“What the fuck?” Ken screamed at him, shoving him out of the way to kneel next to her on the bed. “Why’d you do that?”
Badger looked grim as he stepped into the room. “Aye, he had to, lad. She mighta ripped yer throat out had he not.”
Ken blinked. He stared at Dewi, who looked normal now despite being unconscious, then back to Badger. “What?”
Beck had stepped back away from the bed, a grim expression on his face. “You triggered her Prime Alpha,” he said. “Accidentally, but she was afraid what she might do, that she might hurt you. I guess you two haven’t talked about that yet, huh?”
Ken dumbly shook his head.
Badger let out a sigh. “I really should’ve had a talk with her when she brought ye home and reminded her of all this. She knows these things, but ye two haven’t had much talking time, I suppose.” He sat on the other corner of the bed. “She’s a Prime Alpha, lad. We told ye this. There are certain things ye just don’t do to a Prime Alpha. Marking them is one of them. Ye got a little nibbly on her shoulder, didn’t ye?”
Ken felt his face heat. “Yeah. I thought she liked that from the way she bit me the other night.” He left out the part about how a need to bite her had taken him over.
“Christ.” Beck scrubbed his face with his hands. “A non-Alpha shifter, if you, a human, did that to them, it wouldn’t trigger them. An Alpha, unless they’re ready for it and expecting it, it might or might not trigger them. But a Prime Alpha submits to no one. Especially not to their mate. Their first overwhelming instinct is to take control back, firmly, and re-establish their pack order.”
Badger took over. “If ye were a shifter, it wouldn’t matter so much because she wouldn’t have worried about hurting ye. But yer a human. She must have felt it coming strong and not been able to control it.”
“Hurt me?” He looked down at her lax face. Beautiful. Hauntingly so. He couldn’t ever imagine her wanting to hurt him.
And if she did, I’d gladly let her.
“She knew Beck here was strong enough to knock her out and short-circuit the reaction. She should be okay when she comes to.”
Beck stepped into their bathroom for a moment and returned with a wet washcloth. Ken didn’t miss how Beck handed it to him instead of approaching her himself.
Ken gently swabbed at her face. Beck’s fist had left a red mark on her jaw, and when he probed the back of her scalp he felt a goose egg rising there. But he suspected come morning she wouldn’t even have a bruise or a bump.
If he’d taken a punch like that, it would have killed him or put him in the hospital.
He laid the cloth on her forehead and picked up one of her hands, gently stroking it.
Badger stood and turned to leave, clapping Beck on the shoulder as he did. “Ye did good, lad. Stay here until she comes to, make sure she’s back to herself.” He cast one last look at Ken. “And keep yer teeth to yerself until she explains everything to ye.”
“I didn’t know!”
“I know, lad,” he said, waving his objections down. “I’m not blaming ye. It’s her fault for not telling ye. Just be careful in the future.” He left. Somewhere down the hall, Ken heard a bedroom door open and close.
Beck crossed his arms over his chest but kept his gaze on the floor. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing to me?”
The large man’s gaze briefly went to her before settling on the floor again. “For being the third wheel.”
Chapter Eleven
She awoke a few minutes later with a groan. Ken wanted to hover over her, but he noticed how Beck moved closer to the bed, on alert and ready to jump in again to protect Ken from her if necessary.
She sat up with Ken’s help, one hand holding the washcloth to her face. With a sheepish glance at Beck, she said, “Thanks.”
He nodded. Her voice had returned to normal. None of the growling, threatening undertone remained.
“Want me to hang around, or are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m okay.” Her eyes widened as she looked at Ken and started checking him. “Are you okay?”
He grabbed her hands and kissed them. “I’m okay.”
That’s when she burst into tears and threw her arms around him.
Over her shoulder, Beck nodded to him with a grim expression before showing himself out and quietly shutting the bedroom door behind him.
“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, over and over against his shirt. “I could have hurt you. I’m so sorry.”
* * * *
Dewi’s panicked worry crumbled into relief as Ken gathered her into his arms, cradling her, his chin lightly rubbing the top of her head.
“Shh, it’s okay. I’m fine. No harm. Are you okay? He hit you pretty damn hard.”
“I’m okay,” she softly said, slowly calming.
They sat like that for several minutes as she collected herself. She didn’t want to move, afraid she’d awaken to find she really had hurt him. The stupid thing was that part of her had wanted to feel his teeth sink into her flesh, to mark her.
Someone to take care of her for a change, someone she could let go to.
But that was silly, because Ken was a human, not a wolf. It was her job to protect him. That’s what she did. Enforcers protected people. Then her Prime Alpha had roared out of its cage, unstoppable. She’d panicked, unable to even think about trying to rein it in and instead screaming for Beck to come save her.
Well, to come save Ken.
She clutched his arm as she listened to his heart beating under her ear, strong and steady. Yes, her jaw hurt, and so did the back of her head, but those would be fine by morning.
Her mate was safe. That’s all she cared about.
I owe Beck an apology. She never thought about her Prime like that before. It had never come up like that before, only when she was in a fight. I need better control.
