Sold to the Alpha

by Cara Wylde

  “You may seal your union with a kiss.”

  Someone cheered, then another werewolf yelled “Kiss!”, and everyone started clapping their hands and singing in unison “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Max laughed and took Avelyn into his arms to press a passionate kiss on her lips. The courtyard exploded in a wild round of applause and cheers. Avelyn tangled her fingers in Max’s hair and responded eagerly to the assault of his mouth. When they parted, she could barely breathe. She smiled brightly at him then looked around her, taking in the general joy and enthusiasm. They were surrounded by friendly faces, genuine smiles, and sparkling green eyes. One by one, the werewolves came to congratulate them, kissing Avelyn on the cheeks and squeezing Max in a tight hug. The first one was, of course, Jocelyn.

  “Congratulations, sister. I wish you all the happiness in the world. And take care of my big brother.”

  “Sister?” Avelyn embraced her awkwardly, realizing it was the very first time she was so close to the she-wolf. Jocelyn’s hard, athletic body felt weird against her own.

  “Well, yes. Doesn’t this marriage make you my sister?”

  Jocelyn winked at her, but didn’t give her any time to reply. She moved on to Max, and let Ryan take her place. The huge, muscular werewolf kissed both her cheeks, all the while trying to keep his strong body at a respectable distance. The big smile on his face told Avelyn he was very happy for her and Max. He just didn’t know how to show it. Next was Kevin, who took her in a bear hug, spun her once, then kissed her cheeks.

  “Oh my!” yelped Avelyn. She certainly didn’t expect that kind of physical contact.

  “My Alpha’s wife is, well, also my Alpha,” he said. “Congrats! Can’t wait for you to order me around!”

  Avelyn laughed. The whole situation was awkward, and she had no idea how to respond to anyone who was congratulating her. She figured that if she kept smiling, laughing, and nodding her head, it would be enough to get her through the strangeness of it all. They almost managed to help her take her mind off what came next, when the clock would strike midnight. She tried to focus on her own body from time to time, hoping she’d catch a feeling or sensation that told her something, anything about the cure and the werewolf venom that were supposedly battling for dominance inside her veins. Caleb and Daniel congratulated her respectfully, and Rosanna gave her a tight hug. Val kissed her cheeks and squeezed her shoulders in a friendly manner. After the wave of Crescents and Moon Children passed, Christine was the last one to wish them well and tell them how perfect they were together. Max encircled Avelyn’s waist with both his arms, and drew her body close to his. Her round, generous butt fit perfectly against his crotch. He turned her around to face the fire, but Avelyn couldn’t see the flames anymore, nor the werewolves around it, drinking and laughing, still in their human forms.

  “You are amazing, did you know that?” he whispered in her ear. “I loved that poem. It was the best thing anyone has ever said to me, or written for me, for that matter.”

  Avelyn smiled, but her eyes were fixed on the moon. “What time is it?”

  He squeezed her tighter. “Ten minutes to midnight.” He had checked his watch earlier, before taking her into his arms.

  “I’m scared.”

  “I’m here.”

  “What if… what if it didn’t work? I didn’t feel anything. Wasn’t I supposed to feel something? Max, what if I turn? I’m so afraid of the pain… broken bones… our baby… I can’t. I can’t do this.”

  “Shh… Baby, it won’t happen. But if it does, nothing is going to change, do you hear me? Nothing. And you’ll do just great. It won’t last long. Your body will know how to react.”

  She snuggled closer to him, loving the warmth of his body and the scent of his skin. She inhaled deeply, and her nostrils were invaded by the sharp smell of the pine trees, the heavy smoke of the bonfire, and the unique scent of her mate. She noticed the leaves were rustling again, the wind murmuring through the branches, and the forest was singing its everlasting song of creaking twigs and small animals hiding from night predators. The magic was gone. What was left was the harsh, unavoidable reality.

  “Ten minutes seem like forever.”

  “We’ll spend it together. This forever, and then the forever that comes after it.”

