The Wayward Alpha (Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance) Read online

  It was one thing saying it in my head, but another to hear it out loud. I should have felt bad, dirty, like what I was about to do was wrong. But none of those emotions came to the forefront. The only thing that came was a wash of heat through my whole body that made my nipples hard and my clit throb.

  How long had it been since I’d had sex? I tried to count back, but after I realized I was counting years, I stopped trying. Let’s just say, it had been a very, very long time.

  “I am.” I said, pushing off the couch and going over to him.

  Redthorn leaned away and I took that opportunity to straddle his legs. I had never been all that sexy, choosing weapons over jewelry and training over parties, but for some reason seducing Redthorn felt right.

  Talking to Redthorn was the most natural thing in the world. The thought of having him inside me, above me, under me felt so right, I knew something had to be off. I hadn’t known the wolf for more than fifteen minutes, and I was about to jump into bed with him. I was confused by my own behavior, by the emotions coursing through me. I was missing something here, something very important.

  I saw Redthorn’s eyes darken, and again a shiver raced down my back, but this time it was for a whole new reason. The look he gave me promised things many men would fail to deliver, but not him. He would be different.

  I could only imagine how many broken hearts the alpha had left in his wake, but I was damn sure not going to be one of them. This was sex. Hot, freeing, exhilarating sex, and for the first time in my life I took my emotions out of it and enjoyed the simple pleasure of being with another person in the most elemental way possible.

  Redthorn’s hand locked on my hips and he pulled me closer, letting the moment drag out and the anticipation build. By the time he kissed me, I had soaked through my panties. And when his hands moved up my body to my breasts and ripped by bra and shirt off I was about a second away from coming. Then his mouth closed hotly around my nipple, gave it a sharp tug, and I was there.

  With a keening cry I ripped my mouth away from Redthorn, tiny shudders wracking my body. “Good?” he purred, licking around my nipple and sucking the tight bud back into his mouth.

  “Very.” I moaned and ground my hips against him.

  In a second, Redthorn picked me up of the couch and my legs locked instinctively around his hips, feeling the hot, hard length of him between the apex of my thighs.

  I couldn’t help the groan that escaped me.

  Through the jeans I could feel him, and I silently wondered if I could take him. It wasn’t like I was some petite flower, but at the same time I also knew my limits. Redthorn would definitely push those limits if he thought for a second he was fitting that… thing inside of me!

  “It’ll fit.” the dreadful wolf chuckled against my hair as he walked to the bedroom.

  Rolling my eyes, I didn’t even bother to respond. The man was far too cocky for his own good, and I was far too horny to care. All I wanted now was him, all of him, shoved deep until I couldn’t think or breathe or care.

  The bed hit my back with the impact of a cloud, and I opened myself wide, stroking the soft sheets. Fresh clean cotton was like an aphrodisiac to me. The effect was similar to giving me a diamond ring. Give me a pair of awesome sheets, and I’d toss the diamond in a heartbeat.

  “Redthorn stared down at me for a long minute, and I wondered what it was he saw. Did he see a woman desperate for sex? Maybe a temptress using every weapon in her arsenal? Or a horny knight who didn’t care if the consequences of her actions came back to bite her in the morning?

  Then again, he might have just been looking at my hazel skin, curling dark brown hair, and wide chocolate eyes. I’d been told a time or two that was how I looked, but to me, I just looked mixed. Desserts didn’t describe my skin or my eyes, they described dessert. But for Redthorn, I was willing to be every dessert, every flavor of chocolate and melted caramel he could ever desire.

  “I want you. Now,” I bit out, my wolf coming to the surface.

  Redthorn leaned close to me and reached over to yank down my skirt. I didn’t have time to register that I was naked, before his hands were on my body, holding me down so his tongue could tattoo my skin.

  When had desire felt this… consuming? I couldn’t remember another time I had wanted a man so badly, that I hadn’t been worried about him seeing me naked in the light, every one of my imperfections on display. I just couldn’t dredge up the insecurity that usually followed with sex.

  It. Felt. Great!

  “More!” I whispered as his tongue dipped into my belly button. I could feel his fingers on the inside of my thighs, spreading me wide. For a second I paused, wondering if I should have gotten that wax. Did men like women who were shaved? Would he hate it? God, what if he—

  But I worried about the wrong thing, because Redthorn wasn’t like any man I’d been with. His wolf was in control, and he set the beast loose! There was no inhibiting his animal nature, no fights with himself, but total surrender.

  I felt his tongue between my legs stroking high into me. I couldn’t register the pleasure before I was suddenly coming, and his tongue was entering my slick channel, the texture abrasive, the length longer than a human's.

  My head snapped back and my entire body arched as his fangs rubbed against my engorged clit. “S-stop. I c-can’t take it.” I cried out.

  I tried to turn and scoot away, tried to close my thighs, but he never relented, never gave me a moment to rest. Redthorn’s wolf was completely in control, taking me with a single minded obsession.

