I set everything down, getting up to give each of them a hug. “Thank you! You guys didn’t need to get me anything, so again thank you.”
They each hugged me back, as Wyatt laughed. “We want you to relax sometimes. Make sure you share that Morgan.” He winked at me, a smile on his face.
Next was Grandpa; he had a red-wrapped package in his hand. He had a limp, but could walk for the most part. He still needed a lot of help but I’m glad he was finally out of the hospital.
“Open it, Dandelion.” He smiled lightly, breaking me from my thoughts. I opened the package, and the tears fell full force. It was a photo album. The cover had my parents posing for a picture with my grandparents. They looked to be in their early twenties, while my grandparents were in their early forties.
I placed the album on top of the other gifts, getting up to hug my grandfather tightly. “Thank you, Grandpa. I’ll cherish it forever.”
He hugged me back, sniffling with me and stating, “I know you will. I would’ve given it to you sooner but your parents requested that I not give it to you until your twenty-first birthday.”
Wiping away my tears again, I laughed. Looking over at Alaric, I saw that he was mesmerized by me the whole time. His face was soft, and his eyes held an emotion I couldn’t decipher.
I tilted my head, as Alaric turned to move around the corner of the house, not mentioning anything to me.
Furrowing my eyebrows, I spun toward him, hands on my hips.
What was he up to?
I swung my head back to Wyatt, who just sat back smiling. Wyatt’s mother grinned as Ryker wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
When I heard a throat clear behind me, I whipped myself around to find Alaric down on one knee; a smile brightly lit up his face. He held a little black box in his hand.
I stood there, my mouth hanging open. “Are you serious?”
I felt the tears well up as he smiled again; his eyes sparkled as he spoke. “Dahlia, since the day I met you, I knew you were mine. Even if we weren’t mates, I knew I would fight for you, and die for you. You are my world, and I want nothing more than to spend forever with you. I know the road ahead of us will be filled with uncertainty, but with you by my side, I know we can rule this world together. So, Dahlia Miller, will you do me the honor of being my girl forever?”
The tears just rolled now. I nodded with both hands over my eyes to hide my face. “Yes, I would love that. This is the best birthday ever.”
He stood, taking me in his arms and hugging me. It calmed me, as he broke the hug and removed my hands from my face. He wiped the tears from my eyes before taking my left hand. As he opened the black box, I gasped at the beautiful ring inside. It was gold with a purple diamond. It matched the necklace he had given me.
Placing it on my ring finger, he held my hands in his. I lifted my face to stare up at him, looking into his endless pools of blue. The only thing I read was the love I could see and feel from him.
I reached my arms up, trying to wrap them around his neck. He chuckled, picking me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist with my arms around his neck. I smiled at him, before kissing him passionately.
THAT EVENING, ALARIC took me to a fancy dinner. I had changed into a red dress that went to my knees with black flats. I wore the necklace and earring set that Lydia and her mother had given me. Rylan curled my hair, putting it up into a half-bun, which allowed my curls to cascade down my back. I looked good, and it boosted my confidence
After the dinner, I was concerned because of our funds for the pack. I didn’t want to take anything away from my people, even if it was for my birthday, but Alaric reassured me that this was from his personal savings, and whatever we hadn’t spent would go into the pack funds.
I relaxed after that as we waited to be picked up from the restau- rant. A few minutes later, a black limousine pulled up. I was shocked, I had never been in one before. It. Was. A. Fucking. Limo.
As we drove away from the restaurant, I sat beside Alaric, when an idea popped into my head. I reached up to the controls for the sunroof above us, watching as it slid open.
I kissed Alaric’s cheek as he watched me stand, reach my upper body up, and pop my head out of the window. It was only 7 p.m. but the city was lit up like Las Vegas. Every building had either flashing lights or some other bold type of display.
I took a deep breath, slightly coughing from the nasty smell from the exhaust pipes around me. The force of the breeze whipped my hair every which way. I felt free. I raised my arms up, screaming into the night sky.
