Alpha (11 page)

I felt like a cornered animal that was unable to escape. Technically I was a werewolf and I was pretty sure I couldn’t escape the whole mate thing. It was destiny, stuff that was written in the stars, so there was no way to get away from it.

There was no point in entertaining the idea of trying to leave because the rogue that was hell-bent on killing me was enough to keep me in place.

My head began to pound worse than before and I rubbed it, trying to ease the headache that was in full force now.

Some people might have a romantic idea about werewolves and mates—the idea that in an instant everything falls into place when you find your mate, the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with. In that moment, you find the person who is going to love and protect you forever and you in return feel the same about them.

There are no games or backing out. It is final and definitive. Soul mates.

It was hard to consider that I’d feel something other than loathing for him. He had a way of riling me up without even trying.

I hadn’t spent tons of time thinking about boys or falling in love, but never in a million years had I expected this. I’d thought about meeting someone and feeling that instant attraction that after a while would develop into something stronger like love. Not touch someone and instantly I’m in love with someone I can’t stand to be around. I didn’t even like him.

One thing I couldn’t dispute was the fact that I was physically attracted to him, as much as I hated that fact.

When he’d opened up his bedroom door without a shirt on, I’d wanted to run my hands over his perfectly defined abs. I also couldn’t help but wonder if his lips felt as soft as they looked. I’d never felt so attracted to the opposite sex. I, like any other girl, could appreciate a good-looking guy, but this attraction I felt for Cade was something else. I contemplated the whole idea for a moment. Perhaps it would work if he could keep his mouth shut, but I didn’t see that happening.

Cade was a force to be reckoned with. He was all male, strong and dominant, and he wasn’t the type to back down from anything. Despite the fact that I’d never seen him fight in wolf form, I knew he would be vicious.

I knew Cade well enough to know he would try to dominate me totally and it scared me. For so many years I’d been fighting to be independent and the thought of losing that independence in a moment when Cade discovered I was his mate filled me with dread.

I wondered whether his dominance was part and parcel of being an alpha but then I thought about Blake. Blake was also an alpha, but he was very different. From the short time I’d known him, he struck me as the easygoing type who would take people’s feelings into consideration before making a decision, unlike Cade.

Even now I could see the independence I’d fought so hard to get was running like water down the drain.

The pounding in my head brought me out of my thoughts and back to reality. Despondent, I walked to the adjoining bathroom and took two of the tablets and drank them down.

The ache in my side was still so sore. I lifted my shirt and studied the area that hurt and saw a bruise was already starting to form.

Despite all my feelings about Cade being my mate, I couldn’t change what was destined. I could delay it for a while, but that was all I could hope for.

Someone knocked on my door and I opened it to find Gary standing there holding a bag.

“
Thanks,” I said as I took the bag from him and walked over to the bed. He followed me inside.

“
How are you doing?” he asked with concern.

“
As good as can be expected,” I said. “It’s not every day I find out I’m a supernatural creature.”

I let out a sigh and turned to face him.

“
Sorry, I don’t mean to be so full of it. It’s been a rough day and I’m sore and tired,” I told him.

“
I know,” he said, pulling me into a gentle hug. I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes for a moment. Gary was the only one who saw me at my most vulnerable. To everyone else I was tough and independent. He was the one who saw the vulnerable and scared little girl who had lost both of her parents.

After a few moments, I pulled away from him.

“
I still can’t quite believe that I’m a werewolf. Maybe it might feel more real when I’m able to shift,” I said.

“
I was your dad’s best friend and I never suspected anything,” he said, sounding mystified.

I was too young to remember much, so even when I worked through the few memories I had of my parents, I hadn’t noticed anything that would indicate they were anything other than normal parents.

“
It is what it is; it doesn’t matter how we got to this,” I muttered as I sat down on the bed, feeling a little drained from the events of the evening.

“
All that matters is how we move forward,” I finished.

“
Blake and Cade seem to know what they are doing,” he commented, watching me carefully.

“
Well, they’d better or else it isn’t going end well for me,” I said with a sigh. It was the truth. My life and survival was in their hands. If they made a mistake, I would end up paying the cost.

It was frightening for my life to be dependent on the actions of others.

“
I suppose this means I’d better start being nice to them,” I said as I looked to Gary. A half grin tugged at his lips.

“
Probably,” he agreed, like he wasn’t convinced I could do it. I couldn’t help the smile that started to spread across my face.

“
Cade said you could use the bedroom next to mine,” I informed him as I tried to suppress a yawn.

“
It’s getting late. Go have a shower and try and get some rest,” he instructed before he turned and left.

I had a quick shower before getting into my pajamas that Gary had packed in my bag. My mind was still too busy sorting through the events of the night so it took me a couple of hours before I drifted off to sleep and into a dream.

Dark and foreboding trees above me made me shiver with apprehension as I glanced around the dark forest.

The only light was moonlight that filtered through the trees. My heightened senses were on full alert. I had a feeling I wasn’t alone in the dark forest.

I heard a noise behind me and I turned to find nothing but the wind blowing the branches of the trees. My fear began to grow as I took a tentative step back and then another one.

Then I stepped back and felt someone standing right behind me and I froze.