  Avelyn closed her eyes and focused on her breath and heartbeat, trying to keep them under control. She flexed some of the muscles in her body, checking to see if they felt any different, or if they were about to expand and mold into a different shape. She heard everyone around her quieting down, and she figured it was time. Her whole body tensed in preparation for the unexpected, and she held her breath. Max let go of her waist and took one step back, giving her some space. She was in the middle of the courtyard, under the pale light of the Thunder Moon, and she felt the void left by her husband’s body. Her hands went to her belly, cradling the small soul she carried inside her. She tried to relax, but it was impossible. Her whole body was trembling to the point that her teeth had started clattering lightly. She clenched her jaw and gripped the fabric of the white dress she was wearing. Even with the self-induced adrenaline and slight nausea, she could tell that nothing was happening. She searched every corner of her body, listened to her own heartbeat, and inspected the sickness in her stomach only to realize it was from all the tension and fear. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked around her. The world was the same.

  “Nothing happened.” Her voice came out hoarse and shaky. She turned around to look at Max, whom she knew was still behind her. “Nothing happened!” She jumped in his arms, and he caught her, lifted her off the ground, and spun her a couple of times at werewolf speed.

  “See? I told you it would work.” He put her down and looked into her eyes. “You’re a hybrid, Avelyn. You’ve been a hybrid for a week now. You can’t tell because you were never a werewolf to begin with. James said the only thing the cure really changes is the ability to shift. But you’ve never shifted before, so, apparently, you can’t tell the difference.”

  “Oh, Max, I was so scared.” She sighed heavily, releasing all the negative feelings and thoughts that had clouded her mind and soul. She felt a small hand squeezing her shoulder.

  “Okay, you two. Either get a room or try to keep your hands off each other,” said Jocelyn. “Come on! Let’s celebrate my very first nephew!”

  Avelyn laughed and released Max’s neck. She took him by the hand and pulled him after her, among the werewolves. Some of them had changed in their wolf forms and were fooling around, wrestling and biting each other playfully. Jocelyn pushed a cup of something into Avelyn’s hand.

  “No wine for you. I hope you like lemonade.”

  “Thanks!” She drank greedily, and realized how thirsty she had been. She was also a bit hungry. She turned to tell Max and ask him where they could get something to eat, when she felt a cold snout nuzzling the back of her neck. She recognized the scent, even though it was now more on the animal side, so she knew exactly who it was. She turned around and encircled the wolf’s massive head with her arms. “What do you have in mind?” He pointed with his nose towards the gate.

  “Waterfall?”

  Avelyn jumped and let go of Max’s head. No, she hadn’t said the word, and Max hadn’t said it either. He couldn’t have, given that he was in his wolf form. She looked around her, but it seemed they were quite alone on that part of the courtyard, the other werewolves figuring they needed their personal space. The wolf studied her curiously.

  “What did you say?” she asked, looking straight into his eyes. A soft hum echoed in her mind. “Where do you want to go? Just think it again.”

  “Waterfall.”

  There it was again. The word sounded in her mind as clearly as if Max had been in his human form and spoken it out loud.

  “I can hear you,” she said. “Max, I think I can hear your thoughts. You want to go to the waterfall.”

  He growled in disbelief and sat back on his hind legs.

  “How is that possible? No,
wait. Maybe I guessed. I mean, where would you want to go now if not to the waterfall? Think of something else. Think of something I wouldn’t think about right now.”

  Max looked at her thoughtfully, blinked once, then let his green gaze fall to the ground. Avelyn was waiting, concentrating on her own thoughts, trying to find the odd one out. If there existed one. The werewolf lifted his eyes back to her face and gave a deep sigh.

  “I like Star Trek.”

  Avelyn’s eyes lit up. “You like Start Trek? Really? I had no idea.” There was no doubt now. She could hear his thoughts. “I can’t believe this. What’s happening? Does this mean I can… think about something and you’d just hear it in your mind like I do? Barbie. Cheesecake. Barbie eating cheesecake on a boat.”

