Her Alphas (9 page)

Release the fire of—

Tommy couldn’t finish the verse. He leaned in and pressed
his mouth to hers and breathed her in. The magic transported him. It was the
metallic smell of the drying blood that clung to her hair that brought him back
to the physical world.

The brutality of Jenny’s attack charged into his mind. Even
as he had rushed to stop it, he could see the sickening, cold black aura
surrounding the blonde werewolf. The evil it communicated had been so
terrifying, it had almost paralyzed Tommy. Only the dying flame of Gwen’s
beautiful light had kept him going.

He should have gutted Sergei’s psycho little mate when he’d had
a chance. Even with the treaty between the two groups that protected one from
the other, ending that little bitch’s life would not have been a violation.

Alex and Sergei had arrived at the cave moments after Tommy had
pulled Jenny off Gwen. The Russian had restrained his raging mate while Alex
shifted back to human form and hurried to stop the gush of blood spurting from
Gwen’s leg.

The alpha had yanked the belt from Gwen’s jacket and
tightened a tourniquet high on her thigh. It had taken all of Tommy’s concentration
to shift back so he could assist. He had torn strips from her tattered jeans
and pressed the fabric against her shredded calf.

By the time the two leaders had gotten her back to Alex’s
vet clinic, dark purple bruises had bloomed on Gwen’s pale skin. One side of
her face was scraped raw and her body was slick with sweat as the bite-fever
took hold.

While Alex had gathered his instruments, Sergei had secured
Jenny in a windowless metal storage shed behind the clinic. She had been
howling and banging on the steel walls ever since and the noise threatened to
break Tommy’s concentration as he chanted for Gwen’s recovery.

Running his thumb over the scrapes on Gwen’s forehead, Tommy
fought to keep his emotions in check. Anger about the attack mixed with his longing
for her and sadness over what she would soon become.

He supposed that once she was changed, his preoccupation
with Gwen would fade. The feeling of loss was almost unbearable. It was
tempered only by a glimmer of relief that this all-consuming obsession would
soon end.

* * * * *

Gwen was woken up by a cold wet nose against her cheek. With
eyes still closed, she reached out to stroke Jezebel’s head but stopped when
crushing pain overwhelmed her. It seemed that every inch of her body hurt. The
worst of it was the throbbing ache that ran the length of her right leg.

Gwen moaned, twisting her head against the pillow, and Jez
whined in response.

I will stay with you. I will protect you. I love you,
woman.

Gwen’s eyes flew open and she stared into the dog’s big
brown eyes.
Jezebel, was that you?

The golden retriever’s tail thumped against the nightstand.
You’re
awake! I love you!

“I love you too, goofball,” Gwen muttered, and scratched
behind the dog’s ear.
Go find Alex.

Jezebel padded out of the bedroom and Gwen stared up at the
ceiling. She couldn’t remember how she’d gotten to the cabin, but she was
certain why she was flat on her back, feeling like she’d been run over by a
tank. Jenny had attacked her outside the sacred cave.

And now I can hear my dog’s thoughts.
The realization
would have been funny if she weren’t in such agony.

Lifting her right hand, Gwen studied the deep cuts on the
palm. The memory of plunging the pointed amulet into Jenny’s eye rushed into
her mind and her stomach lurched as she recalled the sickening sound it had
made.

The strike had slowed Jenny down, but it hadn’t been enough
to stop her. If the mountain lion—if
Tommy
—hadn’t been there, Gwen would
be feeling no pain now. She would be dead.

Glancing at the glass of water on the nightstand, Gwen
licked her parched lips. Her thirst temporarily took precedence over the pain
and she struggled to pull herself up to a sitting position. White-hot agony
exploded in her leg as she dragged her body up the mattress. She collapsed back
against the headboard and caught her breath before reaching for the glass and
gulping it dry.

“What are you doing?” Alex stood in the doorway, his arms
crossed over his chest.

“Thirsty,” Gwen croaked.

Gwen needs water.
Alex’s voice was as clear in her
mind as if he’d said the words aloud.

Gwen wrinkled her brow.
Alex, can you hear me?

His expression didn’t change as he crossed the room and
gingerly sat on the edge of the bed. “How are you feeling?”

Awful.

She waited for him to respond to the telepathic message.
When he didn’t she sent the thought again, this time trying to attach her
physical sensations to it.

