Her Alpha Protector (5 page)

He was no amateur when it came to women, but if this was what being mated was like, he planned to welcome his new life with open arms, so long as she was in them.

Chapter Six

The sound of her softly pattering footsteps was quite soothing to listen to as she moved about his guest bedroom, dressing herself in what little clothing he’d found that would fit her. From there, she’d begun shuffling from room to room, perusing whatever was laid out on his shelves or hung on the walls. There wasn’t much left in the open for anyone to study, yet he still enjoyed that she was making the effort to know him.

He settled in and tipped his head back until it rested against the thin wall, choosing to let his thoughts wander without pursuit, lost to the sound of her careful explorations. He could hear her slender fingertips caressing his picture frames, and her steady breath. Such a beautiful sound—no fear, no anxiety. This was how it should always be for her. Quiet comforts with an ease of being around one another.

She turned on her heel, slowly making her way through the hall and toward him at a resolved pace. Slow steps rounded the staircase, her hand gliding down the polished rail. Hunter cracked an eye open, peering out from his thick mop of dark hair.

The moment her gaze swept over him, she jumped, a sheepish smile tugging her lips. “I didn’t know you were here,” she murmured as her hand dragged her loose hair back from her face.

Hunter rose to his feet, his fingers clasping hers as he led the way to the kitchen. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

An inane question if ever he’d asked one. Of course she was hungry; werewolves’ stomachs were bottomless, and hers had been growling since their romp in the grass. Shifts always left him ravenous, as did the more pleasurable acts. He could smell the brackish tang of her newly risen anxiety. The last thing he wanted to do was add to it, but there were still answers he sought.

He opened the refrigerator door with a sharp yank and studied the contents, eventually settling on reheating the protein-rich pasta dish he’d made the night before. Tossing it into the microwave, he busied himself with the challenge of unearthing spare utensils as she slowly settled at the table, her fingers tracing the intricate lines engraved into his coasters. Self-proclaimed bachelor that he was, it took a bit of time to scrounge up a second fork, and the bowl proved even more elusive. As for the drinks, his ended up in a teacup; it was the only thing he could find. He drew to his full height, studying his kitchen. If Angel meant to stay, changes were required, and the thought brought a satisfied quirk to his lips rather than a groan.

“Tell me about your pack,” Hunter commented as he caught the fridge door with his heel and kicked it shut before walking into the dining room, his arms overflowing with the steaming bowls, cups and utensils.

She drew in a sharp breath. When he lowered her meal down in front of her, he found her eyes trained on the veneer and her fingers gripping the edge. The bitter taste of her fear overwhelmed the pasta’s fragrance, and before he dropped into his own seat, he crouched next to her, smoothing her hair back from her soft cheeks. It seemed this topic of conversation frightened her, but he’d always been a patient hunter, and this was no different. Long, pale lashes fluttered and he was suddenly gazing up at her, her anxiety quelling from his simple touch.

“You’re safe here,” he assured her as he drew his thumb down her jawline. “With me.” Such shadows behind those bright eyes, such nightmares she carried. All he wanted was to soothe her, to abolish what fears she carried, and give her something else to burn with—hope. His fingers swept down her arms until he gathered her shaking hands. When she finally nodded, he felt as though he’d won a battle, and with a soft smile, he shifted back into his chair.

She was the first to drop her gaze, her fingers fiddling mindlessly with her fork as she stared down on the bowl of food before her. “What would you like to know?”

“How many are in Seth’s pack?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been on the run for eight years.” She released a slight sigh and propped her elbow on the table, resting her chin in her palm. “Eight years. It feels so much longer than that.”

He took a bite, the cold metal of his fork resting against his lips. “That wasn’t the first time Seth’s handled you...like that, was it?”

The fool he was. Of course it wasn’t, if her rigid shoulders and timid manner were evident of anything. She was more rabbit than wolf, a behavior likely beaten into her. The thought burned deep, and the metal fork in his hand gave way as he bent it in half.

