NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team

by Chelsea Handcock

  “Your orders,” Ethan growled through clenched teeth, “have been received loud and clear Alpha.” But he couldn’t let him go without saying one more thing. “If this was Ryleigh, could you just leave her there to suffer a fate you have no control over? To be hurt or worse?”

  “No, I couldn’t, Ethan, and that’s the problem; Ryleigh and I are mated and fate blessed. This woman is an unknown, working with people who are possible enemies. Using chemicals to restrain and taint your natural instincts. Right now, I can’t, and it kills me to say it, trust you, so you need to follow the orders you have been given to the T or I will pull you.”

  Jacks hanging up only further emphasized his point. Son of a bitch!

  Chapter 15

  It had been five days since the first time Ethan had come to the Club. Every day that he came, he would teach her a new lesson, and Sophie was starting to look forward to her lessons. The one thing she was not looking forward to was when he kissed her on the cheek and then left. He never stayed for very long, and it seemed that he was staying for even shorter times as the days went on.

  Lucas wasn’t getting any better, and Sophie knew she was going to have to do something drastic to save the man. He had become a friend; it might be foolish on her part to trust him, but she did. During the last day, he had not spoken to her, but previously he rambled about his life and what he had wanted out of it. Sophie had learned a lot about Shifters from Lucas.

  He had been right when he said that not all of them were like the ones she had met. Sophie should have known better, but experience often taints reality. There were good and bad people in all cultures; why should shifters be any different just because they carried an animal under their human skin? Every day, Lucas would tell her that she could trust Ethan, but she was holding back. There was more at stake for her to accept Ethan than there was to for her to accept Lucas.

  Lucas would be a friend, but Ethan he was more, she didn’t know how she knew it, but she just did. On the second night, he came to the club, Sophie got her first real look at him and was blown away by how similar her imagination had been to reality; he was tall, large and muscular. He also had dark hair that was shaved close at the sides and longer on top. Her hands itched to run through the longer strands. His face was ruggedly handsome with sharp features, but his eyes surprised her, they weren’t the golden color she imagined, but a deep dark chocolate.

  Sophie stood motionless, staring at him. He was gorgeous, there wasn’t a part of him that didn’t send tingles through her body. Even knowing what hides beneath the surface, she still wanted to be at his side. Without thought, she started moving towards him like a tether was pulling her forward, but when she saw the scowl on his face she stopped, had she displeased him in some way?

  “Pet, why are you coming to me dressed in that?”

  Sophie didn’t know what to say, it had been all that she was given, but she was quickly finding that the lessons William and the others had taught her did nothing to please Master Ethan.

  “It was all I had to wear,” she stated, risking punishment. When his scowl continued, she lied, giving him some bullshit story about how she was to be ready at his will and that hadn’t afforded her time to pack anything else appropriate.

  Sophie had known he saw right through her lie, but he didn’t correct her only walking to her and taking her arm, leading her to a sitting area where he placed a pillow on the floor. When he sat and indicated that she should kneel, Sophie did her best to complete the move flawlessly. She wanted to make up for her half-truth. She hated the feeling of lying to him.

  When he positioned her head on his knee and started to pet her like a cherished cat, Sophie became overwhelmed with the feelings that were bombarding her.

  “Now, pet, we have many things to discuss, and I would like to get them out of the way before we go further.”

  Sophie sat quietly and listened to his voice. The feeling of his hands caressing her brought her warmth she didn't realize she needed, but the sound of his deep and slightly raspy voice aroused her.

  Realizing that her thighs were becoming damp, Sophie stiffened. It had been so long that she felt any type of arousal she didn’t know what to do with the feeling.

  “Now, now, pet,” Ethan noticed right away, “there will be no of that, nothing you don’t want will happen between us. I think it’s time for another lesson, don’t you?” Sophie nodded but quickly realized her mistake when Ethan gently pulled at her hair.

  “The correct answer is Yes Sir, Sophie.”

  “Yes, Sir, I’m sorry,” Sophie complied immediately.

  “No need to be sorry just remember in the future, pet.” When he smiled at her Sophie melted further into his body. When was the last time someone had smiled at her without a sneer or menace behind the action? Was she so desperate for something normal that she was reading things that weren’t there?

  “Pet, do you know what a safe word is?”

  “Yes, Sir,” Sophie didn’t hesitate.

  “I find that the words submissives use as their safe words often reveal a lot about the person. What is your safe word, Sophie?”

  “Red, Sir,” Sophie was almost embarrassed by stating that. She hadn’t put any thought into the word, only giving him what William had told her she should say. As she waited for Ethan to respond, she tried to think of a word that she would have picked herself and was coming up blank.

  “Oh, now, pet, I believe that we can do much better than that, don’t you? A safe word is something that a submissive will use in order to stop what is happening. Using the traffic light system in a club with a new partner is efficient. Everyone knows their meanings, red to stop, yellow to slow down, and green to move forward. But with couples, I think the words need to be more intimate. What do you think?”

  “I don’t know, Sir, I haven’t put much thought into it until now.” Sophie answered him honestly. Her life didn’t include safe words, hell if it had, she would have been yelling red at the top of her lungs for the past six years.

