by Cara Wylde
She watched the way his pupils danced, dilating every few seconds then going right back to normal. His eyes melted her heart.
Ryan had never dared think he might have a shot with Josie, but the look she was giving him and the way her heart was thudding faster and faster in her chest were making him see things in a new perspective.
She cleared her throat and finally stepped away.
“Maybe we should head back to the palace. There’s nothing much to see in this part of the garden.”
Ryan’s eyes filled with sadness, and the change wasn’t lost on Jocelyn. The slow realization that her Beta might be just as obsessed with her as she was with him made something ache in her chest. Her heart. It was pumping hot blood through her veins, hot blood mixed with adrenaline, hope, passion… and other things she wasn’t sure she wanted to identify just now. She needed some distance. She needed time to cool her head and think.
“See you tomorrow,” she said and turned on her heels.
Ryan was sad to see her use her shifter speed to run to the palace, as if she wanted to be as far away from him as possible. Maybe he had been too bold? Or… not bold enough? A crazy idea took shape in his mind: what if he asked her out to dinner? It so happened that the next day was Valentine’s Day. But what if she said “no”? Would he be able to move on after her refusal? And, on the contrary, what if she said “yes”? What then?
***
Jocelyn got to her room, slipped into something more comfortable, and collapsed on her bed. Only now did she realize how exhausted she was. It wasn’t only because of the flight, the renovation plans, and the long walk, but also because she had focused so much energy on keeping her body and emotions in check around Ryan.
She looked up at the high ceiling and unwillingly started thinking about the way her Beta had made her feel. He had the strongest masculine scent she had ever smelled on a wolf, and that got her so horny she was afraid any shifter inside and around the palace would be able to smell her arousal. No matter how hard she tried, there was no way she was going to fall asleep. Her stomach rumbled and she ignored it, not in the mood to go to dinner downstairs. She tossed and turned, but her mind wouldn’t rest until she welcomed the thoughts of Ryan she was trying so hard to block out.
He had a stern silence about him that made him broody, mysterious and so very sexy. It was in his nature, so Jocelyn was surprised he had opened up earlier and peeked out of his cocoon just to make good conversation with her. She felt her cheeks burn pleasantly when she remembered how he had made her laugh. She had known him for years, and only now she was realizing he could be a funny guy if he wanted to. Her heart grew because she was probably the first person to see that part of him. The more she thought about it, the clearer it became that Ryan had done his best that day to make her feel comfortable around him.
Jocelyn threw all reason out the window and wondered if he was thinking about her. The possibility alone made her wet. If they ever took this attraction they felt further, she knew it would be different… With Ryan, it would all be different from what she had ever had with any of the men, shifters and humans, she had slept with.
Josie was used to one-night stands and how conveniently the guys left in the morning, but she doubted she would be able to let Ryan leave if they ever indulged their lust. She had never felt the need for a mate, but that was because there was no one who could match her. She needed a man who was stronger than her, yet who had the courage to let her lead. She needed someone who could complete her. Sex was not the problem. Whenever the need arose, it was easy for Jocelyn Blackmane to find an interested male. Even though that was the first thing her body needed from Ryan, she was painfully aware that her soul wanted more.
“What’s wrong with me?” she whispered to the ceiling. “Am I falling in love?”
The thought scared her a bit. She got out of the bed and started pacing the room. She tried to imagine a future with Ryan. How much would their life change? She would still be his Alpha, and he would still be her Beta. They would probably do their best to keep their personal relationship out of pack politics, and given how determined Jocelyn was, they would surely succeed. But… what about having pups?
Josie sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.
“I can’t deprive him of that…”
As a female wolf-shifter, Jocelyn couldn’t bear children. It was the curse of her species. No female shifter could get pregnant, and that was why male shifters needed human brides. Since it had become legal for shifters to turn their brides into hybrids so they could have children and the long lifespan and incredible abilities of their husbands, the world had changed. But it had only changed for the men, not for the women.
Seeing Jax and Carr running around and causing trouble had made Josie feel a strange need to be maternal. Back at Schloss Blackmane, her nephews did the same thing to her. Sometimes, while playing with Nick, Luke, and Jake in the courtyard, she pretended to be their mother. Of course, the scenario was all in her head. She would never risk confusing the pups. As for Jax and Carr, she knew that no matter how annoying they were, they brought all the joy in the world to their parents. She wished she could have that, and there were days when the desire was so strong that tears would well up in her eyes.
“No, I can’t deprive him of that…”
Ryan had said he wouldn’t be able to deal with kids like Carr and Jax, but Josie knew he was exaggerating. He could choose a human bride anytime. If he did, she would encourage him even though it broke her heart.
She plopped back on the bed.
“Shit. I’m falling in love.”
The fact that she was ready to sacrifice her own happiness for him meant that she loved him, right? That was how love worked. She was convinced that Ryan was the man of her dreams, and she hoped he felt the same. The temptation to run to his room and tell him everything, or just jump in bed with him and claim him as her own was so powerful that she could barely fight it. But why was she fighting it, anyway? Josie was used to getting what she wanted. Why did it have to be different now?
