An Alpha's Choice

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  She seemed to hate him so much, and yet he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Damn his Alpha and hers for putting them into this situation. Of course, if he’d fessed up to the fact that she made him hard and he couldn’t stop thinking about her, maybe they’d have relented.

  Or more than likely, they’d have told him to grow the fuck up and deal with the situation instead of hiding from it like a teenager.

  If only she’d been his mate, then he’d feel free to act on his needs…her needs, as well. Because damn if he couldn’t scent her arousal when the wind brushed along her skin just right. That soft skin that looked so fucking ready for him to bite and suckle, to rake his claws down as he pumped in and out of her sweet cunt, his dick filling her so full that neither of them would be able to walk for days afterward.

  Fuuuuck.

  Okay. Time to get his mind off that track. As it was, he wasn’t sure he would be able to walk for much longer, considering his dick was so hard he practically had to waddle to keep up with her.

  Because that was attractive and not at all conspicuous.

  Way to blend in with the humans.

  With a huge fucking hard-on for a woman who couldn’t care less about him in her presence.

  “What kind of coffee did you want?” Brynn asked, not bothering to look behind her. Her back was ramrod straight—like it had been since she’d walked into the shop and spotted him there. At least he’d been early this time.

  Jesus, what the fuck was her problem? Yeah, they’d both been pulled into this job, but it wasn’t as if it were the worst thing in the world. She hated him, and he had no idea what he’d done to deserve it.

  Maybe she hated that she wanted him.

  And he wasn’t that much of an asshole to point it out to her.

  At least not yet.

  He saddled up next to her, knowing he was probably risking blood for getting so close, but damn it, they were supposed to be acting normal. Following her around while she stomped from place to place wasn’t normal.

  She stiffened at his side, but he didn’t back down. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, knowing he was risking more than blood this time. He leaned closer, aware that her wolf rose to the surface with each passing second. He could see it in her posture, her general being.

  He was in her space, holding her too close when he knew she didn’t want it, and he was a damned bastard for loving the feel of her by his side.

  If only they were mates.

  If only.

  “Something cold, actually. It’s hot outside.” It was May in the Pacific Northwest. So it wasn’t as hot as it was in the rest of the country, but he was burning up. That probably had more to do with the woman pressed up closely to his side than the temperature.

  She turned her head so she faced him, a smile plastered on. Well, hell, this wasn’t going to end well—not that he’d thought differently two seconds ago. “Two iced lattes, then,” she said to the cashier even as she looked at him. “Wouldn’t want you to overheat.”

  Her blue eyes brightened, a small sliver of gold rimming the outside, telling him her wolf was far closer to the surface than he’d thought. Shit. He hadn’t wanted this. Brynn had amazing control of her wolf, and if his mere presence brought her to the edge due to anger, then he needed to take a step back and let her breathe. Because having her wolf come out and slash her claws across his chest for daring to touch her would have been normal inside a den. He frankly wouldn’t have blamed her for it. But outside the den and in a world where every move they made was watched and studied, he knew he’d fucked up.

  Carefully, he moved his arm away and took a step to the left. “Thank you,” he said, his voice gruff. Her eyes tracked his movement and he saw her shoulders relax. Just two extra inches between them and she looked as if she could breathe again. He felt like a fucking tool for even forcing her to that line. He wasn’t the type of man to encroach when not wanted, and yet he just had. There was no excuse other than he hadn’t been thinking. Instead, he’d angered the woman he knew he needed to be friendly with and nothing more.

  He pulled out his wallet and paid before she could. He heard the growl escape her lips and knew it was quiet enough that no one other than him would have been able to hear the soft sound. He leaned close to her ear but was careful not to touch her. “Sorry for touching you. You can pay next time.”

  There. He’d apologized. He’d do it again and in more detail later because he didn’t like that he’d hurt her somehow. This anger had to come from somewhere, and he knew he wasn’t perfect. Maybe he’d done something he wasn’t aware of, but for the life of him, he couldn’t think what it could possibly be. He’d fix it though. Because there was no way they could continue on like this and do work for their Pack if she couldn’t even look at him without looking like she wanted to maim him.

  “Thank you,” she whispered back. A mere two words, and yet his body relaxed. His wolf stayed silent throughout the entire exchange. Yet that wasn’t too out of the ordinary, considering his wolf was usually silent when he was around Brynn.

  It was weird, but he didn’t question it. Not when he knew things about his wolf wouldn’t be like they were with the others. That was just how it was, and he’d learned to deal with it.

  They waited in silence for their iced lattes, their bodies close to one another since space was lacking, but not touching. He could feel the heat of her and could still scent every inch of her, but he didn’t move closer. He’d already crossed that line and refused to do it again.

  He’d find out what made her tick though because damn it, he liked her. She was a strong wolf, one that protected what was hers. In any other world, they might have been friends, lovers, maybe something more. Now, though, he just wanted to walk into a room with her without her eyes narrowing and her body going tense.

  It might be asking the impossible, but damn it, he was going to try.

