Unable to hold back, I cupped the back of her head and captured her lips. The second I secured her lips, I rubbed my hand up and down before pushing my fingers in tiny circles over her heat, over where I knew her clit was.
She squirmed beneath me. Based off her movements, I could tell she didn’t know whether to pull further away from me or give in and push into my touch.
Damn. Her heat scorched my skin through her clothes. I could only imagine what she would feel like around my cock.
My wolf growled loud, chomping at my ribs aggressively. He wanted out. She was right where we needed her to be to claim her.
I beat him down, continuing my physical assault on her.
My fingers threaded her hair, allowing me to control the angle at which I kissed her. Tugging back on her locks, I nibbled and kissed her neck.
She moaned.
I growled with delight, loving the power I had over her; thoroughly enjoying watching what I could do to her.
I sped up my movements over her clit, using the seam of her jeans to flick her little nub.
“Oh, fuck.” She tried to crawl up on the table, but my hand moved quickly to her shoulder, stopping her. She shivered. Her eyes pleaded with me as she bit her lips, another whimper escaping her.
Damn. I knew I was in deep when I suddenly didn’t give a fuck about my own need. Her need consumed me. It no longer mattered if I ever came again, as long as she was satisfied, as long as she was happy.
I leaned into her ear, nipping the sensitive flesh just beneath it. “Come for me, Chel. Let me see you come apart in my arms.”
And just like that, she let go.
Her head dipped back, her lips parting as she cried out. Her body shook beneath me as she gasped for air between moans.
“Look at me,” I growled.
Her eyes immediately focused on me as she rode the waves of pleasure rippling through her body. Her expression was one of pained pleasure. I saw everything in the depths of her eyes. She couldn’t hide in that moment. And that was the point of intimacy.
At the height of pleasure, you couldn’t keep your walls up. You were forced to let them all fall as you wrapped yourself around someone else, as your soul swirled with your mate’s.
She was so beautiful. Her skin flushed as the last shudder worked through her. Her hair spilled out onto the table beneath us. Her swollen breasts rose and fell with her heavy breaths.
And then suddenly she was blushing and averting her gaze. She pushed on my chest, moving to get away.
“Michelle.”
“Please let me go.” Her quiet request broke my heart.
Damn it. How had I ruined it? What had I done wrong? “What happened?” I was helpless. There wasn’t anything I could do but grapple, attempt to coerce answers from her.
“Please move,” she repeated, pressing against my chest again.
I sighed, moving back, giving her room to escape. I stuffed my hands in my pocket; the move pinched my jeans against my throbbing cock.
She palmed my cheek. “I appreciate it, but I think we shouldn’t see each other again until our wedding day.”
My head jerked up, my eyes seeking hers. “That’s a month away.” I argued.
She gave me a small smile. “I’m not as strong as you. Just like you know your limits, I also know mine.” Something in her eyes told me that wasn’t it though. She was pulling away too quick; she was hiding something.
“No. That’s not it.” I scrutinized her.
Her pulse kicked up at my challenge. Her gaze dipped before returning to mine. She definitely wasn’t telling me the truth. When she remained quiet, I pressed.
I grabbed her hand, pulling it from my face to kiss her palm. “Hey. I’m supposed to be your best friend. I’m the one person you can tell anything to and not have to worry about judgment. Talk to me, sweetie.”
“That’s just it, Bryan. You’re perfect. You’re always in control. I guess I just thought that I would be marrying a guy whom I brought to his knees with my curves, someone that I had such an affect on that he couldn’t help himself. I thought I would be marrying someone who isn’t perfect, but is perfect for me. You’re not. You weigh every option, every decision carefully. You make the best choices for the pack. The pack’s steel business hasn’t suffered a loss since you took over. Your…” She stumbled, overwhelmed. “Even your hair is a perfect mess,” she exclaimed. “You’re intimidating.” Her features twisted as she shrugged her shoulders. “It’s hard to accept that I’m marrying someone who I will always feel slightly less than. I guess I just need time to adjust and accept that.”
