Sold to the Alpha

by Cara Wylde

  Their drinks and sandwiches came, and they ate in silence. Avelyn watched the passers-by on the sidewalk going about their business. This was the best day in a long time. She enjoyed the company of all the three wolves, even though they were not particularly compatible with each other. When she finished her sandwich, she leaned back in her chair and took out her smartphone. She was in such a good mood that she could even text Maxwell von Liar and add a smiley face at the end. “I’m having a great time! Love you! :)”

  “So, where do you want to go next?” asked Val. “We still have half a day left. I don’t believe you want to go back to the Schloss this early.”

  “Not in a million years! Don’t get me wrong, I do love your medieval castle, but I was dying to change the air a bit. What’s there to see in Dunkelstadt?”

  “I know! I know!” jumped Rosanna. “There’s a forest adventure park nearby. Caleb can take us by car.”

  “Err… I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.” Avelyn couldn’t picture herself trying a ropes course or going on a canopy tour. She wasn’t sure they would even let her do that. “I… I’m afraid of heights.”

  “They also have target archery,” offered Caleb.

  “He’s right! With a coach and everything.”

  “That sounds interesting.” Avelyn had never practiced archery before. There was no need to teach the shifter-brides how to use a bow with arrows, after all. “Yeah, I think I’d like that. Is it difficult?”

  “A bit,” said Caleb. “You need to have strong arms and a good aim, but it can be fixed. I can show you how to do it, if you want.”

  “Caleb here is kind of passionate about weapons and the like,” said Val.

  “Cool!” Avelyn clapped her hands in excitement, making Caleb blush and avert his gaze. She happened to love people who had hobbies and actually took the time to practice them and invest in them. “Let’s go! I want to learn how to shoot a bow.”

  The ride to the adventure park didn’t take long, but once they got there, they lost track of time. Caleb took the coach’s place and showed the girls how to hold the bow correctly, how to aim and release the arrow when they felt ready. Avelyn found it difficult, because the new type of exercise really took a toll on her arms and upper body. She had never thought it could be so hard to pull the string of a bow and hold it firmly against her cheek without having her hands tremble like mad. It took her almost an hour to actually hit the target. Val and Rosanna did better, but only because they had werewolf strength and their arms didn’t go numb after shooting ten arrows. Avelyn had to take short, frequent breaks, but she was determined to practice until she hit that offending point in the middle of the target. She got frustrated, laughed with the others at her failed attempts, and accepted to take a longer break for a huge glass of lemonade. When her phone buzzed in her pocket it was almost dark.

  “Hey, guys! I think you’ll have to return to the Schloss without me.”

  Rosanna’s brows disappeared under her long fringe. “What do you mean?”

  “Max just texted me. Something about dinner in Dunkelstadt.”

  The blonde werewolf jumped in excitement, as if she was the one who had just been asked out on a date, not Avelyn. “That’s so romantic! Max is like this old-fashioned lover who takes his lady out to dinner, brings her blood red roses, and declares his love under the pale moonlight.”

  Avelyn, Val, and Caleb stared at Rosanna in bewilderment. There was no point in gracing her with a reply.

  “Right, so… Caleb, will you drop me off at…” she checked her phone. “… Symphonie restaurant?”

  “Oh! So fancy! So fancy!” Rosanna was still in her child-mode.

  “Sure thing,” said Caleb.

  ***

  Rosanna had been right about the roses. And the romantic dinner. Avelyn took a small sip of the old, expensive red wine and wondered if she should expect a love declaration. Max smiled at her from across the table.

  “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”

  “Nothing. I… you took me by surprise. I didn’t expect all this.”

  “What kind of husband would I be if I didn’t take you out for dinner once in a while? I have to make it up to you for the past month.”