I heard gasps and whistles around me while the bystanders on the sidewalks watched as the limo pulled up to an expensive hotel.
I looked at the sign in front of us. The Ritz-Carlton.
I gasped, spooked, as Alaric grabbed me by the waist and gently pulled me down, making me straddle him.
He watched me with a smirk as I glared at him with a “no, this is too expensive” look.
He leaned closer to me, gently pressing his lips to mine. I kissed him back, resting my hands on his chest and feeling the steady beat of his heart. His lips were soft and gentle, yet passionate and demanding.
He suddenly pulled away, chuckling at my pouty reaction from the loss of contact.
“Come on.” He motioned for me to step out as the driver got the door for us. He climbed out after me.
The limo driver closed the door behind us as Alaric turned and thanked him. Giving him a small wad of cash, Alaric nodded as the limo driver graciously showed his appreciation before wishing us a nice evening.
His hand in mine, Alaric led me to the large glass doors. A butler pulled the door open while greeting us. “Good evening, Ms. Miller, Mr. Verenund, right this way. We’ll get you settled right away.”
He led us through the lobby.
My mouth hung open, taking in the dome-shaped room. The marble underneath us was white with gold trim and the walls were painted a gray-white. A large chandelier hung above us; its crystal glittered from the light it illuminated.
The front desk held fourth receptionists, but only two were filled. There were vases of flowers—roses and lilies—set up on both ends with one in the middle. There was a beautiful picture of a white horse with the sunlight shining behind it. Clouds formed little crea- tures throughout the painting with the light blue sky mesmerizing me.
Turning my attention back to the front desk, I watched as a woman in a white and black dress suit welcomed us, handing Alaric our suite key. He smiled and nodded at her.
The butler led us to a gold set of elevators. There were three, all lined up in a row. Standing at the first one, our escort pressed the button. Seconds later, the door opened and we walked in. The soft music that played in the elevator smoothed my racing heart.
Alaric pulled me closer, sensing my nerves. His hand squeezed mine, as I watched the elevator door as we kept going up. It went from twenty, to twenty-five, and then to thirty before stopping. The elevator dinged as the door opened, opening into a dimly lit room. My eyes widen at the rose petals that were placed in front of it, guiding us down the hall.
We walked out, while the butler stayed inside the elevator. “Have a good night.” He smiled, nodding at us as the elevator doors closed.
I stood there, staring at the rose petals, which led through the hallway and to a closed door. The hallway had lights in the ceiling with pictures of different landscapes hanging on the walls. I hadn’t realized that my breath had hitched until Alaric removed his hand from mine, walking over to a coatrack and taking off his suit jacket before hanging it up.
He smiled at me, holding out his hand. “Come on, there’s more to see.”
I smiled back, taking his hand and letting him lead the way. We walked slowly through the hall. Everything around me faded out—all I was focused on was Alaric—as he walked down the hall.
He stopped at the door, waiting for me to stand beside him.
“Go ahead.” He motioned for me to open it, placing
a hand on the small of my back.
I smiled up at him, gripping the golden handle before twisting it.
I felt my heart skip a beat when I stared into the room. The window held a view of the whole city and the busy streets below. The scenery was perfect, with distant mountains to watch the rising sun in the mornings. The room was practically the size of my grand- father’s whole house, with a large kitchen area, a couch that could pull out as a bed, and a large flat screen TV that emerged from the ceiling at the press of a button.
I looked to the floor, and to where the rose petals kept going, toward another hallway and a large set of double doors. I took the lead, smiling like a fool.
At the doors, I let go of Alaric’s hand and gripped both handles to swing them open. I gasped, staring into the massive bedroom. Rose petals led to the large California-king mattress, with an additional heart-shaped pile of rose petals across it. In the center of the bed sat a box placed perfectly in the middle. It had a silver bow on top.
