Alpha Temptation: Sanmere Shifters Romance Collection

by Lola Gabriel

  “Is there anyone else who feels like Jason does and is willing to work hard to prove that to us?” he asked.

  A few hands went up. He did a quick count. Seven people. That meant eight people out of a pack of around two hundred felt that what they were doing had been wrong. The rest relished their murderous ways so much, they weren’t even willing to pretend they could change. Grey shook his head sadly. The wolf inside of him howled. He was ashamed of his race.

  He told the pack members with their hands up to rise. He spoke to each one individually and they all had similar stories to Jason’s. They had felt what they were doing was wrong, but had chosen to live with it rather than be killed or tortured. Grey told them to join the others.

  “The rest of you must be punished for your crimes against humanity, and unfortunately, I feel like the only way to ensure you don’t all regroup and go back to your old ways is to have you all executed,” he said.

  None of them moved or argued their cases. Grey thought that was probably the one good thing about Alex’s reign of terror. He had his pack so obedient that they were almost operating under a hive mind, and their dedication to authority was absolute. They would accept their fates without argument as Grey now represented that authority after killing Alex.

  Grey turned to his own pack.

  “Organize yourselves. I need one pack member to escort Lisa back to the hotel. The rest of you split up into two groups. One group will make sure our new members get settled into the hotel. The other group will be taking care of the executions,” he said.

  The pack instantly began chatting amongst themselves.

  “Am I…?” Lisa started. She trailed off and Grey looked at her, surprised to see she looked afraid of him. She took a deep breath and finished her question. “Am I a prisoner?”

  “No, of course not,” Grey said quickly. “Why would you even think that?”

  “You said a pack member was to escort me back to the hotel,” she said.

  “Admittedly I could have worded that better,” Grey said. “Our pack lives in a hotel—each pack member has their own quarters and there are plenty of spare rooms. You will be given one and you’re welcome to stay as long as you want to. Once you decide where you would like to go, let me know, and I will have someone take you there and help you get set up.”

  “Oh. Thank you,” Lisa said, sounding relieved.

  Michelle came over and joined Grey, Ellery, and Lisa.

  “I’m going to be getting you settled in. Lisa, right? I’m Michelle.”

  Michelle began to walk toward the door of the warehouse, with Lisa falling into step beside her. Grey tugged gently on Ellery’s hand, leading her the same way. He didn’t want her to be here when the mass execution began. They left the warehouse and stepped out into the fresh air.

  Ellery tilted her head back, letting the sun hit her face. She smiled at Grey.

  “I thought I would never feel the sun on my face again. Thank you, Grey. For saving me, I mean,” she said.

  Grey wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.

  “Always,” he whispered.

  She put her arm around his waist and they walked in silence for a few minutes.

  “Ellery?” Grey said, breaking the comfortable silence between them as they left the industrial complex. Ellery looked up at him. “Will you spend the night with me tonight?”

  “Just tonight?” Ellery grinned, raising an eyebrow.

  “I thought asking for eternity might be over-reaching a bit,” Grey grinned.

  “Yes, I will. And no, it wouldn’t have been,” Ellery said.

  “Then I’d like a do-over,” Grey said quickly. “Ellery, will you spend forever with me? Starting right now?”

  “Yes,” Ellery said with no hesitation. “As crazy as it sounds, being that I’ve only known you for a day, I can’t imagine my life without you.”

  “Me neither,” Grey said.

  They walked back to the hotel, chatting and laughing and getting to know each other a bit more. Grey felt like he had died and gone to heaven. He could never have imagined that going after Alex would bring him something so precious.

  13

  Ellery and Grey had opted for an early night. It was partly because of their exhaustion from the sleepless night the night before, the adrenaline rush of the escape, and the busy day they’d just had. But it was mostly because they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

  Ellery smiled to herself as she brushed her teeth. She and Grey had returned to her apartment that afternoon for long enough to gather her things and call her landlord to inform him she would be leaving. He told her she had to give a month’s notice, but she wasn’t willing to wait a month to move in with Grey. Grey had taken the phone from her and told the landlord to drop by so they could sort this out. When the landlord arrived, Grey had informed him that he understood the situation and gave him the month’s rent money. Once the money was paid, the landlord was happy for Ellery to leave there and then.