  Avelyn laughed and lowered her eyes seductively, her long lashes throwing a gentle shadow on her white cheeks. When he had texted her an hour ago and asked her to meet him at the Symphonie restaurant, Avelyn had realized she looked like hell. After a day spent shopping, walking, and trying her hand at target archery, it was safe to say she didn’t exactly look sexy. Thankfully, Rosanna and Val had come up with a brilliant idea. Caleb drove them back to the city, straight to the mall. Avelyn chose the classy, dark blue dress she had bought earlier, and a pair of black pumps. Rosanna and Val had helped her change her clothes in the bathroom, fix her hair, and apply some light make-up. Their little adventure had been so awkward and out of place that they had giggled and made jokes the entire time.

  “You look amazing.”

  “Thank you. Like the dress? You bought it for me.”

  “I… don’t remember buying it.” Max furrowed his brows in confusion, studying the dress and how it barely touched her knee. Then he understood and laughed. “Good one! I love it! You have better tastes than me.”

  “Caleb helped a lot. He has an eye for colors and the best cuts for certain body types.”

  “Are you serious? Caleb? I had no idea.”

  “Yeah, he’s quite awesome. He’s good with a lot of stuff.”

  Max admired her from head to toe, loving her cheerful smile and pleasant mood. He could see she was happy, and he loved seeing her this way. “I’m glad you had fun today.”

  “It was great. I’m sorry you couldn’t come with us, though.”

  “Couldn’t help it. Karl is leaving on Friday and he wanted to go through the reports again. I almost know them by heart.”

  “Any progress?”

  “Not yet. Your insight helped, though, and we’ve decided the next step is to investigate the Alpha werefox in Alaska. The one you’ve told us about.”

  “Right. It sounds like a good plan.”

  “Karl is flying there next week.”

  “I thought Jocelyn was doing the field research.”

  “I need her here. If I am to work from home, I need someone to replace me in Dunkelstadt.”

  “Oh…”

  “Why?” He leaned over the table to search her eyes. “Would you have preferred to have her gone?” Despite the uncomfortable question, there was amusement in his voice, and he hoped Avelyn noticed it.

  “What? No! Of course not.” She bit her lower lip and started playing with her napkin. She had the feeling he was messing with her. “I mean… maybe? A little?” He laughed and she relaxed her shoulders. “She’s not very fond of me. Every time I see her she has this look on her face… it’s like she’s waiting for the right moment to pounce on me and swallow me whole, without chewing.”

  Max burst out in uncontrollable laughter.

  Avelyn continued with a wide smile on her face: “Imagine how Josie would look like if she swallowed me. Like the boa snake in ‘The Little Prince’. Remember? The boa that ate an elephant?”

  Max was laughing so hard that the muscles in his stomach started to hurt. The people in the restaurant began throwing curious glances towards them.

  “My God! Okay, stop! I need to breathe.” He gulped down his wine and he nearly spat it out through his nose when Avelyn puffed out her cheeks and slightly raised her arms at her sides to imitate a fat Jocelyn. He started coughing and reached for a napkin to cover his mouth.

  “I’m sorry, this is so inappropriate,” said Avelyn. “I shouldn’t be doing this in such an elegant restaurant. God, I’m an embarrassment, aren’t I?”

  “You’re horrible. The worst,” he said smiling. “I should have never brought you out in public.”

  “Shit. Alma Venus hasn’t done a great job at teaching me good manners. The educational sy
stem, man, it sucks.”

  Max tried to stop himself from bursting into another fit of laughter. They were both whispering, hoping the other customers would go back to their meals.

  “You’re hilarious.”

  “Hah! You’re just saying…”

  “No one has made me laugh like this in a long time.”

  Max took her right hand in his and pressed his lips to her knuckles. “Wanna get out of here?” he asked.

  “Let me just finish my wine.”

  ***

  The wind ruffled Avelyn’s hair, ruining the romantic curls Rosanna had so carefully secured with bobby pins. Max’s coat protected her from the chilly night air, but it was too large for her. She would have held it tighter around her body if she didn’t have to hold on to Max’s long, black fur. He wasn’t running very fast, but this wasn’t exactly a stroll either. They had left his car at the roadside, then he had changed into his wolf form because he wanted to take her to a special place deep in the woods. Avelyn had been more than happy to oblige. It sounded like an exciting adventure, and she really didn’t feel like seeing the way too familiar Schloss so soon. The moon was high up in the sky, and the stars were shining brightly between the scattered clouds. It was a bit cold, but not unpleasantly so. Max jumped over a rock, and Avelyn gripped the fur on his back tighter. She hoped she didn’t hurt him, even though the thought that he deserved it had crossed her mind.

