Bewitching Her Alpha (Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance) (2 page)

His eyes penetrated mine as deeply as his body, and I was mesmerized by them as he moved over me, filling me, stretching me. He pleasured a place in me that was both emotional and physical and now completely his. I felt a wonderful tension gathering in me like a wave on the ocean as I rode the crest of that wave breathlessly until it crashed over me in an ecstatic crescendo. I cried out his name and clutched at his back, pulling him closer to me, further into me and a breath later he whispered mine in my ear as he joined me in my pleasure.

Raining breathless kisses over my face and neck, he whispered my name again and again before rolling off me and pulling me into his arms. He stroked my arm as I laid my head on his chest and listened to his heart pound, as it began to slowly return to a normal steady rhythm.

“I promise to always be yours, Nicole.” He whispered quietly to me.

I felt the truth of this somewhere deep inside me—like we were reuniting, not just meeting for the first time. “I’m yours too, Brandon. I promise.” We sealed this simple exchange of vows with a kiss that drew us back to the place of pleasure we had both so recently abandoned. We made love slowly this time, knowing that the cold light of morning would be here before we were ready. Finally, exhausted and spent, we drifted to sleep still in each other’s arms.

***********

Morning came and we dressed in silence. Brandon put together a simple breakfast with coffee and we ate slowly, neither of us ready to say goodbye. After, he walked with me along the shore holding my hand and occasionally giving it a squeeze. When we reached the wall that marked the boundary of my community’s land I said, “Now I have something to show you.”

I leaned down over the wall and pulled out a loose brick revealing a small, hidden recess where I used to hide things when I would come in the summer to visit Amma. It was empty now and the perfect way for us to communicate. I had a feeling, a premonition maybe, that we would need it.

“Perfect.” He said as he kissed me again. I could feel in that kiss all the hope and passion I knew we were both feeling. I hugged him, not wanting to let him go. I had no idea where we would go from here. But I knew one thing. The road before us would be long and hard and we would be tested more than once before we reached its end.

**********

Brandon was kissing my neck and nibbling his way up to my ear, making my knees turn to jelly. The only thing holding me upright was the strength of his arms wrapped tightly around me. I was feeling that very familiar feeling creeping downward as he placed his hand on my waist and slowly began to slide his hand under my shirt, caressing my soft skin with his warm, rough hand…

“Nicole! Concentrate!” Amma’s voice was sharp, and I was embarrassed at being caught daydreaming.

“I’m sorry Amma.” I said sincerely as I refocused my attention on the spell I was supposed to be perfecting.

“The ceremony is in ten days! If you can’t even master this simple spell, how can you be expected to lead this coven?” Her words were harsh but accurate. I would never be an effective leader if I couldn’t even call a familiar. Amma’s familiar, a large raven, mocked me from his perch.

I twisted my long black hair around my fingers in frustration. How could I let Amma catch me daydreaming about Brandon! She was already suspicious that something had happened with a boy from the coven, Drew. Nice looking, but completely boring Drew. From the moment I walked to the kitchen that ‘morning after’ she suspected something. She actually said, “You look different. Are you feeling ok?”

“Yep, fine.” I had answered, practically running to my room, afraid if I stayed any longer she would know.

“Nicole!” The frustration in Amma’s voice propelled me back to the present once more. “What is going on with you?”

“I’m sorry Amma, maybe I just need a walk to clear my head.” I said hoping for a brief reprieve from training in order to make my daily pilgrimage to the dividing wall.

“Fine, fine.” she answered annoyed, “Just be back in time for lunch, we have company coming today.”

“I will.” I promised as I skipped out the door hopeful of finding a note from Brandon. It had been over a week since I’d seen him and his notes were the only thing keeping me going. I had my own note for him in my pocket in which I asked him to meet me at the island tomorrow night. I was going to take my place as Amma’s second in command in less than two weeks, and I didn’t have any idea how he was going to take the news. I wanted to deliver it in person, and it had to be soon.

I made my way to the dividing wall and pulled the loose rock from its moorings. My heart leapt when I saw the folded paper inside. I pulled it out and replaced it with my own before pushing the rock firmly back into place until it looked as though the wall was solid once again.

I climbed up the bluff, through the edge of the treeline and into the woods that surrounded our lake in a ring of green. I trekked about a half mile into the woods until I came to a small clearing, featuring a small hillock probably made a millennium ago by some ancient tribe. I shouldered my way through the opening that was nearly invisible and down the path leading underground into the warm womb of Mother Earth. I used this as my sanctuary when things got too overwhelming. I came here when I needed the dark, nurturing security of feminine energy.

This is where I kept my secrets. One of my most prized possessions was here as well; a set of perfectly nestled gemstones, one of black onyx and one of white moonstone that fit together perfectly in the shape of yin and yang. They had belonged to my parents, who died when I was 11 while spending the night at a friend’s. Carbon monoxide poisoning. Our car was found running in the garage and the door securely locked. It was ruled a double suicide. I knew better; my parents would never leave me by choice.

I wiped away the tear that pricked my eyes as I thought of them, and remembered my mother confiding in me that the stones had a special power that could never be dulled. They would always seek each other out; they would always find each other. I planned to give one of these necklaces to Brandon tomorrow night so that he would know I would always seek him out; that I would refuse to be separated from him.

