Her Alpha Protector
Read Her Alpha Protector Online
Authors: Gwen Knight
Angel has spent years on the run from one possessive alpha, and she has no intention of ever submitting to another—not even Hunter, the man who stars in her most erotic fantasies. But when her former master tracks her down, she has no choice but to turn to the one wolf who can protect her.
Hunter thought ten years apart would diminish the craving he has for Angel. But when he discovers the rogue wolf in his territory, he must face the fact that time has only fanned the flames of his passion for her. To claim her as his mate, he’s going to have to fight for her—and give her a reason to stop running.
Her Alpha Protector
Gwen Knight
Chapter One
The moment Angel realized there was another of her kind in the restaurant, she should have run.
It was a simple solution. Running meant living to see another day, staying—well, that was the issue. She wasn’t sure what would happen if she stayed, and she wasn’t entirely willing to find out.
Her eyes lifted from a half-eaten plate, the scent of food drifting by unnoticed—an uncommon occurrence for a werewolf. She was surrounded by a sea of people, all swept away in their own little worlds, their stench pervaded by a musky scent of oak with a distinct hint of the wild. Her nose was usually better than this, but it was difficult to track a single scent with the abundance of aromas filling the dining area. This was when she should have run, just dropped the dishes and bolted. Her paltry possessions would take little more than an hour to gather, and she’d need even less time than that to hop on the next bus. But beneath all the different scents, something redolent held her in place, a familiar teasing fragrance she followed until a pair of dark eyes slammed into hers.
It was
him.
Angel’s heart stopped dead in her chest and an odd sensation uncoiled in her stomach. Those still had to be the sexiest eyes she’d ever seen on a man, a green so dark they were almost black. Eyes like that one didn’t forget, not even after a decade of trying. In fact, they’d haunted her dreams practically every night.
She jerked to her full height when he straightened in his chair, studying her so intimately it felt as if they were the only two in the room. She knew this face, remembered the day they’d first met, not that he would. She’d been nothing more than a pup then. But Hunter had been—and likely still was—the alpha of the West Canadian Basin pack.
Oh, but so little had changed. He was still the same man who starred in all her fantasies, from his sharply angled face right down to the light stubble dusting his jaw. So often she’d imagined how his beard would feel grazing against her stomach or between her legs. But they’d been errant thoughts meant only to pass the time, and now her cheeks flushed with the unbidden memory, since he was sitting just across the room.
Those idle fancies meant nothing, though—it was doubtful he even remembered her. A decade, which was nothing to immortals like them, was still a stretch of time.
All that mattered was the fact that an alpha sat in her restaurant, and
oh
,
doggy
, he was watching
her.
She might have found the shocked look on his face comical if it weren’t for the stark fear suddenly hollowing out her stomach. Her teeth pressed into her lower lip as trepidation rippled down her spine. Being that she was a lone wolf, this alpha was within his right to strike her dead for crossing onto his land without permission. The thought tasted like ash in her mouth—of all wolves, why did it have to be this one?
The same realization washed over his face and a storm flashed deep within those verdant depths. Alphas loved flexing their dominance and control, which meant every wolf in the vicinity was considered a member of the pack. Those that did not succumb were dealt with in methods she found unsavory. At first she’d feared the notion of striking out on her own; even in the wild, solitary wolves did not last long. But
anything
was better than submitting herself to a pack. It had taken her far too long to break free from the last one that had bound her, and when she finally had, she’d sworn never to go back. Her life might be chaotic, running from city to city whenever she was discovered by her former alpha, but it was still better than the alternative. She had her freedom, and what was more, she had her sanity.
Releasing an unsteady breath, she dared to meet Hunter’s gaze again and her heart slammed against her ribs the moment his viridian eyes pinned her to the spot. The effect was just as powerful as the first time they’d met, and she doubted her poor knees would support her much longer. How could this be? Ten years had passed—surely the man couldn’t still possess such a hold over her. Her struggle grew the moment her wolf awoke; she gnashed her teeth, now straining with the sudden desire to shed her skin and run—to
him.
Madness! She
couldn’t.
What felt like an eternal moment passed as he held her gaze, his eyes brightening with those of his wolf. Her breath quickened and her palms grew clammy.
Finally, he severed the connection and gasping, Angel slumped, her dishes wavering in her trembling grasp. The plates slid from her arms, clattering noisily as they teetered over the table.
“Angel?” A soft voice lifted behind her.
She spun on her heel, coming face-to-face with her supervisor, Glory. “I—I have to go,” she stuttered, fighting against the urge to glance back over her shoulder. He was watching her again—she could feel the heat of his stare burning through her shoulder blades.
“What?” Glory demanded under her breath.
