by Alexa Riley
I know he’s alpha, and he has to be friendly with everyone, but I can’t help but remember all the times I’d try to talk to him and he’d always be too busy to listen. He always had the time for everyone, including my stepsisters.
Moments later, I hear front door open and I glance over my shoulder to see Trish stomping in, Stone no longer outside. The look in her eyes says it all. She knows. The question is, did Stone just tell her, or did she already know. I’m guessing she already knew. Why else would she be here when I was covering her shift to begin with?
“So it’s true!” she growls. She looks like she’s been out on an all-night bender at one of the local bars. Which is normal for her. Male shifter wolves can’t have sex before they find their mates because they can’t get hard. Female shifters don’t have that problem. I hear they can’t get off, so I don’t see why they bother, but that doesn't seem to stop my sisters from going down to the bars and getting it on with humans on a weekly basis. Trish once told me after she caught me making dreamy eyes at Stone last year that she slept with humans so that when she and Stone finally mated, she’d know how to please him. “You think you can have our alpha? You’re not even one of us.”
Another growl fills the room, making Trish’s eyes widen. It takes me half a second to realize the sound came from me.
Her shoulders square, and her eyes turn a darker blue as they narrow at me. I think I may have just bitten off more than I can chew. I haven’t shifted in years, and there’s no way I can take on a wolf shifter in human form. I don’t even know where that growl came from.
“Oh, yeah. The word’s out that the alpha mated, and not one of us seemed to have triggered it,” Trisha says, taking a step closer to me.
I am sick of not belonging and having my own little one-woman pity party. I decided that last night as I stared up at the ceiling. I want something for myself, and I am going to have it one way or another. Whether that’s with Stone or the Gray Ridge pack, I don’t know, but change is in the air, and I’m not going to take things lying down. I’m going into this new day head first. I’ll probably stumble, fall on my ass, and die of embarrassment, but at this point what does it matter? I’ve spent that last four years trying to fit in. Hell, I busted my ass trying to get any kind of approval from the makeshift parents I had, and that got me nowhere. It only left me in a pile of self-doubt with one too many kicks to my self-confidence, which I’m sure I’ll have to fight through for a long time.
I take a step towards Trish, thinking that no matter what, it’s time I stood up for myself and what I want.
The front door to the bakery opens again, pulling both our gazes to it. Gwen enters with X hot on her heels, taking in the scene. The scent of anger must fill the air because I see Gwen’s nostrils flare. X goes to grab her, probably to pull her behind him, but she bats away his hand and her growl fills the room, putting both mine and Trish’s to shame.
“You dare threaten our alpha’s mate?” It takes me a minute for Gwen’s words to register. They take the air right out of my lungs. It’s silly because I know Stone wants me to be his mate, but the reality of what that means comes crashing down on me in hard waves. Knowing what all this means makes it a little hard to breathe.
I reach out and grab the counter to steady myself. I can barely stand up to my bitch stepsisters and I am supposed to be the alpha female of the Gray Ridge pack? There’s nothing alpha about me.
Suddenly, I feel like something has been ripped from me. Jesus. One second I’m all I’m not your mate and I don’t want to be your mate! I’ve only pined to be yours for years! and now I’m all sad because I think I really can’t be his mate. My head feels like its spinning.
I look up to see Trish baring her neck to Gwen.
“Get out! And go wash last night’s stink off you.” Gwen’s words are hard and to be obeyed. I watch as Trish scurries back out of the bakery, and if she’d shifted, I have no doubt her tail would’ve been between her legs.
I take a deep breath, making my way out from behind the counter to sit in one of the chairs. Gwen comes to kneel in front of me, putting us at eye level…almost. I still have to look down at her just a little.
“I’ll never be like you,” I tell her. Her eyes go soft, and I know she knows what I mean.
“Stone doesn’t need me, Winnie.”
“He didn’t seem to need me either until he was made to,” I remind her. Or maybe I’m reminding myself. I fell into a dreamy haze this morning when Stone was here, the one he’s always put me in when he’s near. Old habits are harder to kick than I thought.