  After that, they’d come to the hotel where Ellery had moved her things into Grey’s quarters. Then, Grey had asked her if she was ready to embrace her wolf side or if she wanted to wait a while. She’d thought about it and decided she was ready to do it.

  Grey had driven her out to the woods and taken her to a secluded spot in the center of them. There, he had talked her through what would happen when she turned. She’d been afraid but also excited. Her wolf inside of her gave her courage and confidence. It made her feel like she could do anything.

  She had turned. Grey had been right. It had been pain like she’d never known before. White-hot agony had blazed through her whole body as every muscle stretched, every bone snapped and realigned itself, and her skin tore away from her flesh, stretching out and making room for her white and light brown fur to burst out of her. Once the pain was over, though, Ellery had felt more free than she had ever felt in her life, more free than she had ever thought it was possible to feel.

  For the time she was a wolf, she was able to forget her grief over her parents, forget her grief over Ava, forget her lack of a job, forget how much her life had crashed and burned these last few months. She ran faster than the wind, embracing her newfound strength and speed, and when she had turned back, she could still feel her wolf right there, waiting to come out again. And now, she didn’t try to push it away and ignore it. She liked it lingering there.

  Her wolf stirred inside of her now, reminding her that she had something far more interesting to do than stand here reminiscing. She rinsed the toothpaste from her mouth, spat into the sink and rinsed it out, and then shut off the tap. She thought for a moment and stripped off her nightgown and underwear. She went to the door of the en suite bathroom, opened it, and leaned seductively against the door frame.

  “Finally,” Grey grinned.

  He looked up as he said it and the grin fell from his mouth, leaving behind a look that was all lust. Ellery felt her center getting wet just looking at the hungry expression on Grey’s face. He reached out for the duvet and lifted it, showing her he, too, was naked beneath it and inviting her in. She didn’t need any more of an invitation. She practically ran to the bed and got in beside Grey. Their lips met as Grey pulled the duvet over Ellery.

  Instantly, Ellery felt her body coming to life. Her clit pulsed, her pussy clenched, begging Grey to fill it, and her skin tingled. Grey pushed her gently backwards, moving her onto her back and getting on top of her. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly against her as her heart pounded inside of her. She could feel her wolf responding to Grey’s touch. It moved inside of her, impatient for more.

  Grey moved his lips from hers and kissed down her neck and over her chest. He sucked one of her breasts into his mouth and she gasped in a breath as intense tingles flooded through her. She arched her back, her hands on either side of Grey’s head, holding him in place as he flicked his tongue back and forth across her nipple and then nibbled on it.

  He mo
ved to the other breast, bringing her nipple to a point and making her center ache for some attention. Ellery could feel her frustration building. She wanted Grey inside of her now. She needed the release of an orgasm. Her body was going wild as Grey teased her. His touch on her breast was now a series of teasing, tantalizing, feather-light flicks of his tongue.

  Just when Ellery thought she couldn’t take it anymore, Grey moved backwards, scooting down the bed and leaving a trail of kisses over Ellery’s stomach. Every kiss brought her nerves to life, leaving her tingling and wanting more. Finally, Grey reached her sweet spot. He pushed her thighs roughly apart and pressed his face between her legs.

  His tongue found her clit and Ellery closed her eyes as pleasurable sensations coursed through her body. She moaned as Grey upped the pressure on her clit, turning her stomach to knots and making her pussy even wetter as he worked her.

  She could feel herself teetering on the edge of her orgasm, and unwilling to let Grey tease her anymore, she brought her legs up, wrapping them around Grey’s shoulders and holding him in place against her clit.

