug, Beta Holden must have told him. I might not be good at making friends, but he made it impossible. Most of the pack thinks he doesn’t want anyone interacting with me. "Answer me." He says, pulling into my driveway.

  "I'm not good at making friends and with your rules not to talk or touch me, I think most just wanted to avoid me all together and still do."

  He growls. "You were with those girls last Saturday."

  "They're Marta's friends."

  "Things will change. Now, that they know you’re mine."

  "At least the rumors about me and Liam will stop." I chuckle.

  "Why would there be rumors about the two of you?"

  "Well, I made him eat with me today. So, that got the rumor mill started." I explain, rolling my eyes.

  He stares at me. "You shared a meal together?" He looks calm, but his question gets my heart racing.

  "Yeah."

  "You shared a meal with my beta and called him Liam." He states.

  "Yes." I reply, cautiously. Not really thinking it was a question.

  "Are you trying to piss me off?"

  "No! I just told you why. I don't have any friends. I just didn't want to sit alone."

  He closes his eyes trying to calm himself down. I guess I can't talk or sit with anyone. Is this what my life is going to be like? Walking on egg shells.

  "Did you see Tom?"

  I tense up. "I saw him when I was leaving school."

  "Did you speak to him?"

  "I told him hi and said sorry for his neck."

  "Sorry, for his neck?" He growls.

  I gulp. "Yes, it looked like it really hurt." I say, quietly. I see my answer hasn't calmed him down. Why does he make me feel like I should know better? That talking to Liam was unacceptable and talking to Tom was inconceivable in his mind.

  "Stay away from the both of them."

  I feel the tears well in my eyes. It's not that I'm hurt, but I'm so frustrated. I feel like I'm constantly doing something wrong. I turn away from him and open the truck door. He tells me to wait but I don't listen. I'm afraid my tears will fall. I keep my head down as he steps beside me.

  "Did you not hear me?"

  "I heard you." I answer, still walking. His hands stops me from walking further. "I have a lot of homework." I mutter.

  "I'll be here at six." He reminds me. I nod and walk around him. I walk in the house and close the door, running up the stairs to my room

  What an Asshole

  Alpha Lennox Hall

  I'm such a fucking asshole! I think to myself throwing open the doors of my office. I keep screwing everything up. My temper and jealousy are at an all-time high. A very deadly mix. I want Jocelyn to make friends, I just rather it be with other she-wolves. I'm not used to her sweetness. She's so good and pure, she doesn't know what other men think of her. I don't know what it is but it's like she doesn't think of herself as attractive, that she's lacking. I know her father has something to do with it. I haven't heard him say anything offensive to her since the first day we met.

  I can't hold back my wolf with her. I feel even more possessive since last night. I thought about her all day, I could barely concentrate on work. I know I can't keep her from talking to other people but damn it! Did she have to talk to the mother fucker I almost killed? She felt bad for him! He should have kept his mouth shut! He disrespected me as his Alpha. What did she expect me to do?

  I know I owe her an apology. I don't mind her talking to Liam. I did at first because if he was sitting with her at lunch that means he wasn't watching for any threats. I want him to avoid any possible danger, not be with her if anything happens. I need to put an Enforcer on her. Liam can be her friend but not if he's going to stop doing his job.

  I upset her by getting mad, she didn't seem scared. More like she was irritated with me. Of course she had every reason to be. I'll make it up to her. I just need her to realize that until I mark her, my wolf won't stop surfacing. He'll want to dominate her until she submits to us, allowing for us to fully claim her. She'll understand.

  Now, what do I do to apologize? Thinking about it for a minute I get the best idea. I walk to the kitchen seeing Beverly, my chef, prepping for dinner. I was going to take Jocelyn out but I think I'll bring her here. She notices me and jumps. "I need a favor."

  "Yes, Alpha."

  "I need to make rice crispy treats. Show me."

  She looks surprised but doesn't question me. Getting out everything I need, she tells me what to do. Even making them myself it only takes minutes. "Thank you. Also, I'm having my future mate for dinner. She likes pasta." I say leaving the kitchen. I walk back to the office just as the phone rings.

  I answer. "Alpha Hall."

  "Alpha, I want to speak to you about Jocelyn." I hear Alpha Rhys say.

  "What about her?"

  "If you choose to mate her I will challenge your claim on her." He threatens.

  I almost laugh. "Challenge accepted."

  "I wasn't challenging you officially. I said I will challenge you if you claim her."

  "I, Alpha Lennox Hall, claim Jocelyn Kate Robinson as my mate." I state wanting to end this phone call.

  "You son of bitch! She's mine!" He yells.

  "Then I assume we have a challenge." I say wanting to rip his head off for calling her his.

  "Fine, a challenge." He agrees reluctantly.

  I know he's apprehensive about fighting me and he should be. Rhys may be a good fighter but without a doubt I'm better. I'm the most feared Alpha in North America for good reason. I've never been beaten, not even close. I train for these fights all year. Fights like these are welcome to me. My wolf thrives on them.