  The wolf chose to follow a mountain trek and the whole jumping over rocks and logs ceased. The terrain was still steep, and Avelyn didn’t think she’d be able to make that trek by foot. The tall trees opened a path to what she first thought was a large glade, but then she heard it: the sound of water. Falling water. “A waterfall!” she screamed in excitement. “You’re taking me to a waterfall!” Max turned his head to throw her a glance over his shoulder. He would have gladly used his telepathic abilities with her, but, unfortunately, werewolves could only create that link with their kind. On second thought, it was better this way. If he let her into his mind, he had no idea what she could see there. A second could have been enough to destroy everything they had.

  Max slowed down, giving Avelyn time to admire their surroundings. This was his favorite place in the Black Forest Mountains. The waterfall wasn’t very tall, and the cold water gathered in a small pond, then ran down the mountain in a narrow stream. The sound was more of a whisper, and if Max could hear it from the roadside, Avelyn had only detected it when they got really close. He stopped by the pond and leaned down on his front legs to let Avelyn get off his back.

  “This is beautiful.” She took a couple of steps towards the waterfall and extended her hand to touch the freezing water. The moon reflected in the pond, making it glow eerily. Avelyn took a step closer and cringed when she felt her high heels dig into the damp earth. She was still wearing her pumps. She considered taking them off, but decided against it. First, she would have been cold, and secondly, she had no desire to feel the moist, grassy earth under her soles and toes. She took a step back, and winced when she bumped into Max’s snout. “Sorry. Didn’t know you were there.” He nudged her shoulder, and she giggled. “Let’s sit there, where the earth is dry. I want to watch the waterfall from afar. You should bring me here during the day, when it’s warm enough and I can dip my feet in the pond.”

  The wolf walked to the spot she had pointed to and lay down. Avelyn sat down by his side, grateful that his huge body protected her from the sharp wind. His tail covered her legs, and she was warm and comfy in no time. She watched the moon disappear behind the clouds only to reappear some minutes later. The soft whisper of the waterfall could almost lull her to sleep.

  “This is perfect,” she said, a smile on her face. “Thank you for bringing me here.” She sank her face in the crook of his neck and inhaled his raw, earthy scent. The fur tickled her nose, but she didn’t care. Her werewolf was certainly better than any stuffed toy she had snuggled with when she was little. “I could get used to this,” she thought. “The Schloss, the waterfall, Rosanna, Val, Caleb… Max… It wouldn’t be such a bad life.” She knew she couldn’t allow herself to think like that. Getting used to this life meant getting used to Sabine locked up in the dungeons. Avelyn had always known she was selfish and self-centered, but not even she could have gone to such extremes.

  Max moved under her, and she sat up thinking he wanted to make himself more comfortable. Instead, he stood up and walked to the waterfall. A loud snap, and Avelyn knew what he wanted to do. He had probably gotten tired of not being able to talk to her. She had long decided that the transformation of a man into a wolf and vice versa would never cease to captivate her no matter how often she saw it. This time it took him under a minute to change into his human form. Avelyn’s eyes took in his perfect body. His skin glowed like marble into the pale moonlight, and his dark hair and black, short beard made the wolfish green sparkle in his eyes stand out. Even though all werewolves had green eyes, since it was a physical trait that was specific to their species, Avelyn could easily say Max’s eyes were of the most gorgeous green she had seen in her life. He strolled towards her with slow, deliberate movements, letting her see every muscle flex in his body. The sight of him naked and ready to take her made her forget about the cold. Her stomach clenched and her pussy throbbed when she saw his hard cock bounce slightly between his strong thighs.