She wanted to feel Ken inside her, right then. To prove to herself that he was alive and well. But when she reached up to pull his face down to hers for a kiss, he caught her hands and kissed her fingers again.
“Let’s talk first,” he said.
She took a deep breath and nodded.
“How about explaining to me what just happened. Badger told me a little.”
She felt her face redden. Yes, she should have had this talk with him early on, but they’d been too busy…
Well, okay, so I wanted to fuck his brains out instead of talk.
“I’m a Prime Alpha. That means there are a lot of things that I can do well that even other shapeshifters can’t do. My senses are stronger. I am stronger. But it also comes with some other issues. I don’t ever want to hurt you. I’d never forgive myself.” She palmed his cheek. “I’d rather kill myself than hurt you.”
“So what else should I know so I don’t trigger you again?”
“That’s the big one. I mean, yeah, I like you using your teeth on me. But I just wasn’t ready for it.” She frowned. “And I felt something right before you did.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.” Now that she tried to think of it, the events were hazy and unclear in her mind. Whether an effect of dropping down into Prime Alpha, or because of Beck cold-cocking her, she didn’t know. It’d almost felt like a wave of dominant energy from him had pulsed through her.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “And if someone tried to hurt you, I’d likely drop into Prime mode, too, to protect you.”
“So no biting?”
She smiled. “Maybe some light nipping.” She pulled her shirt off and pointed to her left breast. “Like, maybe there?”
He smiled and freed her breast from her bra cup. When he grazed his teeth across her nipple, electric fire raced through her.
But not her Prime.
She let herself relax and enjoy it. “Yeesss,” she softly hissed as her clit pulsed. “Like that.”
He rolled them over so she lay on her back on the bed. He eagerly set to work, the sweet, wet
heat of his mouth and lips driving her need higher and harder than anyone else ever had.
She reached up and unfastened his shorts before pushing them down his hips. She found his stiff shaft and wrapped her fingers around it, enjoying the way his moan vibrated through her nipple.
Unable to take it, she crawled up the bed and latched on to his cock. With her arms wrapped around his hips, she urged him to roll on top of her.
A quick study, he did, burying his face between her thighs.
She closed her eyes and let the first of several orgasms roll through her. It’d never been this good with anyone else before.
Ever.
She felt him holding back, not wanting to come too soon. She slicked her tongue down his shaft and sucked, hard, even as one last climax washed through her.
She was rewarded with the taste of his juices in her mouth. Letting out a happy growl she swallowed, loving how his entire body relaxed as she gave him pleasure.
Pleasure no one else had given him before but her.
After a moment, his body went lax and he flopped onto his back. “I don’t know about you,” he said, “but I’m ready for sleep.”
She turned around and snuggled tightly against him. “Me, too.”
* * * *
Dewi lay awake long after Ken had slipped into a deep, satisfied sleep. Only then did she allow herself to close her eyes and relax.
Sleep did not come easy. When it did, the old, familiar dream returned.
Dream? Or perhaps nightmarish memory. Either way, it was always the same. The world around her looked blurry, sounds muffled as if through a tunnel. The feel of someone picking her up, accompanied by their nasty scent that always wanted to make her throw up. A voice saying things she didn’t understand. A different man and woman, saying something in begging tones. Then sailing through the air to crash land. Her head hurt, not from the blow Beck had given her in real life hours earlier, but from something else.
Evil.
And as the sounds once again started and broke through the fuzziness, the woman crying out in pain even as a rhythmic slapping noise started, Dewi awoke with a choked scream strangled in the back of her throat.
As she took several deep breaths and tried to still her pulse, she looked to see Ken still deeply and peacefully asleep next to her.
She did the only thing she could do when one of these ruined her sleep for the night. Despite the clock reading 1:18 a.m., she carefully climbed out of bed, changed into workout clothes, and went downstairs.
* * * *
Tuesday morning, Ken awoke before the alarm to the feel of Dewi’s lips wrapped around his cock. After lifting his head to look down at her, he plunged his fingers into her hair and worked his hips in time with her mouth. When she palmed his sac, he felt his orgasm roll out of him, exploding through him like a runaway freight train.
After she’d sucked every last drop out of him, she rested her cheek against his thigh. “Good morning,” she softly said.
He laughed. “Good morning, baby. Come up here and let me take care of you.”
“Uh-uh.” She placed a light kiss on his cock before sitting up. “I can wait. That was me trying to make it up to you for last night.”
He sat up and caught her arm before she could get away. Pulling her back to him, he kissed her. “You don’t need to make anything up to me. It’s okay. It was weird and scary at the time, but everything in my life since I’ve met you has been either weird, scary, or both. I’m kind of getting used to it.”
She offered him a sad smile and kissed him again. “I’m going to take you to work this morning. I doubt I’ll be back in time to get you this afternoon. Badger said he’ll come pick you up.”
“You don’t need to make him do that.”
“I’m not making him. He offered. I’d feel better if you’d let him.”
He sensed her concern for him. She’d scared herself last night and wanted to make sure nothing happened to him.
Giving in, he nodded. “Okay. But only if you kiss me.”