Angel
did
glance back this time, her breath hitching in her chest. The way he watched her, as though he found her captivating—had he watched her that way when they’d first crossed paths? In her every fantasy, she pictured a similar look softening his face,
imagined
him pressing her into a wall or table as he ravished her. Surrounded by plenty of tables, her cheeks burned, along with something much lower. The last time she’d felt such heat between her legs, she’d been human. Suddenly she couldn’t figure out what was real and what was the invention of her love-starved mind.
Whipping back around, she met her supervisor’s wide eyes. “I—I’m sorry!” she whispered, afraid he could hear her.
“I don’t understand, is something wrong?” Glory asked.
“Yes.” She nodded.
Her fingers slid up her back and she plucked at the tight knot holding her apron together. She removed it and after piling it into Glory’s hands, turned one last time, her heart leaping when she found him watching her again. How could she leave without knowing if he intended to hunt her? While she wanted him to pursue her for an entirely different reason, she couldn’t forget that she was on his land. Werewolves did nothing in view of the human public, but that didn’t mean she was safe. Her shoulders rounded and she drew in a long breath. Chaotic noise filled her ears and she resisted the urge to clap her hands over them. From all around came the thunderous assault of voices—conversation and laughter combined in a cacophony of chaos. Even the sounds of mastication were deafening and beneath all of that, someone was singing horribly off tune. The effort to sift through so much noise and focus on the party of two werewolves was difficult, but eventually their voices swept over her.
“Seth has been spotted in the city, Alpha.” The voice of his companion rose above the endless prattle. “I am not the first to hear such whisperings. If he’s come for her—”
“Enough,” the sexy-eyed werewolf growled in a voice so deep it felt like liquid heat filling her veins. It awakened something she hadn’t felt in years—something she hadn’t even realized she missed.
Angel refused to focus on the sinful echo of his voice resonating in her head. Instead, her former alpha’s name,
Seth
, replayed over and over, chasing after her scattered thoughts, mocking her. They couldn’t be possibly talking about
her
, could they? She’d hoped for a little more time before Seth found her again.
“Angel!” Glory dragged her attention away from her dark thoughts with a heavy hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” Angel whispered before wiping her hands down her thighs and leaving the restaurant, her jacket forgotten on the hook in the employees’ lounge.
Chapter Two
“Did you hear what I said, Alpha?”
Hunter jerked his eyes back from the fleeing woman—no, not woman,
werewolf
, and not any werewolf, but
her.
He stared after her, unable to believe that
this
petite wolf had turned up in the same restaurant where he’d come to discuss her former alpha.
He’d known there was another nearby the moment he’d taken his seat, but never in his wildest dreams had he thought it would be
her
. Her scent was everywhere, though quite different from when he’d first laid eyes on her. When had that been? Ten years ago? Now it possessed a burghal presence, heavily imbued with toxins, chemicals and a pungent waft of pollution, very much the same smell as the surrounding city. His wolves all carried hints of the wooded areas they hunted, but this fragrance lacked those markers. It was smoky, but beneath it all was the faint taste of honey that he so vividly remembered—an odd aroma for a wolf, albeit...appetizing.
When he’d finally managed to track her scent, the last thing he’d expected to find was a sprite of a girl, barely large enough to fill the loose clothing she wore. But the moment those sharp sapphire eyes lifted, he was left breathless. Speared by such a look, he could hardly think, let alone register that it was
Angelica
gazing back at him. There she was, after so long searching. Her features were still delicate but with only a hint of the roundness he remembered. Sleek wheat-colored hair spilled around her shoulders, a thick fringe that hadn’t been there before hiding her face. Oh, yes, he knew this one, and a surge of pleasure spread through his gut.
The wolf in him had surfaced immediately, his intrigue barely containable as a ghost of a memory arose. Time changed all, and while he could still pick out the young woman he’d known, she now looked infinitely different; a wraithlike shadow of the girl who had floored him the first moment they’d met. Not that it mattered, if his erratically beating heart was evident of anything.
The astonishing part was his wolf’s response to the spritely woman the moment she’d glanced up. She’d been all but trembling in that oversized apron, and he’d wanted nothing more than to comfort, to protect her and oh,
so
much more, just as he had all those years ago. The realization staggered him—he hadn’t felt anything of the like since the last time he’d seen her. So many years had passed since he’d felt this flicker of intrigue—she alone had been the only one to ever inspire it in him. Apparently that hadn’t changed.
What he couldn’t believe was that she was
here.
How long had she been hiding on his land? Years back, word had spread that Seth’s mate had gone missing, and for years Hunter had searched for her, but he’d never caught a whiff of her location. How shocking that he’d
finally
found her, and on his own territory, no less.
Hunter lifted his eyes to his second, hardly hearing a word he said.