  “No.” his wolf growled low and flicked his tongue, hard against my clit.

  Another orgasm hit me and I cried out, tears streaming down my face as every muscle clenched, released, quivered. Spots were in my vision, and I couldn’t so much as lift a finger. Sated didn’t even begin to describe my state, and the man had barely started.

  “Come on, little wolf. Not going to quit on me, are you?” Redthorn chuckled as he pulled off his sweater and chucked his jeans.

  The wolf inside of me lifted her head at the challenge, eyes glowing neon orange in anticipation. Redthorn noticed my eyes immediately and paused, looking down at me. I couldn’t decipher the look he was giving me, but after another second it didn’t matter, because my wolf had jumped to the forefront.

  Before my brain could process what my body had done, I’d launched myself at Redthorn, sending him tumbling back into the wall. I kept him pinned there as I rubbed up against him, coating my body with his sandalwood scent.

  I felt a growl rumble against his chest before he shifted, and was suddenly behind me. I felt his callused hands as he stroked my ass. I pushed back against him and growled, needing him with passion only animals knew.

  There was no finesse in our joining as he thrust into me, driving my body up the wall. It was about sating the wolves inside of us, giving them what they’d been howling for.

  I flattened my palms against the plaster and pushed back against him. I whined low in my throat, scratching at the wall when he grew bigger.

  “Come for me.” Redthorn growled against my neck, fangs rubbing against the sensitive vein there.

  For a second I wondered if he would bite me, mark me, and claim me as his. I had never wanted to be claimed, never thought of mating. While all the females in my pack were going through the change and looking at every male wolf in assessment, I had been training my ass off.

  Even after I had sex for the first time, I never felt the need to mate with the wolf. I didn't wanted him for a mate, just a sex friend. I had liked him, had fun with him, but that had been the extent of our relationship.

  Forever was a long time to be with someone, souls, thoughts, bodies locked forever. The thought had never crossed my mind, but with Redthorn I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about it. What would it be like to be his mate? Would it be this consuming, this intense? Would our pups look like mini Viking, or more like me?

  “I don’t think you heard me, little wolf.” Red
thorn thrust up, and I bit my lip on a gasp. “Come for me!”

  I couldn’t help but obey him, couldn’t help but tumble into the abyss. It felt so right, with him inside of me, that I couldn’t help but give him everything.

  But Redthorn never relented, never allowed me a moment to catch my breath. My legs started to shake and before they could give way he’d pulled out and scooped me up.

  I felt the edge of the bed as he laid me down and positioned my ankles on his shoulder. “Next time you’re going to scream my name.” Redthorn growled, and I looked up to see gold eyes, harsh fangs, and clawed hands.

  “How are you able—?” I whispered voice hoarse.

  I never finished because he was suddenly back inside. My head snapped back and I screamed. He felt different, hotter if that was possible. I could feel every inch of him, every ridge and bump and dip as he thrust savagely into me.

  Still, a part of me recognized the power he kept on a tight leash, a power just beneath his skin that he controlled with brutal efficiency. I had no doubt I’d be sore with a couple bruises in the morning, but I also know he’d never hurt me. Instinctively I knew that as intense as this was, I wasn’t in pain. I wasn’t being hurt. If anything, I was being claimed.

  I felt a sharp sting on my inner thigh before Redthorn ground his pelvis against me, stroking against my swollen, sensitized clit and I was hurdling into another orgasm, this one even more powerful. I felt the scream in my chest, bubbling up my throat a freeing from my lips.

  Redthorn chuckled low and swiped his tongue against my inner thigh; “Music to my ears.”

  ***

  I woke up naked, alone, with my phone ringing off the hook.

  “Hello?” I asked groggily and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

  “You told me to wake you when he started to move.” It was Nadine, the other knight whom I recruited for the mission.

  I flopped back on the bed and closed my eyes for a minute. God, I wanted to sleep! I wanted to crawl back into the cotton sheets, cover up, and sleep forever. I didn’t care that Redthorn was on the move or that Nadine was tracking him. Sleep was the only thing on my mind.

  “Jade!” Nadine yelled over the phone, startling me.

  “What?” I growled, ready to reach through the phone and choke my friend.

  There was a long pause, and I realized that Nadine had just been following my orders and I was just being bitchy because I was sore and tired.

  Sighing loudly, I swung my legs over and forced myself out of bed. “Sorry, Nay, I’ve had a long night—”

  “I heard,” she interrupted.

  Cursing myself, I walked out into the living room and grabbed my ceramic knife off the table. The transmitter was no smaller than a dime. No doubt Nadine had heard every single word.

  Blushing from the roots of my hair down to my toes, I decided to just avoid the topic all together and get back to the job at hand. “Keep on him. Send me the location, and I’ll head over in five.”

  “Sure you will. You know, Jade, a bath will—”

  I hung up.

  Grumbling under my breath, I walked back to the bedroom and scooped up Redthorn’s shirt. I groaned as I tugged the sweater on, muscles I hadn’t used in years crying out in protest. Wincing, I looked down at my thighs seeing a smear of red.