  She moaned and writhed as pleasure surged through her. Grey didn’t tease her now; his tongue worked her ceaselessly, making her breath come in short, ragged pants that seared her throat. She felt her orgasm blooming through her, starting at her pulsating clit and moving through her stomach. Her muscles contracted as pleasure assaulted her.

  She felt her mouth drop open, her jaw going slack as every nerve in her body fizzed and tingled. Her wolf howled, sated and yet still hungry for more at the same time. Ellery called out Grey’s name as another wave of pleasure hit her, carrying her through a range of emotions she had never felt before. She didn’t know if it was Grey or her wolf, but this orgasm was by far the best orgasm she had ever had in her life. It just kept on coming, washing her in waves of pleasure that made her feel like she was floating on air.

  She felt Grey shift slightly and she released him from her thighs. He pushed himself up onto all fours, letting the duvet fall back. Ellery looked at Grey, her chest still heaving as her orgasm began to fade, leaving her feeling warm and heavy and ready for more. He smiled at her and she returned the smile. His chin and upper lip glistened with her juices and as she looked at Grey, he licked his lips, tasting her essence and making an mmm sound that only turned her on more.

  He ran his fingers through her slit. Her tender clit responded, sending a sharp pulse through Ellery that felt electric. It was a little painful, her clit sensitive after her orgasm, but it was the good sort of painful, the kind that pushed her right back to the edge.

  Grey bent himself forward and ran his tongue up Ellery’s stomach as he slowly crawled back up her body. He kissed her neck, sending goosebumps scurrying down her neck and over her chest. He kissed her lips again and pushed his tongue into her mouth. She could taste herself on his lips, on his tongue.

  Grey moaned into Ellery’s mouth as she ran her hands over his muscular back and down to cup his ass cheeks. She pressed his body against hers, grinding her hips against him, feeling how hard he was. He nipped her bottom lip between his teeth and she made a sharp squeaky sound as the pain and pleasure collided and rolled through her body. He pulled his head back and looked down at her. His eyes were dark and filled with desire and Ellery felt her body clench as she looked into his eyes, knowing she was having the same effect on him as he was having on her.

  “You are mine now, Ellery,” he said in a husky voice that sounded ragged and raw.

  She nodded her head eagerly and Grey pressed his cock against her opening. She took in a sharp breath as he pushed inside of her, filling her up, claiming her pussy as his. She gave herself willingly, opening herself up to him.

  Grey began to move inside of Ellery, filling her, stretching her, making her body tingle again. She felt herself tightening around Grey’s cock. She was claiming him every bit as much as he was claiming her. Her wolf howled inside of her, confirming her thought.

  She bit her lip as she looked into Grey’s eyes again, and then his lips were on hers, their kiss as frantic as their thrusting hips. Ellery felt her orgasm building quickly and she let go of any sense of control. She let her wolf take over her, her animal instincts responding to Grey in a way that her human side never could.

  She felt fur springing up along her inner thighs and she felt her nails extending, becoming claws. She ran her hands over Grey’s back, careful not to scratch him. Fur had sprung up along Grey’s spine and when he pulled back from her mouth and looked down at her again, she saw the blazing eyes of his wolf.

  As Ellery’s orgasm took her, she let out a sound that was half scream and half howl. It was a truly animalistic sound as Ellery and Grey became one, their human sides bonding to each other as their wolves did the same. Ellery wrapped her arms and legs around Grey, clinging to him as her orgasm pounded through her so intensely that for a moment, she blacked out.

  She came back to herself quickly, her limbs still wrapped around Grey, her pussy tightening around him as another wave of pleasure crashed over her. Grey pumped into her, harder and faster, and he gave an animal-like grunt. She held him as his orgasm ravaged his body.

