Pack Alpha (7 page)

She was a freak and no one could help her.

Once she gained control over her emotions, she climbed to her feet then crossed to the sink and the hanging mirror. She glared at her reflection.

Her hair was messed up and had grass and a few twigs tangled in. While her eyes were red rimmed she couldn’t hide the fact that she’d been crying. It didn’t matter, though. She wouldn’t see anyone else.

Instead of trying to change her departure date, maybe she should just drive home. It would give her time to think about things. Time to work out why she always messed everything up.

Turning, she walked over to the shower then turned on the water. She needed to get Gage’s scent off her. There was no point in torturing herself with his memory.

* * * *

“We have a problem.” Logan walked into the Alpha’s office without knocking.

“What?” Gage looked up from the papers in front of him. He was trying to concentrate on the Pack’s financial books while he organized a family gathering for a couple of weeks away. The annual get-together would be the perfect time to introduce Marissa to his Pack.

“Greg just called. Elizabeth sent Marissa home.”

“She what?” Gage’s voice rose as he jumped up.

Logan took a step back. “After we left, Elizabeth sent Marissa back to California. Greg doesn’t know why but said Elizabeth’s upset. He called me as soon as he found out. Marissa’s probably already to the gate.”

No!

Yanking up the phone, Gage had to control his temper to keep from crushing the piece of plastic. He punched in the number he needed. This couldn’t be happening. He’d finally found the woman that he wanted to claim as his own and she was about to slip through his fingers.

“Guardhouse,” the guard on duty answered.

“Tom. Has Marissa Boyd driven through yet?” Gage asked, praying he wasn’t too late.

“No, Alpha. No one’s been through for about fifteen minutes, and that was Sammy and Kyle.”

He was able to breathe again. Marissa was still on his property. “She doesn’t leave,” Gage told him.

“But—”

“Don’t let her out,” he ordered. “I’m on my way.” Slamming down the phone, he turned to Logan. “Get Elizabeth up here now. We’re going to get to the bottom of this once and for all. Something else is going on.”

Logan nodded and backed out of the room.

Gage ran over to the sliding glass door and opened it so hard it bounced back a little. He was probably lucky that the glass didn’t shatter. Not that he cared. He could shift and get there faster but then he’d be in his wolf form and didn’t want to scare Marissa.

He didn’t know how she’d react.

No, he had to trust his guard to follow his order and keep Marissa inside until Gage could get there.

Gage did run, though. He could make it to the gate in less than five minutes if he used his full speed. Thankfully, shifters were faster even in their human form.

“What do you mean I can’t leave?” Marissa banged her fist on the steering wheel. She shouldn’t have been surprised. She’d known Gage wasn’t finished with her. She just didn’t know how he’d found out so fast. There was no way that Elizabeth would have called him. Her sister was trying to fix things the only way she knew how.

Gage wouldn’t understand but that wasn’t their problem. Male wolf shifters always thought they could get away with anything. Why he couldn’t see that she was protecting him was beyond her, but she really didn’t need this shit. She wanted out.

“Open the gate!” she ordered the poor guard. It really wasn’t his fault but he was the one in her way. She felt panic start to rise inside her. If she saw Gage again it would be so hard to leave.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I have orders you are not to leave territory.”

“I don’t care what your orders are. I’m not a Pack member and you can’t keep me here. I know the rules,” she said.

“I’m sorry, ma’am.”

“Listen here, let me out!” she pleaded almost desperately. She had to get out of there. It was best for the Pack. They had to understand that.

“No, he won’t.”

Marissa jumped as Gage came around the side of the car. “What the hell are you doing here?” she asked, although she knew. Still, she could play dumb and act like everything was okay. Hell, she could even lie and say she was going for a drive.

One glance at the tightness on Gage’s face banished that thought. He couldn’t be easily played.

Gage nodded to his guard, who appeared relieved to be dismissed from dealing with her.

“Where are you going?” Gage kept his voice low and calm. His eyes were hard as he glared at her.

She looked away from him. Guilt and shame kept her from meeting his gaze. She didn’t want to be submissive to him but the power that was radiating off him was almost choking. And was messing with her. Even angry he was devastatingly handsome and her pussy grew wet. If he was any closer he’d probably be able to smell her arousal. This was exactly what she’d been afraid of.