She jumped off the bed again, and this time headed to the door, determination obvious in her step. She didn’t even bother to put on a robe. Surely, Ryan wouldn’t mind the see-through negligee she had changed in to sleep. She threw a glance at herself in the mirror and decided there would be no harm in putting on a bit of red lipstick. Finally satisfied, she opened the door and stepped into the dark corridor.
The door creaked, and she almost retreated to her room, afraid someone would hear her. What would they think if they were accidentally listening? The female Alpha of Clan Blackmane going to her Beta’s room in the middle of the night… Josie shook her head and dismissed the thought. She could think about the consequences later. Much later…
She walked down the massive hallway that led towards his room, but before she got to his door, she started feeling completely out of place. What would her clan members think seeing her this nervous and doing something so unexpected? She hated all these questions and how insecure they made her feel, so she rushed back to her room, hoping no one saw or heard her.
Sometimes, Josie wished she could lead a normal life with no responsibilities. A life where she had no worries which could prove too big to handle, a life that didn’t require her to make impossible decisions, think about the good of the whole pack when she only wanted to follow her desires, a life that involved taking care of kids that had her blood running through their veins.
She closed the door behind her, leaned with her back against it for a moment, eyes closed. She took a couple of deep, controlled breaths, gathered her thoughts, then pushed herself away from the door. She took off her negligee and headed towards the shower. As she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she knew Ryan would appreciate waking up to that sight every morning. The hints he had given her today had been hard to miss or misinterpret. She knew it all too well, deep in her heart, and she wasn’t going to let anything convince her otherwise. But that didn’t mean
she had any right to be reckless and risk ruining the friendship and professional relationship they had. She was the Alpha, and she had to be responsible.
***
Since he had gotten to his room, Ryan had only been thinking about what he wanted to do with Jocelyn if the stars aligned and she said “yes” to his invitation. Somehow, in his horny head, most scenarios ended up in sex. He couldn’t help imagine what it would be like to have her growl and scratch at the sheets while he made her body sing in pleasure. It had been difficult for him to be around her all day. Her every move, gesture, and smile had made him so hard that now his cock was aching for release.
It was the small details that did it for him. The way she ran her fingers through her hair, how a thin crease would appear on her forehead every time she was lost in deep thought... It was how she got angry when something didn’t go her way.
He loved working with her, and respected her just as much as any member of the Moon Children, if not more. Even when she delegated some of her tasks to him, she was still the one who made the important decisions and worked more than anyone around her. Jocelyn was a natural born leader, and Ryan could find nothing more attractive than that. He grinned at the fleeting thought of taking the lead in bed and showing her he could be in complete control, too. Then he cursed himself for being so silly. If something ever happened between them, of course she would be on top.
He remembered how she had almost fallen when they were in the gardens. That was the first time since the Battle at Alma Venus when she had needed his help to support and protect her. The feeling of her tiny hand on his big arm made him feel like he had done the most important thing for the day. He had felt so lucky for the simple fact that he had been there so she could lean on him. Every time Josie looked into his eyes, Ryan felt electricity course through his veins. Just the thought of her made him hard all over again, and he knew he was not going to have an easy night.
At some point, he thought he caught her scent coming from outside of his room, but then he realized he was just imagining things. What would she be doing outside his door at that hour of the night? He even went out and peeked down the hallway to check, but saw nothing. It was just his mind playing tricks on him. He had been thinking about her so intensely that he was probably going insane. His body, his soul, his senses were so intoxicated with her image, the sound of her voice, and the smell of her arousal that Ryan could almost feel her pressed up against him if he closed his eyes, focused really hard, and let his imagination run wild.
He imagined how it would be to see her naked on his bed, inviting him to join her. He dismissed the thought, and decided to take a shower to relax and clear his head. Things didn’t go as planned. The second he stepped under the hot spray, his body reacted strongly to the sudden change of temperature. His cock grew bigger and thicker, the engorged head releasing small beads of pre-cum.
Ryan sighed, closed his eyes, and started stroking his erection while thinking about Jocelyn. He had her pinned underneath him, her long, athletic legs were wrapped around his waist, her heels digging into his hips, urging him to move faster, fuck her harder. He pumped his cock, biting his lower lip to keep himself from moaning and grunting out loud. He could only dream of how her tight pussy would feel around his massive cock. The thought alone drove him over the edge, and he came in long, heavy spurts on the wet tiles.
He took a few moments to calm down his racing heart and regain his composure. As he stood under the running water, he whispered under his breath: “I have to ask her out. There’s no other way, I simply have to try.”
CHAPTER THREE
The next morning, all Jocelyn could think about was how she had almost gotten herself in trouble because of her stupid emotions. She could barely focus on working on the renovation plans. She and Delyse were on the terrace, sipping coffee, making light conversation, and cleaning up the notes and drawings they had made the day before. If the guys who would be working on the left wing were to understand something from Josie’s and Delyse’s scribbles, then the plans had to be cleaned and organized thoroughly.