I looked around the room. There was a small loveseat with a coffee table in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows so you could sit and watch either the sunset or the sunrise; it was perfect for any occasion.
I turned toward the door at the end of the room, going to it and opening it. Inside, white walls and a large Jacuzzi tub greeted me. More rose petals lead to the tub, where candles were neatly set up and a soft sound came from the ceiling. To the left of the tub was the massive walk-in shower.
I did a little dance, spinning around and jumping into Alaric’s arms. He was taken back a little but quickly adjusted to my weight, as I kissed him. He pressed me up against the door; his hands held me up by my ass, as my own started undoing his shirt. Once I had it completely unbuttoned, I placed a hand on his chest, making my fingers trail down before stopping at his suit pants.
I looked into his eyes, about to undo his pants, when he growled loudly. “Not yet, my love.” It was Braxton who spoke. I noticed his eyes had changed from blue to yellow in a matter of seconds.
I stuck my lip out, pouting as he adjusted me once more before a chuckle erupted from him. He carried me to the bed, gently placing kisses on every inch of my face and neck before setting me down.
He reached over with one hand to grab the box, handing it to me. “Open it,” he commanded, his eyes back to the beautiful blue I loved. He stayed in front of me, watching in anticipation as I gently untied the bow. Opening the box, I was shocked by what I saw. It was
a sexy black set of lingerie.
He smirked before taking the box from me, stating, “Come take a nice hot bath, get your muscles relaxed and put this on. I can’t see it early, or I won’t be able to control myself.”
I hung my mouth open, quickly following him with my cheeks red. I smirked. “I see what you’re doing, mister.”
He laughed as he plugged the tub, pouring some Epsom salts and lavender bubbly soap into the flowing water, before he stood straight again. He was facing me before I could even blink; his eyes glowed that same yellow from before and his voice was that sexy, husky one I loved. “Really now? Well, relax and come out when you’re ready. I love you.”
I laughed, shaking my head as he moved around me to leave the bathroom.
He gave me a grin, his fangs protruding as he licked his lips. I undid my hair, taking my shoes off as Alaric helped me unzip my dress, gently placing kisses down my spine while making me shiver. My core clenched, and I whimpered in response. I needed him, but I knew my body would appreciate this bath in the morning.
I quickly turned around, practically shoving him from the bath- room. “You have to go or I won’t be able to focus on anything.”
He laughed against the door, his voice velvety. “Get ready, my love. Tonight, I worship you. It’s all about you.”
I swooned at his words as I completely undressed and stepped into the steaming hot tub. After soaking and washing my hair, I climbed out of the tub.
Grabbing a large fluffy towel, I dried myself. Brushing my hair out, I left it flowing down my back. I grabbed the box from the counter, opening it and pulling the first piece of lingerie out. It was cute and sexy. The lacy cups were soft against my fingertips. I unhooked it, putting it on before grabbing the second piece out. This was a thong with spaghetti straps and a lacy front. My face immediately turned a bright red, but I quickly shook my head to clear it.
Putting it on, I examined myself in the large mirror that was deli- cately placed onto the wall.
I looked good; a smile crept onto my face.
Suddenly my stomach filled with butterflies as I grew nervous. Would he like what he saw? He wouldn’t run away, would he? I had never been so self-conscious about my body until I had found the right one. He was made for me, and I was made for him. That’s what the Gods’ had decided at the beginning of time.
I shook my head, letting the nerves die down, as I got up the courage to open the door.
When I was out of the bathroom, I found Alaric on the bed. He still had his clothes on but he was looking at something on his phone before he glanced up from his screen and noticed me.
That damned nervousness came back, my stomach now doing flips, as he took in every inch of me. He licked his lips, setting his phone down, before motioning with his hand for me to come to him.
I took a deep breath, doing just that. Once I was in front of him, he reached his hands out to trace my hips, up my stomach and to my breasts when he finally looked up into my eyes. His were a mix of yellow and blue; it was captivating. He smiled seductively.
