Temptations (Alpha City Book 5)

by Bryce Evans

Fisher looked he was ready to stomp his feet, too, but instead he nodded and saluted Nolan before he turned and walked out.

  “Thank you!” Nolan yelled out.

  “Yeah, yeah,” Fisher replied. Fisher was always joking around with him, but Nolan was the exact same way. Maybe that was why they got along so well. Plus, he understood exactly how his Beta felt. Dag was being an ass, and if he kept it up Nolan would have to have a talk with him. Trust was a big issue with them as well and they certainly didn’t trust the dragon shifters completely yet.

  Fisher never would’ve disrespected Nolan, or do anything that would make him look bad in front of others, and that included getting along with unpleasant guests. That’s why he knew that Fisher didn’t really mind cooking, especially with a pregnant female in their home. His Beta was a good man and he loved the pride.

  They had been friends as long as the other Alphas had. They’d all grown up together, and Fisher told him at an early age that he was going to be Nolan’s Beta when they grew up. He kept his promise. When it was time to name his Beta, Nolan never looked around for anyone else. Hell, it wasn’t even a consideration. Fisher was that good at his job, and he was one of Nolan’s best friends. He was family.

  He turned off his light and sat in the dark, thinking about the security cameras and planning their next steps—anything to keep his thoughts off Skylar. He closed his eyes, wondering what she was doing. Was she asleep, or waiting for him to walk up the stairs? Nolan started and shook himself out of his daydream. Where in the hell had that thought come from? Of course she was asleep.

  He could see in the dark as he quietly walked up the stairs. He didn’t want to wake anyone up, especially Thea. He liked her and wanted her to feel safe in his home. She was going to have a baby dragon, a fledgling. It didn’t matter if the child was a male or female, because all children were priceless and it was hard for shifters to conceive. So when a female was with child, they celebrated it.

  Walking past the closed door to Skylar’s room, he inhaled. He could smell her scent drifting out. Unfortunately, he could also hear Dag moving around in his bedroom. Just as the guard’s door began to open, Nolan ducked inside his room and shut the door behind him. He wasn’t going to be afraid to walk around in his own house, but one comment out of that jerk right now and he would throw him out on his ass.

  And if he did that, Skylar and the others would leave as well. He could still smell her scent even in his bedroom. Her room was just next door, and thinking of her was making him hard again. Nolan stripped down and went to take a cold shower. “It’s going to be a long night.”

  Chapter Five

  Mick Vanguard knocked on his daughter’s door. He’d felt more at ease since he arrived in Alpha City. The city had a way of making you feel at home, with the mom-and-pop stores on Main Street, each one decorated for holidays. As he drove through, people smiled and waved at him. Even though he didn’t know any of these people, it felt like home, something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. He smiled when the door opened and Maggie jumped into his arms. Catching her, he laughed, “I missed you too, baby girl.”

  “Me too, Father.”

  Judd stood at the door smiling. “Come on in, Mick.”

  “Good to see you, Alpha,” Mick answered.

  “Just Judd, please.”

  This was the first time he had been to Judd and Maggie’s home. Mick was amazed by its beauty as walked into the living room. He placed his hand on one of the walls. The woodwork alone was the best he had ever seen: each log was perfectly laid, and large stones were incorporated among them. The rocks had different colors in them, which sparkled as the light hit them. He looked up at the ceiling, where one of the end logs was carved into a jaguar head. He had never seen anything like it. “Whoever built this did an awesome job.”

  “That would be my great-grandfather and his pride. All of the homes that were built back in those days have been maintained over the years. In fact we’ve all tried to keep these homes cared for. They used every natural resource on this land to build homes for the pride,” Judd answered. “I think my mate feels better now that you’ve arrived.”

  “Thank you, Judd. I just wish it were for a happier occasion. How are you dealing with the news? I understand how hard this will be for you, but I don’t see another way,” Mick asked, concerned.