Alex raised his brow. “Well?”

Concussion,
she heard him think as he sat on down on
the edge of the mattress.

Alex reached down beside Gwen’s bed and retrieved his
zippered exam kit. He fished inside and withdrew a penlight, passed the beam
across Gwen’s eye line then clicked it off and put it back.

“Do you know what day it is?” he asked.

“Saturday.”

“Can you remember what happened to you?”

“I stepped out of the cave to get a cell signal and Jenny
attacked me. I stabbed her in the eye with my amulet, but she just kept coming.
Tommy finally jumped out of nowhere and pulled her off me.”

Furrows formed along Alex’s forehead. “Yes. That’s exactly
right.”
And you finally got what you wanted.

It wasn’t his thought that jolted her; it was the
unmistakable disappointment and sense of failure behind it. She probed harder
into his mind, but he didn’t seem to sense the violation.

A series of Alex’s feelings, pictures and ideas unfolded.
The most jarring was the image of Sergei Markov standing behind the vet clinic
holding his mate’s severed head in his hands. Gwen could feel the disgust
associated with Alex’s vision.

His emotions and mental pictures flashed by in a quick
jumble, but the message was clear. Gwen’s actions had disrupted the status quo,
ruined his plans and jeopardized the long-term well-being of the pack.
You
probably did it on purpose.

The silent accusation was crushing, but the next realization
was worse. Gwen’s stomach knotted as she understood that Alex had done
everything in his power to delay letting her drink the potion that would turn
her—until
he
was ready. Now he felt cheated.

Before Gwen could register another unspoken message from
Alex, he rose. “I’ll be right back.” Alex passed Sergei as he came through the
door carrying two bottles of water.

Sergei seemed to have a hard time making eye contact with
Gwen.
She must hate me,
he thought.

“I don’t blame you, Sergei,” Gwen said.

Sergei glanced up at her—assuming, it seemed—that her
reassurance was in response to his body language, not telepathy. “Thank you,
little friend.”

“I’m sorry about Jen—”

“Do not say her name,” Sergei interrupted. “It is not
allowed. She has been expunged from our history and her name is never to be
uttered again. It will be as if she never existed.”

He cleared his throat, then held out the water bottles. “I
have brought you something to drink.”

Gwen looked at his massive hands and Alex’s vision of
Jenny’s brutal death flashed in her mind. The bile rose in her throat. She
accepted the bottles, quickly sucked down one, then started on the second. When
she came up for air, Alex returned and passed her a large tablet. “For the
pain,” he said.

Gwen didn’t have to be telepathic to pick up on the disdain
in his voice.
Yours or mine, you selfish prick?
she thought. Her mind was
reeling. In an instant everything she thought she’d known about Alex seemed
like a lie.

Sergei was standing beside the bed and though she could no
longer hear his thoughts, she could feel his genuine concern and platonic
affection for her. She forced the pill down her throat, then set down the water
and met Sergei’s gaze.
Can you hear me?

He gave no indication that he could, but another voice
sounded clearly in her mind.
I can hear you.

She knew before she saw him standing in the doorway that it was
the Cat King. His thick, jet-black hair fell over his broad shoulders like a
silk curtain. She could see the perfectly blunt-cut ends on either side of his
slim waist. Tommy smiled at her, showing his flawless white teeth framed by
full, brown lips and she imagined what they would feel like pressed against her
mouth.

Given the pain she was in, the idea that she could be
thinking about anyone that way—let alone a virtual stranger—shocked her.
But,
god, he is so fucking beautiful!

He winked again and Gwen felt the hot blush creep across her
face. She was going to have to learn to self-edit—at least around Tommy. The
others didn’t seem to be able to tune in to her thoughts. At least not yet.

How?
she sent to him.

Tommy shrugged. Gwen concentrated on hearing his next
thought but was met with silence. She supposed the three men were shielding
their thoughts from one another. Tommy nodded as if to confirm her suspicion.

Alex pressed the back of his hand against Gwen’s forehead then
looked over her shoulder. “The bite fever seems under control. Nice work,
Tommy.”

The Cat King nodded nonchalantly, but his feeling of pride
broke through his cloaked thoughts. The pain killer had kicked in and Gwen
couldn’t help but grin. She was getting a glimmer of the sway she held over
Tommy Longtree and the idea thrilled her.

