Racing The Alpha (Dirt Track Dogs #1) (5 page)

That was my very first kiss
. It couldn’t be true could it? Why did everything out of Drake’s mouth seem so unbelievable?

Ella’s mind raced as she poured another round for her customers. Punk and Annie had been giving her the side-eye since she’d returned. But that wasn’t what bothered her the most.

It was this strange stirring inside of her. She couldn’t calm it down. It was familiar; it’d always been there, but now it seemed worse. It seemed unstoppable. Like she’d lose control of herself and break all to pieces.

After she’d buried her daddy, she’d felt it so strongly, some days she’d been afraid to leave the house. She learned to tame the feeling by keeping herself busy. But now… now here she was again, feeling like a rope unraveling.

Dear god, was Blister really her uncle? Did coincidences like that really happen?

She wiped the counter and checked the ice.

No. Coincidences like that didn’t exist. Daddy would’ve called it fate. He would’ve said, “Your path always leads you to where you need to be, even if you can’t see where you’re going.”

Somehow, she’d ended up in Cedar Valley, seeking out the very club where her only living family member resides. In a freaking tent.

No… not
somehow
. She was there, ultimately, because of her daddy. Because of a lifetime of racing stories. Because of his near obsession with Drake Folsom and the Dirt Track Dogs. Because he always mentioned how much he loved the forest surrounding Cedar Valley. And because he’d told her fairytales when she was little, about the angel wolves that lived in the mountains.

She’d wanted to be closer to her father. To find some connection even though he wasn’t here anymore. She’d wanted to find…

Home.

But DTD wasn’t her home. Not really. And just because her uncle lived there didn’t mean it was where she belonged.

For now though, it was enough.

“You can head out early.” Punk slid up beside her, leaning against the bar. “As long as you promise you’re not going to see that arf arf.”

Ella squeezed her eyes closed, but it only brought the memory of Drake’s kiss into better focus. It had been so long since she’d been with a man, but that short sensual kiss was better than anything she could remember. It made her feel crazy inside. It made the stirring worse.

“It’s not what you think.” Ella stared at her friend. She needed to make her understand.

“Oh yeah? Because what I think is that you’ve found yourself a Grade A asshole.”

Ella shook her head. “He… knows my family.”

Punk’s eyebrows shot up. “For serious?”

“It’s… it’s crazy really. He sort of knew my dad, and apparently… I have an uncle.”

Punk frowned. “No shit? Who?”

“One of the Dogs. Blister. According to Drake, he was my mom’s brother.”

“But you never knew your mom.”

Ella shook her head. “I didn’t think there was anyone alive on her side. I didn’t think there was anyone alive on either side. I just… I don’t know how to process this.”

“Shit,” Punk muttered, staring at the floor.

“Yeah.”

They were silent until Annie pushed through the kitchen door carrying a burger and beer cheese. “You heading out?” she asked over her shoulder.

Ella waited until she’d served the plate before she answered. “Yeah.”

“You okay? Things seemed hairy earlier.”

Ella nodded. “Punk can fill you in.”

Annie frowned. “Aw, man. She always leaves out the details and then I look like a dweeb when I don’t know what’s going on.”

“No,” Punk disagreed. “You look like a dweeb because you use words like ‘dweeb.’”

Annie rolled her eyes and gave Ella’s arm a squeeze. “Alright, you go on. We’ll chat later. I have to make some more burgers.”

Ella found herself rushing through the parking lot, in a hurry to get back to the club. She was anxious to see Drake even though she wasn’t sure what she would say to him. She needed more details, that was for sure. And she needed to talk to Blister. Geez, she could hardly believe this was happening. She wasn’t alone anymore. Blister was obviously not the most open person, but he’d been kind to her. She felt confident they could have some sort of relationship.

She parked her car in front of the shop and took several deep breaths to steady her nerves. Closing her eyes, she recalled the way Drake held her. His arms had felt like an impenetrable shield. Like nothing bad could get to her as long as he was there, protecting her. Guarding her. Like a guardian angel—

Ella’s eyes snapped open.

It was silly, but she couldn’t help but think of her daddy’s stories. Drake wasn’t an angel, but she couldn’t deny the bond she felt with him. It was enough to make her shiver.

Or maybe it was something else.

Her forehead broke out in a cold sweat and pressure built behind her eyelids. She wrapped an arm around her stomach to calm the churning there.

