The Alpha's Desire 3 (3 page)

“I get it,” I snapped, looking away from the parking lot I’d emptied, somehow feeling guilty that the bad guys had come to my door, as if I’d caused the disruption to all who lived here’s lives. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. But, I’ve been on top of the world until this phone call, and I just wanted you to be happy for me. I’ll be safe. I promise I will. You are just going to have to trust me here, Chloe. I’m a grown woman. A cautious woman. I’m not really the type to go off and get myself killed.”

“I guess. I’m sorry. I’m just shocked, and... well, I don’t know what to say. This is definitely out of character for you, but I’m not sure I find comfort in that fact. But, I will trust you. You have a good time. Keep in touch. I am honestly happy for you if you have found Mister Right. Does he have a brother?” she joked, though it had come through the phone as forced and far from genuine, her voice still holding that deep depth of outrage.

“Well, I appreciate the attempt there to turn this phone call around. I know you are worried about me. I get that. Face it, I’m usually the one worried about you. So, roles are reversed for a bit. But, I will be fine. Thank you for being happy for me even if you are lying through your teeth. Listen. I should go. I left Lex packing for me. I will call. Almost daily if it makes you feel better. Okay?”

“Okay. What else can I say?” she grunted, but then her voice softened a moment as she mumbled, “I love you, girlfriend.”

With tears choking me, I mumbled back, “Love you, too, Chloe. Talk to you soon.”

Hanging up the phone, trying hard to only look forward, to brush off that brutal call, I moved back into my room with haste to find my clothes being neatly packed by my knight in shining armor, or more appropriately fur and fangs. My werewolf protector had become the love of my life thanks to a moment of fate and then a series of unfortunate events, but I’d take it all over again to have him. Now, a grown orphan, I was off to meet family I’d never known about. Despite it all, all my dreams of love and family seemed to be coming true, and I couldn’t wait to get on a plane and get started with my new life, sure to be full of love and magic. Actual magic!

“So, how is it coming in here?” I asked, coming up behind him, looking around his broad back to my now full suitcase with neatly folded clothes before glancing at my nearly empty closet. “Looks like you managed to stuff a lot in there.”

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

“Were you listening to my conversation?”

“No. Did you tell Chloe you didn’t trust me?” he said as he turned to face me abruptly, his eyes now wide, his mouth a grim, flat line.

“No. I just… oh, she was just worried about me, and I hated lying to her. I told her she had to trust me, actually. Only thing is, not sure if the truth of it all would have made her worry about me less or more. Anyway. I am ready to get going, so obviously I trust you,” I said, running my hand over the hard muscles that rippled under his t-shirt.

“Well, now, none of that,” he said, grabbing my wrists. “What I meant by ‘trust me’ is the packing. But, good to know you trust me otherwise. Can we zip all of these up and get going? We were supposed to meet Vivian and Riker five minutes ago downstairs.”

“Sure. Let’s do this. I’m sure I’ll find something to wear in there once we get to the island. Truth be told, even a shopping spree now probably wouldn’t find me anything that would make me feel comfortable or appropriately dressed, meeting people I know so little about but who hold a title of royal.”

“Don’t let that phase you. Remember they want to meet you, not judge you on what you are wearing. I’m sure they will ease your fears once you meet them. Anyway, back to the suitcases; you know, just because the set came with four pieces didn’t meant you had to fill them all.”

“It does when you have no clue what you are going to need to wear,” I argued back, moving to zip up the cases.

“Also, you do realize that they call them Royals, but they will not be in gowns and… well, royal garments. No one will be sitting on thrones or asking you to kneel before them. This isn’t the stone ages anymore. I think they wear normal clothes like Vivian does,” he teased as he helped to gather up all of my luggage, assembling the four pieces into one neat ensemble he could roll to the elevator.

“If they all look like Vivian, I’m sure to be the ugly duckling,” I joked back, too tired to filter what I said, saying whatever popped into my brain. I knew it was the wrong thing to say before the final syllable even got out of my mouth.

“Hey,” he said, stopping short, making me run right into his back, a moment that felt like I’d smacked into a solid wall.

My hand went immediately to my head. My brows furrowed, not sure exactly why he’d stopped just to get mad at me. He could have corrected me as we continued to walk, being late and all.

“I don’t want to hear you talk like that. You are beautiful, my Christina. The most gorgeous woman, inside and out, that I have ever met. You must believe me because it breaks my heart to hear you so much as doubt yourself, let alone put yourself down like that.”

“I was just joking,” I exclaimed, surprised by the hurt look in his eyes, as if I’d put him down somehow.

“I know women say that, claim they were joking, and I also know you. Supposed jokes like that come from an internal dialogue that runs in your head, comparing yourself to others.”

“Let me stop you right there, Oprah,” I said with my hand up like the crossing guard on the street in front of the elementary school; I let out a little burst of laughter before I realized I should probably hold that back. “Wait, do you watch Oprah?”

“No, but you do, and I watch you. Good hearing. Let’s go,” he said with a shake of his head, turning to wheel my stuff out the door with a sudden haste. “We’re late.”

