by Zoe Chant
“Richard might—”
“No one’s going to believe Richard,” she said.
“Did he call you?” Jason asked. “Are there phone records, anything like that?”
“I don’t think so,” Andy said. “He…shit. He wanted me to take the fall if anything went wrong, I think. Didn’t want us connected at all. The ritual—”
“There’s no such thing,” Jason said.
Andy put his hands over his face and sighed. “I’m an idiot.”
“You trusted the wrong person,” she said reassuringly.
“If I’d been the alpha, really, I would have known.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “You live close?”
“I’m staying with my parents until I can afford an apartment. It’s pretty close to Oliver’s. That’s why I thought….” He shrugged his shoulders, putting his hannds back down. “I really miss him.”
“Do your parents know?”
“No,” he said. “I know they love me. And they’re my parents, always. But…this? I can’t ask them to deal with a werewolf son. They didn’t ask for that.”
“As long as you’re safe,” she said. “And they love you. Why don’t we trade numbers? We can start working on the meeting tomorrow.”
“All right,” he said. “Thanks. I…probably ought to get home after that.”
“I think I could just fall asleep right here,” Lucy said, after Andy had left and she’d sent one last email.
“Why don’t we go to bed instead?”
She looked up at him and smiled. “I think I’m too tired for anything but sleep.”
“Me too,” he said. “I’m a werewolf. I’m not Superman.”
“Good. Do you mind sleeping with me? Just sleeping?”
He laughed. “Of course not. Let’s get some sleep. We deserve it.”
“I’ll say,” she said, getting up.
He caught her around the waist and held her tight. To his relief, she let him. She smelled secure, content. He put his face in her hair and breathed her in.
“I thought we were just sleeping,” she said. He could hear the smile in her voice.
“For now,” he said. “There’s still the morning.”
“Late breakfast,” she said happily. “Definitely.”
“I’m sorry about earlier,” he said. “I was going too fast.”
“You were,” she said, “but you were right, too. I have to—this is my family. My clan. Maybe I didn’t know them for a long time, but they’re mine. I get that now. Having someone else here from the clan—now I understand. When I was a kid, sometimes I’d talk to someone and it was just like they were family…they were, weren’t they? They were part of the clan and I just didn’t know.”
“That’s just how it works,” he said. “I wish things hadn’t worked out the way they did. Losing your mom, and Oliver—he was hoping the clan alliance would give him an excuse to finally get to know you all.”
“I wish he had.” She looked up at him. “Do you think Richard might have—?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know if we’ll ever know. But a heart attack…might have been wolfsbane.”
She hissed in breath.
“I don’t know if we can find out for sure,” he said. “Do you want me to look into it?”
“I’m not sure,” she said. Let me think about that. And I want to talk about the clan alliance in the morning,” she said. “About us, too.”
“I can wait,” he said.
She kissed him, and he didn’t want to wait. He wanted to claim those soft lips for the rest of his life. He wanted to take her to bed, make love to her, never let her go. But he wasn’t lying. He could wait. He just hoped he didn’t have to wait long. “Thank you,” she said. “Now let’s go to bed.”
***
The late morning light woke Lucy. It was warm, and it felt wonderful. What felt even better was the warm presence of Jason beside her.
Oliver had made it very clear; in any alliance, the clans were equal, and Jason had promised to respect that, no matter what happened to either clan. But he’d also made it clear that he would protect Lucy and her sisters, no matter who the clan queen would be, no matter what happened. Even if they hadn’t fallen in love.
Maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe this wasn’t jumping in too fast. Maybe this was just knowing when something was right.
She got up, brushed her teeth and used the bathroom. Her hair looked…well, good enough. She found herself wishing she had some sexy lingerie, instead of the old t-shirt she’d slept in. Last night she’d been too tired to care, but now she couldn’t forget that the warm, sweet guy who’d been sleeping at her side was a super hot guy, too.
She came back into the bedroom and watched Jason sleep for a little while, his dark eyelashes brushing his cheeks. He had gone to bed shirtless, and had pushed the sheet down in his sleep, so she could see his broad chest, his muscles. The dark curly hair on his chest was soft to the touch. She hadn’t even had breakfast yet, but she wasn’t hungry for anything but Jason. She was wet already, and getting wetter every time his chest rose and fell.
“You’re awake,” he said, gently.
“Oh,” she said, “you are too.”
He smiled. “You want breakfast?”
“I’m not hungry yet,” she said, letting her hand trail along Jason’s side. “I guess it’s up to you.”
His smile showed a little hint of fang, and she felt her whole body come alive. “I think I have some ideas.” He reached out and grabbed the hem of her t-shirt, tugging at it. “Let’s see what you’ve been hiding.”