The wind was blowing pleasantly, and the sun peeked from behind the clouds at regular intervals. Given the season and the month, it was a lovely day, and Jocelyn had felt like wearing something comfortable, but sexier than usual. She wore a cute pencil skirt that emphasized her narrow hips and long legs, but she had opted for flats instead of high heels. She was tall enough already, taller than Delyse, but that wasn’t the problem. It was simply easier to walk around in flats than high heels, of which she had never been a fan.
Josie’s thin lips matched her high cheekbones in a bewitching way, the bright red lipstick complimented her fair complexion, and her green eyes sparkled with joy. She felt good today. She hadn’t had the courage – or recklessness? – to do as she pleased last night, but that didn’t affect her mood. In fact, she could say she was proud of herself for having been so level-headed.
As she took a small sip of her hot coffee, Jocelyn took a moment to study the woman across from her. Delyse was bent over the plans, taking notes in pencil, and stopping from time to time to drink her own coffee. She was so different from Jocelyn! For one, hybrids had a very unique scent, and Josie had had to train herself years ago to pick it up. Delyse smelled like roses and spices, and that reminded Josie of Avelyn, her sister-in-law. This woman might have looked weak and delicate, but the she-wolf knew better than to take that image for granted. Hybrids were almost as strong and fast as shifters, with the exception that they couldn’t shift into an animal form.
“This here looks too complicated,” murmured Delyse.
Jocelyn leaned forward to see what she was talking about.
“Oh, don’t worry about it. We just need to find a better way to represent what you want for that part of the wall.” She took a pencil and drew a couple of lines. “Better?”
Delyse nodded, but she didn’t look particularly convinced.
Normally, Jocelyn would have tried to make things clearer for her, but she found it hard to focus. Ryan occupied 98% of her mind. She couldn’t wait for him to wake up and join them on the terrace. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his handsome face, strong jaw, and that unique scar that told so much about his personality. Josie thought how his scar was probably one of the most attractive things about him. At least to her… Ryan wore it proudly, and he never made any effort to hide it. His confidence was a major turn on to Jocelyn, and the way he towered over her whenever they were together made Josie feel a little threatened and intimidated, but also safe in a twisted, unexplainable way. She sighed and tried to shrug off these thoughts so she could concentrate on what Delyse was telling her about the project.
The two women talked and planned for a long while before Jax and Carr made their entrance, hovering over the terrace, playing in their dragon forms. Every time they almost hit something, Delyse cringed involuntarily.
“Before you know it, we will be calling your construction company to come fix the whole palace. At this rate, I think I’ll have to find another place to live.”
Jocelyn laughed. “And they’ll just knock that one to the ground, too.”
“Do you think Eric and Viggo would agree to live in tents until these two improve their flying skills?”
Josie pursed her lips. Delyse was joking, of course.
“Ancient, ridiculously wealthy dragon-shifters… living in tents,” she said. “Not in a million years.”
“Thought so.”
The blonde woman looked ridiculous waving her hands around, trying to get her sons’ attention.
“Please!” she screamed at them. “Go fly over the forest!”
Jax and Carr noticed their mother’s worry, but instead of being more cautious, they started playing mean jokes on her. Carr charged for the window above the terrace, then changed course at the last moment.
Delyse pressed both her hands to her chest.
“I swear, they’re going to give me a heart attack one day.”
&nb
sp; Jocelyn laughed louder. “They’re just messing with you.”
Delyse looked at her, brows furrowed.
“I know! It doesn’t make it any better!”
Delyse’s face had turned crimson in anger, and her eyes had become midnight blue.
Jocelyn should have sympathized with Delyse, but the young dragons had a special talent of making everything look fun and harmless. After they feigned almost crashing into walls a couple more times, Delyse stood up abruptly and headed for the door.
“That’s it: I’m getting their dads.”
Josie covered her mouth to hide her smile. “Oops.” She looked up at Jax and Carr and yelled at the top of her lungs: “You guys are in trouble!”
The black dragon nodded towards her to let her know he had heard her warning, then blew fire over the silver dragon’s back to get his attention. They both flew towards the mountains.
Just as Delyse left the terrace, Ryan passed her and sat down in her chair. Once again, he and Josie were alone.
“Is fate playing tricks on me?” thought Jocelyn. A moment ago, she was surrounded by people. The dragons would have provided the best distraction to make things between her and Ryan less awkward, but they were gone.
“Beautiful morning, don’t you agree?” said the Beta, scratching the back of his head nervously. Here he was, trying to make light conversation again. He sucked at it.
“The weather is great for February,” Josie said.
She didn’t care they were talking about the weather when she was free to admire how Ryan’s arms bulged under the thin sweater he was wearing. She felt like a horny teenager who hadn’t seen a ripped man before.
Ryan hadn’t slept in. He was late on the terrace because he had spent the whole morning trying to find the perfect words to ask his Alpha out on a date. He still wasn’t sure whether he wanted to make it sound like a date, or like an innocent suggestion to see the small town on the island and check out its best restaurant. Finally admitting to himself that he would never find the right words, he made his way out of his room and decided to go with the flow and see where it took him.