“It was why I left,” she admitted in a quiet voice, a faint smile climbing her lips. “I’d never felt so free as in that moment, so...human,” she said with a nod. “I didn’t care what the cost was, I had to get away from him.”

“But you were his mate.” Hunter bit out the bitter words, and a fresh wash of her anger swept through the room. “Surely you saw something in him—”

“I was
never
his mate,” she growled, her chin snapping up until she could spear him with a glare. “
Never.
”

Her personality swam in the dark depths of her eyes, burning like a candlewick. “Angel—”

“He forced me to be his mate,” she whispered, a coldness devouring that tiny flame he’d spotted. When her eyes lifted, they stared
through
him, fading into less pleasant memories, no doubt, ones he instantly regretted making her dredge up. “If I fought against him, he showed me what it meant to be a submissive wolf.” Tears clung to her eyelashes, though they never fell. “For two years I surrendered to him. I did what was expected of me, played the perfect little mate, so that he wouldn’t—” Her jaw tightened, muscles leaping as she choked on her words. “But I couldn’t. Not anymore. He liked pain with his...” Her voice cracked and faded away.

“Pleasure,” Hunter whispered when she couldn’t, his ruined fork dangling from his fingers. Suddenly he wasn’t as hungry.

Her head bowed forward as she nodded. His fingers itched with longing to touch her, to calm her, but logic knew such a gesture would not be welcomed at a moment like this, not with such brutal memories haunting her mind.

“I ran,” she mumbled into her hair. “I almost died in my attempt, but my wolf took over. She showed me how to survive. She kept me alive when I couldn’t, protected me when I had no one else.”

Silence settled between them, broken only when Hunter lowered his mangled fork down onto his plate with a gentle clink. “You have me now,” he whispered. “I...won’t let Seth touch you, ever again.”

Laughter shook her shoulders, the bitter sound spilling from her lips quite abrasively. “Don’t you get it?” she scoffed. “
No one
can protect me from Seth. No matter where I go, he follows. For eight years I’ve run from him, and for eight years he’s always found me.
Always.
Do you understand? He will kill you to get to me. There’s no stopping it.”

Such desolation in her voice, such devastation. The table rocked back when he surged to his feet and drew her out of her chair, folding her into his chest. “Not if I kill him first,” he promised her, his lips burying in her hair. She trembled against him, small drops of wetness dampening his shirt. “You have me now,” he repeated once more, his eyes staring out the window behind them.

Hunter hoped Seth would come. And when he did, he certainly wouldn’t leave alive.

* * *

Angel tipped her head back against the bed frame, staring out the window over the vast land Hunter owned. Eerie shadows whisked over her walls, blending with the silvery night.

Before becoming one of them, her life had been much simpler—happy even. But that had all changed the day she’d met Seth. Whatever hellion he’d changed her into, nature herself seemed to fear her. Never had she heard a forest so quiet as when she stepped into it. It was as though death followed her. Animals took wing, vanishing entirely. So for eight years she’d surrounded herself with cities as a means of evading him, yet he’d always found her. Typically she ran, as she’d intended to today, but perhaps the time for running was long past. Running gave him power over her and she was so tired of feeling weak.

Lost to her thoughts, sleep was proving elusive. No matter how often she dared to close her eyes, his face swam through her mind’s eye, twisted with such fervent hate. All she longed for was her freedom, the right to live where, when and how she chose. This life—it wasn’t hers; it was Seth’s. Something he’d forced upon her with little concern for her desires. He cared little for others and focused entirely on himself, a habit she’d soon learned was typical among
his
werewolves. Perfectly miserable creatures, those beasts, taking what they wanted and when.

She could recall the first time she’d laid eyes on Hunter as though it had been yesterday. At first glance, he’d stolen her breath, something that frightened her more than anything. Another wolf, another dominant—that which she hated more than anything. Wretchedly handsome, but still a monster, like them all. Stunning peridot eyes had swept over her as though she was nothing more than a mutt—a common occurrence for one such as herself. Had she known that he’d actually taken notice of her, liked what he’d seen, she would have—

Angel released a sharp breath, fingers ensnaring the coverlet draped over her legs. She would have
what?
Spoken to him? The very idea was laughable. Seth’s leash had been tight then, until she’d all but choked from it. Nothing would have been done; nothing
could
have been done. But now she was beginning to understand why Seth had declared her his mate the very next day.

