Her Alpha Protector (4 page)

Hunter dropped back onto his haunches, his head tipped up toward the ceiling. A serene look smoothed over his face as he swayed to the tuneless rhythm.

Angel wanted to weep, it was so beautiful. Never had she heard such a song before and she knew without a doubt it was because of her bond with Hunter. If ten years hadn’t weakened it, neither would Seth. She felt it, as strongly as she felt the moon above. Both whispered soft promises, offering her things she’d wished for most of her life—protection, safekeeping and love.

Tears spilled over her cheeks as she met Hunter’s gaze, his chartreuse depths watching her so calmly. Shuddering, her head fell forward, sundering their connection.

Never had she shifted in front of another, and the shame of what was about to happen pooled inside her. They would see her at her most vulnerable, and the thought of it stung her eyes. Fresh tears welled over her cheeks and fell to the floor, washing clean the lingering dust that clung to her hands. Angel drew in a long breath. To the rest of the world, she looked like nothing more than a woman on her knees, prostrating before a wolf. But within, wild and primordial chaos erupted. Her skin rippled, her body shifting gracefully as it prepared to phase. Organs shuffled, her bones dislocating with startling cracks and snaps that dragged an aggrieved moan from her parted lips. Her breaths were shallow and uneven, her heart racing in her chest. Only at the last moment did she shut her eyes, the magic plucking her wolf from deep within and yanking it free.

The cry that filled the chilled station was purely animalistic and she slumped to the ground, her eyes drifting open to stare up at the wolf above her. The magic was so strong she couldn’t have fought it, and she didn’t want to. The universe was offering her something, something that had only ever been whispered about. The mating call had been revered in her former pack; none of them had ever experienced it.

Hunter’s wet nose brushed behind her ear, his teeth catching the tip for the smallest moment before releasing it. She felt the pull to rise to her feet, and finally she did. She shook out her fur, scattering the dust motes back into the air, and turned to Hunter, searching his face.

“Angel!” Seth barked at her, his fingers snapping as though she was nothing more than a disobedient dog. Her hackles rose and she bared her sharp fangs, showing that she wasn’t his. Never had she so openly rebelled, but there was something about Hunter that gave her strength, whereas Seth had always stolen it.

Her former alpha’s face thinned with anger, now burning with the fires of his rage. Not one for hearing
no
, he seemed unable to accept what was happening.

Silence filled the bus station, yet the thoughts in her head were deafening. Hunter eased between them, his head lowered protectively, a low growl vibrating from his throat. A deep chorus of yips fell from his mouth, his challenge riding on the chilled air.

Angel’s eyes darted to the man who had dogged her steps for years, hounded and harassed her, abused and debased her until the only option left was to run. Only once had she dared to call one of her pack members to learn what was happening. The news had been staggering. Seth had named her rogue, a word she’d come to loathe since then. Rogue meant beyond the jurisdiction of any other wolf. It meant she was open game, a meal for any wolf that she crossed paths with. It was why she’d been running for so long. But this one, this midnight alpha, had set her free. Hunter had put her needs above the rules, even above his own needs, something she’d never witnessed in any other wolf. The males took what they wanted, regardless of consequence.

Now the moment she’d dreamed about for almost a decade had arrived. After nights spent in Seth’s not-so-tender care, days when she’d hardly been able to crawl away as he’d forced himself on her...yes, she was ready for this nightmare to end. Once she’d believed that people deserved redemption and forgiveness. In her human life, she’d believed murder of any sort was despicable, but since becoming a werewolf, she’d developed a whole new set of ethics. Her outlook on life was not so naive anymore. She’d spent years telling herself she was
not
like them, wasn’t a coldhearted monster. But things were different now. She wanted him gone—she wanted him dead.

Seth’s opaque eyes rose from the cracked floor and stabbed through her, watching with an intensity that burned like a steady flame. Never had she seen such hate in someone, from the clenched fists and curling lip to the scrunched nose.

“This isn’t finished,” Seth grunted as his shift began to morph his features. “See you soon, Angel,” he wheezed as he dropped to the floor, writhing until a large gray wolf stood before them.

Hunter snarled and gathered his strength beneath him, about to strike when Seth dove out of the bus station, his nails skittering over the cement as he retreated.