“I’ve known Stone my whole freaking life, and I’ve never seen him go after something he wants. In fact, I can’t name one thing I can recall Stone ever taking for himself, now that I really think about it.”
“I…” I come up short as I try to think of an argument, but I can’t think of anything either. Everything with Stone is about the pack and about what’s best for everyone. Maybe he has his own little secrets like I do. Well, I thought I had secrets. Stone seems to know about the one I thought I’d been keeping—sneaking out and taking pictures with a camera that took me over a year to save up and buy, and it isn’t even that great a camera.
“Why don’t you give him a chance?” Gwen pushes. Her tone isn’t firm like she often uses with pack members. She’s really asking. Not putting an edge to it, not making it sound like a question when it’s really not.
I want to tell her I’ve given him a ton, but the image of him this morning, all half-shy, presses in on me, making the mate mark tingle again.
“I’m not his type. I look nothing like you guys.” I motion down to my body.
Gwen laughs, and it makes X—who I’d forgotten about—growl softly and sweetly, like he’s enjoying the sound of her laughter, and it makes me smile.
“Winnie, I think you’re his type. I’ve noticed his eyes on you.” Gwen stands, grabbing my hands, pulling me to my feet.
“His eyes on me?” I feel my cheeks burn at the idea that Stone has been openly looking at me and someone noticed. “Like before yesterday?”
“Oh, yeah!” Her eyebrows wiggle.
“She does that when she’s talking about something related to sex,” X says, and we look over at him. “The eyebrow thing.” He nods as he finishes, like he had to explain the eyebrow thing to me because I might have been lost. I often forget that Xavier hasn’t been around people much.
Gwen just winks at him.
“How about I help you with the bakery today, then we go upstairs to my old apartment and you let me do a little makeover? Nothing much. Maybe just give him a little more to look at.”
The idea of giving Stone a little more to look at compels me to nod.
“I’ll stand guard in case the funny-smelling blonde tries to come back.” X folds his arms over his chest.
“You do that, baby,” Gwen tells him, and I burst out laughing.
Chapter 6
Stone
I’ve spent all day preparing for Winnie to come over tonight. I called the bakery and Gwen answered, letting me know that Winnie would be ready and at my house at six tonight.
I’d seen Gwen and Xavier on my way home this morning and asked for some advice on cooking. Gwen seemed all too pleased to help me, saying that she would go have a talk with Winnie. I’m hoping that her friendship can work in my favor. I’m willing to use every trick up my sleeve if it means Winnie will be mine.
Running around the house and cleaning up, I want everything to be perfect. I made a simple dinner of spaghetti. Gwen said it was idiot-proof, and she knew Winnie liked it. I just hope I did it right. I really want to impress her.
When it’s just before six, I rush into the bathroom and take a quick shower. It’s strange now that my cock gets hard, having never had that happen before. I’m not sure if I welcome the feeling or not. It’s almost painful. Anytime I’m near Winnie, or catch her scent, my cock gets so hard and thick, aching to be inside her. I rub the soap across it, feeli
ng the warmth of my hand. But no matter how much I stroke it, nothing will happen. I’ll only cum inside my true mate, never before.
I was so hard when I was around Winnie this morning, but the second I left her and almost bumped into Trish, it went away like it had never even happened. Then when she put her hand on me, I felt nauseated. Having another scent on me besides my mate’s made my blood run cold, and I let Trish know it. I explained that Winnie is my mate and that she should be more careful with her flirtatious nature. I may have been hard on the little wolf, but she needed to know. Everyone in the pack needs to know, so I spent the day sending messages to everyone and even other packs around Gray Ridge to let them know I’m mated. Winnie may deny me now, but I’ll never want another. For as long as I live, I will be mated to her. And I want everyone to know it. It is my first step in showing her that she is mine. That I will always choose her first. That I am proud to have the little bear shifter as my mate.