Pain ricocheted through me. Her words were a knife to my gut, cutting deep and burning. My lungs struggled to expand as I gazed into her eyes, awash with sadness. I didn’t know how to show her that she humbled me without caving.
She jerked her hand away, taking a step back. “Please don’t do that, Bry. I’m not blaming you. You’re an amazing guy. I’m really lucky to be with you. I just wish I could have the same confidence in myself when I’m with you.”
I thought back to the first night I’d met her. She lit up like the sun, radiating with confidence and grace as she mingled with potential customers at her art exhibit. The gallery had dedicated the night to her work alone, and rightly so. Her paintings were realistic, yet had an air of whimsy, had a breath of emotion that splattered across them and brought her landscapes to life. It was one of the things that I loved about her.
As a werewolf, I lived, I existed, extremely close to nature. Out of all the humans I’d met in my time, she was the first to understand, to truly grasp the energy, the life that flourished in nature. She wasn’t merely a pretty canvas; nature was alive, bursting with spirit and emotion all around us. Michelle understood that. She captured it beautifully.
The moment I approached her and engaged with her, I fell in love. She was this self-assured, sexy woman who spoke with passion. She didn’t grow shy around the models who frequented the gallery; she walked right up to them and greeted them with an air of equality. She didn’t view anyone as greater than or less than herself; everyone was her equal.
She was beautiful, smart, talented, and confident and somehow, I’d been lucky enough to attract her. She was everything that I desired in a mate and then some.
But somehow, I’d killed her light. She wasn’t the woman I’d met; she was a shell of the blazing spirit I’d fallen in love with.
I shoved my hands back in my pockets and averted my gaze. I didn’t know if I could look her in the eyes and let her go. “I want you to be happy. The woman I met was happy; she practically glowed.”
My wolf frantically attacked my insides, raging and roaring.
I sighed in frustration. I couldn’t think of the right words to say. My wolf was irritating the crap out of me, distracting me. I huffed, smacking him down. “You’ve just made it clear that you’ll never be happy with me, Michelle. I love you enough to let you go. So go find a man who can make you happy, someone who doesn’t put out your light, alright?” I couldn’t keep the anger from my tone. I couldn’t hide my hurt, not with my wolf making me hyper aware of what we were both losing.
When she didn’t move right away, I snapped. “Go!”
I mentally kicked myself when tears streamed down her face.
She looked away, slipping off the ring. She placed it on the table, grabbed her jacket and purse and scurried for the door. She didn’t bother protecting herself from the cold with her coat though as she opened the door. She stopped, with one foot over the threshold. “For the record, Bryan. You made me happy. I was only upset because I couldn’t seem to make you happy.”
Then the door closed behind her, and my heart shattered into a million fucking pieces.
—
Chapter Four
MICHELLE
My pulse echoed in my head. My heart was pounding into my chest walls as my lungs refused to expand. Tears poured down my face as I tried to contain my sobs, at least until I was out of
earshot.
My hands trembled as I struggled to unlock my car door. The freezing temperature didn’t help. I lazily glanced at my jacket in my arms, knowing I should put it on. I didn’t care though. Something had finally snapped inside me.
When I finally got the car open, I practically threw my items inside and slid in, slamming the door shut behind me. I immediately started the engine, cranked the heat and sped off. It was only then that I allowed myself to fully break down.
Sobs wracked me as I fought to see the road through my waterlogged eyes. I was forced to slow down, to drive slower.
I was almost off pack property when something jumped out in front of me. I slammed on my breaks, lurching forward into the steering wheel. Momentarily stunned, my tears halted.
I knew my eyes widened as I scanned my surroundings. I didn’t see anything yet my heart still thundered. It was a quick flash. Maybe I imagined it. I wasn’t exactly in the best mental state.
Suddenly someone tapped on my driver’s side window. I shrieked, my hand flying to my chest.
I took a deep breath before looking at the window. At the sight of John, Bryan’s beta, my heart sunk.
