Bewitching Her Alpha (Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance)

by Joanna Wilson

  This is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons--living or dead--is entirely coincidental.

  Bewitching Her Alpha copyright @ 2014 by Joanna Wilson. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

  Bewitching Her Alpha

  Though the black clouds inched their way across the sky, I thought I had plenty of time to make it home. The wind had started to really whip up, and I was barely a third of the way there. Fat raindrops began to fall and made it a struggle just to keep my small one-person canoe upright.

  “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” I chided myself as I tried to regain control of the canoe. I should have stayed in the small cabin on the island. Now, instead of being warm and dry, I was in a tiny, unstable boat trying desperately to make it to land in the rapidly approaching darkness. I paddled quickly, ignoring the fatigue in my arms as I tried to close the distance between myself and the shore. I was wearing myself out fighting a current that seemed determined to push me further and further away from my desired destination. When the paddle was ripped from my hands it seemed that all was lost, and I grabbed the sides praying that the canoe would not tip.

  My prayers were denied a moment later as I was pitched head first into the roiling water. Lighting flashed as I went under. For a second, I thought I caught a glimpse of a figure in the distance. The cold water closed around me, pulling me down though I kicked madly against its clutches. Kicking in desperation, I managed to pop up again for a moment, and sucking in a deep breath I scanned the shoreline. Nothing. Wishful thinking? Maybe, but I clung to the canoe as I made way in the direction I believed was shoreline.

  I was quickly losing my battle against the churning waves, resting on the overturned canoe and taking a few slow strokes in the direction of land. A long shot at best but I had nothing else to go on and the darkness was now absolute.

  Stroke, stroke, float. I did this over and over until I was so tired that I could only float. The waves splashed over my face, and I breathed more water into my lungs than air. I felt the weight in my lungs dragging me down as though the water in them needed to be reunited with the lake. Tired, I almost gave in.

  I felt something grab me around the waist and panicked. I did not really want to die, and I was not going to let the spirit of the lake take me. With a reserve of energy I didn’t know I had, I fought wildly against it until I felt a stinging slap on my cheek and a voice in my ear. “Stop fighting me! I’m trying to save your life! Kick your feet if you can and help me!”

  Was I already dead? My body gave out as I was being pulled lifelessly through the shallow water. It seemed like a lifetime had passed when I finally felt my feet dig into the soft earth of the muddy shore. My savior pulled me up on the gravelly sand and collapsed beside me. I’d get the strength in a moment to look at him, I just needed a minute to catch my breath…

  ************

  I awoke with a lovely feeling of warmth and the smell of woodsmoke in the air as I opened my eyes. I slowly took in the room around me as I was shocked to find I was not in Amma’s cabin. There was a man at the stove stirring something in an iron pot. I felt a flicker of something wash through me as I looked at him, something indefinable. His back was to me and I allowed my eyes to linger on the width of his broad shoulders. I watched his movements and was enjoying the sight of the muscles in his back ripple under the tight-fitting t-shirt he wore when he turned and caught me.

  “You’re awake.” He said, relief evident in his voice. “How do you feel?”

  “Tired,” I paused, “and confused. Who are you?”

  “Brandon. I saw your canoe go over. I wasn’t sure I’d find you in the storm.” His eyes bored into me as he said, “I guess I got lucky.”

  I moved then, in an effort to sit up, and realized that the blanket was the only thing I was wearing. “Yeah, lucky.” I said, my voice tinged with sarcasm, “Where are my clothes?”

  “I’m sorry, I had to take them. You were soaked and your lips were blue.” Not taking his eyes off me he said, “They’re hanging by the fire drying.” He pointed to the left where I could plainly see my clothes, bra and panties included, hanging to dry and continued, “I swear, I was a perfect gentleman. I put a blanket over you first, then took the clothes.”

  I was horrified, but grateful that I’d worn a nice bra and panty set. “You didn’t look? Really?” I had the vague notion that I wouldn’t have minded if he had looked, but I believed him when he said he didn’t. I certainly couldn’t stop looking at him. His eyes were greener than any I’d ever seen, and they were beautiful in the crackling firelight. As I stared into them, I found myself I wondering what his hands had felt like, brushing against my skin as he slipped my clothes from my body.

  What was wrong with me? I didn’t even know this man, but I wanted to. Maybe it was because he saved my life, or maybe it was because his lips were so inviting and my heart beat faster just looking at them.

  “What’s your name?” He asked. I dragged my eyes back to his only to see my desire reflected in them. He licked his lips, and I momentarily forgot my name.

  “Uh...Nicole.” I answered, grateful that I suddenly remembered it.

  “Well, Nicole,” he said, rolling my name over his tongue as though savoring something sweet, “are you hungry? I made some soup, I figured you’d want something warm….” He trailed off as his eyes roamed over my face again. I felt a heat surge through me and decided that I needed my clothes. I needed something between him and what I was feeling.

  “I’d like to get dressed first. Are my clothes dry?” I looked over to the line where my clothes were hanging. If I looked at him, I’d change my mind about getting dressed. I had never felt an instant attraction to anyone, let alone one this strong. I wanted to feel his lips on mine, and I wanted to entwine my fingers in the sandy brown curls of his hair and feel the strength of his muscular arms around me and….I shook my head to clear it. What was happening to me? “Please, my clothes.” I said a little desperately.