Once I’m finished getting clean, I jump out of the shower and throw on some clothes. I opt for a black T-shirt and some loose jeans and go barefoot. As I look in the mirror, I finger comb my hair to try to tame it some. The sides are shaved, with the top a bit longer, the way Winnie always looked at it made me think she liked it.
Looking down at my arms, I see the tattoos that start at my wrists and run up my arms. They cover the entire span of my chest as well, showing off my alpha status. Shifters don’t normally get tattoos because it can be painful, and unless you use a special kind of ink, most won’t stay in the skin. I got mine slowly over the years after my father died, commemorating our heritage and the Gray Ridge pack. There’s a tattoo artist in the neighboring pack that does them for me, using a special ink and needles. It always takes hours for even a small one, but I feel showing my pack that I’m committed to them, even through the pain, is important. I’ve been saving a place on my chest for my mate, and I look forward to putting Winnie’s mark there. She and our babies will have a special place of pride on my body, showing anyone who sees me that I’m taken and proud of who owns me.
I walk out of my bedroom, wondering if Winnie and I will have pups or cubs. Female bears are so incredibly rare that I don’t know of a case like ours. I smile, hoping we have cubs. I want them to look just like her.
I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but I can’t stop the hopeful, warm feeling in my heart. We will mate, and it will all be okay. We’re just going to get there a bit slower than most shifters in our pack.
As I walk into the living room, I hear a quiet knock on the door. It might as well be a bulldozer coming through for the way it makes my heart race. I leap over the couch and nearly face plant as I reach the door, pulling it open.
Winnie is standing there with big eyes, looking at me, and I’m afraid I may have frightened her with my excitement to get to the door.
“Hi. Sorry. Welcome. Please come in.”
She blushes a little and takes a step forward off the porch and into my home—soon to be our home. I like the way that sounds.
As she passes me, I catch her scent, and my cock is rock hard again. Her sweet honey smell, mixed with just a hint of cinnamon, makes my mouth water, begging to taste her. To mark her again.
“These are for you.” She holds out a small white box from the bakery, and I reach out, taking it from her. As I touch the box, our fingers connect, and the warm tingle is there again. When our skin connects, it’s as if I’m feeling things for the first time.
Holding the box up to my nose, I inhale and smile. “Cinnamon rolls?”
“Yes. I made them this morning.” She blushes again, her big brown eyes blinking sweetly at me.
It’s then I notice she’s got just a hint of make-up on. Her lashes are dark, and her full lips are a deep red. Moving my eyes down her neck, I see my mark is exposed, and my cock throbs at the memory. I audibly swallow, trying to avoid my tongue falling out of my mouth and getting drool on my chin.
“You look…” My eyes trail down her neck to her full cleavage. I’ve never so much as seen a hint of her chest, but now her big swollen tits are pushed up and waiting for my mouth. Our babies will never go hungry feeding on them. The thought of tasting her milk makes me want to fall to my knees and suckle them, needing just a hint of what’s to come.
“You look…” My eyes move even further down, seeing the tight dress she has on. It’s dark brown and clings to every curve, showing off her wide hips and little belly. Her body is absolute perfection. She’ll be soft and welcoming when I’m on top of her, thrusting into her body. I’ll be able to grip the flesh of her thick thighs and kiss the curves of her stomach as she grows with our babies. She’ll take my seed easily and provide me with many offspring. It’s painful to look at her like this and not be inside her. I can’t finish the sentence I’ve tried to start twice because my need for her is so fierce.
“Gwen dressed me. It’s different.” She fidgets a little, tugging on the bottom of the dress, trying to make it longer.
I put the box of baked good down on the table and take her hand, pulling it away from the hem of her dress.
Her warm hand in mine sparks the tingle again, and I pull her close to me, needing to close the distance. “You’ve always been the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Placing my hand on her chin, I lean down, barely brushing my lips across hers. “You look just as beautiful tonight as you did this morning in the bakery.”