What was happening to her?

She stumbled through the door and into the brightly lit shop, squinting against the glare. The place was empty. Maybe Drake decided not to wait for her after all.

Sinking disappointment had her clutching at her belly again. And then the dizziness hit.

What the hell? It’d been a few hours since she’d eaten but this had never happened before.

She shook her head, hoping to clear her vision. Instead, she ended up running into an empty steel barrel. The lid clattered to the floor and the resulting noise was mind shattering. Ella’s hands flew to her ears to dull the sound of rattling metal against concrete.

When it was quiet again, she braced herself against the counter and dragged in several slow deep breaths. In, then out. Steady, steady…

“Ella? Shit.” Drake’s voice sounded like it was rolling through a tunnel, and then footsteps rushed forward.

His arms came around her from behind, gentle but sturdy. The instant he made contact, something inside of her snapped. A warm, tingling sensation started from the center of her chest and moved down, down, past her belly… until she felt it between her legs.

She moaned, and in the back of her mind, she knew she should be embarrassed, but she wasn’t. All she could think of was satisfying the hot throbbing between her legs. Drake’s scent wrapped all around, cocooning her in the most delicious and seductive essence she’d ever encountered.

Mine
.

She frowned. Hers? What the hell was she thinking? Why did she feel this way?

Squeezing her thighs together, she tried to find an ounce of relief for the tingling. She ground her ass against Drake’s front, but it did nothing for it. She was… god, she was horny as all hell.

A whimper escaped as she lifted the hair off the back of her neck in an effort to cool down.

“Ella?” Drake sounded baffled but all she could manage as a response was another moan. Thank god, he couldn’t see her face. She’d be ashamed later.

Drake’s hands tightened on her waist, and that’s when she realized just how vigorously she’d been grinding against him. It was worse than a dance club move and without the electronic music to accompany it.

Drake’s hand slipped under the front of her shirt to caress the skin of her belly.
Yessss
. Yes, she needed more of that. More touching. More rubbing. More of him. He was
hers
and she needed him
now
.

The warmth of his breath skated across her cheek and neck causing the fire inside her to flare hotter. He drew in a deep hungry breath that had her groaning even louder. Why the hell was it so hot when he sniffed her? What were they, animals?

Drake went rigid against her back. “Oh…
shiiiit
. Oh
, shit
. Baby, we need to get you up to your room.
Now
.”

Ella turned in his arms, pressing her willing body against his. She didn’t want to go anywhere. She wanted… dear god, she wanted him to take her right here in this dusty shop. She wanted to feel his body deep inside her.

She leaned closer, drawing in a deep breath. He smelled so damn good. Someone should bottle that up so she could rub it all over her body. It’d be her new favorite perfume.

“Let’s stay here,” she purred. It didn’t sound like her, but she liked it. That deep, throaty voice was sexy. And it was coming from her. Win! “I want you,” she said, boldly meeting his gaze.

His eyes flared and he licked his lips.

Hmm
. His lips.

“Oh, baby,” he rasped. “I want you too. More than you know. But if we don’t get you out of here fast, we’re going to have trouble.”

She ran her palm up his torso feeling the strength of his muscles beneath the soft cotton of his shirt. “It’s ok—”

“Listen to me, Ella. You’re not yourself right now. You’re feeling strange, right? There’s a reason for it.”

She frowned. She was feeling strange, but she was fine. Really,
really
turned on, that was all.

“Let me get you upstairs so we can talk… in private.”

Upstairs had an air conditioner. Some cool air would do her some good.

Before she could agree, the door to the shop burst open and Beast stalked in looking bewildered and angry all at the same time. Diz and Surge were right behind him. She expected a friendly wink from Surge but instead, his eyes were wide with… fear?

Suddenly the air changed in the room. Instead of sultry, it became tense.

Drake moved to stand in front of her, shielding her from the others.

“Stay back,” he warned. The tone of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. Right now, in this moment, she wouldn’t want to cross him.

Apparently the others agreed since they didn’t take another step.

Beast glared at Drake. “She hasn’t been claimed.”

“I don’t give a fuck,” Drake barked. “If any of you touch her, I’ll gut you.”

A growl pealed through the room making Ella flinch. It came from Beast.