  Maggie grabbed her mate’s hand in support. Mick was a little envious of the love they had for each other. He could see it spilling out of them. They belonged together, and were such a good match. Both were fierce predators and good Alphas who helped both their pride and other shifters.

  That is what he wished the Vampire Council would do. Unfortunately, with some of the members that were on the board, it wasn’t possible. Some of them needed to die in order for them to have change. His friend High Master Jacob Privet was also of the same opinion. They had a passion to bring the Vampire Council into the twenty-first century and start meeting with the shifters.

  Incorporating the shifters’ customs would be hard for some of the clans, who thought they were superior to them. In fact, Locke believed that the vampires were the superior race and all others should be slaves. Funny, he sounded just like Claudia Blackwood. He’d wanted to laugh when he saw the expression on Locke’s face when he heard that Bo and Cat Toland’s clan had over two hundred members. They were not the superior race. With attitudes like that, they would never progress into the future.

  He’d already made plans to move his clan to Alpha City, as had the High Master. Mick had spoken to Judd and gotten his opinion on it. Judd owned some land on the other side of the city, and if his friends agreed he would sell the property to Mick. Maggie wanted her sire closer, and he couldn’t be happier to leave where he was at. His clan was more than ready. They were tired of all the spies and bickering back and forth. They had progressed, but the other members had not. It was time to move on and grow. If the others wouldn’t change then they could have it all to themselves and see how fast it all went downhill from there.

  “Come sit down and tell us what is going on,” Maggie insisted, reaching for his hand and pulling him over to the couch.

  “Locke will be here tomorrow afternoon. Do you have a place set up for him and his guards?” Mick asked. He could already see the vein protruding from Judd’s neck just at the mention of Locke’s name. “The more important question is, are you going to be able to be around him?”

  “He will,” Maggie answered before her mate could speak. She picked up his hand and kissed it. Her voice was much lower as she smiled at Judd. “I have faith that he will control his rage for that despicable man.”

  “Maggie makes everything possible,” Judd admitted. “But it’s like she said: I’ll make it work because I know that when this is over, he will be too, and I can finally put that nightmare to rest. Not just for me but for everyone here.”

  Mick smiled and nodded. “You’re good for each other. I’m glad you’re happy, both of you.”

  As his daughter looked up at her mate, Mick could see the love they shared for each other. Anyone else he would’ve been jealous of, but not of Maggie. She’d finally found what she was looking for and he couldn’t be happier for her. He wished that all his children could be just as happy. Sadly, living in Jonesboro only brought back bad memories of another daughter who wasn’t so lucky.

  He had seen Maggie in a store while she was human, looking at books on healing, and he could see all the qualities of a Healer in her. Her aura was bright and shiny, casting a glow all around her. She was a Healer, and he thought she could be the one to save his daughter, Petra. She had for a while, but in the end nothing could save her from going mad. She had the rare disease that vampires got making them crave blood until finally it drove them completely insane. He shook his head from the memory of having to kill her. She had gone to a small town, and started in one house, killing everyone. Then she went to house after house, slaughtering everyone inside. If it hadn’t been for Maggie, Mick would’ve died after h
e killed her. It was her healing that helped him get through it, and for that he had to give her the freedom she needed. Jonesboro would have slowly killed Maggie with all the backstabbing and false accusations. She was a kind soul in a harsh environment.

  “Mick, we’re going to Nolan’s house in the morning, but for now let’s eat,” Judd said. Putting his arm around his daughter, Mick followed them to the kitchen. A decision had been made. He would do whatever it took to make sure that Alpha City won this battle.

  The next day, Skylar applied more make-up than usual. Shaking her head as she looked in the mirror, she chastised herself for wanting to look good for her host. All night long she’d dreamed of him: the way his dimple came out when he smiled his thousand-watt smile, his beautiful blue eyes. But what she liked the most was the look that he got on his face when he was thinking about something. It drove her wild, made her skin heat up almost to the point that she came right there staring at him. All night she’d dreamed of that look, and found herself wet when she woke up. It was just a dream, but thinking about it sent her to the moon in the best damn orgasm she’d ever had.