“I haven’t—I haven’t hidden anything!” She let him pull her shirt off, though. Her breasts felt huge.
James didn’t seem to mind, though. He shifted his weight, pulling her on top of him. She could feel his erection through his shorts, and that only made the fire in her body burn hotter. Her nipples were hard as pebbles, and they felt incredibly sensitive as Richard gently brushed his fingertips against them. She shuddered. “You’re amazing,” he said.
“I’m just—”
“A queen,” he said. “My queen.” He leaned his head down and took one of her nipples into his mouth.
She gasped. It was warm and wet, and the pleasure rushed through her body, from her breast outward, pooling to add to the heat already between her legs.
She felt…confident.
For the first time in a long time, she believed it all. That she was sexy. That Jason would stay around. That she could be herself, really herself, without being judged. Without anyone telling her there was ‘a lot of her to love’ or asking her if she didn’t want to try the salad, or acting ashamed to introduce her to his friends. This was a guy who found her sexy. Found her perfect. Just the way she was.
“I want to taste every inch of you,” he said. “You’re amazing.”
“You’re getting there,” she said.
He laughed. “Then I’ll start all over again.”
That sounded just fine by Lucy. “What about me? Don’t I get a taste?”
“I’d love to give you a taste,” Jason said. “Of anything you want.”
“Okay,” Lucy said, “if you’re sure.”
He looked up at her, his blue eyes steady. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
That sent another hot tremor through her body. She reached over to the bedside drawer and pulled out the condoms. He smiled at her as she opened the package, throwing the wrapper away. “But I don’t know what I want to taste first.”
“I’ve got some ideas,” he said, as she rolled the condom down his dick. “You want to put yourself in my capable hands?”
“Oh,” she said. “That—that sounds great.” She relaxed into his strong arms. He pulled her down for a kiss, wet, hot, intense. His hands roamed her body, from her shoulders and back to her hips. She kissed back, putting her hands on his muscular shoulders. Did he need to work out, or were wolves just naturally hot? She’d ask. Eventu
ally.
His hands reached up to her hips, moving her weight effortlessly. He lifted her up, pushing her hips back. He lined her body up so the tip of his dick pressed just against her clit, soft at first, then more firmly. She felt the pressure building slowly in her body, and she shook every time he pressed against her. She was aching already. It was almost unbearable; only Jason’s firm hands kept her grounded, kept her from screaming out loud. “Go ahead,” he said. “You can come for me.”
She couldn’t say anything. All she could do was react to him, her hips shifting of their own accord. She was desperate for him. Needed him. So much.
“Okay, okay,” he said, with a little half-smile that was incredibly sexy. “You think you can ride me?”
“I—maybe?” Her breasts usually…got in the way.
Was he reading her words, or her glances? Either way, he took his hands from her hips and lifted them up to her breasts, holding them steady as she moved. It felt…it felt amazing. She rocked against him, back and forth, feeling James’s huge dick inside her. He started rubbing his thumbs against her nipples. She moaned, so overwhelmed she couldn’t speak, couldn’t even articulate the words in her own mind.
When she came, it felt like a wave was crashing through her, starting at her toes and going up, and she shook hard in Jason’s strong hands as he thrust upward. She cried out, an wild animal’s cry, and he pulled her close in his arms, letting her sink down against his chest.
“Oh,” she said finally, as she started catching her breath. “You haven’t—”
“I haven’t finished,” Jason said. “I haven’t even gotten started.” He slid out of her. “What do you want to do next?”
“I—it’s up to you,” she said. “Didn’t we—I mean, you need to finish, and I’m—”
He kissed her cheek. “I don’t think you’re done yet,” he whispered against her skin. “I want to make you come again. I don’t think we should finish until you scream.” The way he said scream made her whole body heat up again. “Why don’t you lie down for a while?” He moved out from underneath her, pulling the sheets back. “Come on in.”
“Do you want—” She wasn’t even sure how to ask.
He knew, though. He took her by the wrist and pulled her into bed, putting her back on the mattress. “Now,” he said. “Put your legs straight up. You’ll like this.”
She raised her knees.
“No,” he said, smiling, “straight up—” He put his hands on the backs of her thighs and kept going up, a feather-light touch on the backs of her knees, then her calves as she straightened her legs. It made her shiver with his every movement. “There,” he said. “Now we can get started.”