Kicking back her blanket, she pushed to her feet and began to prowl the length of her room like a wild animal, unable to keep to the bed if she wasn’t going to sleep. Her emotional state was far more volatile than normal. Since she’d shifted already tonight, the call of the moon was absent, something she was unaccustomed to, and it was leaving her feeling a touch jittery. If she could only sleep...

After what felt like hours of her feet wearing the hardwood thin, she groaned and spun toward the door. The animal within felt caged; her wolf was howling to be set free if for no other purpose than simply to run. Hunter had shown her to the guest room to rest, but what she needed was to burn off this excess energy scalding her from the inside out.

To hell with this. She rocked to the balls of her feet and silently crept to the door. Not a single soul had bothered her since Hunter had given her the grand tour. In fact, it felt as though they were the only two within the house. Pondering such a thing, she peered down the silent halls, wondering if there was anyone else present.

She tiptoed down the corridor, pausing before the third room on the left. The door was slightly ajar, a dim light permeating the darkness of the hall. Angel paused, her heart quickening with the thought that she might be disturbing him. Would he mind such an interruption, or would he think she was invading his space?

She was about to head back to her own room when she silently scolded herself for being foolish. He’d offered up his house and home, fed and cared for her. When he’d offered his guest bedroom to her, she’d been shocked, expecting him to insist she remain with him. Once again, he’d shown her his caliber and how much he differed from Seth.

Measuring the door, she gracefully slipped within. There Hunter lay on the bed with an arm thrown over his face, his body tense. She could see that he was just as awake as she was.

She dared another step, silently praying that his floorboards didn’t creak. The last thing she wanted was to startle an alpha werewolf.

“Mmm, this is a fantasy of mine, you know.” A muffled voice came from the covers.

His arm shifted, and it was only then that she noticed the mangled book dangling from his fingers. Apparently he’d been trying to read, though that appeared to be as much of a lost cause as sleep had been for her. A pinched face greeted her, though a single wry brow lifted in amusement.

“A fantasy?” she finally whispered. “Of a girl slipping into your room?”

The book was abandoned to the pillows and his arm dropped down, drawing her eyes to his chest. “Of
you
slipping into my room. There’s more, of course,” he chuckled, his eyes brightening. “I could divulge a little, if you’d like.”

She couldn’t help her laugh. “And you’ve had this fantasy for what, five minutes?”

“Five minutes, ten years. What does time mean to us?” he murmured in a deep voice before pinning her with an odd look. “I thought you were sleeping.”

“I couldn’t,” she admitted softly. “But if you were trying, I could—”

Her words died on her lips when he suddenly drew down the covers, gesturing to the spot next to him.

Leaning back against the pillows, he watched her carefully. “Well?”

Her eyes flicked to the empty space next to him.

“I promise you I won’t bite,” he offered with a humorous lilt, “too hard.”

Her cheeks burned, the memory of the hard brush of his teeth lighting a fire in her stomach. They’d done much more than simply sleep together in the short while she’d known him. Maybe in here she’d manage some rest.

She stole a glance back over her shoulder, peering down the dark hallway. There was no one else here, and if there was, would that matter? It’d been so long since she’d lain with anyone in a bed, she found the thought rather exciting. Swallowing what fear clogged her throat, she braved the few steps toward the bed and lowered down before sliding her legs beneath the blankets. A heavy arm draped around her waist and drew her against him. There was a brief moment of panic, one she was sure he could scent, yet he didn’t utter a single word, simply buried his nose against the back of her neck and held his breath until it passed. Eventually her heartbeat slowed, her breathing grew shallow, and she fell asleep to the feel of his fingers running through her hair.