I press my lips to hers, needing just a sweet taste. I know if I go too hard, too fast, it will push Winnie away. She’s always been skittish, like most bears, so I try to make my moves deliberate and slow.
I don’t open my mouth, just press my lips to hers. After just a second, I pull back, not wanting to deepen it just yet.
“Thank you for coming tonight. May I serve you dinner?”
Chapter 7
Winnie
Before I can stop myself I throw myself into his arms. I’m afraid for a second that I might knock him over as I catch him off guard, but he catches me easily, my soft body colliding with his immovable one.
I have no idea what’s come over me. When he opened the door looking as handsome as he always does, then placed the soft tender kiss on my lips, I couldn’t help but want more. And it isn’t just me, my bear wants more, too. It is as if she’s woken from a deep hibernation and she is hungry and wants to feast on Stone.
My body melts into his, like it’s been doing it for an eternity, as his big hands go to my ass. They firmly grip me in a tight, unbreakable hold as my mouth goes for his. This kiss isn’t soft like his was. No, it’s hungry and inexperienced. Teeth clash as we both try to force our tongues into each other’s mouth. Like we can’t get deep enough. We just need.
Growls fill the room, and I have no idea who they’re coming from. My back hits a soft surface as I slide my hands up the back of Stone’s shirt, wanting to feel his warm skin against my fingertips. My fingers run along the lines of the vast muscles of his back, and he growls into my mouth. I swear it vibrates all the way down to my toes. The feeling makes me moan.
“You taste better than I thought you would,” Stone says as he pulls away from me. “You’ll have to tell me to stop. I can’t.” He grinds against me, his cock pressing into my core, making me clench. An ache builds in the pit of my stomach. I want to be filled. Need it.
His eyes start to deepen, his pupils dilating. I can tell it’s his wolf looking at me. If I couldn’t smell his desire, I would think he was angry. I’ve seen anger on his face before when others tried to challenge him for dominance. That look flashes across his face and shifters bare their neck to him in response.
I just stare, not pulling my eyes away from his. A whine sounds from his throat and makes my heart twinge. He’s fighting his wolf. They both want me, and the feeling is surreal. To be wanted like this is something I’ve never felt before. It makes me feel like I have power for once in my life. As if I’m finally in control. And what I want in this moment is him. I want him to give me the feeling h
e gave me when we were standing in Gwen’s living room—this time without people watching.
“Taste more of me.” The words come out breathy, but Stone doesn’t hesitate. He moves fast, like I might change my mind, and settles between my thighs. His broad shoulders spread my legs wide for him. They have no choice but to accommodate his size.
Before I can even react, my dress is bunched around my waist. The sound of tearing cloth reaches my ears as I feel warm breath against my pussy. The room fills with the sound of heavy breathing. I can feel my clit throb fiercely. I’ve always wanted Stone, had a crush on him. But this, this feeling of need, want, and desire, this is new. Thick need pumps through my blood, and I’m almost sure Stone can hear it.
I try to raise my hips to press myself against his mouth, but a loud growl stops me. I look down at Stone, his mouth a breath away from my pussy. He’s just staring at it. Then I realize he’s breathing me in. Like he’s trying to brand the smell into his memory forever.
“Please,” I beg, needing his mouth on me.
He eyes jump up to mine.
“I…” He stops, closing his eyes for a second before opening them again like he’s trying to get his bearings. That he can’t seem to control himself around me only turns me on more. Stone, the epitome of control, is at a loss when it comes to me: Winnie. The little bear shifter who is easily forgotten. I only stand out because I look so different from the rest.
“I want to make you beg. Hear you plead with me to make you cum. Beg me to fuck you. Make you say you’re mine over and over again.”
Shit. Can someone cum from just words?
“But then I don’t want to do that. You shouldn’t have to beg me. I should just give it to you. I’m weak when it comes to you, my Winnie. I can’t think straight. I’m going out of my mind. I don’t know what’s up or down anymore.”
“Oh, God!” I throw my head back because I can’t look at him. I don’t know what to do with that either. I want all of the above.