  I saw him give his own head a quick shake, and I wondered if we were both under a spell. He walked over to the line and felt my clothes to make sure they were dry before pulling them down. He pulled my jeans, t-shirt, socks and bra from the line and draped them over his arm, then lifted my panties off as well. As he added them to the pile on his arm, I could see him swish his thumb over the silky material. I don’t think he knew that I noticed

  He handed me the clothes and pointing to the left said, “Bathroom’s over there.”

  My eyes followed direction of his finger, and I saw a bed and a small door. I wrapped the blanket around me and took the clothes from him. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked away, and I was insanely tempted to drop the blanket and let him see what he clearly wanted to, but managed to keep my head. I mean, I was a 19 year old virgin for goodness sake. What was it about the guy that had me thinking these thoughts?

  “Wait,” he stopped me with a warm hand on my bare shoulder making me flush with heat, “you’ll need a candle.

  I thanked him and closed the bathroom door behind me. I slid the panties on slowly, relishing the knowledge that his fingers had just caressed them. I pulled on the rest of my clothes and exited the tiny bathroom. He was at the stove again ladling a steaming hot liquid into bowls. When he saw me, he motioned for me to sit at the table.<
br />
  I took in my surroundings as I waited. Just one room with a basic kitchen, the couch I had been laying on flanked by two end tables and the bed on the far side with small nightstand. Not much, but enough and certainly bigger than my tiny cabin on the island.

  He placed a bowl in front of me, followed by plates of thick crusty bread and butter and two warm mugs of cider. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I took my first bite of what was a thick delicious stew. I ate two bowls of it, sopping it up with the bread that was almost as thick, and delicious as Amma’s. The warm cider was the perfect complement to the meal.

  While we ate, he explained that we were nearly on the other side of the lake from my little community. His family was coming here to hunt, but really he came here to be alone. There was a lot of pressure put on him by his family, but didn’t explain further. But I understood exactly how he felt. That was why I went to the island today. I understood pressure.

  After eating, we made ourselves comfortable on the couch, and I was completely distracted by the masculine presence beside me. Brandon was telling me about my rescue from his point of view and he wasn’t painting himself as a hero; instead was saying how grateful he was that we both ended up on the shore. As he was telling the story, he lightly grazed my hand, and I found myself involuntarily moving closer to him. I needed to be closer to him.

  We talked for a long time and soon we were facing each other, our knees touching. Each time our eyes met, the attraction became stronger. He took our empty mugs and put them on the end table. When he turned back he took my hands in his and said, “I know you feel it too.”

  I nodded looking up to meet his eyes, my heart thudding in my chest. Slowly, so slowly, he leaned toward me and softly pressed his lips to mine. A bolt of lightning shuddered through my body at his warm kiss and passion ignited. I moved even closer to him as his hands left mine to slide up my back and pull me to him. I melted into his arms and gave myself over completely to that kiss.

  He eased me down onto my back, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. I pulled him down with me needing to feel his weight on me. My hands found their way into his hair and I tangled my fingers into the thick softness of it.

  I had been kissed before but never like this. Never had I felt this liquid heat flowing through my veins making every nerve stand at attention. His teasing tongue and the increasing pressure of his lips stoked the flames higher fueling my need to feel the warmth of his skin under my fingertips, and the straining of his muscles of his back as he held himself over me. My hands found their way under his shirt as his fingertips slid lightly down my arm to my waist sending a shiver through me.

  His hands slipped under my shirt and I shifted to allow him better access as his warm fingers softly traced the outline of my bra. I arched my back up toward him allowing him to unhook the bra that I had secured just an hour ago. I held my breath in anticipation of his touch and tingled with pleasure. His hands were so warm, as he cupped my breast lightly rubbing his palm over my already stiffening peak. My legs involuntarily opened so that he could nestle between them. His desire pressed against me, and I ground myself on him wanting more.

  He lifted my shirt over my head, and when he followed it with his, I pulled him down to me again, desperately needing to feel his warm skin against mine. The hard planes of his chest created a delightful friction against my breasts before he pulled back and dipped his head down to capture one pebble hard nipple between his lips. I writhed beneath him, my back arching toward the wet warmth of his mouth. The lightning fast flicking of his tongue sent a rush of moisture and need rocketing through me.

  He lavished attention on my other breast as I ran my hands over his back caressing the flexing muscles. I swept my hands back around to explore his chest and stroke the hard ridges of his abs until I reached the waistband of his jeans. He looked up at me with naked lust. I matched his look as I popped the snap open and slowly lowered the zipper.

  “Take them off.” I said. I was starting to feel the part of the seductress and the heat between my legs made me want nothing more than to feel him there. He stood and quickly stripped down to his boxers.

  “Now mine.” I whispered. He gently tugged my jeans off and hooked his fingers under the elastic of my panties. He looked up at me, and I nodded. He slowly slid them down my legs and put them with his jeans. Moving off the couch in one swift motion he picked me up and kissed me as he carried me to the bed. It was colder over here away from the fire, but I was too fascinated by the sight in front of me to care.

  Brandon was stepping out of his boxers to stand before me in the full glory of his nakedness. I was astounded by him; enraptured by what I saw before me. I had a moment clarity about what I was doing, about what I was going to do knowing that there would be repercussions. But then he covered me in his warmth and all sanity vanished. I melted back into the wonderful sensations the meeting of our bodies created.

  The cold vanished as his lips and fingertips traveled over my body, bringing forth feelings that I had never felt before. When he nudged my legs open, I complied immediately. I welcomed him into me with a need completely unknown to me until that moment. I forgave the pain he caused as my pleasure overwhelmed me and became all I knew.

  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 s
aid 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.