Chapter Seven

She didn’t dare move, caught in the final moments of sleep and refusing to wake, afraid that it had all been a dream. Such memories hovered on the brink of her mind, teasing her with the thought that she’d finally been given a chance to have all she’d desired for so long.

Burying her face into the rumpled pillows, she inhaled a scent that was as familiar to her as her own now. Hunter’s distinctly male aroma surrounded her, yet she found no fear in this, nor the fact that during the night she’d apparently discarded her clothes. She couldn’t quite remember how that had come to be, nor did she care, though she was a touch surprised that it didn’t feel awkward. The last time she’d woken naked in a bed with a man, she’d been human.

Warm fingers grazed her side and the faintest sigh fell from her lips before she could muffle it. His touch was addictive and regardless of her past, her body responded to it. He’d only been back in her life for a short time, yet he’d left his imprint and now she craved him. She knew that she would only bring pain into his life, but the thought of living the rest of her days without him left an aching void in her chest that threatened to consume her. It was part of the reason she held so still—to revel in the dream before it shattered, to give herself this one moment of bliss before everything came crashing down. Seth was going to come; there was no doubt in her mind about that. Until then, this was what she had—stolen seconds, hidden away in his bedroom, safe from the world.

What plagued her was the thought of losing this opportunity to be with him again—to taste him on her lips and feel his body moving within her. As though he could read her thoughts, Hunter’s mouth suddenly pressed against her neck, the soft rake of his teeth drawing out a shiver. Oh, but it was such a satisfying sensation, to be marked as his. Without censure, she turned over and found herself staring into the pools of forest-green that were his eyes.

Passion’s fire lit within her stomach, and without a wasted breath, Hunter’s fingers swept down her stomach, discarding the sheet.

How she ached for him.

It disgusted her, this sure knowledge that Seth would try to ruin their burgeoning relationship when it’d only just begun. Such emotions roused within her, ones she felt incapable of handling. Whatever this was that she felt for Hunter, it was stronger than she had ever anticipated. Fantasies were one thing, but this was real. All she knew was that she
had
to have him. She couldn’t just walk away, not again, not without at least showing him how she felt. They’d been parted for so long, yet nothing had ever felt so right to her as being with him had.

“You smell good,” she whispered drowsily.

“Do I?” he rumbled in a pleased voice. “And what do I smell like?”

Her eyes fluttered shut as she inhaled. Feeling brave, she ran her fingers up and down his length, listening to his quickening heartbeat. “Mmm, like wolf,” she breathed. “Like strength and power.” She opened her eyes and pinned him with a glance, struggling with the decision of whether to tell him exactly how she felt in this moment. It might not last, but she at least wanted to let him know that for one minute she’d found happiness. “Like
home.
”

Her chilled nose ran a line over his neck and she grinned when she heard him swallow. She’d never felt this way before, safe and secure, and the unbridled
need
that came with it was overwhelming. Moments ago she’d been attempting to make peace with the fact that she couldn’t stay, but with his arms closing around her, she knew he’d never let her go.

The small bit of encouragement from her urged him onward and his hands caressed her curves, sliding down her body as he lifted her against him. The feel of his erection pressing against her center nearly undid her and she found herself squirming, desperately trying to fit herself atop him. Grinning, his dark eyes devoured her body as his fingers came between them, just where she wanted them to be joined.

“Patience,” he murmured the moment his finger caressed her opening, barely touching her, yet she ached for him.

Trembling, her entire body kindled with the need to feel him pushing inside her and when his finger slid between her folds, she sighed for him, her lashes fanning her cheeks as he began to stroke her. His movements were far too slow for her liking and the realization staggered her. Only in her fantasies of Hunter did she ever awaken like this—as a ball of need that would die if she wasn’t touched. It poured from her mouth in a small moan, one that brought his eyes up to hers.

“Angel...” he whispered. “I—”

She didn’t know what he meant to say, and her own plea for him to take her silenced his words. “Hunter, please,” she begged, writhing against his hand as he stoked her inner flames.