She’d never tried anything like this. She wasn’t sure she’d ever been with anyone this adventurous. Or confident that she wouldn’t be too big for anything acrobatic, maybe. Whatever it was, she’d never had her feet up in the air while—
Jason pushed inside her. Oh. Oh, that did feel good. He held her legs together as he thrust, filling her, making her ache all over again. His free hand roamed her body, using the sharp edge of his nails to scratch gently across her skin until she was throbbing with desire once again. He was making soft grunts with every thrust, and his rhythm grew stronger and faster. She was aching, needy, hot, and he was reaching a space inside her she’d never felt before, something deep and intense and hot. She reached down, touching his thigh, brushing against the dark hair. He caught her hand for a moment, squeezing it, and she felt another thrill pass through her body. When they were together like this, she didn’t want to hesitate any longer. She couldn’t hesitate. She was his. His Queen. His mate.
This was what she’d been waiting for all her life.
“Close,” Jason panted, and let go of her hand to press gently at her clit.
That set her on fire. She cried out, her hips pushing back and forth against the pressure of Jason’s body, her body shaking with sensation. Jason came, roaring, inside her, his own hips thrusting deep and hard.
She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak for a moment. All she could do was slowly lower her legs and listen as she and Jason caught their breath.
“You’re amazing,” Jason said, putting his hand on her stomach. For once, it didn’t feel too big, or awkward, or ugly. She felt beautiful.
“You make me feel amazing,” she said. “Like a queen, for real.”
“You are a queen,” he said. “My Queen.” He put his hands on her face and leaned down, kissing her deeply.
“You were right,” she said, when they finally broke the kiss. “We need to move ahead.”
“With the clan alliance?”
“That too,” she said.
“Oh,” he said. “Are you sure?”
“I think I am,” she said.
He squeezed her tight. “I have to get you a ring.”
“I don’t need a ring,” she said. “I need to figure out how to explain all this to my family.”
Jason just laughed.
***
Ophelia was still working on her makeup.
“O,” Frieda said. “They’re gonna start playing the music, and we’re gonna walk out without you. That cute Andy dude’s gonna be standing up there without a girl to put on his arm.”
“It’s not symmetrical!” Ophelia whined. “Look, you won’t want me going up there—”
Frieda took her arm. Not gently. “Hold still,” she barked. “You’re gonna be symmetrical with two black eyes if you don’t—” She took the brush in one hand and Ophelia’s chin in the other, carefully brushed at one eyelid, and put the brush down. “Done. You look great. Now get up.”
Ophelia sighed. “Fine.” She got up.
She looked wonderful. She and Frieda were both wearing slim royal blue sheaths with diamond necklaces that had been in Oliver’s estate, with white lilies in their hair. Ophelia had picked them out. She’d helped Lucy pick out her own dress, too. It was a soft periwinkle, the kind of color Lucy loved painting with. Lucy had white lilies and blue hydrangea in her bouquet.
“I guess we’re all ready,” Lucy said. There was a knot in her stomach.
“If you’re sure about this,” Ophelia said. “You have puppies, don’t come crying to me.”
“Knock it off,” Frieda said. She’d taken to the clan with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, to Lucy’s surprise, meeting with families and helping Lucy with all the communications that Oliver had once handled. With Andy’s knowledge of the clan, she’d set up a phone tree and an email list that would get urgent news out to everyone within a few hours, and then started working on the details of the clan alliance with Jason and Ian. “I’m surprised she didn’t inherit being Queen,” Lucy had told Jason.
“It’s about more than organizational skills,” Jason had said.
Having Frieda so involved had meant Lucy could keep her teaching job, which she was grateful for. She and Frieda had bought out Ophelia’s share of Oliver’s house, and they were still carefully navigating the best way to have a couple and a single woman all have their own space. Jason had suggested a mother-in-law apartment and had gotten a few funny looks.
Dad seemed happy with all of it; Frieda finally with a purpose, Lucy finally with someone who loved her just as she was, even if he was a werewolf. “Some things your mother said to me finally make sense now,” he’d said when they told him the truth. “And she always did get on with dogs.”
Now it was ‘s wedding day. She had her sisters at her side, and Jason had chosen Ian and Andy as his groomsmen, as a way to underline the clan alliance. This was more than a wedding. This was a celebration of the strength of both clans, of how much stronger they would be as allies. No one would go hungry in Lucy’s clan, that was for sure, and if a young wolf got in trouble anywhere in the country they’d have allies they could call on.
This was everything Oliver could have wanted.
And it was everything Lucy wanted too.
Dad knocked on the door. “You girls about ready? Jason
might run away, he has to wait too long.”
“No he won’t,” Lucy said, and opened the door.
***
A note from Zoe Chant
Thank you for buying my book! I hope you enjoyed it. If you’d like to be alerted by email when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list. If you'd like to contact me, my email is [email protected]. You can also visit my website at ZoeChant.com.
Please consider reviewing Undercover Alpha, even if you only write a line or two. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.
Cover concept by Augusta Scarlett.
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