“I asked you where you were going,” he said sharply.

Tightening her hands on the wheel, Marissa kept staring straight ahead. “Home.”

Gage yanked the car door open. “Move over.”

“No.” Was that her voice? Husky and full of need?

His hands were gentle as he unbuckled her seat belt. Marissa could tell he was angry but he wasn’t hurting her as he pushed her toward the passenger seat. Since she didn’t have any choice, she climbed over the console as Gage dropped down into the spot she’d just left. Surprise over took her that she’d given up in so easy. Damn, the man messed with her head.

“Hey! Hey! You can’t do this!” She grabbed at his wrists and hands. She grew desperate. She scratched at his flesh but he ignored her attempts at getting him away and put the car in reverse.

“Gage, stop!”

When the road was wide enough, he turned the car and headed back toward the houses.

“Gage, please stop.” She didn’t want to fight with him. She just wanted to forget everything. Maybe if she could just stop anything else from happening she could go home, lick her wounds, and never think about Gage again. She slapped the dash in frustration. “Let me leave, please. On my own. I promise not to come back.”

“Let you leave?” His voice rose. “Do you really think I’m just going to let you take off without a word?”

“This isn’t about you, Gage. I… I just have to leave.”

“No. You’re not running, Marissa.”

“She asked me to leave!” Marissa shouted. It hurt to tell him that but it was the truth and she couldn’t keep it in. She swallowed. She was so confused. As much as she was fighting him she wanted him to tell her it would be okay. How screwed up was she?

Gage glanced over at her as he navigated the road. “Because of me.”

Marissa looked away. He already knew so why had he even asked? If Marissa couldn’t control herself around him then she had to put as much distance between them as possible.

“That’s what I thought.”

She sat quietly next to Gage. She didn’t have anything more to say. If she gave him the chance to order her not to tell anyone about their encounter then she’d be able to leave. All she had to do was try to keep how much his words would hurt from being obvious and she could get on with her life. Marissa crossed her arms over her chest and took deep breaths. She’d make her escape soon and never cross back into Texas again.

* * * *

Elizabeth sat with her hands in her lap, nervously rubbing them together. She hadn’t expected Gage to take her sister’s leaving well, but being ordered to his office was a shock. Guilt still ate at her stomach and she hated that Marissa’s visit had come to this.

It wasn’t Marissa’s fault and Elizabeth knew that. Elizabeth wasn’t only sending Marissa back to California to get her away from trouble. She also couldn’t stand to see Marissa hurt again.

All their lives Marissa had taken the brunt of hatred from shifters. Just because her sister couldn’t shift had made everyone from their birth Pack turn on her. It wasn’t fair and Marissa had tried to fit in. Elizabeth hadn’t known how to help. She still didn’t.

All she knew was that if Marissa got involved with another shifter it would destroy her, and Elizabeth couldn’t let that happen.

She glared at her future mate, who stood next to the bar talking quietly with Logan. Greg had called Logan after Elizabeth had explained why Marissa had left. Greg hadn’t been happy either. Didn’t they understand she was trying to protect them and everyone in the Pack as well as her sister?

She jumped up when Gage walked in with her sister in tow. Gage looked pissed off and she knew that wouldn’t bode well for them. Elizabeth pushed down the feeling of resentment toward her Alpha. He’d been a better Alpha than she could have hoped for. The fact that he’d given in to his needs without thought about how that would affect Marissa hurt and disappointed her.

“Sit,” he snapped at Marissa, pointing to a chair.

Marissa started to refuse until Gage turned those fierce gray eyes on her. Elizabeth would have been trembling under that look but not her sister.

With a huff, Marissa lowered herself into the wingback chair with her back to the window. It appeared that Marissa was also aware that Gage was past the point of being reasonable. It would be up to Elizabeth to smooth things over. Hopefully she wouldn’t get kicked out of the Pack as well. She really did love Greg and wanted to make a life with him.

“Out,” he ordered the two men.

She wanted to call out to her future mate but knew that wouldn’t help matters. Even though she was upset with Greg she still needed his reassurance.