Acquiescing, the press of his thumb came down on her throbbing clit. Gasping, she arched into him, her head falling back as pleasure swept through her body. Her stomach warmed with anticipation, awaiting that moment when the world came shattering down. Instead, he slid another finger inside her, pulling her closer and closer to her climax, as his lips found her beaded nipples. If only every moment in her life could be like this.

Her hand fell between them, fingers closing around his shaft. Sucking in a sharp breath, he swept his other hand up her back and cupped her head, forcing her gaze to his. Meeting his eyes as they touched and explored one another felt far more erotic than anything they’d done so far. With her every stroke, his eyes brightened until finally he canted her head toward him. He made a small and broken sound as he claimed her mouth, his tongue caressing hers in smooth strokes.

She shuddered against him, struggling to control herself, to delay the final moment before her climax took hold. She hovered on the brink of it—it wouldn’t take much now to send her over the edge, and as though Hunter knew, his thumb flicked against her, teasing her in a circular motion. The feel of his mouth on hers, of his fingers buried deep within, his thumb teasing her small bundle of nerves—it all proved to be too much. Her orgasm felt like a train mowing her down when it suddenly hit her. She succumbed to the pleasure, her shivering breath falling into his mouth as his fingers tightened against the nape of her neck, holding her in place while he milked her climax for all he could.

Lost to the throes of ecstasy, Angel settled herself over him, wanting nothing more than to draw it out as long as she could. With her hand already there to guide her, she shifted, about to take every last inch of him into her, when Hunter grew impossibly still and tore his mouth from hers, his body turning to stone as his head cocked.

The pleasure racking her body dimmed as quickly as the eagerness faded from his eyes, leaving them as cold as a wintry sky. Her lips parted, about to ask what was wrong, when his hand slid over her mouth, muffling her panting breath.

“Stay here,” he whispered as softly as he could, clearly trying to keep her calm even though his wolf was peeking out at her. “Do not leave this room unless I tell you otherwise.”

Far too slowly, her thoughts lined up and she caught the sound of a wolf howling in the distance. Oh, she
knew
that howl, and her body tightened against Hunter. It was like having freezing-cold water dumped on her head, and the icy realization sank in that Seth had come, now of all moments.

She swallowed the lump in her throat.
No
, no, she wouldn’t just leave him to deal with Seth himself. It was her fault he had come, and it was time she stood up to him—

“Angel,” he interrupted her silent tirade. “Do this for me, please. Wait for me here.”

Her face crumpled. But before she could argue, he pushed to his feet, the sight of his hard cock snuffing her words.

He’d only taken two steps before the air shimmered and a dark-as-night wolf leaped out his bedroom window, vanishing from sight.

Terror overtook her and without a thought, her wolf rose to the surface. Hardly pausing, Angel leaped out the same window, her paws barely touching upon the earth before she chased after him, refusing to stay hidden away in his bedroom while he fought Seth.

Branches snagged her fur and rocks cut into her paws, but it didn’t stop her. Not even the furred side of another wolf brushing against her gave her pause. Instead, they raced together, chasing after the faint howls that rose within the morning light. The wolf next to her pulled ahead, his snowy coloring standing out as he darted through the evergreen pines.

For a moment he paused and glanced over his shoulder to huff at her, his black nose lifting in the air to scent out the direction. Angel yipped under her breath, trusting her instincts—and her own nose—to tell her that this was one of Hunter’s. When he turned and started toward the east, she followed suit, hoping she hadn’t made the wrong decision. As strong as her mate was, she still feared for him. That thought nearly brought her to her knees. Her
mate.
She knew as much as he that something had happened in that bus station last night, something powerful. But the talk of mates was all nonsense—just mystical gibberish wolves spoke about when discussing the
old days.
No one in her former pack had been
truly
mated—why would she think it was even possible?

But it had happened. She’d felt it when the moon awoke within her, the moment the song left her lips, in the deep thrumming beat that had come from him. It had called her name, whispered into her soul. She’d felt it deep inside, and it was
right.
She was his, but more than that, he was hers, and the realization spurred her legs faster until they burned with the effort.