  Nobody had ever had that effect on her before. And then she’d jumped out of bed this morning, rushing to get ready just so she could see him again. To be honest, it pissed her off feeling this giddy about a man, but here she was walking down the hallway in search of the big kitty.

  She stood in the living room and listened, hoping to follow the sound to where he was at, but she heard nothing. Fisher walked into the living room, wiping his hands on a kitchen towel.

  “You’re up.” Nolan’s Beta looked surprised to see her so early. “I’m making some breakfast for everyone. These meetings tend to take a long time, sometimes stretching out all day, so it’s best to eat early. Once London and Zoey get here they’ll just want junk food like nachos to eat.”

  Skylar smiled. “That sounds great, but I was hoping to ask Nolan some questions before the meeting.” She felt like she was still in high school, making excuses for turning up at the same places the boy she liked would be.

  “He’ll be back later. He went to see a friend.” Fisher’s eyebrows waggled. “A real good friend, if you get my meaning.”

  Skylar could actually feel her heart stutter and her face flush. She forced a smile and started to walk off. “I’ll let the others know about the food. Thank you.”

  Skylar wanted to pound her wings in the air. She needed to get rid of this frustration she was feeling. It didn’t matter that he’d gone to see a woman. He didn’t belong to her, or even have to tell her where he was going. Closing the door to her bedroom, she walked over to her bed and sat down. Maybe she needed to go and fly and let these feelings out. She was upset over nothing; a silly flirtation, that was all it was. He most likely flirted with all the girls, and she fell for it. What a fool.

  She was acting so childish. God, it’s been a long time since she had been around other men. She wouldn’t fall for it again. Nope, she was here to make a new home for her and her clan. There was no room for anything or anyone else. She had to keep her stupid, naïve feelings out of this.

  You have a plan, so stick to it, she muttered to herself, but the pep talk didn’t really work. She felt stupid, too, for thinking that they had a connection of some kind. Shaking her head, she got up and looked out the window. The mountain looked steep, and she needed to exhaust some energy and get these feelings out before she did something even stupider.

  Skylar needed to shift. She walked out of her room and knocked on Dag’s door. He hadn’t put on his shirt or shoes yet when he answered, and she really looked at him for a moment. Maybe she was meant to be with her own kind. To continue her blood line with another dragon. It didn’t matter that they weren’t true mates, what mattered was she loved Dag as a friend. She did love him, just not romantically. He smiled at her. “You’re up early.”

  She tried to smile back, but it faded.

  “What’s wrong, Princess?”

  “Nothing. I just need to shift.” Skylar patted his arm.

  “Okay, I’ll go with you.” Dag walked over to get his shirt.

  “No, I’ll be fine. I need to be alone, Dag. Just let the others know that breakfast is ready.” Skylar was already walking off before Dag could respond. Then she heard Nolan.

  She walked toward his voice and abruptly stopped when she saw Nolan embracing a woman and then spinning her as she laughed. He froze as soon as he saw Skylar, and they both stood staring at each other for a few moments. She couldn’t stop the jealous feeling inside of her as she turned around and raced for the door. Dear God, she felt like a total idiot now. He already had someone, and there she was fantasizing about him. Her heart pounded like a drum as she burst outside.

  What was she thinking, acting like this? Once she hit the grass, she took off running up the trail. Not only was she fast as a dragon, she was also fast in her human form. Right now she needed to shift and stretch her wings against the sky in order to get control of her stupid, immature emotions.

  Chapter Six

  “Man, she’s pissed off,” MJ commented.

  “I’ll be back, MJ,” Nolan yelled, running for the door. When he got to the front porch Skylar was already gone. Inhaling deeply he followed her scent up the trail to the pond, shifting as he ran. His clothes split at the seams, falling to the ground as he let his tiger out to find her and ran harder. He could smell her scent on the path, and it hadn’t changed—she was still in her human form. Turning the speed up, Nolan could tell he was gaining on her. She was already bent down at the pond at the top of the mountain when he arrived. Shifting to his human form, Nolan carefully approached her. “What’s wrong?”