Brody’s lips sealed, his gaze falling to the table. “Forgive me, Alpha, but this must be dealt with. You can’t allow another alpha to wander your territory—it doesn’t speak well of your control. If you ignore this, others will whisper of incompetence—”
A low growl leaked from his throat. “Careful, Brody.”
His second winced and nodded. “My apologies.”
Hunter might have laughed if Brody hadn’t been so close to the truth. An alpha couldn’t allow
anyone
to wander into his territory, and there were two wolves now on borrowed ground without permission, regardless of his personal emotions toward one.
“We’re done here.” Hunter spoke, his voice deep with authority.
His chair scraped over the floor as he pushed away from the table and rose. Drawing his wallet from his back pocket, he dropped a few bills onto the table before stalking off. Brody’s words were important, but he couldn’t just let Angelica slip through his fingers, not again, not after so many years of thinking about her and craving her.
Palming open the door, he stepped out into the noisy street. A quick examination revealed little: no bobbing pale head, no rail-thin figure diving around obstacles or into shops. This one was clever.
Hunter tipped his head back and drew the city’s scents deep into his lungs. All around him was that noxious stench, but beneath it was the slight undertone of her musk, faintly sweet...the honey. Chasing after her would likely end in her evading him, but if he trapped her... The corners of his mouth tugged into a carnal grin. He had his prey, now he needed only to hunt it.
He kept his pace slow, careful not to upset the crowd he weaved through. Her scent was so faint, but with every step it grew stronger. It was obvious she’d meant to lead him astray, oblivious to the fact that he could track her across the entire city.
Every step brought her closer; he could feel it. Whatever labyrinth she’d attempted to build, he’d managed to cut through it.
Soft footsteps padded toward him on the other side of the alley he currently haunted. His lips tugged and he slanted against the brick wall. A lithe ball came hurtling around the corner and only at the last moment, when she slammed into his chest, did she rock back.
He studied Angelica’s face with apparent detachment, but inside his stomach was churning. Her eyes caught the noonday sun and sparkled like jewels—he’d never seen anything like them in any other woman, not that he’d ever looked. But it was her lips that begged for his attention. It mattered little that they quivered in fear, they were just so plump and ripe. The wolf within awoke the moment her true scent sank into his lungs. Hunter could feel the stirrings of curiosity; the wolf wanted to bury his nose in her and sniff from head to toe, if only to recommit her to memory. She’d been the only one—wolf or human—ever to awaken such a reaction within him.
Wide eyes darted up to his as she leaned against the wall. She appeared shocked, her mouth parting as she drew in her own small breath. “Hunter,” she whispered in the meekest voice he’d ever heard.
Ah, she remembered him, something he had not expected. What time they had spent together in the past had been minimal due to Seth, but apparently it had left a lasting impression on them both.
“Angelica,” he growled, his eyes closing as he sucked in a steady breath that did little to appease his stirring curiosity. Sure, she positively reeked of the city, but he could still scent that sweet tang beneath it all and with every inhalation his intrigue burned brighter. Leaning into the stone by her head, he scratched at his brow.
Control
, he told himself. It didn’t matter how pitiful she looked, shaking in boots clearly too large for her. He was alpha and she’d broken his laws by entering his territory without approval.
“Angel,” she corrected him carefully.
A beguiled snort crept from his throat. Angel, with the halo of hair. And
sweet mercy
, her voice was like a caroling nightingale’s, softer than he remembered. Hunter instinctively curved closer to her, the tip of his nose sinking into her hair. Her breath hitched, the rhythmic pounding of her heart tightening his pants. A wry smile twisted his lips; his body certainly knew what he wanted. Suddenly he was thankful he’d tracked her previous path and that it had led here—somewhere they were out of the public’s view.
Last he’d laid eyes on her, she’d belonged to Seth, a monster in the truest sense of the word, and Hunter had felt nothing but relief when he’d heard she’d managed to escape. For a while his only thought had been getting to her first, before Seth did, but no matter how hard he searched, she’d remained quite elusive.
“Running somewhere?” His tongue felt swollen in his mouth, incapable of forming larger sentences.
He just wanted to fall into her, to hell with the consequences, to hell with Seth. She was a shimmering ball of energy, her wolf craving to be set free. He wanted to give that to her, wanted to take her—he just plain
wanted
her. He’d thought he’d moved on from this fascination with her. With time and distance, he’d been sure of it. Yet that connection he’d felt seemed to have forged a stronger hold than he’d realized. He’d heard whisperings of such a thing—immediate bonds with the one that was meant to be one’s mate, but he’d never believed it. Myths, legends spread among the werewolves, except the truth stood right before him. Ten years, and he wanted her just as much now as he had then.
“No,” she murmured, the stench of fear crawling over her.
A faint smile pulled at his lips. “You know, a lot of people have been looking for you.”
Myself included.
“I’m not going back.” The words fell from her lips without thought and a fluted gasp rose between them as she flattened against the wall, fingers covering her mouth.