Alex started to pull back the covers, then paused. “I’ve got
to change the dressings on her thigh. Would you guys mind—”

Licking it?
Tommy thought and she knew he’d sent it
directly to her.

Gwen glanced up at him through heavy eyelids.
I want you,
she thought—knowing full well he’d be able to hear her, and suddenly feeling so
blissed out she didn’t give a flying fuck.

Then there was silence again. Gwen fought against sleep,
grasping for a thread of Tommy’s thoughts, but her mind drifted on the edge of
consciousness. The last thing she registered before slipping under was the look
of sadness on his handsome face.

One Week Later

On the seventh morning after the attack, Gwen woke before
dawn feeling better than she could ever remember. Alex and the others had been
out running all night—she’d heard them howling in the woods. They’d all sleep
late and Gwen was glad for the break.

Though she’d tried to block them out, Alex’s thoughts and
feelings of loss and confusion had crashed into her mind. He seemed to be
growing more annoyed with her by the day. His belief that Gwen had orchestrated
Jenny’s attack in order to get her way had gained a foothold in his
subconscious. Rather than discuss it with Gwen, he’d just retreated into his
own anger.

She had been losing sleep over how to fix things, but this
morning, every worry seemed to have disappeared.

Gwen sprang out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Cringing
as she peeled back the dressings on her calf and thigh, she looked down,
expecting to see mangled flesh. Instead, her leg was smooth and flawless. The
bandages had traces of blood and little bits of black thread that Gwen recognized
as stitches, but her skin showed no signs of trauma.

Cool.

Shucking off her T-shirt and panties, Gwen stepped into the
tub and turned on shower. The sensation of the hot water hitting her body was
amazing. She felt each individual droplet exploding across her skin and sighed.
As she twirled the bar of soap between her palms, the clean aroma drifted up to
her nose. But it wasn’t just one scent, it was a thousand. She picked out
lavender and aloe, vanilla and mint.

Dropping the bar back into the dish, she smoothed the lather
over her skin. Her hands left warm trails behind with every stroke. Gwen worked
the suds into the curls between her thighs and an explosion of sexual energy
radiated from the spot.

Oh. My. God!

Gwen’s clit crested through her lower lips and she massaged
the throbbing bud. It was as if she were touching herself for the first time.
Her nipples puckered and grew so hard they ached. Lowering herself into the
tub, Gwen draped one leg over the cool side, and plunged her fingers in and out
of her slick pussy, then raised her other hand to one breast and squeezed hard
at the tingling pink center.

She was aware of everything—the full feeling in her cunt,
the sting of her pinched nipple, and the prickle of countless drops of water
teasing her skin. The orgasm was immediate and intense. Gwen grunted and
bucked, sliding across the slick porcelain as her moans echoed off the tiled
walls.

As soon as the first climax had subsided, another began to
build. She came twice more before the hot water ran out and she was forced to
step out of the tub and towel off. Even the rasp of the terrycloth was erotic.

Gwen might have stayed in the bathroom all morning, diddling
herself into oblivion, if a stronger urge hadn’t overcome her. She was
starving!

Not bothering to dress, Gwen made her way into the kitchen
and stood in front of the open refrigerator. She pulled out everything high in
fat or protein and set it on the counter—eggs, steak, butter and cheese. Popping
a delectable chunk of cheddar into her mouth, she set the cast-iron skillet on
the stove to preheat. As she was unwrapping the butcher paper from a ribeye, a
premonition hit her like a physical jolt.

Tommy.

Gwen dropped the meat on the counter, grabbed the afghan
from the sofa, and wrapped it around her torso as she headed for the cabin
door.

He was standing on the front porch, just as she knew he
would be. She jerked open the door and he looked her over from head to toe. A
wicked grin jerked up one side of his beautiful mouth. She sensed he was shielding
his thoughts, but one unmistakable notion broke through.
Want.

The emotion was so strong, she was amazed how cool and
confident he seemed outwardly. He held out a paper bag and a thermal carafe. “I
made coffee and picked up donuts from Old Town Bakery. Are you interested?”

Gwen stepped aside to let him in and he surveyed the mound
of food on the counter then laughed. “Okay, well consider this an appetizer.
Why don’t you dig in and I’ll cook the main course?”