  "Is that all? She's coming over for dinner, I have things to do." I s
tate bored.

  I hear his growl. "Don't touch her." He replies trying to sound menacing but instead I laugh at his idiocy.

  "Trust me, she likes it. You should have heard her last night." I can't help but brag.

  "Bullshit. She's not that kind of girl." I hear the disbelief in his voice.

  "Don't take my word for it then. Ask her parents." I chuckle and hang up.

  "What an asshole." I mutter. I bring up some business I've been putting off. I inherited my grandfather's iron ore mining range when I was eighteen. After my father killed himself.

  -Flashback-

  "I'm sixteen years old. Why do I have to be here?" I grumble to my father looking around his office. He's made me come with him to the office since I was fifteen.

  "This is going to be yours that's why. Not another word, Lennox."

  "Word." I mutter. Looking up at my father I know he's mad. I just don't care. Never have, I'm used to the beatings.

  I feel his fist connect with my face and body over and over again until I'm huddled on the floor trying to breathe.

  -End Flashback-

  The phone rings again breaking me out of my trance. "Alpha Hall." I answer.

  "Alpha, we just got a call from Alpha Rhys. He shouted and asked if you stayed here last night." Mr. Robinson says sounding alarmed.

  "How did you respond?" I ask.

  "I told him you did stay here with Jocelyn and he started yelling about a challenge and coming to get her."

  "I'll take care of it." I reply ending the call.

  I contact five of my best Enforcers. Once everyone is in my office I brief them on the situation regarding Jocelyn and Alpha Rhys.

  "You think he'll risk coming here to get her?" Liam asks.

  "Theo Robinson thought so. He wants her. He challenged me." I state.

  "What an idiot. Who challenges another Alpha for a girl no longer in his pack? It's just messy. Why'd he let her leave in the first place?" Don questions.

  "He didn't. He was out of town when I hired Theo Robinson to be an accountant for me. Beta Burnett didn't see any reason why the Robinsons couldn't leave. They weren't a part of the everyday pack operation. Alpha Rhys came back a few days ago, when he found out she was gone he killed his Beta. I doubt he'll stop at anything to get Jocelyn."

  "You want more men on her then?" Liam asks.

  "Yes. You're close guard. Don and Larry within eye sight. Paul, Jerry and Louis, you're on perimeter."

  I end the meeting and go to my bedroom. I take a towel from the cabinet and turn on the tap. Thinking of showering with Jocelyn last night comes to my mind. I turn the control to cold and get in.

  Jocelyn's POV

  I can tell the phone call from Alpha Rhys affected my dad. He seems so different lately. He almost seems sad, I don't get it. I leave the living room and go back upstairs to my room.

  I have an hour before Lennox will be here. I go into my closet and shift through my clothes. He said we're going out but didn't say where. I decide on dark skinny jeans and a nice silk black tank top. I pull on my peep toe black sling backs. Leaving the closet I decide to pull my hair back in a low pony tail and add more lip gloss. Flinging myself on the bed I wait for him to show up. I'm still frustrated with him. Everything was nice this morning and he ruined it.

  I hear his truck pull into the driveway and walk down stairs. "Mom, I'm leaving." I call to her.

  "Okay, bye."

  "Bye." I reply, opening the door.

  Lennox just reaches the steps when I walk out closing the door behind me.

  "You look beautiful." He says looking me over from head to toe.

  "Thanks. So do you." I respond walking forward.

  He raises an eyebrow. "I'm beautiful?" He asks smiling.

  "Yes, when you smile." I answer honestly making my cheeks burn hotter.

  He takes my hand lightly in his and we walk to his truck. When he drives away I watch out the window.

  "I'm sorry about earlier. I overreacted." He says looking at me.

  "Why did you?"

  "Liam is supposed to be guarding you and watching for possible threats. He can't do that while eating with and talking to you. It angered me that he was careless with you. I've remedied the situation, he'll be your close guard and I've assigned other men to watch from further away."

  "You think that's necessary?" I ask worried.

  "I do. I spoke to Rhys and so did your father. He wants you, this is a precaution. He might do something stupid like try to take you."

  I nod and he continues.

  "I got angry about you talking to Tom because he disrespected me and you felt sorry for him. I didn't like it. My wolf hated it and it's hard for me to pull him back when I'm around you. Since last night, my need to mate you is worse and my urges are stronger. The thought of you with unmated men drives me crazy. I need you to understand if I come across as unfair or angry that it's only temporary."

  "Okay. Thanks for explaining it to me." I reply smiling. I don't know what I'm smiling about. Maybe it's the fact that for once something wasn't my fault and he wasn't really angry with me.

  ***********

  My Room is Literally in Flames !

  At Lennox's house I wait for him to open my door, this time looking forward to his hands on me. He sets me down and I put my hand in his as we walk to the door.

  As soon as we enter I smell garlic and tomatoes. I hope we're having Italian. "Hungry?" He asks.

  "Starving."