  Then I saw it. The bite mark on my inner thigh. The mating mark.

  “No, he fucking did not!” I screamed as I ran my fingers over the mark and felt the subtle connection there. I could feel him, Redthorn was in my skin, and very soon he’d be in my head.

  Crap, the man had just marked me as his mate!

  ****

  “… You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this, David.” I heard Redthorn’s voice as I snuck in the back entrance of the warehouse.

  I was quiet, but I didn't doubt for a second Redthorn knew I was there. We were mated and if the heat coming off the mating mark on my thigh didn’t tell me he’d already known, then his call would have.

  “Come out, little wolf.”

  I briefly pondered what the best course of action really was: continue hiding or come out. A badly beaten man was on his knees in front of Redthorn and my mate was splattered in blood. I knew the addictive quality of revenge, and I also knew how easy it was to kill anyone who got in the way of that revenge. No matter who they were.

  “I will not repeat myself, mate.” Redthorn warned his voice so low that if I hadn’t been a wolf I never would have heard it.

  Palming the ceramic daggers hidden in the pocket of my jeans, I slowly moved away from my hiding place. I knew Nadine was close by, and just in case she was watching I shook my head and mouthed “no”. It was our code whenever we were out on a mission. Every wolf I worked with knew not to interfere when I didn’t want them to, and so far only one wolf hadn’t followed my directive. He paid for that mistake with his life.

  My voice was soft and cajoling. “I’m here, my alpha. I will always be here, and revenge can always wait.”

  Redthorn’s laugh was dark, and held a sinister quality. He never turned to look at me, never took his eyes off the man in front of him. I came closer and got a look at the wolf kneeling in front of Redthorn. Both his eyes were nearly swollen shut, blood raced across his shirt, and dripped onto the floor in a small pool. I had no doubt that if he wasn’t treated soon, he would die out from blood loss.

  “Didn’t you wonder why I didn’t let you touch my back last night, little wolf?” Redthorn asked softly, surprising me.

  I frowned, wondering where he was going with this. “No. I didn’t notice. You know he'll die from blood loss soon, is that what you want?” I kept my voice light, my movements slow, but never did I ease up on my weapons.

  I had no idea what state of mind Redthorn was in, and I was not about to be his next victim. It wasn’t common for mates to attack each other, but nothing about Redthorn was common. I smiled to myself, thinking I could say the same thing about myself. We were two peas in a very dangerous pod.

  Redthorn snorted and finally looked at me. I could see the wolf moving in his eyes, bloodlust snapping angry jaws at me. In a blur of movement, the alpha pulled his shirt over his head and tossed the garment at the other wolf.

  I stared in horror at the whip marks on his back. There had to be dozens, and most of them looked like they required stitches.

  Werewolves had incredible healing abilities yet those whip marks ran so deep on Redthorn's back that they were still apparent. I could only imagine the intense pain Redthorn had endured. Reaching out, I felt the marks, and my heart broke for him. No one should have to endure such pain, no one.

  Taking an instinctive step close to him, I leaned into his back and kissed the worst of the markings. I felt his muscles bunch under my lips but he didn’t pull back.

  He looked down at the bloodied man. “This piece of shit did that to me, him and his friends—for years.” His voice cracked and I shed a silent tear for him.

  It wasn’t just as simple as revenge, and that in itself was never a simple thing. No, Redthorn was trying to take back so much more than wounded pride or hurt feelings. He was trying to take back his life, his sense of self that these men had taken from him.

  I could understand that better than most. These people had done more than just mark him, they had made him a slave to his own nightmares, his own memory. And for the alpha, there was only one way out of it.

  “Will killing him help you?” I asked softly, still leaning against his back with my eyes closed.

  “Yes.”

  I knew that was going to be the answer. I’d always known that was going to be the answer. For

  once in my life there was nothing I could do, I couldn’t help Redthorn with his demons. And I also knew that I couldn’t be present to watch him expel them.

  No one ever wanted another person to see them at their lowest, at their most base.

  Moving away from my made I stuffed the knives back into my jeans. There were only a few feet between us, b
ut it felt so much wider. I was his mate; I was supposed to help him, supposed to be there for him, but I couldn’t. There was only one way to help him, and that was by leaving.

  Sucking in a breath, I forced myself to speak. “The plane leaves at eight tonight. I’ll make sure your things are on the plane—all you need to do it show up.”

  Turning on my heel I forced myself to walk away. I mouthed for Nadine to follow me, knowing that no one should be witness to what Redthorn was about to do. The bloodied wolf whimpered on the ground, but I didn’t feel an ounce of pity for him. He deserved whatever the alpha decided to dish out.

  “Thank you, mate.” Redthorn whispered as I opened the door and left the warehouse.

  Nadine appeared beside me in an instant, and we began to walk. We were only a few feet away when we heard the first blood curdling scream followed by a piercing howl.