Alpha Awakening

by Diana DeRicci

  “What happened to you?” She frowned, meeting his glare while resting her chin on a raised fist. “What’s got your tail in a twist?”

  He guffawed. “You would say that,” he accused, foregoing a real answer.

  Sheridan shrugged, grinning madly. “Younger sister privileges. Besides, someone has to harass the pack alpha every now and then.”

  He smirked. Rush knew his sister was good at it too, and not just because she was his second. “Nothing. There was a ruckus at the Hut. Some guy trying to intimidate his ex.”

  “Jerk,” she muttered with a glowering frown.

  He felt the same way. “He was.”

  Kay on the other hand… He crossed his ankles trying to restrain the pounding throb beneath his zipper. It had been a constant battle since the first sound of her velvet voice that afternoon. It wasn’t a reaction he was used to. It was one reason he’d sat and talked for so long. He’d had a noticeable problem within two seconds after following her mouth on the edge of her cup. Supple, dusky lips that looked soft and delicious, slick with the whipped cream from the top of her coffee. He’d imagined every second of leaning over and licking her clean himself from that moment on. And he hadn’t been limited in his imagination to her lips.

  The thought of tasting her lips, the curve of her jaw, the delicate skin beneath her ear and even burying himself in the thick mass of her hair had kept his blood heated and racing through him all afternoon. Smooth skin had teased him, visible beneath the filmy blouse she’d worn. Lithe and delicate, he’d wanted to lick every visible inch, and then find out what wasn’t. More than once, he’d had to forcefully bring himself back to what they were discussing because as much as he’d fought it, he couldn’t ignore what she did to him. Now, after almost an hour and distance, the burn had mellowed, but it was there, like a hidden spark from a wildfire, waiting for the chance to burst into a rampaging blaze all over again.

  At one time, he’d waited, prayed and hoped he’d find his mate, his match, the one woman who would stand by his side as a leader to his pack and a companion for him, but after watching his mother wither away following his father to the grave, falling in love had ceased to be that much of a necessity.

  Rush had thrown himself into the pack, into raising Sheridan, and his work. At not quite fifteen, it was that or go into foster care for a year and be separated from Sheridan permanently. He refused to let that happen. He had no choice but to pick up the pieces, and with the help of the pack, tie their broken home back together. So far, he thought he’d done a decent job. He’d earned his detective badge the year before, after being on the street force since he was twenty-one. Sheridan was in college learning all that CGI art stuff that he had no hope of understanding. He couldn’t lie, least of all to himself. He wanted Kaisha, but wanting sex and wanting more were different animals to him. One he refused to bend to, the other, his only choice, was to ignore because sex with Kay…

  He drew a steadying breath, remembering not to groan with his sister so close. The sex would be incredible. It would be what he’d always craved.

  It would be the end of everything he’d worked so hard for.

  He ran a hand through his hair.

  “You okay?” Sheridan asked quietly.

  He looked up, becoming aware she’d been watching him like a bug on a windshield the whole time he’d been negotiating his sanity. “Yes. No.” He stopped before he dug himself in deeper. “Yeah,” he finally conceded.

  “Which is it?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Uh huh. ‘Lie To Me’ is a TV show, not what you’re supposed to do,” she told him with a knowing glint in her gaze. It sucked when his sister was also his closest friend.

  “Smart ass,” he retorted, grinning because he should know better. His sister could ferret out a lie faster than a wolf could terrify a laying hen.

  She stood and approached him around the kitchen bar, her eyes piercing his secrets. “Rush, are you okay? There’s something different about you.”

  Ah hell. There was little chance she’d leave now. Could she tell? Should he admit to what he believed happened? Face the truth or hide it? He wasn’t at all surprised when there were no quick answers and nothing was as easy as he’d believed it should be.

  Whether he did anything or not about what happened with Kay, today was up to him. His first priority was to the pack, and Sheridan was his chosen second. Honestly, she had a right to know.

  Then why did it twist his gut as though he were destroying a beautiful secret, something fragile and breathtaking, to tell her about Kay? He was unprepared for the slicing heat in his stomach, and it killed the tight throb he’d been fighting for more than two hours now, since that first touch, the first sound of her voice. Pack came first.

  Resigned, he stood straight, dropping his arms to his sides and Sheridan paused a foot away, her worried eyes never leaving his. “I found her.”

  Sheridan’s face paled. He nodded. That’s exactly how he felt too.

  * * * *

  Kay’s feet slowed as she neared her apartment door. Lying before it on the cement was a bundle, a paper-wrapped bunch of flowers, just like the ones in the display when you first walk into the local grocer. Nothing fancy. But the surprise of finding them there still gave her pause.

  Looking around her, she was alone. The lot was clean, a few cars gone for the weekend, but otherwise it looked the same as it did every afternoon. The cheery chirp of the birds or the warmth of the sunlight did nothing to stop the chill that strolled too easily down her spine at finding her gift. She’d never had anyone do something like this, and after Steven’s show of temper earlier, she wasn’t thrilled to find them now. The thought that somehow Rush… She dismissed that almost immediately. He couldn’t have beat her here from the coffeehouse.