His tall, lean muscled build was so similar to Bryan’s. He was resting his arms against the top of the car; his head was angled downwards with his abs and chest in clear view. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, only athletic shorts, which meant he’d just shifted back.
Reluctantly, I rolled down my window. “It never ceases to amaze me that you don’t catch a cold dressed like that in this weather.” I aimed for a lighthearted comment, but my voice cracked near the end. Damn it.
“Mind if I hop in?” The way he was eyeing me told me he knew something was wrong. His asking to get in told me I couldn’t run.
I sighed, rolling up the window. Reaching over, I unlocked the passenger door.
No sooner had I unlocked the door then John was slipping inside and closing it behind him. “Why don’t we turn around and go back to my house?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I trusted him, but I couldn’t bear to be on pack grounds for another minute. I wanted to escape. I was hoping getting away would help me escape the pain.
“Then let’s go to your place.” He faced the front and pulled on his seatbelt. I always chuckled when one of them did that. They were damn near indestructible it seemed yet they still obeyed the law.
Then again, they were all about following the law. They were a clan of rules and order, dictated by the alpha…the wolf I’d just walked out on.
“John, you should probably go.” I fidgeted with my hands in my lap, keeping my foot firmly on the break pedal. “Bryan and I just broke up.”
“I know.”
I spun on him. “What? I mean, it just happened.” My brows furrowed as I studied him, utterly confused and borderline exhausted. I felt wrung out, my limbs weak after- I immediately cut off the thought. It didn’t stop the hollow pang in my chest though.
“Calm down, Chel.” He patted my forearm. “Your eyes are puffy and your nose is red, telltale signs that you’ve been crying, had I not heard your sobs. The dead giveaway though is your missing ring.” I frowned at him. He shrugged. “We have supernatural senses, sweetie. Now, let’s go back to your place and talk about what the big oaf did wrong.”
I studied him for a moment, debating whether or not to go along with it.
He smirked, mischief gleaming in his eyes. “You can’t get me out of this car.”
I rolled my eyes, facing the road again. “Just my luck. I leave one wolf and get stuck with another.” I shifted the car into drive and headed home.
John opened every door and escorted me up to my apartment. My neighbor gave him a strange look before scampering back inside. I couldn’t blame her though. He was barefoot, bare-chested and only in shorts in the middle of November when the weatherman had threatened snow tonight.
I flicked on the lights while John headed straight for the kitchen. Figures. Wolves had a metabolism to envy. They ate all the time but never seemed to gain an ounce. Meanwhile, if I had one too many bites at dinner, I immediately had to unbutton my pants. Yes, I was absolutely jealous.
“Want some coffee, sweetie?”
“Sure, thanks.” I hung my coat on the rack by the door along with my purse. “I’m going to get comfy.”
“Alright,” he called.
I changed into a pair of black capri sweats and a black tank top before throwing on an oversized grey hoodie over it. A pair of black socks kept my feet warm.
I moved into the bathroom. Peering in the mirror, I was a wreck. Mascara was clumped around my lashes and streaking down my face. I threw my hair into a messy bun atop my head before splashing some warm water on my face and using an old washcloth to wipe off my makeup. I wasn’t beautiful like this, but then again, if I wasn’t Bryan’s type, I certainly wasn’t John’s.
Accepting reality just plain sucked sometimes.
When I returned to the living room, cups of coffee were laid out for us. I smiled, seeing that John had already mixed cream and sugar into mine.
He sat back on the sofa, his long legs sprawled out in front of him. His arms were thrown over the back of the couch. He’d purposefully sat in the middle spot so I couldn’t escape him.
“Come on,” he said, never looking away from the fire he’d started in the hearth across from the sofa. Damn that supernatural hearing.
I went to the couch, plopping down on the right side of him. I immediately tucked one leg under the other and picked up my mug of coffee. “Thanks for the coffee.”
He looked me up and down, giving me a small smile. “Let’s talk, sweetie. What happened?”
