—
Chapter Five
BRYAN
I knocked on my parent’s door. I’d gone stir crazy after she left. It felt like my entire world had collapsed in on me. I’d gone in search of my best friend and pack beta, John, but hadn’t found him. I didn’t trust anyone else with this, so I came back to them, back to the ones who’d loved me since they’d found me.
My mother opened the door. Her eyes widened marginally as she cocked her head. “Bryan, come in. Is everything alright, dear? You seem upset.”
I slipped past her, shoving my hands in my pockets. Her grey eyes pierced me, dissecting me the way only a mother could.
“Oh, dear. Come along then.” She slid her arm around one of mine and escorted me to the kitchen table.
My father already sat there, a cup of coffee in hand. “Hey, son. Everything alright?”
I sat on the other side of him, the opposite side from where another cup of coffee sat steaming. “Not really. I need to talk to you and Mom.”
He sat up straight, studying me.
My mother walked back into the room with a fresh mug of coffee for me. She set it down in front of me before taking her seat.
They both looked at me expectantly.
My mother’s eyes were keen, but the creases around them softened them. Her lips feathered at the edges, hinting at her fifty-something age. Always impeccably dressed, she wore a navy blue polyester skirt and a white button-up shirt. The outfit didn’t do much for her robust mid-section, but she was covered. At least the navy looked great with her blonde hair cut into a semi-stylish bob.
My father was gruff in appearance. Even though he shaved daily, his face still seemed rough, the hard angles of his features were intimidating to most. Take into account how he towered over my mother and most of the people he came into contact with, and it only perpetuated his reputation. Anyone who spoke with him though quickly discovered he was a soft bear. It took a lot to open him up, but he’d do anything for you once you earned his respect.
Which was what I was afraid of losing.
“I know I messed up in the past and disappointed you both with my actions. In church they engrained into me that I needed to wait until marriage to have sex again, and God knows I’ve tried.” I huffed as my wolf stirred, taking a swipe at me. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve tried to fight my instincts because I don’t want to disappoint you again. But I’m not human. I’m a werewolf. It’s different for us. We’re ruled by the physical.”
I pulled the ring from my pocket and set it on the table between us. My mother gasped. “I’m sorry, but I can’t wait any longer. She walked away from me because since the moment I met her I haven’t been able to hug her because I’m so afraid of losing control. We had a disconnect because I was trying so hard.” I frowned, staring down at the ring. “I tried to wait out of respect for you and the church and all that you’ve taught me, but I can’t any longer, especially if it means giving her up.”
My mother clasped my hand. “You’ve never disappointed us, Bryan. You’re a wonderful leader, a strong example to the pack. I know things are harder for you, but they’re not much different. We all have urges and needs. There comes a time though when you have to decide what you’re willing to sacrifice to live this life. I think you’ve drawn your line. I could never be mad at you for declaring your limits.” She squeezed my hand.
My father was quiet, his expression pensive. It was a long minute before he spoke.
“We’d never look down on you for making an informed decision about your life, son. We respect our differences. It’s why we moved across the country for you. Lord knows I hate the humidity that seems to drown the east coast.” He met my gaze. “But you’re right. Thou shalt not have sex before marriage is not one of the Ten Commandments, and losing your mate, the girl He made specifically for you over it isn’t worth it.” My father stood, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Go get her, tiger.”
I smiled, feeling free for the first time. “Don’t you mean wolf?”
“Eh. Technicality.” He grabbed his cup off the table and disappeared into the kitchen.
My mother walked over to me. “Good luck, dear.” She kissed my forehead and followed my dad into the kitchen, officially dismissing me.
My wolf fucking purred as I pocketed the ring and headed for my SUV. It looked like we had a mate to claim.
—
Chapter Six
MICHELLE
John wrapped his arm around me, pulling my head down on his chest as we sat on the couch together. Over the past year, he’d become as much my friend as Bryan’s, but I knew, in the end, I would be the one to lose his friendship. He was Bryan’s beta; their lives were bound together in the pack. I was an outsider. As welcoming as they’d been, our differences were undeniable.