I felt around until I found the candle and lighter I kept on a small recess in the wall and sat down in the small circle of light to read Brandon’s note. It read:

N-

I have to see you as soon as possible! Can you meet me tomorrow night? Let me know where and when.

I miss you.

-B

I held the note against me as though I would feel him through the thin paper. I needed to see him, to touch him, to feel his arms around me again. I imagine that this is what an addict feels like when they can think of nothing else but the unshakable need for their drug.

Well, Brandon was my drug. I thought of him constantly and felt a physical need to be with him. Not just because of the way he had made me feel when we were in bed together, but something even deeper than that.

I moved a large rock from beside the wall revealing a shallow hole and a box. I put the note inside and took my parents’ necklaces out and tucked them into my pocket.

I hurried back to Amma’s cabin hoping to have enough time to change before our guests came. I entered through back door and slipped by the kitchen where I could hear Amma humming to herself. I changed my shirt and ran a comb through my hair before trotting down the stairs and asking if there was anything I could to do help finish getting lunch ready.

“Just in time. You can take these drinks out to our guests.” She handed me a tray of iced tea and added a glass for me. “Be nice.” She said in a warning tone that sent a tiny chill up my spine.

When I entered the living room, I immediately saw the reason for the warning. Drew and his father were our guests. Would they ever stop trying to get us together? I swear, for the past year I felt my grandmother’s hand on my back nudging me toward the great hulk of a man. He wasn’t a bad guy, I just wasn’t into him. Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure he was into me.

I screwed on a smile as I stepped over the threshold to the living room to set the tray down on the coffee table. I poured and handed a glass to Drew’s father, Ben, before turning to Drew to do the same. He gave me a broad smile and brushed my fingers as I gave him the glass as though he was confirming my thought of a moment ago.

I sat in the easy chair across from them and noticed again how much alike they were. Both were over six feet tall, barrel-chested with the typical Nordic looks of blond hair and blue eyes. I knew Ben had designs on pairing his son with the future high priestess and leader of this community. The thought made me squeamish.

Thankfully, I only had to make small talk for a short time before Amma called us to the dining room. Lunch was uneventful and it was even somewhat pleasant to watch Amma and Ben shyly flirt with each other. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one that Amma was trying to fix up. Afterwards, they took their mugs of coffee into the living room while Drew and I wandered out onto the deck overlooking the boat dock.

“I brought your canoe back.” Drew said, startling me. “I found it washed up on the shore the morning after the storm.”

“Oh, thank you.” I said, thinking fast. “I must not have tied it up securely.”

“I thought you stayed on the island the night of the storm.” He looked at me quizzically.

“Oh, I did.” I paused again swallowing around my now dry throat. “I must not have tied it up well when I got back in the morning.”

“Oh. I guess that makes sense.” He looked at me as though he were trying to figure something out so I changed the subject.

“What do you think of your Dad and Amma?”

“I don’t know.” He looked through the large glass doors that separated us from them. “I guess it would be ok. Mom’s been gone a long time.” He looked up at me suddenly and asked. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

“Uh...oh...um, not really. I just came back from a walk before lunch. Let’s just sit out here and enjoy the sun.” The last thing I wanted was to be alone with him. We made stilted conversation, but honestly, we had nothing in common. I breathed a sigh of relief when Ben finally came out and told Drew they had to get going. He thanked Amma for having them for lunch and they finally left.

When they’d gone, I helped Amma get the kitchen back in order before returning to my lessons. Now that I had a plan to meet Brandon, I was able to concentrate easily and my spell to call a familiar finally worked. Now all I had to do was wait for it to show up. I hoped that it would be something other than a raven, as I was already compared to Amma in so many ways.

We had a light dinner that night and afterwards, I packed a bag and asked Amma for some extra candles. When she questioned me, I told her I was going to the island for some quiet meditation. That was her favorite thing for me to do; meditate. I always told her the truth; tonight was the first time I’d ever lied.

I hated lying to her, but I didn’t know how I could go another day without seeing Brandon. The need to feel his touch was a physical ache inside me. I had to look into his eyes again and reassure myself that he really was all mine. And give him the necklace. I pulled the set from their protective pouch and held them in my hand. A thick gold rope chain with the moonstone ‘Yin’ half of the circle that belonged to my Dad for Brandon and my mother’s onyx ‘Yang’ suspended from a delicate silver serpent chain for me. They were perfectly nestled together, and even when I pulled them apart they found each other again like magnets.

I left for the island a few hours before dusk, and upon landing, set about making the cabin ready for a romantic night. New sheets, a fire laid in the hearth and candles to fill the air with rose scent. After straightening everything for the third time, I took a walk to the shore and scanned the water. Nothing. I couldn’t pace any longer, if I could just calm my mind until Brandon came, maybe time wouldn’t seem to be passing so slowly.

I was deep in a meditative state when I heard my someone softly say my name. I jumped and looked up to find the setting sun lighting up Brandon’s beautiful face. He helped me up and I fell into his arms needing to taste his lips on mine. I lost myself in the strength of his arms and the purely masculine scent of him. I took his hand and pulled him into the cabin.