  “You should have known better than to let a wolf drag you out into the woods,” he said in a husky, seductive voice.

  “Maybe that’s exactly what I wanted.” She gave him a wicked smile and sat up on her knees. Her dress was ruined by now, but she couldn’t care less. She only cared about the gorgeous cock that was pointing right at her. She licked her lips in anticipation and moaned deep in her throat.

  He was standing before her, the head of his cock a few inches away from her lips. When her hand reached out to grab the base of the rock-hard member and guide it to her lips, he jerked his hips away, not letting her touch him. She laughed and set her hands back on her knees. He took his cock in his own hand and guided the length above her face. She craned her neck to give him better access, and she smiled and threw him a lusty look when his cock slapped her lips. He slapped her again and again, then he rubbed the head against her plump lips, smearing her lipstick and replacing it with the pearly beads of pre-cum that had gathered at the tip. She licked her lips, and he couldn’t take it anymore. This game proved to be more torturous for him than for her. He took hold of her chin with the other hand and his thumb parted her lips. She wasn’t putting up much of a fight, just enough to make things more interesting. He shoved his cock into her warm, wet mouth, and growled when he felt her tongue drawing small circles on the underside of his length. God, was she good with that wicked tongue of hers.

  Avelyn let him fuck her mouth at his own pace. She tried to take in as much as she could and ignore the dull ache in her jaw. The sheer girth of his cock had always posed a challenge to her small mouth, but she was determined to do her best. She loved blowing him too much, and she couldn’t exactly complain that he was big. She was pretty sure Max’s cock was every woman’s dream: long, thick, and straight, with throbbing veins she loved to trace with the tip of her tongue, and perfectly capable of stuffing a woman’s pussy full.

  “Tell me how much you love this,” he whispered and pulled his cock back to allow her to breathe.

  “I love sucking your cock.”

  He let her taste him again, enjoying the sight of her small tongue licking around the engorged head. “Is that so?”

  “Mmm… Yes. I love sucking your big cock. Come on, give it to me. Fuck my mouth.”

  He grabbed the back of her neck, his fingers digging into her soft curls. With his other hand, he guided his cock deep into her throat and shuddered when she moaned around it, sending a wave of vibrations straight to his hard balls. He pulled out, then thrust again, loving the way her hungry mouth welcomed the intrusion while her eyes looked up at him and begged for more.

 
“You’re perfect,” he said. “I’d love to come into your mouth, but I have other things I want to do to you first.”

  He was dangerously close, so he pulled out and squeezed his balls in an attempt to release the tension a bit. He offered Avelyn his hand, and she stood up.

  “Let’s get that pretty dress out of the way.”

  He took his coat off her shoulders and lay it on the grass. The blue dress came next, and he took his time peeling it off her curvaceous body. She was now standing in front of him only in her black bra, panties, and high-heeled pumps.

  “You look gorgeous.”

  “Why, thank you.” She licked her lips and cocked her brow, waiting to see what he would do next. She couldn’t deny that she loved the way his eyes lingered on her full breasts, soft belly, and wide hips. No other man had ever looked at her like that. There had been enough shape-shifters who had requested her for interviews at Alma Venus, but none of them had undressed her with their eyes as Max did every time he looked her way. She felt like he could see right to her core, and she shuddered at the thought. Given the circumstances, she wouldn’t have wanted him to have any kind of access to her thoughts, but if things had been different, she would have loved the idea of such a powerful connection. Their minds and bodies becoming one.

  “I want to see you take off your bra and panties. The pumps stay.”

  The low, husky, commanding tone jerked her out of her reverie. She smiled and reached behind to unclasp her bra. “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. I like that.” Even though he was trying to sound cold and threatening, he couldn’t hide the amusement in his voice. He watched as Avelyn pulled the straps off her round shoulders slowly, teasingly. Her hands cupped the heavy breasts that were now barely covered by the lace bra. She made a show of squeezing them and pinching her nipples, which had already been turned into hard nubs by the cold night air. Max growled impatiently.