“Do you like what you see?” I asked, placing my arms around his neck and pulling myself closer. I felt his erection poke me, as he placed his hands back on my hips.
His voice was a growl. “Baby, I love everything I see—”
I shut him up by smashing my lips against his, causing him to fall backward onto the bed.
He kissed me; his hands roamed all over me, sending sparks all throughout me. My core grew wetter and wetter the further we went. He sat up, placing me in front of him, as he took his suit shirt off. Standing, I helped him out of the other articles of clothing he had on, before tossing them aside.
Saying he was huge was an understatement. I loved every inch of him and he was mine forever. I smiled at him before getting on my knees and taking him into my mouth, licking the pre-cum off the tip. He hissed and growled against my touch, as I moved up and down; looking up, I found his eyes had changed to a deep ocean color.
“Fuck,” he moaned, as I took him all the way in, slightly coughing afterwards.
I was about to go again when he gently cupped my cheek in his hand, lifting my head to look up at him.
“My turn,” he said as he picks me up and takes me in his arms before gently placing me on the bed, where he proceeded to kiss and caress every inch of my body. His tongue licking everywhere, it sent chills of pleasure through my body.
My core wept and I whined as he moved the thong over so he could plunge his fingers inside.
“God, I love the way you suck me in,” he growled, as he set himself between my thighs.
“Are you ready?” he asked, tilting his head; a smile crossed his face and his eyes studied mine.
I nodded, not saying a word because I was preparing myself.
Without another thought, he pushed himself inside, making me scream out. He moaned as he leaned down and gently kissed my collarbone before muttering, “Your body was made for mine. You feel amazing. This is my new favorite place to be.”
I hissed as he placed his hands on my hips, removing himself from me, before plunging back into me with a powerful thrust. I moaned as he sped up, his claws digging into my hips.
“Fuck,” I said, as he helped me up to sit on his lap, our bodies still joined together.
He stared into my soul, making eye contact with me before trailing kisses down my jaw and neck. He began to move again, asking me, “Do you like that, my love?”
With tits bouncing, I screamed out a “yes” as
he continued to make love to me.
His mouth found mine, muffling the scream, before our tongues danced.
Breaking the kiss, he continued to penetrate me. I placed my mouth over his mark, gently licking the area, as he did the same to me.
Biting down at the same time, our bodies were completely in sync, as this wave of complete calm and happiness consumed us. It was like an electric shock filled us, causing a manageable sting. The pain was short-lived, followed by this warm and happy feeling. I real- ized I felt the love he had for me. Physically, emotionally and mentally. All of it, and he felt mine. As he continued to make love to me, we released one another before reaching our climaxes.
He came inside of me, his hands finding my face and brushing my knotted hair away from my sweaty forehead.
“We’re finally complete,” I managed to whisper, my throat sore from my screaming, as I rested my forehead against his while looking into his eyes.
“Yes, you’ll be able to feel and hear everything I do, and it’s the same for me,” he said, panting. “That was the best sex I have ever had. I get to have this every day of my life.”
I smiled at him; those three special words lingered on my tongue. “I love you, Alaric.”
He looked shocked but smiled even bigger. “I love you too, love. Thank you for letting me take you away for your birthday.”
To think, this was the first time we’d had sex... It was amazing. I was sad we wouldn’t be able to relive this but I smiled, nodding while I hugged him and feeling as if our hearts now beat as one.
OVER THE LAST three months, aside from my birthday, everything had been pretty boring.
There were no signs of W.E.U. activity or of Nathan or that kid named Alex–the one from the cabin we interrogated. We had captured and tortured him, but the only things he gave away were his name, and who his father was. Lucian.
Between the patrols and meetings, we were kept pretty busy.
Having Alaric here to take some of the load off of me was a blessing. It was nice, and we made a good team.
Rise of the Alpha (The Rise Series Book 1) Page 23