“He’ll come around, Chel. Just give him some time to get his head on straight.”
I didn’t want to hope, but I found my heart soaring a bit at the idea. I would love to reconcile. Of course, I would also love for him to hug me. Out of everything, that’s what bothered me the most. He treated me almost as if I had a contagious disease, like I was the one in a billion who’d developed leprosy.
John trailed his hand up and down my upper arm in a soothing motion. He didn’t try anything; he didn’t push for anything more from me. He was there for me; he comforted me the way I wished, the way I longed for Bryan to.
My eyelids grew heavy, my bones felt weighted and weak as exhaustion settled over me. Emotionally, going through the ringer was draining.
As John continued his calming rhythm on my arm, I found myself slipping away. My eyes were on the brink of closing when my front door burst open. I jumped up, a curdling scream hurdling from me.
John sprung up from the couch and immediately jerked me behind him.
Before I could see who’d barged in, I heard him and knew.
“What the hell are you doing with her?” Bryan growled, his wolf loud and prominent.
“Trying to keep her from kicking your ass to the curb.” John didn’t flinch. He never did. He talked to Bryan as if he had no leverage over him every time. “So I suggest you save the pissy bullshit for a rainy day.”
He turned towards me. “I’m gonna give you two some time.” He nodded his head towards Bryan. “Call me if you need anything.” He hugged me. “I’m serious,” he whispered. His breath tickled my neck.
“Thanks.” I kissed his cheek as he pulled back.
He winked at me before facing the beast snarling in my entryway. “Give me your keys.” John held a palm up and out towards Bryan expectantly. When he didn’t respond right away, John motioned his fingers.
“Don’t wreck it, don’t dent it, don’t scrape it, smudge it or do anything to it.” Bryan reluctantly handed him the keys to his SUV.
“I’ve got you.” John slapped Bryan’s chest, snatching the keys in one lithe motion. He moved towards the door. He stopped and whistled. “Thank God the deadbolt wasn’t locked. That’s the only way this door will stay shut now.”
I sighed, frowning. I didn’t want to think about how much it would cost to re-frame the door. Men and their freaking egos.
Bryan locked the deadbolt behind John.
I plopped back down on the sofa, my legs folding Indian style as I wrapped my arms around my chest. I didn’t want to look at him. I wasn’t ready to face him. The wounds were still fresh, still raw. Seeing him now was like pouring salt into a deep cut. It burned. I never knew my heart was towards the center of my chest until now. It seared beneath my skin, a reminder of the pain inflicted from walking away.
I stared into the fireplace, focusing on the flickering flames rather than the pressure in my chest, rather than the swarm of thoughts, the wind tunnel of emotions threatening to take me under.
It was hell letting go of someone you loved. I could only imagine this was what the death of a close relative felt like. I existed in this moment. I was physically present, but was being bur
ied by the past, by a memory from hours ago and the pain it inflicted.
Mindlessly, I rubbed my right thumb across my left ring finger. I dropped my gaze to the empty space where something had sat for the past six months. My hands began to tremble as scenes flashed from hours before in my mind. I clenched my hands together, mentally shaking myself. I couldn’t do this now, not with him watching me. He couldn’t know how much he’d hurt me. No one could.
I froze as he rounded the sofa. He studied me for a minute before collapsing down beside me. He took several deep breaths before turning towards me. “I’m a man; I’m the alpha of my pack, but I can still admit when I’m wrong. I thought I was waiting for the right reasons. Turns out I wasn’t. Turns out I was bringing my parents into our relationship rather than keeping it just between us. As a werewolf, I’ve never believed in waiting until marriage. It’s engrained in us to claim our mate as soon as possible. For most, that means the same day.”
I listened, I observed, but I didn’t know how to react, how to respond to that. How did you speak up when your opinion was contradictive and you didn’t feel like arguing? I respected what he tried to do. I respected his parents’ beliefs because he’d treated them as his own.