  “Well, let’s put some thought into it, now, shall we? I think a safe word should be something personal, something one would never associate with pleasure, something that would stop a Dom in his tracks and tell him he has gone too far. It could be a person, place, or thing, something that you hate, like broccoli.” The small chuckle he gave her warmed her; cuddling in closer, Sophie laid her head back on his knee needing to be in the moment for a second longer. Ethan allowed her to remain quiet and continued to pet her.

  “Now, what do you think should be your safe word, broccoli or can we do better? How about you give me a list of words of things you would never associate with pleasure, and we can choose one to use together?”

  “How about this, pet?” Ethan offered another way when Sophie didn’t say anything, “I will say a word and you say the first thing that comes to your mind? No altering or thinking about it, the first thing that pops into your head, understand?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Okay, chocolate.”

  “Yummy.”

  “Very good,” Ethan laughed and continued to pet her, “looks like chocolate is out of the running because I plan on doing many yummy things to you and your body.

  They continued the game for a little while longer, and Sophie knew he was trying to ease her into it by saying words like pizza, turnips, and cotton.

  “Fear.”

  “Preacher.” Sophie instantly said. The next word came quickly.

  “Pain.”

  “Fists.”

  “Loyalty.”

  “Sister.”

  “Deceit.”

  “Life.”

  When he said his name, Sophie responding to the only way she could.

  “Important.”

  “Sit up, Sophie, it looks as though the natives are getting restless.”

  Sophie didn’t need to look to see what he had meant. William was walking to them and talking before Sophie had even had a chance to straighten in her pose. The man wa
s relentless, offering Ethan countless play areas. When his suggestions didn’t work, he started in on another tactic, stating how Sophie would be more than willing to accompany him to his home for more private training.

  Ethan listened and spoke with the man, but Sophie could feel the tension building in his body. Doing the only thing she could, Sophie started to pet his leg much as he had done to her; when his muscles began to relax a bit, Sophie smiled to herself. She had been looking for a way to thank him for the comfort and safety he provided her, and even though this was a small thing, it still made her happy that she had accomplished that.

  “Master William, I appreciate the offer of help and the guidance you are trying to bestow, but I have found that I must navigate the dynamic between myself and my chosen Sub by myself. When I decide to take Sophie up on stage, I will do so, not a moment before. I also find that my time with Sophie is severely limited due to the constant interruptions. As a Dom in Residence, I would think that you should know better, but alas I have been mistaken. Since the mood for the evening has changed, I must take my leave.” Ethan stood and held his hand out to Sophie. When she took it, he helped her to stand, and placed a small kiss on her cheek. “Until the next time Pet, I look forward to continuing our lessons and learning more about your body and mind.”

  When Ethan left Sophie knew she was in for it, his comments had left just enough to piss William off and wonder what she had said to Ethan. For hours, he and his crew interrogated her; Sophie answered their question, but altered her answers. It was the same every day after Ethan left, interrogation, degradation, and punishment. But through it all, one thing remained steadfast, Sophie remained loyal to Ethan.

  As she sat in the cell and waited, listening to Lucas force breaths from his body, Sophie knew she was becoming attached to Ethan, and that was why tonight she was going to let him go. She would figure out a way to help her sister and nephew, but it wouldn’t be at Ethan’s expense. She would not put the people he loved in the Overseer’s or William’s path.

  Lucas’s wasn’t faring well. The men had stopped coming to his cell, and it seemed as though they were just waiting for the inevitable to happen. Sophie heard the sound of a key in the lock of her door and stood. Ethan must be here. Grabbing her robe, she placed it on her body. When William himself walked through the door, she was startled; she hadn’t seen him outside of the rooms upstairs since that first night.

  “You are a disappointment, Sophie. Everyday Master Ethan comes to the club, but beyond touching your hair, he remains unattached to you. I have decided to give you one last chance; at the end of your session today if he chooses to leave without you in tow I will be sending you back to the Overseer, and Jennifer will take your place as Master Ethan’s submissive.”

  Sophie knew better than to say anything, her thoughts and feelings were never taken into account with these people, but she had a little surprise for them. She was going to get Ethan out of the Club and away from them before Jennifer could work any of her wiles on him. He would be safe and so would his family and friends; then she could concentrate on Lucas, Carley, and her nephew. If she accomplished any of the latter tasks, she would consider it a win.

  Chapter 16

  Upon entering the room this time, Sophie noticed the change in Ethan; he had dark circles under his glowing eyes he wasn’t even trying to shield. He was also agitated, evident by his quick and crisp movements. William had his hand on her elbow preventing her from going to him, but at Ethan’s command, ‘Sophie, here now,’ she pulled herself away, instantly walking to him and kneeling at his feet. Ethan put his hand on her head and brought her closer into his leg.

  “That will be all I require of you, William,” Ethan snapped. “I plan to play with my Sub tonight, and I expect no interruptions from you or your staff. Will that be a problem?” Sophie so wanted to look up and see Williams face. She loved the idea of Ethan putting the man in his place, and it worked to her advantage for what she had planned for tonight. Sophie didn’t need to look up to see that William had moved away, even with the plush carpet the man was stomping loudly like a child throwing a temper tantrum. Sophie caught Ethan’s hand, and as it lowered down to her, she placed hers within it.