Fear ran rampant through her gut. It wasn’t finished. Angel knew Seth would keep his promise. He always did.

Chapter Five

The cool breeze was a relief to his nose after the stagnant air of the station. Hunter glanced back at the small wolf trailing in his wake, her ivory fur shimmering like the moon within the silken ebony threads of night. Fury and relief washed over him, the stark contrast of both shredding his insides. Her former alpha had laid hands on her; he’d seen the bruised imprint blooming over her creamy skin. How he’d longed to take chase and tear the man to pieces for what he’d done, but that would have left Angel alone and for all he knew, that was Seth’s plan—a loathed thought. He was vacillating between warring emotions, equal parts rage and gratitude. And somewhere in the middle was the blessed taste of excitement, rolling and crashing over him in an attempt to drown his rage and irritation.

Angel was following him, and willingly. The sound of her soft footfalls padding through the grass gave his heart reason to beat. She was no longer running. He only hoped she understood that if she came to him, he would never let her go. She was meant to be his mate—they’d both felt the call. Ironic that it had happened the day he’d sat down to discuss such a thing with his second.

As for Seth, if there was an alpha Hunter wouldn’t mind seeing taken down, it was him; he’d always been the most difficult, the most troublesome of the pack leaders. His wolves weren’t properly cared for, and all the alphas knew it. Yet he also knew that entering Seth’s territory to put an end to his reign would constitute war between the packs. Hunter was dominant enough to win, but overthrowing Seth would expand Hunter’s territory to an unstable degree. There was little hope that a wolf from Seth’s pack would challenge him—years of instilling terror and fear had taken their toll.

It’d been the hardest thing he’d ever done to leave her in that bus stop. Soon after they’d left Angel’s apartment, Hunter had picked up the faintest whiff on the wind. Seth and a few of his minions had been following them, quietly enough that had that opportunistic breeze not drifted by, he might not have taken notice. It’d taken a bit of time to find the proper spot where he could sit in the shadows and watch for trouble. They’d stalked the station, ensured Hunter wasn’t coming back, and then Seth had slunk inside. The two he’d left outside the doors to guard were nothing, pups compared to the big bad wolf. He hadn’t liked leaving them alive, but he couldn’t have bodies littering the streets. They’d wake before the morning and likely regroup with Seth. The only question that remained was when Seth would try again.

Forcing his thoughts back to the present, he focused on the city scents fading into the sweet summer night, leaving only the most intoxicating fragrance he’d ever tasted.
Her.
If he’d thought her scent had been strong this afternoon, it was nothing compared to now. She still smelled of the city, but it was an aroma that maddened his soul.

He led her down the abandoned streets until his house finally came into view. Angel lifted her rounded nose into the air, sniffing at the silver gates before them—a deterrent for any that dared to try and infiltrate his home. He stalked over to a small box and nosed the lid open before stepping on a hidden button. The metal swung open gracefully, hardly a catch in the oiled gears. Angel passed through with little prodding, turning around once inside to watch them seal shut.

He could hear her heart suddenly take off, thrumming like a hummingbird, her breath quickening to a shallow pant. The wolf pranced back, her startling blue eyes raking over the bars and up the walk to the entrance. Her scent vanished when a thick wall of panic rose between them, and as he watched, her muscles coiled, preparing to spring forward as she searched for any way out.

It was Hunter’s alarm that brought his magic down on him, enabling him to shift faster than he ever had before. He
had
to show her she had nothing to fear from him and he couldn’t do that as a wolf. Seconds later, his shift was complete and he found himself kneeling, nude, on the pavement. Straightening from his crouch, he approached her, his fingers slowly combing through the fur of her cheeks, notching them right behind her ear. He couldn’t help but chuckle when she suddenly canted into him, her eyes fluttering shut as the softest sigh spilled into the night.

Slowly her heartbeat steadied and her breathing evened out. The moment she was calm, her wolf melted away under his touch, leaving only the woman behind. His lips spread and his hand slid down to curl over her cheek. Her eyes flicked up to his, her face pale under the moonlight.