  The wolf rolled his eyes. “Oh, stop it. Barbie eating cheesecake on a boat? Very creative.”

  “Oh my God! You can really hear my thoughts!”

  “I guess so.”

  “How? Why?”

  “It’s a special ability werewolves have more or less lost in time. Intentionally. Some of us can still use it, but we often choose not to, because it gives the others access to our mind and our most secret thoughts. It’s pretty hard to control. My guess is that the full moon has just activated it in you.”

  “That’s awesome! Telepathy? Wow! Who would have thought? So, does this mean I can use it with other werewolves as well?”

  “Yes. With the ones who can still use theirs, at least. But I advise you against it.”

  “Oh, right… access to my deepest thoughts.”

  “Exactly.” The wolf’s eyes smiled. “I haven’t used it since I was a child. It’s nice, actually. I had forgotten how… natural it feels.”

  Avelyn gave him a bright smile and punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Now, don’t you go snooping around in my mind.”

  “Why? Are you keeping secrets from me?”

  She could “hear” the smirk in his… “tone”. “I might. I wouldn’t want you to know about all the kinky things I have in mind for us. Then, I’d have no way to surprise you anymore.”

  Max stood up on all four legs and stepped by her side. “In that case, you can bet I’ll snoop around and see what your dirty mind is up to.” He lowered himself on his forelegs so she could climb on his back. “Now, how about we put some of those kinky ideas to good use by the waterfall?”

  Avelyn laughed wholeheartedly and jumped on his back. She gripped the soft, black fur and prepared herself for one hell of a ride.

  ***

  The she-wolf jumped from one roof to another, stopped on the highest one, and howled at the moon. She loved the sharp wind playing through her dark fur, the screams of surprise and fear that came from below, and the chaos of whispers and growls that echoed in her mind. That ancient link werewolves had forgotten about, that powerful, intimate connection of minds which he had always refused to use with her… It felt so good. The thoughts of her children sounded so clear between her heated temples. Their cries of attack, their moans of pleasure, their threatening growls, and the hurried plans they made right before they raided another house… “You, guard the door, I’ll go through the window…”, “Don’t let that one go!”. She looked down upon the small village and marveled at the way it had changed in just a matter of minutes. The Thunder Moon shined bright on her werewolves’ fur, on their strong, young bodies they were just learning how to use and control. Newly turned, they were half unaware of the real strength of their limbs. They would smash against a door with the intention of opening it, and the thing would explode into splinters of wood. A yelp of surprise, then a cry of enthusiasm and they were in, growling at the pathetic humans who had just gotten out of bed, jumping on the first one who dared try to run or defend himself. Yes, her children were doing great on their first full moon, their first night as real werewolves.

  The she-wolf turned her head back towards the sky and released another long, undulating howl. It reverberated over the houses and hills around them, a lugubrious blessing of her children. Her pack.

  END OF BOOK FOUR

  CHAPTER ONE

  Old Enemies

  The heavy curtains filtered the hot sun rays, leaving the room enveloped in warm, red shadows. Silence embraced the Schloss. Avelyn stirred in bed, turning on her left side and finally opening her eyes. She sat up and searched for her smartphone on the nightstand. She couldn’t believe it was past noon. She didn’t usually sleep this late, but in the past few days she had become increasingly tired. No one had told her that caring a wolf baby in her belly would take such a great toll on her body. She was learning it the hard way. She felt exhausted all the time, and the cravings had also become a problem. She often found herself wanting to eat things she had never even considered trying before, or things she hadn’t tasted since childhood. Harold was more than pleased to prepare anything she wanted, and he had told her he embraced the challenge of cooking other meals and desserts than he usually had on his menu.

  Avelyn stretched her arms above her head and sighed in relief when her joints popped. She got out of bed and pulled back the curtains, letting the warm light invade the room. Then, she opened the window and inhaled the fresh mountain air. She inspected the courtyard, her eyes searching for a certain someone. When she couldn’t find him, she turned away from the window and looked around the room. She touched her round belly and whispered to the small life that was growing inside her.