I didn’t grow up in that environment though. My parents were more spiritual than religious. My mother went through phases actually. They were the definition of hippies: free spirited, guided by Mother Earth rather than a god. We had moral and ethical standards, but they weren’t as strict as Bryan’s family’s.
He unbound my hands and placed my palms against his chest. He pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms securely around my waist. Merely seconds after moving me, his hands slid down, under my hoodie and cradled my hips. He massaged the broadest part of me. As he caressed my hips, his eyes darkened, his lips pursed and his expression sharpened. Slowly his breathing grew heavier and I felt his cock press into the underside of my thigh.
I swallowed hard. This was the first time he’d let go.
His gaze traveled up and down my body in a slow, seductive manner. On his way back up, a low growl escaped him.
The longer he soaked me in with his gaze, the hotter I seemed to feel. He had the same intense gaze that never ceased to affect me. I began to squirm beneath his heated perusal. He clamped his hands tight around me, stopping me from moving.
“You’re mine, Michelle. I’m done waiting.”
I screeched as he stood and threw me over his shoulder. I held tightly to the back of his shirt.
He chuckled, walking towards the hall where my bedroom was.
I knew I should have been overwhelmed by either excitement or fear, or even a combination of the two, but my mind blanked. I was fighting to wrap my mind around the idea the fact that he’d just said he was going to finally claim me.
He burst through my bedroom door, kicking it shut behind him. “Let go of me,” he ordered.
I found my hands instantly releasing his shirt. I frowned. Did I always respond to his orders like this? I wasn’t sure if I liked any man having that amount of power over me.
He tossed me into the center of the bed and immediately covered me, pressing his long, hard length against me. My body rejoiced with the weight of him above me; the feel of his muscled build flexing against my plump silhouette.
He captured my lips, stealing away any sensible thoughts I could have had. His lips were soft, easily molding to mine, but there was a demand in their touch. His lips caressed my mouth with a gentle roughness that set my pussy aflame.
I clamped my hands around his biceps, indulging in the way his muscles moved beneath his skin; it alluded to his strength, to one of the many things I loved about him.
He trailed kisses across my cheek and jaw. I found myself tilting my head, giving him better access to my sensitive flesh.
Abruptly he cupped my face, holding me still as he pushed his hard cock, straining within his jeans, against my center. He nipped my earlobe, a snarl erupting. “When it comes to the bedroom, I’m in charge. Do you understand me?”
Excitement coursed my veins, sending jolts of anticipation through me. I guess I did like a man with power over me. I nodded my head in agreement.
“Answer me.”
“Yes,” I muttered dazedly. God, I was such a floozy. What woman became a floppy doll around her man? It was one thing to love someone, but he literally took my breath away. It was like I was under his spell.
My body was so eager to join with his, my soul was so enthused by his presence and my heart seemed to be dancing in my chest as I gazed at him above me. This was really happening. After all this time, I was finally going to be irrevocably his. Perhaps this wasn’t a wedding ceremony, but in my eyes, it was more than that. This was the highest level of commitment a werewolf could make. Once Bryan marked me inside and out, there was no escape clause for him. This was a permanent marriage without a chaplain.
There was no stronger way for him to proclaim his love for me, to declare a future for us.
I shrieked as Bryan flipped us. My shock quickly gave way to laughter as I gazed down at him.
“I’m choosing to invoke my authority in the bedroom, sweetie.” There was a mischievous glint in his eyes that sent a flutter through my body. He lightly bit his lower lip. The action sent heat shooting to my pussy. He released his lip, giving a knowing chuckle as he smirked. “Strip for me, baby.”
I let my gaze fall down his body to where his hard cock met my apex. He wanted to be in charge, fine. I’d gain my power in this room in other ways.
I froze for a moment, shocked by my bravery. Wow. Since when did I become so ballsy? The second I met his heated gaze again, I had my answer. Since the moment he dropped all pretenses and shared his desire for me. Bryan wanted me just as I was; he made that very clear. He was making it clear now with his bulging erection. If I allowed my insecurities to take over, I’d ruin what I’d been longing for.