  It looked like she was crying and that bothered him more than it should have. She wiped a tear from her face. “I think it would be better if we found a house of our own. That way you can have alone time with your friend.”

  “What?” Nolan asked, confused.

  “I’ll be back for the meeting.” Skylar shifted, flapping her wings so he couldn’t get close to her. The wind from her massive wings pushed him backward.

  She flew away so quickly that Nolan didn’t even get a chance to explain. He hit the nearest tree with his fist, putting a dent in the side of it. He was so frustrated. He screamed out, “She’s just a friend!” but Skylar was already gone. Her powerful wings had lifted her up into the sky and out of the area.

  Why should he care if she was mad? If she wouldn’t let him talk to her then maybe it was better if she got her own place to live. Unfortunately, that bothered him, too. When she got back he resolved to tell her that MJ was only a friend, helping him with the security cameras.

  It was the truth, after all; but of course she had to get all pissy and then fly off, knowing damn well that he couldn’t chase her down. The woman was screwing with his emotions. She ran hot one minute then cold the next. She was nothing to him but an ally helping them defeat her brother and Claudia Blackwood.

  Dag was standing on the porch when he returned. Nolan wasn’t in the mood to hear any of his shit, either.

  “Did you see the princess?” Dag asked.

  “She shifted and flew away,” Nolan replied curtly, walking past him while putting on a shirt he’d had hidden in the woods. Every member of his pride had clothes stashed in these mountains. It was their place to run and hunt, and sometimes they forgot to take their clothes off, destroying them in the shift.

  “What happened?”

  Nolan stopped before walking in the house. “Maybe you should ask her.”

  “I’m asking you. The princess has a mind of her own. She sometimes does things and doesn’t think about the consequences of her actions until it’s too late. She’s my Alpha, but I don’t want to see her hurt,” Dag explained quietly. Nolan could tell he wasn’t being a smart-ass; he was trying to let him know why she’d acted that way, and to be honest he liked that. However, there was a little bit of a threat in his comment, too.

  Nolan needed to set him st
raight. Turning around, he said, “I see that about her, but looks can be deceiving. My friend MJ is here, and she’s just that—a friend. I called her to come and fix the security camera system.” Nolan walked forward and stood right in front of Dag. “In fact she’s like my baby sister, but I think Skylar got the wrong impression, and then left without giving me time to explain. And I’m not used to explaining myself to people. I would like for her—for all of you—to stay, but I won’t stop her if she decides to leave.” Nolan didn’t wait to hear any more of Dag’s excuses for her. If she wanted to stay, he would like that, but he wasn’t going to beg her.

  They had a lot to do today, and wasting time trying to make a woman believe him when he hadn’t done anything wrong in the first place was just plain stupid. No matter what he did, she wouldn’t believe him anyway. He wasn’t going to be with a woman like that, no matter what he felt every time he looked at her. He’d been through that before and learned his lesson.

  He was just a young cub when he met Kim. She’d been visiting Alpha City with her father, for a meeting Nolan’s father was giving to show how they’d started the council. Shifters came to Alpha City all the time, to learn how they were so successful, but Kim was the most fascinating person he had ever met. He’d followed her around all dreamy-eyed.

  He’d been such a fool. It was just a game to her, but he had never experienced love like this before. She got a kick out of making him look like a complete idiot. She loved it when he begged her to spend time with him. Plus, she was the first sexual experience he had. Little did he know, Kim was very experienced, and didn’t have a problem going after his friends too. None of them knew that the other one was having sex with her. They were just horny young cubs and pups. It almost broke his friendships when he found out. He swore then that no woman would ever control him, and now he felt like a fool for chasing after Skylar. It was Kim all over again.