  “Let’s find daddy, okay?”

  She let her soft, white nightgown fall down her body and onto the floor, then went to the dresser to find some clothes. All the while, she tried to tap into that strange, yet comforting connection she and Max shared. Even now, after several days since the mating ritual, she couldn’t quite tell how it worked. Sometimes it was easier to reach Max, other times it was difficult, or if she did reach him, it was hard to distinguish between his thoughts ringing in her head and her own. Now, as she was rummaging through the dresser, Avelyn found their connection easily, and smiled when Max’s first thought entered her mind.

  “Hello, beautiful,” he said. “You’re not really the morning bird, are you?”

  “Well, it’s not easy being a mother. I feel tired all the time.”

  “I know, my love. And you must get all the rest you need. I hope I didn’t wake you up this morning, when I left. I tried to make as little noise as possible.”

  “I didn’t even feel when you got out of bed, so don’t worry.” Avelyn found what she was looking for and stepped inside the bathroom. “Anyway, you’re in the office, right? Have you had lunch?”

  “No, as a matter of fact, I haven’t. Now that you mention it, I realize I’m quite hungry. Care to join me?”

  “Sure. I’ll be down there after I take a quick shower.”

  Avelyn turned on the shower and waited for the water to warm up. For a long minute, Max’s thoughts quieted down, and Avelyn was starting to think she had lost the connection. She placed her clothes somewhere near and stepped under the warm spray. She let the water run down her face, shoulders, and full curves, and tried to focus on how nice it felt.

  “I can feel that you’re enjoying yourself.”

  Avelyn smiled at Max’s words. She knew what they implied. “Can you?”

  “Oh, yes. You know… I could come up and help you wash, what do you say?”

  Avelyn poured shampoo into her palm, then started rubbing her reddish blonde hair. “No, I think you’re better off in your office, thinking about me.”

  “So cruel…”

  Avelyn could almost hear him growl, and she sensed his arousal. The thought of him growing hard behind his desk, while trying to work, sent a shiver up her spine.

  “You have no idea how my mind works, sweetheart. I can think of many things you could be doing under the shower when I’m not there to do them myself.”

  “What sort of things?” Avelyn had finished washing her hair, and she was now running her soapy hands all over her body. Her fingers inched closer to her pus
sy, and she tried to send Max an image of what she was doing. She wasn’t sure it would work, as they had only communicated through clearly formed thoughts until then.

  “So cruel and naughty… Torturing me like this, keeping me away but letting me know exactly how you’re touching yourself.”

  There was silence for a couple of seconds, then Avelyn’s mind was invaded by an image she hadn’t expected: Max’s hand rubbing his hard cock through his jeans, the feel of the hot, firm flesh under his fingertips. It was more than an image; it came with powerful sensations, as if Avelyn was there, in his office, in his chair, touching him herself.

  “So it worked…” she thought.

  “What?”

  Avelyn let her hands fall to her sides and stood still under the warm water. She tried to clear her mind of all of the naughty thoughts the unexpected scene had brought with it. “Nothing,” she said. “Actually, I’m going to finish showering and come down so we can talk about it.”

  “Talk about what?”

  Her change in attitude had taken him by surprise. Could it be that he hadn’t noticed the way they exchanged mental images, not only thoughts?

  “There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll be in your office in a couple of minutes, okay?” Avelyn didn’t expect Max’s answer, and she tried to close the link so she could finish her shower faster. She couldn’t wait to talk to him about their telepathic connection. He probably knew more than he had told her, or maybe too much time had passed since he used it, and he couldn’t remember exactly how it worked and what they could do with it. There were so many things Avelyn still had to learn about being a werewolf, or a hybrid, to be more exact, and her curiosity had no limits. But when it came to telepathy, things were not that easy, as no one could tell her much about it because no one had used it in a very, very long time, if ever. Not even Christine had been able to tell her anything concrete about this unusual gift. However, instead of feeling frustrated, Avelyn felt excited. It meant that she and Max would have to experiment with their connection and learn everything there was to know about it together.