Love required risk. Love required trust. I had to trust Bryan with my body; I had to believe that if I confidently gave it over to him, he’d take me to places I could only have dreamed of before.
I was ready. Damn was I ready.
—
Chapter Seven
BRYAN
She gave me a wicked grin. I frowned as my confidence briefly slipped. I was the one who gave devious smiles in the bedroom.
Damn. Nature didn’t play fair.
Chel slithered down my body. She stopped, hovering over the crotch of my jeans. She winked at me before she bent her head and kissed the material. The little devil put just enough pressure to send shockwaves through my dick. I stiffened, clenching my muscles to keep from whipping out my cock and begging her to suck him dry.
Fuck. Since when did a single brush over thick jeans affect me like this? My cock bulged further as my wolf roared. He was primed and ready, anxiously pacing, waiting for the moment I set him free.
She chuckled lightly as she pushed off the bottom of the bed. She rimmed the hem of her hoodie; her eyes glittered with delight. She knew she had an affect on me, she finally saw that I was truly attracted to her, and she reveled in it. The spicy, confident woman I fell in love with was making a comeback.
She drifted the hoodie up her body, up her arms and over her head before tossing it aside. I had to pinch my cock at the sight of her breasts, spilling over in the spaghetti strap tank.
She slid her fingers beneath the waistline of her sweats. My mouth fell open and I knew my eyes widened as she rocked her hips back and forth. My mouth watered, my chest rumbled as an erotic growl shook me. Goddamn, she was potent. She hadn’t even taken off her pants and I was salivating, on the verge of losing control. My grip was growing slippery. Every sexy move she made was a drop of oil to it, making it harder to hold onto my sanity, making it nearly impossible to fight my instincts.
She continued to shimmy her hips as she allowed the thick material to slip down over her lusciously plump thighs. My groin tightened to the point of pain as she swirled her hips, gr
acefully giving me her backside. I hissed, fisting my balls to keep from blowing my load as she bent over to free the pants. Pain and pleasure fought through my lower stomach as pre-come dribbled down my throbbing cock.
She stood upright, glancing back at me over her shoulder. She gave me a flirty grin before spinning around to face me again. And then, before I knew what she was planning, she was climbing back onto the bed, wiggling between my legs. She grabbed my hand, removing it from my swollen dick and straddled me.
I clenched my teeth as my body shook beneath the pleasure erupting from my center the moment she slid her warm crotch against mine. Before I could stop myself, I grabbed her hips, holding her in place. “You’re on thin ice, baby,” I warned. If she kept this up, my wolf was going to break free too soon. He wouldn’t be gentle. He’d make her howl the same way he would.
“Duly noted, sir.” Her voice was seductive. There was power in her tone, a power that came from knowledge. She knew what she was doing to me. Fucking minx.
She thrust her tank up and off her, allowing her breasts to spill free. God, they were beautiful. She was beautiful. She must have seen something change in my expression. “You like them, don’t you?”
My limbs trembled, my blood boiled and pulse impossibly ricocheted throughout my body as she caressed her breasts. My hands dug into the flesh around her hips as she flicked her tight nipples, moaning with pleasure.
My wolf launched for the surface. We didn’t take kindly to being teased. Didn’t anyone teach her not to tempt a natural born predator?
Without warning, I threw her beneath me. I was done letting her own the game. Her pleasure was mine, and I’d be damned if she got her pleasure alone. She was my responsibility, mine to love, body and soul. I wanted to make her scream. I wanted to hear her howl like the werewolf I was.
She gasped, surprised by my move. She quickly recovered, grinning seductively at me. “Couldn’t take it, could you?”
I accepted the challenge she’d just delivered. I was going to take her to the edge and make her beg. I was going to push her limits, help her discover what she could and couldn’t take. “Oh, sweetie. You have no idea what you just unleashed upon yourself.” I moved closer, lingering a hairsbreadth from her lips. “I told you I was in charge here. Rebelling only earns you a punishment.”
Alpha Doms Box Set: 9 Delicious Stories + 10 Sexy Heroes = 19 Reasons to Indulge Page 24