“I think what Beast is trying to say is…” Surge drew in a deep, shaking breath, and a glazed look fell across his face. “Our animals have scented her heat and they don’t give a flying fuck that she’s yours.”

Diz nodded, his hands clenching to fists.

Shit. What was happening here? Ella grabbed a handful of the back of Drake’s t-shirt and he reached behind, his hand landing on her hip to keep her back.

Diz gripped the door jamb, shuffling from foot to foot. Beast took a step closer.

“Back
the
fuck
off. That’s an order.”

At that moment, Blister strolled through the back door, frowning at his cell phone, seemingly oblivious to the conflict around him. “Alright, I’m here. What’s the meeting about?”

He pocketed his phone, but froze, staring hard at Ella. He took in a long breath and his frown deepened. He glanced at the three by the door and then back to Ella.

“Fuck,” he muttered, inching closer to her and Drake. But Drake didn’t bark at him to stay away like he had with the others. Blister stood next to Drake with his back toward her, hands out in front of him. “You called me here for this? How’d you know I wouldn’t fight you for her?”

Drake shook his head. “I didn’t call you here for this. But we’ll deal with that later.”

Blister gave a glare that could melt the polar ice caps. “You idiots going to leave? Or do I need to smack you around a little.”

Surge nodded gravely before dropping his head to look at his pants. Ella gasped when she realized his erection stood at full attention, tenting the front. “Yeah, I’m going to need to be smacked around,” he grumbled.

“Fucking hell, me too,” Diz moaned.

Beast hadn’t taken his eyes off Ella since this all started. Strangely she wasn’t afraid of him though.

“Take her out of here,” he rasped through gritted teeth. “Before we kill a twenty year friendship over her.” The rumble in his chest grew louder. He was sweating and red-faced, and shuddering. Fighting some invisible source Ella couldn’t see.

Drake edged Ella backward toward the door.

“I can’t fight it…” Beast groaned. “For fuck’s sake, Blister. Will you hit me already?”

“My pleasure, friend.”

The last thing Ella heard before she was whisked out of the shop was fists flying and the crashing of bodies hitting metal.

Ella let Drake pull her through the empty field and past the practice track until they arrived at his small cabin. She frowned as he pushed her inside and closed the door behind them. The fresh air had done her some good. Her head felt less like a balloon and more like it was weighted to her body. But it had done nothing for the intense ache between her legs.

Drake spun and pulled her into his arms. She welcomed the contact. It was a necessary anchor, keeping her in the real world while she tried to make sense of all that had happened since leaving Red Cap. Hell, all that had happened since she’d stepped foot in this club.

“I didn’t want you to find out like this, but there’s no time, so just listen to me.” He waited for her nod before continuing. “You aren’t like other humans. You’re different. You’re a shifter.”

A laugh burst from her lips at his serious tone. She’d thought he was going to tell her something worrisome.

Of course she was a shifter. Wait. What was a shifter? With her knowledge of cars, all that came to mind was a gear shifter. She imagined herself, except leather covered and with numbers and a gear map painted on her stomach.

She shook her head, squinting up at Drake.

“A wolf, to be exact. Ella, you’re a werewolf.”

Oh. Yeah. That. But he was wrong. She most certainly was
not
a…

“A wolf?”

Drake nodded. “We all are. Your mother was too, but not your father. It’s why you’ve never turned. But now, you need to.”

She shook her head in disbelief, wanting to deny what he said, but also not able to. Something inside her felt the truth of his words. The stories her daddy told… he’d been trying to prepare her for this all along.

“A wolf.” She let her lips speak the words again. “Shifter.”

As unbelievable as it was, she believed him. And she wasn’t just taking him at his word. Now that she’d been given a name for what gnawed at her inside, things became clear. She
knew
things. Things that had been shoved to the back of her subconscious.

She knew she needed a pack. Maybe that’s why she’d been so desperate to become a member of the club in the first place. She knew she hadn’t been made this way like the werewolves in the movies. She was a wolf because her mother was one. She knew that delicious scent coming from Drake earlier was because he’d been aroused.

She stared at him, a flood of emotions rising in her chest. Joy, desire, fear, confusion, satisfaction, desperation. “You’re my… my… mate.”

His tight grin didn’t erase the worry from his eyes. He brushed his thumb across her heated cheek. “I am. And you are
mine
, sweet Ella.”