The very last thing Hunter wanted was for her to leave. “You like being rogue?” he questioned.
“I prefer ‘lone wolf,’ if you don’t mind,” she muttered in a low voice, her brows snapping down.
Lone wolves, rogues, whatever they called themselves, were rare, and the females were far more so. Like their natural counterparts, werewolves craved kinship and relations; they did not survive long in the world without familial support. Their lives became about fighting as they searched for their own territory, and there wasn’t much left beyond desert. Female werewolves, while strong, were still no challenge for the males.
“Really. How...odd,” he teased lightly, groaning when her crystal-blue depths flickered and her beast peered out at him. His own surfaced and with a deep breath he managed to restrain himself. As alpha, it was expected that he be the epitome of control. But unfortunately, there was something about Angel that had him as unsettled as a new pup.
“I don’t like packs,” she said, her tongue dragging over the swell of her lower lip.
He forced himself to swallow, his breath catching at the sight of her glistening mouth, before lifting his gaze back to hers. He’d never actually heard the story of all that had happened in her pack, but he had his suspicions, knowing Seth.
“What happened?” he murmured with the hope that she might respond.
Her face crumpled with the distinct tang of pain, a bleak shadow of despair streaking over it. Clearly there was a woeful tale in her past, one he could easily see she wasn’t prepared to share. He knew he could force the issue, but was it worth it?
It was clear if he let her walk, she’d be on the next bus and gone from the city before night fell around them. An option, but the thought of this wolf getting away from him again was more than unsettling—it was downright painful. Slender and petite, she was just as beautiful as ever, with her softly curving face and round-tipped nose. Still, she needed caring for. A few pounds on those bones would do her some good. He could provide that and so much more. A safe haven, a pack—there was so much he could give her, if she was interested. He wanted to bed her—and not just his wolf, but the man as well. For years he’d wondered about her, hoped that she was safe. Not that he could tell her any of this, with the scent of her anxiety and disquiet hanging thickly in the air. If he admitted his interest aloud, she’d tuck tail and run in a heartbeat.
There was something more here, though. Lone wolf, rogue—whatever she wanted to be addressed as, she no longer had ties to Seth. She was packless and free to do as she wished. The first time he’d seen her, time had stopped. There this freshly turned wolf had stood, cowering in the shadows of her alpha, silent and afraid. He hadn’t understood even then what it meant, but he’d been interested, absolutely. That night he’d petitioned Seth to transfer her to his pack.
He hadn’t known then if he’d wanted her as his mate or not, but he’d wanted her under his watchful eye and the time to figure it out. Seth hadn’t listened to a word Hunter said. He’d simply denied the request and the next news Hunter had received, Angel was Seth’s mate. The blow had been surprisingly staggering, yet he’d continued with his duty as alpha, the days passing by as he focused on expanding his territory and caring for his wolves, all the while attempting to keep tabs on this girl. Then eight years ago she’d fallen off the map. No one had known where she was or even if she was alive. He wasn’t sure why, but he had
needed
to know that she was safe. What scant news he’d managed to scrounge up had given him little to go on and had stopped trickling in altogether two years later.
Here was his chance, his moment to finally bring her into his pack. To offer her a sanctuary, a place where she could be free and protected. Lifting his eyes to hers, he dared to sweep a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. Her eyes flew wide, tracking his movement avidly, but he wasn’t fooled by her skittishness. He wasn’t the only one suffering from this mad attraction; her sweet scent thickened and her mouth parted sensually when he grazed her cheek.
“I could offer you a place within my pack,” he mumbled, a rush of awareness warming his lower abdomen when her tongue darted between her lips, wetting them. Such a simple movement, and how it affected him.
His wolf perked and the man followed suit, a faint chuckle hovering on the edge of his mouth. He wasn’t naive; he’d been around long enough to be well learned in the signs of arousal. Shy or not, the signals were still there.
“I don’t want a pack,” she responded, her voice barely a whisper.
“You may not want one, but you need one.” His voice was gentle; he would not force her, though any other alpha would. They would claim her without a second thought, just for being what she was—a mateless female.
“I’ve gotten by this long without one,” she retorted.
His eyes dropped down to survey her body, noting the long, baggy cargo pants that were clearly two sizes too big and the loose top that practically swallowed her whole. Her thin arms hung limply at her sides, the shabby tatters of her threadbare sweater riddled with frayed holes.
Gotten by
was one thing,
living
an entirely different one.
It was obvious she had no intention of even considering his offer, and he struggled with the burning desire to convince her otherwise. It took more strength than it should have for him to lower his arm and step back. He hadn’t forced Seth to relinquish her to him and he would not force her now. It was as clear as the shock carved into her face that her independence was important to her. He’d just have to give her a reason to stay.