Protesting was not even an option. Gwen was ravenous. She
grabbed the thermos and bakery sack and sat down at the kitchen table. Tommy
brought her a mug, a carton of cream and the sugar bowl. Gwen shoveled four
heaping spoonfuls of sugar into her cup, then added the coffee and a generous
splash of cream. Before taking a sip, she pulled a glazed donut from the bag
and ripped off a bite. She moaned as she finished the rest of it.

“Good, huh?” Tommy asked.

Gwen could only nod and move on to the next pastry. Tommy
dropped a huge pat of butter into the skillet and the instant it made contact
with the heat, it released such a heavenly aroma that Gwen’s mouth flooded with
saliva.

Tommy seasoned the meat with salt and pepper then dropped it
into the melted butter. He started a second pan for the eggs and by time Gwen had
made her way through her third donut, he’d plated a rare steak and three eggs
sunny-side-up.

Table manners suddenly seemed a low priority and Gwen tore
into the food. Every bite was a revelation. She enjoyed it with abandon, making
sounds like porn star.

The Cat King laughed. “You know, your grocery bill is going
to go through the roof. You’ll burn five—maybe ten—times the calories you would
have as a human, and once you start running around, howling at the moon, it’ll
be even worse.”

Gwen stopped chewing and stared across the table at him. He
winked. “But you make sure not to lose any of those incredible curves.
Promise?”
Want.

Cream trickled from Gwen’s pussy and she squirmed in her
chair then swallowed hard. “I want you too.” Hearing herself voice the thought
she’d had since laying eyes on him only ratcheted up her longing.

Tommy groaned. “God, Gwen—there’s nothing I want more—but
it’s kind of complicated.”

Gwen reached up and loosened the end of the afghan she’d
wrapped around her body and let it fall open. “Doesn’t seem very complicated to
me.”

When Tommy’s gaze swept over her bare breasts, she could feel
the heat of his appreciation. She stood and walked around the table, stopping
inches in front of him. This time when his eyes flashed amber, she was certain
it wasn’t an hallucination.

Reaching out, she swept the back of her fingers over his
cheek then traced the sharp line of his jaw and chin. He stood motionless as
she ran her thumb around the limits of his full lips then slowly shoved it into
his mouth. Tommy closed his eyes and sucked hard. The sensation radiated up her
arm then exploded into her most erogenous zones.

“Tommy,” she whispered.

He wrapped his big hand around her wrist and pulled it from
his mouth. When she looked up, his golden eyes were locked on hers and she
could hear his galloping heartbeat. “Gwen, we have to slow down. This is much
more—”

“Complicated. Yeah, I know,” she finished for him before
reaching behind his head and weaving her fingers through this long hair.

The jet-black strands felt like silk and she moaned before
closing her eyes and pulling his face to hers. The world flashed white the
instant their lips touched. The entire universe seemed to implode until they were
enveloped in a silver-blue cloud of light.

Tommy hesitated for a moment before returning the
kiss—crushing his lips against hers and probing her mouth with his tongue. The
scent and taste of him was more delicious than any food had ever been. In that
moment, Gwen thought she could live on a steady diet of Tommy Longtree for the
rest of her life.

Sliding his hands around her waist, Tommy pulled her to him.
It felt as if the floor had dropped away and Gwen was floating in his arms. The
physical connection was intense, but the spiritual one was even more so.

Gwen felt empowered by the mystical force that surrounded
them and in an instant, she knew Tommy was right. They had to wait. Something
much bigger than their attraction to one another was at play.

She loosened her grip on Tommy then stepped back and looked
into his golden eyes. “Do you feel it?” she whispered.

He nodded then stroked her cheek. “Yes, I feel it.”

Laying her hand on his, Gwen leaned into his touch. The
sexual energy still surged through her body, but she now felt she had some control
over it. A feeling of peace washed over her. She was certain that every strange
turn her life had taken to this point had led her to Tommy and that her
adventure with him was just beginning.

Gwen was lost in the amber glow of his stare, eager to find
out where their journey would lead, when a powerful insight burst into her
mind. She turned toward the door, not at all surprised to see Alex McKenzie
step into the cabin.

* * * * *

Alex knew the Cat King was there before stepping onto the
porch. He could smell him. But, it was Gwen’s scent that caused his base of his
spine to tingle. If Alex had a tail, it would be tucked between his legs. His
instinctive response to her superiority both confused and humbled him.