I couldn’t help myself but to burst into fits of giggles on and off on the ride down in the elevator. The banter between us in those few minutes, in that close and private space, had put everything all back to right, especially with a few teasing caresses added into the mix. He’d at one point, supposedly for emphasis of his point, grabbed my ass and pulled me close to him. As he’d placed a forceful kiss on my lips, I’d nipped at his bottom one. That had earned me a swat, his hand coming back to grip my ass. His close, intimate proximity had left him open to kiss me again, to muffle my startled cry. Although, that left me to begin to yearn between my thighs for more, more of a press of his hard body, more of a joining of us together. This morning’s sexual endeavor would not hold me over to whenever we would get to be together in private again, obviously.

Vivian and Riker were already standing by an oversized SUV parked in front of the apartment building when we walked out the door. The bright sunlight blinded me, reflecting off of the clean, polished black paint as I attempted to turn toward their direction with my matching set of suitcases rolling along behind us. As I blinked away the spots dancing before my eyes, Riker looked at the mound and rolled his eyes at me, though he smiled and winked at Lex. Several years old, yet sadly never used, I smiled at the flowered taupe tapestry of the overnight and toiletry bags stacked neatly on top of the large suitcase, with matching dress bag draped over that.

All freshly dressed in sleek, black dress pants and matching cream sweater, the nicest thing I owned, with my cheeks still pink from our morning activities, the image the glass door in the sunlight flashed back at me made me look like an ad for a travel agency. I couldn’t have been more pleased with my own image. Lex had a lot to do with that, and I grew grateful for the relief of it all, to silence the critic in my head.

This morning, I felt just that excited to be going somewhere exotic with someone I loved. Plus, he made the curvy, and a tad insecure at times, girl inside me feel model-worthy. Even the added image of the athletic and thin blond that stepped up beside me to grab a bag didn’t diminish my mood or current state of self-esteem, orgasm or love gained, maybe even my new-found magic powers having something to do with it... I just didn’t care. I’d take this on top of the world feeling and run with it. Well, I’d ride off in this military-sized, shiny vehicle anyway.

Once they got my bags loaded into the back, as directed, I climbed into the back bucket seats with Lex. Riker got in to drive with Vivian beside him in the front seat. I’d never been in a vehicle of this size before, and couldn’t help but look around me. It was probably good practice, marveling at the wealth and extravagance while keeping my mouth from gapping open.

From the brief glimpse I’d gotten last night in my dream of the Royal island, and the even briefer descriptions Lex had given me, I could only imagine this place where the Royals lived to be something right out of a fantasy novel. Not one I’d written, mind you, but one I’d read. The lush forest, the widespread castle, it all looked like fairy tale stuff to my fiction writer slash reader brain. I sure wouldn’t miss my pencil pushing job, though that paid the bills. I still didn’t quite know what I was going to say in calling and giving them no notice of a sudden vacation. How was family emergency going to come off when they knew I had no mother or father? I assumed I’d be told just not to come back, and have to scratch my only reference off my resume.

“Crap,” came out of my mouth before Lex looking at me clued me in on the fact.

“What’s wrong? You forget something? Because we can buy it in the town we fly out of. Plus, the Royals have a private plane, small-ish, that not only takes people to and from the island, but makes supply runs as well.”

“No, I was just thinking about what I was going to say to work when I call in. I don’t think they are going to be as forgiving as Chloe with my vague lies.”

“What is the worst they can do? Fire you? Let them. I can take care of you when we come back. In fact, I would love to take care of you while you try to get your first book published.”

“Oh, Lex, I couldn’t let you do that!” I exclaimed, my hand at my throat, not sure I could take any more good or bad changes at this moment.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. I just can’t. But, let’s table that discussion for another time. I’m really not up for it at the moment. So, Vivian,” I said, changing the subject, “tell me more about this island. Lex has barely told me anything.”

He shot me a look, but smiled to temper his furrowed brow. I smiled back before leaning toward the front seat, my interest not at all faked. I’d mentally said good-bye to the life I knew when we’d first driven away from my apartment building, and no matter what the future held, I knew it would be forever changed by this experience.

“Not much to tell, really, in the fact that it’s pretty indescribable by the standards of living around here, even for the wealthiest houses in the states. We joke and call it a castle, but it is really just about the biggest, grandest home you can imagine. Similar in size to castles in Ireland and stuff, but not the same in structure. You have to keep in mind that this is old money, as in the Royals are hundreds of years old, kept alive by a powerful magic. They have to live apart to not have to explain that, and one can accumulate a lot of things when given such endless powers, and time and all. When we fly over the waters, it will be all the description you need.”

“Okay. Well, guess I can just sit back and try my best to enjoy the journey,” I said, watching my part of the world roll by me while I still recognized the roads here in New York.

“Don’t be nervous about meeting your family. For powerful people, they are really down to earth. Their magic is rooted in the elements, and thus, they stay connected somehow to the earth, to people. They in no way act like what you know as wealthy and so-called powerful people here in the States,” Vivian added, having turned in her seat, giving me her undivided attention with that warm and friendly smile of hers.

If the rest of them were anything like her, I really wouldn’t have trouble fitting in. In the short time I’d been around her, the only Royal in the pack of werewolves who had come to Lex and my rescue last night. She’d been nothing but kind and generous. She did seem just like a normal person, one who, if Chloe and I had met her out at a club, we could have easily become friends with. 

Sitting back, watching the city outside my window give way to highway, then a more rural landscape, I knew in my heart and soul that my life was moving onto bigger and better things in the future. Looking over at the big hunk of a guy I still couldn’t believe at moments loved me so fiercely, a werewolf that had protected me secretly since I was a girl, I knew he would be at the top of the list of all the good things to come.