She rose slowly, her arms sliding over her midsection to shield herself from him, even after all they’d shared earlier. Her eyes were cast to the ground, avoiding his gaze. Hunter’s brow snapped down at the sight of her hiding. That behavior had been taught to her. Werewolves rarely shied away from their naked forms. They took them so often, it was like second nature.

Color stained her cheeks when her eyes suddenly climbed the length of his body. He was aroused, erect and throbbing as he watched her, but all he wanted was to chase away the terror creasing her face. She’d felt it, too—the call—earlier tonight in the bus station. It had poured from her soul, the most erotic howl he’d ever heard. He’d felt the drumming and heard the primal song echoing from the moon.

“Angel,” he murmured. “I won’t hurt you,” he promised her. “You
never
have to worry about me hurting you.”

Disbelief clouded her eyes. Hunter crossed back to her and cupped her cheek, his fingers smoothing the length of her jaw—so soft, so smooth.

“We’re not all like him,” he whispered, trying not to acknowledge how her skin was like creamy silk, pale beneath the blood moon. Her hair fell in ash-blond lengths, curling over her shoulders. She was...remarkable. “And I will do whatever it takes to prove that to you. You
are
safe here. I’ll protect you.”

She nibbled on her lower lip, a sheepish smile that stole his breath quirking her lips. Her scent was so tempting; he
needed
this. Giving in to his desire, he bent toward her and claimed her mouth, his thumb running down the length of her cheek. He’d tasted her before, yet it didn’t compare to now, after listening to the moon’s promise that she was his. It took every last bit of his restraint not to spill her down onto the cement and take her right there. More than anything, he craved to see her stretched beneath him, face flushed with want and body quivering with need. He wanted to bring her to the cusp of passion until she howled his name, over and over.

He drew back, drinking in every little bit of her, from her reddened lips and blushing cheeks to her half-lidded eyes. For someone so shy, she appeared to want this as badly as he did. It was almost too much and he swallowed, forcing his heart to slow.

Gentle
, he cautioned himself. He just wasn’t sure he could be. After meeting her and learning that Seth had claimed her first, he’d never again given thought to finding a mate. Many of his wolves were already paired, but to him, there had always seemed to be something missing.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, he let his eyes browse the rest of her body. The careworn clothes from earlier had given her an air of hunger, but now he could see she was all curves. His hand fell away from her face, fingers stroking down her soft side and curling around her hip.

His mouth dried at the sight of her, and he watched as unspoken thoughts crossed her face. After what felt like an eternity, she stepped into him, her soft body pressing against his and her arms winding around his neck. Hunter’s breath caught, the feel of her bare breasts against his skin sending his blood pulsing. She rolled to the balls of her feet and stretched up to meet him, covering his mouth with hers. He couldn’t imagine how hard this was for her, to finally be a willing participant rather than being forced. Giving in to the feel of her warm lips, he poured a silent promise into her mouth that he would never be like
him.

His hands swept down the soft expanse of her back until they cupped her rear, lifting her into the air. A soft giggle—dear Lord, a
giggle
—filled his mouth as long, lithe legs latched around his waist, clinging to him. He whisked her away, drawing them out of the pale streetlights and into the muted shadows. Out there, he knew no one would see them; they were hidden within the thickset cover of his trees and bushes. Releasing her mouth, his lips dragged down the smooth column of her throat, teeth nibbling, feeling the fluttering pulse beneath her skin. Her taste...he’d never thought skin could be so delectable.

He dropped to his knees in the lush grass, gently lowering her to her back. Golden hair spilled around her shoulders, her body spread like a fine meal before him. He was quick to cover her, his mouth trailing down her collarbone. Her breath caught, fingers clenching in his hair, but it was nothing compared to her gasp when he finally took the peak of her breast into his mouth, lavishing his tongue over her hardened nipple. With his eyes closed, the pads of his fingers smoothed down her flat stomach, caressing her skin as he teased her taut nub. Her head fell back into the soft grass as she arched off the ground, a faint moan rising into the night air.

His hands grazed down her smooth thighs before climbing the inner, more forbidden path. She trembled, her anticipation palpable, and he had to remind himself to move slowly. His fingers grazed her mound, resting there as he reveled at the sound of her quickened breath as she waited for him. He offered the slightest caress, barely even a touch against her center, yet it dragged a low, tuneless moan from her—one that stopped his heart.