Gage nodded at Elizabeth to sit. Once she was settled back on the couch, he sat behind his desk. Elizabeth tried to catch her sister’s eyes but Marissa wouldn’t look at her.

Elizabeth really should have handled the situation better, explained what was best, but she was scared Gage wouldn’t let her mate with Greg now. She’d almost lost her position once in a Pack because of her sister. Of course, that blame didn’t fall completely on Marissa. She’d been young and in love, and Elizabeth couldn’t fault her for what had been out of her control.

“Explain.” Gage looked at her, speaking quietly.

Elizabeth ran her sweaty hands over her pants. She needed to take charge of the conversation and hopefully salvage her standing while still managing to protect Marissa. “I believe it’s best if Marissa leaves.”

“Because of what happened earlier between her and me?”

“She doesn’t belong in Pack territory.” Her heart almost broke at the sound of Marissa’s breath catching. She didn’t want to hurt her sister, but she didn’t have much choice. The harsh words would make Gage understand.

“Yet you asked permission for me to let her come. Now you want her to go?”

“Well, I didn’t know… I mean, I…” She didn’t know what he wanted her to say.

Gage nodded before glancing at Marissa. “How do you feel?”

Marissa’s face was blank and her eyes had turned cold. It was an expression Elizabeth hadn’t seen on her sister’s face since she’d left their former Pack.

“I was leaving, wasn’t I?” Marissa told him, her face and tone not giving away any feelings.

“Just like that?” Gage continued to speak calmly. When Marissa didn’t answer him, he looked back at Elizabeth. “I’m beginning to think I have missed some important information about your old Pack.”

“I told you everything, Alpha. I didn’t hide anything!” This was it. He was going to kick her out. Tell her she couldn’t mate with Greg.

Instead, he peered back at Marissa. “In the woods, you said you were trying to protect me.”

Marissa glared at him. ”Yeah, so?”

“Protect me from what?”

She didn’t answer. Elizabeth was used to her sister’s attitude but could see Gage was losing patience. Marissa was falling back on what she knew. Stay silent, take your punishment, and show no weakness. It was a lesson they both knew well. Still, maybe Elizabeth could help. She opened her mouth to answer, but Gage cut his gaze to her and shook his head. Elizabeth closed her mouth and stared at her sister. Marissa still wouldn’t look at her.

“And you will harm me, Marissa?” Gage asked as they both watched Marissa.

Marissa only shrugged. Elizabeth wanted to come to her sister’s defense, but knew she couldn’t help her if Gage wouldn’t even let her talk.

“Answer the question,” Gage said louder, making Marissa press back into the chair.

“The law,” she finally told him.

“What law?” Gage glanced from Marissa to Elizabeth with a confused look.

Marissa crossed her arms over her chest in response.

Gage peered over at Elizabeth.

“The one against mating with a non-shifter,” Elizabeth answered.

“The law against mating with a non-shifter,” Gage repeated.

Marissa jumped up from her seat. “Can I leave now?”

“Sit down!” he barked though he didn’t raise his voice.

Elizabeth almost fell over in shock when her sister dropped back down into her chair. No one, not even their former Alpha, had been able to get that reaction from her.

“Who told you about this law?” Gage asked Elizabeth, since it was obvious Marissa wasn’t going to contribute to this conversation.

“Our Alpha,” Elizabeth answered.

His gaze never left her sister’s face. “And what did he tell you would happen?”

“Because she… She was…”

“Because I fucked his son, not only could I be kicked out of the Pack but so could my entire family,” Marissa exploded, jumping up and smashing her hand onto his desk.

Elizabeth jumped, but Gage didn’t show any reaction.

“And were you all?” Gage asked, even though he knew the answer.

“I agreed to leave and never return so my sister still had a Pack to protect her,” Marissa answered, anger burning in her eyes.

He rose and came around the desk. She didn’t step back but stood straight when he stepped in front of her. She was bracing herself but he didn’t know against what. Things started to click together for him. If he could go back and save her from her past he would.

“So can I go?” Marissa snapped. “I think it goes without saying I won’t be mentioning this to anyone.”