While the rest of the pack had been out running under the
moon, Alex had spent a long sleepless night in the shaman’s cabin discussing
Gwen. He dreaded having to deliver the news.

In the years since his change, Alex had been with countless human
women and several female werewolves. His libido was insatiable and sex had
become an irresistible drug. The humans gave him unimaginable pleasure, and
mating with his kind was always a magical experience. Yet once he’d met Gwen,
he’d given up all other partners.

It had been challenging to turn down the many willing
females who pursued him in both worlds, but he knew any encounter would pale in
comparison after he’d been with Gwen.

He’d almost convinced himself that it was their combined
chemistry that made their union so special. Alex wanted to believe that no
other two beings could create the passion and heat they shared. It took Jenny’s
attack to make him admit that it was Gwen’s unique magic alone that fueled the
fire.

The indifference he’d felt immediately after the attack—and
in the days that followed—left him empty. Alex’s scientific mind had searched
for answers he knew he would never find. On the last morning of moon week, he’d
sought out insight from Jeremiah Morgan.

The pack shaman said he’d been expecting the visit. “I
sensed your confusion, Alex. To be honest, I had the same feelings about Gwen
after she was bitten.”

They’d sat in silence while Jeremiah smoked his pipe and
Alex tried to formulate the right question.

“She’s not a
were
now, is she?” Alex had finally
asked.

“Not exactly.”

“But she’s not still human either, right?”

Jeremiah blew a smoke ring toward the ceiling. “Definitely
not. I don’t believe she ever was.”

Though the answer seemed outrageous on the surface, it
struck a chord with Alex, as if he’d always known its truth. “Then what is
she?”

The shaman shook his head. “I’m not certain. We knew she was
special because of her paternal lineage as a human consort. What do we know
about her mother?”

Alex had searched his memory. Gwen hadn’t said much about
either of her parents—just that neither was still living. “Nothing,” Alex
finally answered. “Do you have a theory?”

Jeremiah shrugged. “Well, my friend, it’s just that—a theory.
After seeing the Cat King with her in the operating room—and hearing your
description of their first meeting—I began to wonder…”

When the shaman didn’t finish his thought, Alex broke in.
“What? You think she’s a shifter?”

“No, a Halfling. It would be extremely rare. Shifters and
regular humans can’t produce offspring—at least none that would live to
maturity. But, perhaps it’s possible if the human—in this case Gwen’s father—had
some sort of mystical makeup, which as a legacy consort he did.”

“Why wouldn’t she have told me?” Alex thundered.

Jeremiah reached out and patted the alpha’s shoulder. “Easy
now. It’s possible she didn’t know. I suppose it’s possible her father—even her
grandfather—didn’t know. We need to give her the benefit of the doubt, Alex. If
this is the case, we are dealing with something unprecedented.”

Alex furrowed his brow. “How so?”

“If Gwen Chaney came to us already walking the divide
between the real and shadow worlds, that would make her very special. Now that
she has the blood of the wolf in her veins as well, she will emerge from the
next lunar cycle as the most powerful being on the face of the earth.”

Gwen didn’t bother to cover her nakedness and Alex couldn’t
help but take in her beautiful curves before dropping his gaze to the floor.
“We have to talk,” he said.

“I should go,” Tommy offered.

Alex sat on the couch then nodded toward one of the
armchairs. “No, stay. This concerns you too.”

“Well, this sounds like a conversation worthy of clothing,”
said Gwen. “Why don’t you two make yourselves comfortable while I go throw
something on?”

Tommy was expressionless as he settled into the chair near
the window, but Alex could feel his emotions.
Protect.

Alex shook his head. “Don’t worry. I’m not here to hurt her.
I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I’m pretty sure nobody—and nothing—can.”

Gwen returned from her bedroom and sat down in the matching
armchair across from the sofa. “Well?”

She and Tommy leaned forward, seeming to hang on Alex’s
every word as he told them what had been discussed in the shaman’s cabin the
night before. “What do you know about your mother, Gwen?”

“Not much. She died a few days after I was born—some sort of
infection. My dad raised me.”

“What about your mom’s family?” Alex asked.

Gwen shook her head. “She had none. At least that’s what she
told Dad.”