Sweet Ella
. No one had ever called her something so… reverent. This man—wolf? man/wolf?—was different than anyone she’d ever known. He treasured her. Even though their relationship was new, he held her in the highest regard. The same as she did him. And it was because of the animal inside her that she could understand this. It was instinctual, the respect and attraction.

It was an unstoppable force for sure, but she didn’t want to stop it either. She wanted to matter to someone. To
him
. Like he mattered to her.

The rest was just details.

Another realization hit her, and this one brought with it overwhelming mortification. “Oh my god.” She tried to push him away but he wouldn’t budge.

“What is it?”

“Oh. My
god
.” Her voice rose to a squeak.

The look on his face was brutal. “Ella, tell me what’s wrong.”

“
I’m in heat
,” she whispered, horrified.

Drake’s face relaxed a fraction. The side of his mouth even turned up in the most intimate expression. It made her stomach flutter with a million butterflies.

“I know.”

“But… but I
threw
myself at you!” And she wanted to do it again. Jesus. The burning was both enjoyable and unbearable.

“I know,” he murmured, pulling her closer. “And I am so glad you did.”

“The guys.” Holy hell. “That’s what was wrong with them. Oh, no. How embarrassing.”

She buried her face in Drake’s neck so he couldn’t see how humiliated she was.

“You don’t have to worry about them,” he said, roughly. “Blister will knock some sense into ‘em. We just need to keep you away for a while until it passes. Or…”

“Or what?”

Drake shook his head, and she pulled back to look at him.

“It’s too soon,” he choked out.

“Too soon for what?”

He stared at her so intently she knew he was choosing his words carefully. “I can claim you and every wolf nearby will know you’re mine.” She felt him grow hard against her belly and struggled to hold in a gasp. “No one would dare touch you. But…”

God, that sounded amazing. Ella the human might not have agreed, but Ella the shifter was so effing on board with being taken and claimed. A moan escaped her.

Oh hell, Ella the human probably wouldn’t have minded either.

“I’m… I’m not opposed to that.”

Drake reached down to grab a handful of her behind, squeezing to bring her even closer. His hands on her did strange things to her inside. She was melting with every point of contact. His mouth was so close to hers, she could feel the magic of their breath mingling.

“Do you have any idea what those words do to me? What
you
do to me? I want to lose myself in you, Ella. Body, mind, and soul. But I can’t put my young in you yet. It’s too soon. We haven’t discussed children or living situations. Or hell, what we’re going to tell Blister.” He brushed his lips over hers. “We’ve only just found each other.”

Crap. He was right. And she had so many questions. So much to think about. This
was
happening too fast. She just couldn’t make herself care.

She wanted her mate.

“I’m usually more thoughtful than this,” she mumbled. “I make plans and lists. I’m strategic. But with you, I just want to go all in. It feels…”

“Right. It feels right.”

She nodded.

“There’s something else.”

“What?”

Drake took a deep breath, skimming his fingers over her ribs.

“You’re what we call a shade. It means you’ve never shifted to your wolf form. Your animal’s been trapped inside you for far too long, starved of attention. The reason you’ve been feeling so erratic is because your wolf wants out.”

“I don’t know how to do that. Doesn’t it just… happen?”

Drake shook his head. “Not for some. You should’ve shifted around puberty. But you were raised away from a pack, raised as a human. I’m sure your father didn’t have the slightest idea how to nurture your animal.”

Ella stiffened, but he put a finger to her lips.

“I can see that he did his best. That he loved you with every ounce of himself. I know because he gave you your history in stories. He gave you all he knew to give. He just didn’t know how to help you change.”

Ella’s throat closed up with sudden grief. Poor daddy. He’d been mated to a wereshifter. If he’d felt anything for her mother like she felt for Drake… losing her must have been pure hell. Maybe they were together somewhere now. Loving each other again.

Drake caught a tear as it flowed free of her eyelid to slip down her cheek.

“I think he’d be happy I found you,” she said.

He pressed his forehead to hers, breathing deep. Ella let the comfort of his embrace burn away some of her grief.

“Tell me how to free my animal.”

He pulled back to look into her eyes. “Well, I… have an idea.”

“Yeah?”

“When we shift, it’s like an explosion. It’s sudden, a burst of mutation that happens in a blink. But so much happens within and without. You go from feeling like a human—human emotions, tastes, urges—to feeling like an animal, with different emotions, tastes, and urges. But the one thing that stays the same in both forms... is pleasure.” His eyes grew dark and just that simple word from his mouth set her on fire again.