  She rolled the flowers with a toe, waiting, and then gingerly crouched to pick them up. There was a small card inside the colorful ensemble. Her heart tapped a solid rhythm against her ribs, unsure about what she’d find. They looked to be fresh, warmed from the sunlight, but not dried or wilted. How long had they been there? Obviously not that long. And from who? Looking around her, she couldn’t see or hear anyone. Wary just the same, she lifted the card out of the center.

  Kay, I’m sorry. Call me.S.

  She huffed a disgusted breath. Not likely, was her first thought. The tightness across her forehead grew noticeable as she studied the card and the flowers. Was he being persistent for a reason? Why? Had he been there waiting for her after the argument at the Mocha Hut? If he had, for how long? She dragged her teeth over her lower lip. The idea that he had waited for her at all gave her a new chill. What did he want?

  Steven had called that morning, wanting to meet to just talk. She hadn’t seen anything wrong with a quiet conversation between them. They hadn’t been lovers, and Kay hadn’t seen Steven in almost three months, when he’d said he needed that time. He was the one who had told her not to wait for him. They hadn’t reached that depth in their relationship where she’d pine away for him, heartbroken. She would have left long before then. Kay didn’t do ‘heartbroken’ for anyone. They were no more than good friends who went out together, shared a few kisses. Steven had been a gentleman—until today. Frowning, Rush’s warning echoed within her ears again and she had to agree. She hoped whomever Steven went to next didn’t have to deal with his temper. Paper crunched beneath her fingers, reminding her of the flowers she held.

  “You found them.”

  She whirled at Steven’s low spoken voice, a gasp slipping out before she could stop it. “Steven!”

  He lifted a hand, but dropped it quickly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He stuffed his fingers into his jean pockets and stood a few feet away. “Now or at the Hut.”

  Kay studied him with a new set of eyes. Was he playing her, using her emotions, or was he being honest? This was the Steven she’d known, the one she’d been to movies with, shared jokes and a few kisses. Sweet, thoughtful. But it
had been him earlier too, she reminded herself, demanding she get back together with him, and then threatening her when she stayed firm in not wanting to.

  She drew a breath. “Thank you, Steven.” Holding out the flowers, she told him, “I don’t need the flowers, though.”

  His expression darkened. “It’s an honest apology,” he snapped.

  Kay blinked and drew another slow breath. This, this, was the guy she’d seen earlier. “And I accept the apology. I can’t accept the flowers.” It didn’t feel right. She didn’t want what the flowers meant. A connection. A reciprocation.

  “Why?” he demanded. His hands were loose at his sides now, and he crowded her into the door at her back. “Why don’t you want to get back with me?” Something dark and cruel heated his brown eyes. Stark jealousy. “It was that guy, wasn’t it? I saw you talking with him before I left.” Steven snarled lowly, as though his territory had been threatened.

  Kay was no one’s property.

  Not for the first time, she hated being so short, but she refused to be treated like this.

  “Back off,” she ground out, shoving against his chest, the flowers crumpling within her fist. He knocked them out of her hold, scattering them like winter leaves across the thatch of grass that lined the front of her building. Her strength was nothing compared to his. He slammed her backward until she was flush with the door.

  He curled a heavy hand over her windpipe, locking her immobile against the wooden panel. “Let me in,” he ordered on a lowered growl, literally blanketing her form with his, glaring down at her.

  She shook her head. She was dead if she did. A scream bubbled up into her throat, but his hold locked it in place. Air wheezed in and out of her lungs, her heart thudding as she fought to not panic.

  Palming her keys between her fingers, she made a fist. They say go for the face, but she doubted she’d have more than one chance, and a face shot was too long and too high for her.

  Pulling back her arm, she rammed her keys right into his ribs. She flinched when her knuckles dug into cotton, creating a deep score into his flesh. He howled, his hand clutching convulsively around her throat like a vise before falling slack. Slick blood covered her hand. When he jerked away, he ripped the keys out of place. Rivulets quickly created red lines in his shirt.

  Blistering pain exploded across her face before the sight of his hand registered. Stars erupted then she hit pavement with a harsh cry.

  “Bitch.” He held a hand to his side, staunching the flow of blood. Shoveling stiff fingers into her hair, he yanked her from the ground. “Wrong thing to do,” he breathed. “You should have just let me in.”

  He shook her by her hair, making her keys fall from her fingers. The jangle of her purse thudded to the ground when he shoved her flat against the door again, limp with shock and blistering, driving pain. Half of her face was somewhere between numb with pain and in so much agony, she wanted to scream with it. She couldn’t focus. Her head felt heavy, and the pinching strength of his fingers digging into her scalp was the only thing holding her on her feet. Swallowing, she tasted blood on her tongue.