He released her breast and moved back just enough to watch her face when he finally slid a single finger between her folds. Sapphire eyes flew open, her lower lip caught between her teeth. Her shuddering breath and the faint blush of color dusting her cheeks sent an electric shock straight to his groin. His hooded eyes brightened with pleasure and he dropped down, claiming her other nipple with just as much fervor.

He was so entranced by her body, his pulse spiked when her fingers suddenly closed around his throbbing erection, moving to the rhythm he set. His mouth released her nipple and he slid down the length of her body, his ebony hair shining in stark comparison to her creamy thighs. Her ragged breath plucked something deep inside and he couldn’t wait any longer—he dragged his tongue across her damp sex, delighting in her ardent gasps. The taste of her filled his mouth and with a low moan he suckled and licked his way, working her clit and thrusting his tongue within, listening as her breathing sped. She squirmed beneath him, offering the slightest little bucks, her hands balling in the grass, his name spilling in a half breath from her lips. Oh, it was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard, more divine than her honey-sweet flavor.

Her hips moved beneath him, her panting breath catching every time his tongue teased her nub, the hard length of his cock pulsing when another pleasured moan fell from her mouth. He continued to stroke her, his tongue laving her moist opening. Not another moment passed before she shattered around him, her body coiling as her cries rose into the shadows. He was rewarded with a gratifying whimper, and a rush of sweet ambrosia wet his lips. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her back arching into him, head thrown into the grass as she rode out her ecstasy. Hunter drew back, pausing for a moment to wipe his mouth before perching over her. He
needed
to be inside her—wanted nothing more than to bury himself deep until he felt her end.

Her eyes lazed open, and for the first time it was her wolf peeking out, golden rays flecking the crystal blue. Mindless want streaked over her face, a daunting need that he felt deep in his stomach.

“Hunter,” she whispered, reaching for him. “Please—
please
...”

He groaned, his erection resting against the blessed heat of her tight opening. A small thrust, that was all it would take, and she’d be wrapped around his pulsing length. It felt so natural, this call of the wild thrumming through him. He moved, about to sheathe himself within her, when she pressed her palm against his chest and guided him off. For a moment he was sure she meant to stop and he struggled to tame the beast, to lock it down before he frightened her off. Instead, she directed him to lie down on the damp earth and hovered over him, a shy little smile crooking her lips. She pinned him with a teasing look, one that had his wolf panting, and Hunter stopped breathing. Perhaps he’d given little thought to finding a mate, but now that he had, he had no idea how he’d lived so long without a woman who looked at him like that.

She lowered down onto him, her silken folds conforming to his length.

Hunter’s breath hitched, the feel of her sliding over him freeing a torturous groan. A deafening silence hovered over him as he struggled to keep from moving, even as she bent over him, her hands bracing in the dewy grass on either side of his head. He was given a single moment to wonder where his shy little she-wolf had gone when she caught him in a kiss, her tongue moving against his. It was unbearable, this need to have her, to move within her, all while she settled against him.

His arms snaked around her waist and he was about to start moving within her when she suddenly rose and set an agonizingly slow rhythm. Such restraint she showed, far more than he. With every shift, every little maneuver, her warmth grew hotter. He couldn’t take it; she needed easy and gentle, he knew that, but his desire for her was too great. He pressed his head back into the grass and closed his eyes as he struggled not to come unhinged, but his resolve weakened every time she pumped over him.

A touch manic, his fingers gripped at her waist. He was about to move beneath her when her pace shattered, suddenly quickening. Her vigor swept him away and his eyes clenched shut. The way she moved over him, with a grace he’d not yet seen from her, sundered his control and he rose to the challenge, hips meeting her halfway. The sounds she made—like music to his ears—the soft sighs and sharp gasps as she gave herself to him. An animal need burned through him, encouraging him to explore deeper. His name spilled from her lips as she tightened around him, her body shivering and trembling. Her hips drove down a final time, pleasure rippling over her face as he gave in to his own ecstasy, lost to the wild rush of sensation. Buried deeply inside her, he hung there, riding out the lingering pleasure, her shallow breath pooling against his throat.