Damn. He always was straight to the point.
I stared into the hot cup in my hands. My emotions returned with a vengeance as I tried to gage what to tell him and what to keep. At the end of it all though, I didn’t really know what happened. So much had happened so quickly. Before I knew it, he was yelling for me to go.
I frowned, feeling the tears well again as I recalled the harsh growl in his tone. It wasn’t just him who’d sent me away. It was his wolf too. I was almost certain of it. I guess they’d finally had enough of me.
“Chel?” John’s voice was soothing as he caressed my cheek with the back of his hand.
I glanced at him, shocked by the fear in his eyes.
His brows pulled down as he studied me carefully. He angled his head. “What did he do to you?”
“Nothing.” I stood, setting the cup back down on the side table. “I’m sorry, John. I’m just not ready to talk about this yet.” I scrubbed my face, moving towards the fireplace.
“Then we don’t have to talk. Come sit back down.”
I could tell he was trying to pacify me, which unfurled anger within me. I wasn’t a child. Damn it. I was a woman, a woman who deserved to be loved, regardless of her size. I deserved love. I deserved a man who loved me just as I was, who appreciated every curve, every bump, and every divot.
I turned back to him with an air of thoughtfulness. “John, why don’t men like curvy women? I mean, we’re just like thinner women, only with more.”
“Is that what the fight was about?” He appeared slightly confused.
“Can you please just answer me?” I hugged myself.
He shrugged. “I don’t know how to answer that because I personally love curvy women. I’m a wolf, not a dog. I prefer meat over bones.” He winked, giving me a sly smile.
I chuckled lightly, feeling a small weight lift off of me. “Aren’t dogs and wolves in the same category?”
He frowned, narrowing his eyes at me. “Depends on who you ask.” He dropped the pretense, the mysterious façade, and smiled again.
My smile faded as I reflected on tonight. “Why won’t he touch me, John? I can understand waiting until marriage to go all the way, but he-“ I felt my cheeks color as I fidgeted. “He’s never…”
John raised a brow, squinting his eyes as he leaned off the co
uch, as if getting closer would allow him to collect my unspoken words.
“He holds my hand and touches my face. He’ll kiss my lips for a bit, but never lingers. But…I mean, he hasn’t done anything else. He hasn’t even hugged me.”
“Uh, wow.” He sat back on the couch. His expression was unreadable.
Regret washed through me. I should have stayed quiet. I never should have said anything. “Forget it, John. Let’s just sit quietly.” I moved back to the sofa, grabbing my coffee as I sat down. I crossed my legs Indian style, resting my forearms atop my thighs.
John wrapped an arm around me. “It’s different for us, Chel. It’s especially different for him. We don’t have the luxury to cut loose every once in a while. The moment we lose control, our wolf gains it. Even when we shift, we have to mentally be superior or else our wolf will wreak havoc. It’s not an easy job. We literally can never let go.
“Throw in a year and a half without sex and we’re damn near combustible. One wrong move and we’ll explode and lose everything we’ve worked so hard for.
“I know as a human, you’re used to physical reassurance. Once he’s claimed you, trust me, you won’t be able to keep his hands off of you. But until then, he really is walking a tight rope. I know it’s not that he doesn’t want to touch you, it’s that he’s afraid to touch you. The last thing he wants is to hurt you.”
I mulled over his words. I knew things were different for them. Believe it or not, I even understood why he was always so tense and on edge. What I didn’t understand though, what I couldn’t accept, was why John could smile and play, but Bryan couldn’t. I knew the alpha had more responsibility, but- Oh hell. I didn’t know anymore. I was so confused now; I didn’t know what to think. All I knew was that he sent me away. He broke my heart and sent me away.
“John, he told me to go. No, he yelled for me to leave at the end.” My chest tightened just thinking about it. “I love him. He tells me he loves me, but-” I sighed. “I don’t know.”
Alpha Doms Box Set: 9 Delicious Stories + 10 Sexy Heroes = 19 Reasons to Indulge Page 23