“
Scarlett,” Cade whispered seductively with his head bent down next to my ear. I felt a shiver of awareness run through my body. There was no point in fighting the inevitable, so instead of moving away from him I leaned back and closed my eyes. Reveling in the feel of him against me.

His arms wrapped around me from behind and I reached to touch his arm. Our first skin-to-skin contact sent a rush of adrenaline through me that felt like an electrical current.

I felt a rush of feelings and possessiveness for Cade.

“
Mine,” he growled possessively as he tightened his hold on me. Deep in the dark forest under the moonlight, he held me like he was never going to let me go. And deep down inside me, I didn’t want him to.

“
Yes, I’m yours,” I whispered to him, giving in to the destiny that had decided he was my forever.

I shot up in my bed, breathing hard. My body was tangled in the sheets, showing I’d been restless in my sleep.

I rubbed my face with my hands, trying to remember what I’d dreamed about. When I remembered, I was mortified. I’d given in to him and I was disgusted with myself.

CHAPTER NINE

Scarlett

I was still half asleep when I pulled my robe on and tied it around my waist. I slipped my feet into my slippers, thankful Gary had remembered to pack them. Coffee was the only thing I could think about as I left my room in search of my first caffeine fix.

The rich aroma hit me and I followed it to the kitchen.

"Morning," Cade greeted me cheerfully from the counter he was sitting at.

"Morning," I muttered, trying to stop myself from killing him with my death glare. I was grumpy as hell until I had caffeine running through my veins.

"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine first thing in the morning," he observed as I just turned and let my ice cold gaze sweep over him. He didn't get the message because he kept smiling.

I wanted to smack the smile off his face, but that would involve touching him, which I was avoiding at the moment. Would he find it strange if I covered my hand with a glove to slap him? It sounded so appealing, it made me smile secretly to myself.

A stronger whiff of the coffee pulled me out of my planning and I shuffled to the machine. I took one of the cups beside the machine and poured myself some.

I took a deep sniff of it and sighed before I took a tentative sip.

Yummy.

I turned to face Cade and leaned against the counter.

He didn't have a shirt on again. What was with this guy and going shirtless? Most girls wouldn't complain, they would just enjoy the view, but seeing him half naked just set off that familiar feeling inside my stomach. I liked to be in control and around him, I wasn't. My body's reaction went against any logical reasoning I could muster.

Then there was that other problem that he was my mate, he was meant to be my life-long partner. I couldn't help but wonder if my attraction to him had anything to do with him being my mate, even though we hadn't touched yet?

"Don't you own enough shirts?" I asked as I took another sip of my coffee.

"Does it make you uncomfortable? Most girls don’t complain," he said with a smirk.

Can't slap him
, I kept chanting in my head as I felt my temper start to rise.

"I'm not most girls," I muttered as I held his gaze.

I had to remember to try and be nice to him as hard as it was going to be. He was helping me by letting me stay at his house and I needed to appreciate it no matter how much I wanted to slap him or bring him down a peg or two.

He got up and walked to the coffee machine beside me. As much as I wanted to stay where I was, I moved away because I couldn't chance him touching me by accident. I wasn't ready to deal with a possessive mate just yet. Deep down I knew I couldn't avoid it for long, but I needed some time to get my head around it.

He smiled at the action. He probably thought I moved because he made me feel uncomfortable and he liked the fact that his presence affected me.

"You scared I'm going to bite you?" he said in a seductive tone as his eyes traveled over me appreciatively. I bet he used that line a lot.

"Who says I won't bite back?" I retorted.

"I don't mind," he teased with a smile as his eyes held mine.

"Does that line ever work?" I asked, annoyed.

"I don't have to use lines," he assured me with a satisfied grin.

He was probably right. I could see the girls falling at his feet without him having to utter a word. I was pretty sure one look from him would do it.

Can't slap him
, I told myself again. It was going to be harder than I'd first thought as I clutched the coffee mug tightly in my hands to stop me from doing something I would regret.

"Morning," Gary greeted as he entered the kitchen. He was already dressed.

"Morning," Cade and I greeted at the same time.

I was relieved to have another person around and it seemed to ease the tension that had been building between Cade and me.

"How are you feeling?" Gary asked with concern as he checked the cut I was still sporting on my forehead. At least the swelling had gone down. He was in ‘concerned parent’ mode.

"I feel better. My ribs are still a little tender," I confessed. I wasn't one to complain, but I wanted him to know I was healing. It was only when I made sudden movements that I felt the pain.

"It's a werewolf thing," Cade commented, watching the two of us.

"What is?" I asked, turning to face him.

"We heal fast. You'll heal faster once you shift," he informed us.

That was a good thing. Maybe being a werewolf wasn't such a bad thing after all, but then I remembered the whole ‘mate’ thing and that put a damper on things.

"So what's the plan for today?" Gary directed the question at Cade.

"I've got some of my pack tracking the rogue but they haven't found him yet," he explained as he went back to the kitchen counter and sat down.

"How long do you think it will take?" Gary asked.

Cade shrugged his shoulders.
His shoulders are wide and strong,
I thought to myself. Angry with myself, I shook my head, to stop thinking of him in that way.