Clearing the brush, she stopped herself, rocking to a standstill at the sight of Hunter and Seth standing within a small semicircle, staring one another down. The moment she entered the pack circle, Seth’s eyes fell to hers. Still in his human form, he stared down his nose at Hunter, a wry twist of his lips doing little to soften his indignation.

“You have stolen my mate,” Seth proclaimed to the circle.

Hunter’s wolves howled their enraged responses, some even casting angered looks her way. She knew nothing of his pack, nothing of the numbers he wielded, but there had to be at least thirty wolves present, and only a handful belonged to Seth—she would know
those
wolves anywhere.

Magic curled around her and in the span of a breath, Hunter shifted back to human and stood, gloriously naked before all. How someone could stand nude before an enemy and still maintain an intimidating stance was beyond her, yet Hunter did just that.

“Your mate left you eight years ago,” Hunter argued. “I gave you a pass in the bus station, for Angel’s sake. I won’t make that same mistake again.”

Fury rippled across Seth’s face and he shot another dark look toward her. “We all do things for Angel’s sake,” he growled. His fingers rose to his shirt and tore it off. Seth was by no means an unattractive man, but there was something about him that had always affected Angel—his cruel personality, the way he handled her, forced her to do things she abhorred.

“You mean to challenge me?” Hunter laughed mockingly. “Would you like a moment to think this through?”

Seth’s mouth thinned and he jerked his chin toward her. “I win, she leaves with me.”

Hunter paused, his back stiffening the moment he realized she was here. “You’ve learned
nothing
,” he snarled. “But if this is how you want to do it, Angel goes free if I win and your second takes over your pack. I want nothing to do with that mess of yours.”

Angel’s breath caught with Hunter’s words, her ears flicking up. He could have claimed her right here, made
her
his reward, as Seth had done, but instead he’d guaranteed her freedom should he win.

Seth’s eyes tapered but with a sharp nod, he called his wolf forth and fell to all fours in a burst of fur and magic, with Hunter only seconds behind. If their previous activities and his two shifts were weighing on him, Hunter made no indication of it.

Slowly, they began to circle one another, an uncomfortable reticence settling over both packs. Angel’s eyes were all for Hunter, watching with bated breath as he hunted her former alpha. His movements were liquid and dangerous, his eyes alight with rage and savage strength. Where Seth made grandiose swipes at the air and menacing growls, Hunter remained silent. It was the quiet wolves that were to be feared. Vicious, calculating—and Angel could see exactly that.

A broken howl from Seth shattered the eerie silence of their pack mates, and she gasped, her claws digging into the soil to restrain herself from rushing forward. Another howl, an unfamiliar one from one of Hunter’s wolves. Her wobbly knees shook, her ears flattening against her head as she listened to what was beginning to sound like war breaking out in the small clearing.

Seth struck.

The movements were far too quick to follow and Angel’s heart raged against her ribs as her eyes darted over the clearing, struggling to see what was happening. The two wolves began the dance of death, neither willing to back down.

She whimpered when a canid scream found its way to her ears and a splash of blood darkened the soft ground. Her paws skimmed over the surface of the earth as she unknowingly moved toward them. One of Hunter’s wolves leaped before her, his teeth catching gently at her ear before he stepped on her paw. Hunter could do this, she knew that, but she also knew how dirty Seth fought. She couldn’t lose Hunter after finally finding him, after so many years of dreaming about him. His soft touches, gentle words, they all turned her knees to mush. For an alpha he was certainly a man of contrasts, and she would
not
lose him to Seth. That bastard had taken
everything
from her; he could not have this.

The two remained locked in their endless struggle and Angel grimaced with every strike Seth landed. Hunter’s side was a mess of matted fur and she watched breathlessly as tiny rubies of blood splashed to the ground. Seth was no better, a garish gash having nearly claimed his eye, yet their battle continued, snarling and howling with each lunge, their claws and teeth deadly accurate.