  “Freeze!”

  Kay barely heard anything anyone said over the harsh ringing and pounding in her ears. Her eye had shut, making the focusing worse for what she could see. A swelling she didn’t want to think about tightened her jaw. She couldn’t open or move it. Breathing alone was a nightmare of effort and pain. When the hand in her hair loosened, she collapsed to the ground for a second time. She was pretty sure that was where she wanted to stay for a while.

  Chapter Three

  Rush listened to the scanner in his pickup, carefully taking turns, fighting his instincts to crush everyone in his path to get to Kay’s. He’d almost blanked out the call on the scanner at home, used to hearing its constant chatter when he was off, but when he’d heard Kay’s address, nothing short of the apocalypse could’ve held him back.

  With an almost sickening feeling, he knew what had happened. “Public disturbance, my ass,” he muttered as he milked another yellow light. Ambulances aren’t dispatched for public disturbances.

  There were two cruisers, a gaggle of witnesses and onlookers, and the ambulance. Strobing lights gave everything an eerie cast of light: blue, red and flickering white. Steven was handcuffed and in the back of one of the patrol cars. Rush snarled, his hands curling into fists reflexively, recognizing the blond. Steven should be thankful Rush was on this side of that bulletproof door.

  His next thought was finding Kay. Striding with purpose toward the front of the ambulance, he headed for the open doors at the rear.

  “Sorry, sir.” A hand lifted and stopped him, barely. He almost plowed right over the duty officer, but managed to control the urge. A rookie to the beat. Rush knew almost everyone on this side of the lake. He had his badge out faster than the cop could cry ‘mama’.

  “Where is she?” His tone was an ‘answer me now’ demand.

  The rookie studied the badge then nodded. “Inside. She took a hard hit to the face.”

  Rush didn’t let his anger show. Steven had just made a mortal enemy with that news. He didn’t wait to be invited, but simply circled the uniform in front of him and climbed up into the cave.

  “Hey,” he said gently, discovering her propped up on the gurney. He sat down next to her, letting the EMT finish his job with a single nod.

  “Rush?” she asked, confused and groggy. She turned, but didn’t open her eyes. One was obviously incapable.

  “Yeah.” He cupped her hand, feeling the limp curl of her fingers around his palm. The simple connection shoved his heart into his throat.

  “I gave her something for the pain,” the tech across from him said. Rush heard, but didn’t answer. Half her face was black and blue, a gnarled mess that had swollen her eye shut. The blood had been wiped away, but the damage was deep. That didn’t even touch on the clearly marked ring of bruising around her throat. If he ever found Steven alone…

  “Is she going to the hospital?” he asked, unable to tear himself away from watching her float in her drug-induced stupor.

  “She said she didn’t want to go. Asked for friends to be called. We’re waiting for a response.”

  He hissed a low curse at her stubborn streak ready to override her request, knowing they wouldn’t wait either way in her condition, then he took a closer look. She’d taken a beating, but looked to be mostly in one piece. Then the scent of blood filled his nostrils with his next breath. “Whose blood?” It was more of a growl than he’d intended, but the tech didn’t seem to notice. There were splatters on her clothes and he found more signs of it on her other hand, like it had been wiped clean.

  “That guy’s. She tried to rekey his ribs.”

  Rush smiled, thinking, That’s my girl, then quickly blinked, wondering where the thought had come from. She was unaware to the tumult of his thoughts, or his desires. The need to wrap himself around her and protect her was impossible to ignore now. His soul was crying because she was lying injured before him. It stole his air at how quickly, at how deeply those needs rifled him. He’d just found her, yet the immensity of how little time had passed since their meeting, of how little he knew about her, seemed to make no difference. She was there now, and that was that. He was going to have to deal with it, somehow. Lifting her limp hand, he brushed her fingers against his lips absently, unaware of the intimate contact.

  * * * *

  Kay winced when she moved. Everything from her waist up hurt. Her head was killing her, and her mouth felt nailed shut. She tried to lick her lips, but could barely feel them. Her throat was dry and when she swallowed, raw heat burned her from her chin to her chest. Her eyes weren’t in any better shape. She’d swear someone had locked them both closed. A low groan filled her ears and it took her a second or two to come to terms that it had been her making the sound.

  “Easy,” a soothing male voice said. A honey soaked voice that she’d thought she’d dreamed at some point.

  “Rush?�
� she croaked.

  “It’s me.” The sweep of tender fingers brushed over her forehead. “Where does it hurt?”

  She thought for a moment, concentrating. “Almost everywhere.” Her voice rasped painfully, and she tried again to swallow, wincing harder when it hurt like hell.

  “Here, drink this.” A firm hand beneath her head supported her and something liquid and cool touched her lips. She felt wetness as it ran everywhere but down her throat where she needed it. After a couple of tries, she managed a swallow or two. The tender swipe of a towel followed the tepid trails, confusing her more.