  He smiles and leads me to the kitchen where I see his cook finishing up with dinner. "We'll be in the dining room." He tells her briskly.

  "It smells delicious." I comment. She smiles at me and Lennox leads me to the dining table. He pulls out a chair and I ask, "Do you live here alone?"

  "Yes." He answers as I sit.

  "Do you have family?" I question watching him sit down.

  "No, just the pack. My mom left my father when I was two and my dad died when I was eighteen."

  "Oh my God. I'm so sorry." I say, horrified for his loss.

  He shrugs in response. "I was never close to either of them. It's fine."

  I remember Liam telling me his father never had a kind word to say to him which only upsets me more. Even though my father puts me down a lot, I'd still mourn him if he died. Lennox really doesn't look hurt by the loss. I want to ask more questions but I don't want to ruin dinner before it even starts.

  "How old are you?" I question instead.

  "Too old for you but I don't care." He replies smirking.

  I raise my eyebrow at him. "So old enough to know better?" I joke.

  "And smart enough to know it doesn't matter." He responds.

  "Why haven't you mated before? If you're so old?"

  He looks me over slowly taking in every part of my face and body. "I've been waiting for someone like you. I don't like desperate females that attach themselves to me for sex, money or power. I can tell you don't care about any of that."

  "How do you know I don't want those things?" He doesn't know me yet he sounds so sure that he does.

  "I can smell when you want me. The first time that happened was in my office. As for money, you haven't asked me for anything. You don't like attention so you're indifferent to the idea of power."

  "I doubt all girls are out for those things." I've heard the girls talk around school; they lust after him, but he's attractive why wouldn't he like that part?

  "I know they do. I walk in a room and I can smell them. I touched you the first time we met, trying to get your body to respond like all the other girls, but you didn't."

  "Most men would love girls wanting them."

  "Not me. I like a challenge."

  "Your office was a different setting though. I was on your lap and you smiled at me for the first time. I bet if you smiled more the other girls would be in constant heat." I tease.

  "It was the smile that did it?"

  I blush. "Yes." Wanting to change the subject I ask, "How did you get that scar on
your face?"

  "My father." My eyes widen. He watches my reaction and I watch his. He said it like it's no big deal; like it was just something his father always did. I want to know why his father would do such a thing but I can't bring myself to ask. Luckily, I don't have to.

  "My father was a weak man; he drank a lot. He would make me go to the office every day to teach me how to run the company. Every weekend and every day after school I was with him, learning land surveys and mining operations. I hated him. I used to get him angry just to do it. He'd beat me, but I guess I felt it was worth it to piss him off. The beatings were pretty regular until I turned seventeen and started to hit back. On my eighteenth birthday I almost killed him. He left me with this scar and then he killed himself. Like I said, he was a weak man."

  "You took over the pack then, too? Was your dad the Alpha?"

  He nods. "Yes, I beat him and the Beta that challenged me. Challengers kept coming after that and I kept beating them."

  "Do you like it?"

  "I lived for it."

  "Lived?"

  "Well I have you now. Now, I live for you and our future pups." He replies, eyes getting heated. I don't know what to say because the look in his eyes is so intense. I feel like if I move he'll pounce on me. "I shouldn't have brought pups up." He states huskily.

  The door opens, I smell our food but my eyes are trained on Lennox. I can't look away even if I wanted to. I feel myself getting hotter, wetter. He smells me, I'm sure of it when he grips the edge of the table. I finally snap out of it and look down.

  A plate of penne noodles in a meaty red sauce is it in front of me. "Thank you." I say trying to get control of my hormones. I can't stop thinking about last night and the way he is looking at me right now isn't helping. I pick up my fork and shift in my seat. Taking a bite of pasta I try to think of anything else.

  I moan when it registers in my head how good this tastes. I'm not even done chewing before I'm pulled out of my seat by my waist and into Lennox's arms. His lips slam against mine hungry and possessive. My hands are on the back of his neck as I get lost in the sensation of his mouth on mine. Picking me up by my butt he starts walking and I wrap my legs around his waist.

  I'm pressed against a wall as Lennox takes my shirt off quickly, tossing it aside. His mouth hot on my neck giving me chills. I hear a door knob turn and realize I was against a door not a wall. Lennox takes a couple steps and lays me down on his bed, his huge body hovering over me. Lowering his mouth between my breasts he leaves wet kisses. I feel him undoing my bra, sliding it off my arms as his head goes lower. When he kisses my stomach, I feel my muscles contract. He does it again even lower, just above the button of my jeans and I moan. I feel it being unbuttoned and hear my zipper sliding down. His hands grip the back of my jeans and in one movement he has them off of me. I'm left in nothing but my underwear. In the back of my mind I hear the warning bells. But as his eyes devour my body they get quieter and quieter. By the time he takes my nipple into his sinful mouth there's silence. I lift my hips against his craving the friction. He raises his head and I see his pupils are dilated; he's lost control of his wolf. I don't know whether to be afraid or not. He can control it; he did last night and I'm certain this is a repeat of last night. All hands, not sex.