That drew a smile from her. She leaned in and kissed him, long and sweetly, before sitting back. “Coffee’s almost ready. I’ll make you breakfast while you’re in the shower.”
He faked a pout. “Aww, you’re not going to take a shower with me?”
She shook her head as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “I took one earlier after I worked out.”
He’d never felt her get out of bed. He also belatedly realized she was already fully dressed. “When did you do that?”
She shrugged and looked down at the bed. “I couldn’t sleep.”
Capturing her hand again, he laced his fingers through hers. “Talk to me, Dewi.”
She shook her head. “Not now. Later. After I get back. Right now, I need to get my head on straight. I’ve got a job to do.” She gently squeezed his hand before untangling herself and standing. “Plus I don’t want to make you late for work. I’ll bring up your coffee and get your breakfast ready. After I take you to work I have to come back here and do a couple of things before I head south.”
He didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to tell she still felt guilty over what happened the night before. As he stepped into the shower and stood under the spray, he went over the previous night’s events again. He still didn’t understand exactly why he’d bit her. It’d been an overwhelming urge, and one that frightened him a little in its intensity.
What the hell is wrong with me?
He never considered himself some caveman who’d want to drag his woman to bed. He’d always envisioned one day having a partner in life, someone to be his equal, to share all things with. And yet on the heels of that came the delicious mental image of wrapping her hair around his fist and using that handhold to force her onto his knees to suck him off.
He pressed his forehead against the cool tile and turned the water temp down to try to wilt the woody that suddenly sprang up at that thought, so hard it throbbed, painful, demanding attention.
Then again, he figured Dewi could probably lift him with one arm, now that he knew about her wolf side. If she didn’t want him doing something to her, she likely wouldn’t let it happen.
As his libido settled down to a slow simmer once again, he finished his shower. Before this, he’d always been a man of numbers, of science, so to speak. Facts and figures, algorithms and programming code. Although he’d happily played Dungeons & Dragons when he was younger, he never believed in fanciful creatures.
He especially never believed he’d ever be mated to one.
Hell, just believing he now had a scorching hot fiancée was already stretching the bounds of his brain.
* * * *
She wore her sunglasses for the drive to campus, which meant he couldn’t study her expression. He suspected that was the whole point since the sun was behind them for much of the drive. Now growing used to her driving, he forced himself to relax as she smoothly changed lanes and negotiated the traffic. She stopped in front of the building to let him out.
He leaned over and kissed her. “Be careful today.”
“I will. I really need to get you a cell phone. I don’t like not being in contact with you.”
“I’ll pick up one of those cheap pre-paid ones,” he mumbled.
She removed her glasses and met his gaze with her mocha eyes. “I want to buy a nice one for you. I can afford it. My money is your money. Please don’t start with some macho bullshit about wanting to pay for stuff. So you have debt because of your asshole step-brother. Big deal.”
He felt his face redden. “Badger told you?”
She arched an eyebrow at him. “Yeah. And I don’t care if you’re broke or rich. I didn’t fall in love with you for that. I fell in love with you because we were meant to be together.” She pulled him in for another kiss. “Please humor me.”
He sensed it meant a lot to her. “Okay, fine.”
He’d kill for her pleased smile. “Cool. I’ll get you one. Love you.”
“L
ove you, too.” With more than a simple wistful pang, he climbed out of her car, gathered his things, and headed inside.
Jason and Mark awaited him in the lobby. “Dude,” Jason said, “where the hell did you meet a hottie like her?”
“And does she have a sister?” Mark added.
Ken kept his gaze firmly fixed on the elevator doors. He was afraid if he didn’t, he’d want to take a swing at both men.
Dewi apparently wasn’t the only one having trouble controlling her more violent urges. “Have a little respect. She’s my fiancée, not just my girlfriend.”
“What?” both men chimed in unison.
“Yeah. I proposed yesterday, and she accepted.”
When the door slid open he stepped in, flanked by the other two men. “What the hell?” Mark said. “You just met her.”
Ken felt his jaw clench. “What business is it of yours?” He punched the button for his floor.
“Whoa,” Jason said. “Chill. It’s just you aren’t exactly the dating kind.”
He found himself in Jason’s face, staring down at him. “You don’t know anything about me.” The growl rolling out of him scared him. “You don’t know a damn thing about me except you think I’m some sort of joke. Well grow the fuck up. I do have a life.”
Fortunately, the doors opened onto his floor. He rushed out, breathing heavy and trying to stifle the urge to go back and punch both of them.
Not just for what they’d said, but for what he’d felt from them.
Lust. They both thought Dewi was hot as hell and wanted a crack at her.
And they were jealous of Ken for landing someone of her caliber.
His hand shook and he dropped his keys three times before he got his office door opened and stepped inside, locking it behind him.
What the fuck?
He put everything down and stared at his hands. As if with a will of their own, they clenched and unclenched. The feel of making a fist resonated through him.
It’d be so easy to storm down the hall and—
No!
He forced himself to sit behind his desk, hands flat on his desk, for five minutes while he took deep, cleansing breaths, afraid to move until the urge to spill their blood had completely passed.
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