  “I am sorry, Sophie, but I fear I can no longer keep the Vultures at bay. We will be doing a small scene tonight just to whet their appetites. I promise to keep you covered and safe as possible. Do you trust me to do that much?”

  “Yes, sir,” Sophie didn’t need to think.

  “Good girl, I’m going to sit down in the chair behind me. I want you to sit on my lap facing forward, opening your knees to straddle mine, then I want to you hook your feet around my calves. Do you understand your instructions?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Sophie did as instructed, but the vulnerability she expected to feel was absent. She knew that as long as she was in Ethan’s arms, nothing could touch her, and she was going to sink herself into the feeling for as long as possible because this would be the last time.

  Sophie felt the slap on her thigh and knew she needed to get back into the proper headspace. This was Master Ethan’s time, and she would not disappoint him. Taking deep soothing breaths like he taught her, Sophie concentrated on his voice.

  “I am going to touch you Sophie, every part of you, and I want you to focus on the feeling of my hands as they roam your luscious body. I want you to listen to my voice and hear the awe you inspire by allowing me to witness your submission.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  “Aw, pet, hearing those words come from your sweet mouth have made me a very happy man. It is an honor I will forever cherish. Now, I need you to keep your focus on me and nothing else, do you understand?”

  “Yes, Master Ethan, I understand.”

  Sophie felt the robe slipping from her body, but also felt the warmth of Ethan’s calloused hands which swept the fabric aside, baring her to him. She wanted that. This wouldn’t be the first time she was naked to his view, but it would be the first time she chose to do this for him. Ethan leaned back and instructed Sophie to place her hands behind his neck locking her fingers together, a backward hug as he called it. Sophie laughed, one of the first genuine laughs she had allowed herself in a long while.

  “Oh, you liked that did you? Let's see if we can get that beautiful mind back into the scene.” Ethan started to move his hands down her body, and when he cupped her breast, Sophie arched her back; the contact felt so good against her heavy heated flesh. The firm pinch to her nipple reminded her she needed to remain still.

  “Ah, Pet, although I love the feeling of your round bottom against my cock, but I fear we’ll be giving the room a show I didn’t plan if you continue.”

  Sophie had felt his erection, it was hard to miss snuggled tightly between her butt cheeks. But until he spoke those words, she had been too caught up in the sensations of his hands to pay the large member much attention. Now that he had drawn her attention to it, she wanted him to do just as he had said and place that beast where she needed it most, between her thighs, deep within her body. Pressing her luck, she arched once more not bothering to hold back the accompanying moan.

  “Two can play this game little one. Which one of us do you think will last longer?”

  “You Master, it just feels so good.” Sophie knew the answer to that, Ethan was always in control, even agitated, he maintained control of himself and his animal.

  “Let’s see if we can’t make you feel better as we continue our lessons.” Using one hand, Ethan continued to play with Sophie’s breasts and nipples, altering pressure he applied and the placement of his hands and fingers until she didn’t know what he would do next. His other hand was moving lower on her body, and Sophie was tempted to demand he move faster to the place she needed him most, but kept those thought to herself. This was his time, his time to do as he wished, and Sophie was more than ready to give him that, more if he wanted.

  When his fingertips finally touched her pelvic bone, Sophie stopped br
eathing, afraid she was going to miss something. Ethan’s quick slap should have chilled her wanton behavior, but it did nothing; the pain of the slap morphed into something she had never felt before, heat and pleasure.

  “The body tells a man and a Dom many things about his submissive, did you know that, Pet?”

  Sophie knew he was teaching now and not necessarily asking her a question.

  “There are the obvious signs of arousal, slick lower lips waiting for my finger to kiss, the extension of your clit coming to life under its hood. But there are more subtle signs, such as the pinking of the skin, the shallowness of the Sub’s breath, the deepening of color of you pussy as the blood rushes to engorge it.” He tucked his face into Sophie’s neck

  “My time is short here today sweet girl,” Ethan whispered, “but I find I don’t want to leave even though I know it’s for the best. Every day that we spend together learning each other, makes me want things I don’t know if they are possible. You have been perfect to me in your service, but I have to wonder what lies beneath the shield you have created.” Pulling back without missing a beat Ethan continued his lesson.

  “The body can also tell if a person is lying in much the same way. How about we play another one of our games?”

  Sophie felt his finger at the entrance to her channel and moved forward wanting a part of him within her.

  “Oh, Pet, I think you may regret that decision once our game starts.”

  Sophie didn’t think so once he began to penetrate her more fully with his thick finger adjusting his angle to hit just the right spot making her wither and quake. When he whispered in her ear again, she was stunned by what he was asking.

  “Are you in danger? Don’t answer with your mouth, but with your pussy squeeze my finger once for yes and twice for no.”

  It took her a second, but she squeezed his finger twice. She was in danger, but it was of her own making, and she wouldn’t allow him to believe otherwise or risk himself to try to save her.