  Finally, panting, Grey rolled off her. Ellery stayed on her back for a moment, trying to get herself under some sort of control. Her wolf receded and the fur on her thighs disappeared, her claws shrinking back down to her usual nails. A shiver went through her as she thought of how good that had felt. When she felt as though she could move again, she rolled onto her side and smiled at Grey. He returned her smile with a lazy-looking smirk of his own. He rolled to face her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

  “In years to come when we look back on the beginning, we should think of this as our first time,” Ellery grinned. “But you were probably right about our grandkids. We shouldn’t tell them anything about what happened here tonight.”

  Grey laughed and nodded his head.

  “Yup. That works for me.”

  They lay looking into each other’s eyes for a while, lost in each other, and then Grey turned serious.

  “Ellery, there’s something you need to know. Tomorrow, a few pack members and I are going to hunt down Kiefer. He’s a menace and Ariel correctly pointed out that because we took him to use as ransom with Alex, he’s going to come for us. We want to get in first,” he said.

  “Okay,” Ellery said.

  Grey frowned and Ellery laughed.

  “What? Do you honestly think I’m going to beg you to spare that bastard?” Ellery asked.

  “No,” Grey replied. “But I guess I expected a bit more resistance at the thought of you being left behind.”

  “I’m not resisting that because it’s not happening,” Ellery said. “I’m going with you.”

  Grey started to speak, but Ellery kept going, not letting him interrupt her.

  “I don’t want to argue with you about this, Grey, but if you think I’m going to play the good little housewife and stay home while you go off doing shit like this, then I’m afraid you don’t know me at all. After what Kiefer did not just to me, but to my parents too, I need to be there when you take him down. I’m a wolf now and I need to embrace that side of myself. I’m not afraid of anyone anymore,” she said.

  “Is there any way I can talk you out of this?” Grey asked.

  His resigned tone told Ellery he already knew the answer to that question, but she shook her head anyway. She didn’t want to give him false hope that she was willing to stay behind for this.

  “Then you can come. But I need you to promise me that you’ll stay back and let me and the pack deal with Kiefer. I mean it, Ellery. Call me old-fashioned, but I’m not about to stand by and let my mate run into danger. It’s my job to protect you now.”

  Ellery smiled. It was a better compromise than she could have hoped for and she nodded her agreement. Grey leaned forward and gently rubbed his lips across hers.

  “I need to hear you say it,” Grey said.

  “I promise,” Ellery said.


  “Good, because I love you, Ellery,” he said. “And I came far too close to losing you already. I’m not going to risk that again.”

  “I love you too,” she replied, feeling warm inside at his words.

  Ellery woke up to find it was still dark in the room. She wondered what had awoken her. Grey still lay beside her, his deep, even breaths telling her he was still asleep. She felt like something had woken her, though. She had woken quickly, like someone had shaken her, or like a loud noise had pierced her peaceful sleep. What could it be if Grey was still sleeping? Maybe he had snored or something, she thought to herself.

  It didn’t seem important and she closed her eyes again before sleep eluded her altogether. As they were closing, she saw a flicker of movement at the end of the bed and her eyes sprang open again. A figure stood at the foot of the bed, obscured by shadows. That had been what had awakened her. Someone coming into the room.

  “Grey,” Ellery said. Grey made a grunting sound but he didn’t wake up fully. Ellery reached across and shook him. Her voice was louder this time, edged by panic. “Grey. Someone’s here. In the room with us.”

  This did the trick. Grey’s eyes flew open and he sat up, reaching out and switching on the bedside lamp as he did. Ellery’s jaw dropped. The figure at the end of their bed was Kiefer.

  She felt him in her head again, and when she tried to sit up, she couldn’t. She was held flat on her back on the mattress. She couldn’t move at all. She tried to call out for Grey, but she couldn’t even speak. She knew better than to try to fight it. She had tried that last time and all that had happened was her head had hurt and panic had threatened to take over all of her senses.

  She found she could still move her eyes and she strained them to the side. Grey still sat beside her, the duvet piled up in his lap. His arm was still stretching toward the lamp. He brought it back to his lap jerkily and Ellery knew she wasn’t the only one being controlled by Kiefer.