“But you said we can’t—”

“I can’t mark you. Not yet. But I never said I wouldn’t pleasure you until you came undone.” His voice was a deep thrum against her chest. “I want to make you lose control.”

Her throaty moan said what her mouth couldn’t: yes, a million times, yes.

“I want you here, in my bed. Sweet and slow. On the couch, fast and hard. The fucking kitchen table. In the shower, wet and wild. I want you everywhere, in every way. But tonight…” He brushed her hair back from her face. “We need to be outside in the open air. Because baby, tonight you’re going to let go. You’re going to be free.”

She was going to turn. Somewhere in the depths of her soul, it sounded so right. She needed this. But she was also scared.

“What if I turn and then can’t change back?”

Drake shook his head. “That won’t happen.”

“How do you know?”

“Because, just like you can’t survive without changing to your wolf form, you also can’t not be in your human form. You need both. Your animal will recognize this, and you’ll turn back. Besides, I’ll be with you. When you shift, so will I.”

Ella swallowed. She wanted this quarrelling within her to stop. She wanted to be one with her animal. She felt it was necessary in order for her to heal. In order for her to live her life to the fullest. Like daddy would’ve wanted.

She took a deep breath. Time to take care of shit.

Stretching up on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips against Drake’s, tasting his green-apple flavor. The gum he liked to chew.

She giggled, but his snarled growl let her know he meant business.

With his mouth fused to hers, he reached behind her to open the door. Then he broke contact, lifting her carefully into his arms. She started to protest, but he didn’t seem to be struggling with her weight at all.

Keeping his eyes glued to hers, he carried her down the steps and across the driveway, winding between trees and bushes until they were deep into the woods. He stopped, and Ella could hear the babbling of water over rocks. Carefully, he let her drop to her feet.

“Where are we?”

“Blade creek. Things aren’t perfect. I’d rather have you for the first time on a bed of roses instead of these leaves, but this is going to be memorable. I want it to at least be beautiful. This is my favorite place in these words.”

Happy tears pricked at Ella’s eyes. Her mate was so thoughtful.

The hint of uncertainty in his gaze was out of character. She’d never seen him anything other than sure. Even verging on cocky. His kiss, his touch, everything was done without hesitation. But what he’d said earlier…

Just because he looked like sex on legs didn’t mean he’d been with lots of women. He worked hard, but maybe he didn’t play hard.

Drake blinked and his dominance came rushing to the surface. He curved his hand around her neck, brushing down past her collar bone and cupping her breast in a soft but sure grip.

“I wish I could say I’m going to take you, mate, but that sweet dominion will have to wait. For now…” he took the collar of her tank in both hands and yanked, ripping it clean down the center. “For now, I’m going to lick every inch of your body. Familiarize my tongue with all your hot spots.”

He swept the scraps of her shirt aside revealing the lace cups of her bra and the heavy swells that ached for his touch. His eyes burned her with their lust.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. “And try…
try
to keep my cock from derailing this plan.”

Ella was on fire. Would it really be so bad if he just went ahead and marked her? She wanted it so bad she was willing to beg. But a little voice in the back of her mind reminded her this was the heat. Not that she didn’t want Drake with everything in her, but the unbearable yearning for his seed was because of the heat.

Wasn’t it?

Dear god everything was becoming fuzzy. Desire mixing with instinct. She would have to trust Drake fully with this. She could trust him. She knew it.

“Ella, you have to stop,” he warned.

“Stop what?”

“Looking at me like that. It’s hot as fuck and I can’t think.” He took a step back. “Take your clothes off. Let me watch you.”

She’d never undressed for anyone before, but she didn’t feel a single qualm over it. The way he watched her, she knew she was like candy for his eyes. And she loved how that made her feel. Superior. Confident. Exceptional. And uniquely
his
.

Slowly, she undid the button of her jeans and slid the zipper down but then stopped, and moved to shrug free of her ripped shirt. His eyes moved with her, doing a dance to her every movement. Her hand inched downward, back to her waistband.

Drake’s breath heaved, making his broad chest expand. His jaw was tight, his arms ramrod straight at his sides, hands clenched to fists.

The knowledge that he was wound so tightly because of her was empowering.