  The barista called their names, and Brynn stepped forward first, collecting both drinks. He let her gather his, not wanting to intrude on her space any more than he already had.

  She handed him his drink, her fingers accidently brushing his in the process. She sucked in a breath, her eyes going wide and meeting his. He panted slightly and swallowed hard, not understanding what the fuck had just happened.

  “Thank you,” he growled out softly.

  She pulled away, not quickly, but not slowly either. As if she were doing her hardest not to show her true emotions. Finn wondered what made Brynn Brentwood who she was.

  He stepped aside and held out his arm, knowing she wouldn’t take it but making it look as if he were pointing to the door. They wouldn’t be sitting inside the coffee place that day, trying to make small talk while people stared at them. Instead, they were going for a walk and hitting a museum. Even after all these months of doing something similar to this, he still didn’t know her well. They’d been chosen to go together in the first place because they blended well. They were both attractive and usually put people at ease if they tried—despite their dominance.

  Now they had to convince the world they were harmless. At least for now. Honestly, Finn didn’t think this approach would last long. There was only so much tension their world could take before something broke. The Packs would play the sweet and innocent wolves so the humans wouldn’t fear them. But he had a feeling that one day, the humans would need to fear them. His father felt the same why, but they couldn’t jump to that point yet. They had to go slow, integrate as much as they could.

  Because his little brothers and his future nieces and nephews and cousins deserved to live in a world where they would be safe and not judged because of the blood in their veins. He’d do all in his power to protect his Pack from those that feared what they didn’t understand.

  Even learn to be near a woman who seemed to hate him and yet he craved like no other. If his wolf had even pushed him in the slightest, Finn would have thought Brynn was his mate. As it was, he’d never felt such a strong pull towards
another, but his wolf hadn’t uttered a single word. The damn thing just stayed silent, as if Brynn were just another wolf among the masses.

  She led him to the outside patio and stopped on the sidewalk, taking a sip of her drink. His eyes followed the way her mouth sucked on the straw, her lips looking so fucking delectable he had to make sure he wasn’t sporting wood.

  Again.

  This woman just might kill him in more ways than one before the day was out.

  “So, the museum?” she asked, her voice husky. The effect had to be from the drink, not anything having to do with him.

  She hated him, he told himself once again.

  “Yeah. It’s a quick walk from here so we don’t have to move our cars.” He wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle being stuffed in a small car with her for too long. He’d break down and do something stupid like kiss her.

  Then she’d geld him.

  Not the most pleasant way to end the afternoon.

  He cleared his throat. “Uh, so yeah, sorry again for crowding you in there. I’m just trying to figure out how to make this work. You know? Standing behind you and not talking wasn’t enough, but putting my arm around your shoulder without asking probably pissed off your wolf. So for that, I’m sorry. I’ll try not to invade your space.”

  There. That was civil enough.

  Her eyes widened, and for a second, he thought he saw a flash of hurt cross her face, but it was gone so fast he wasn’t sure what he’d seen. Why would she be hurt? He honestly didn’t understand her, but he wanted to.

  “I’m not a little wolf afraid of the big bad one,” she said slowly as if she were being oh-so-careful with her words.

  “I didn’t say that. But I am a dominant wolf and so are you. I know better than to come at you from behind and touch you without permission. I didn’t mean to fuck it up.”

  She blinked once, twice, then shook her head before looking around them both. No one was around them, he would have been able to scent them if there had been, so that was why he’d felt comfortable speaking the way he had, but it was always good to double check.

  “It’s fine. This won’t be the last time we have to do this so…” she took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for the next words out of her mouth, “…so we need to make sure we can act like we’re normal without stepping on each other’s toes. So don’t touch me and we should be fine.”

  He took a step back, his eyes wide. “We’re wolves, Brynn. Touching is part of who we are.”

  Her lips thinned. “No, it’s not part of who we are.” She pointed between the two of them. “I don’t need your touch to remind me you’re a wolf, Finn. I don’t need your touch to remind me you’re the Heir either. So just keep your distance, and we will play nice with the world and show them we don’t kill one another if we get a little testy.”

  “What the fuck is your problem?” he snapped, fed up.

  She raised her chin, meeting his gaze. This time his wolf did react. It stormed to the front at the show of challenge. He clenched his jaw, holding himself back.

  She moved her eyes slightly so they weren’t looking at each other head on. His wolf didn’t relent though. There had been a challenge there, like it or not. She might be one of the most dominant wolves he’d ever met, but she wasn’t nearly as dominant as him.

  His fists curled inward, his claws ready to come out. The man within was much stronger than the wolf, despite what others thought of him. Her wolf was right on the edge as well from the look in her eyes. Going at each other like this was the exact opposite of what they should be doing.

  He was failing his Alpha, his family, his Pack by acting like an asshole, but damn it, she got under his skin in the worst ways possible sometimes.

  “My problem is a little boy acting like he’s the goddess’s gift to the world. Just stay out of my way. When we get back, we’ll find another pair to do this. It doesn’t have to be us because I just can’t. I can’t act like nothing is wrong when you’re around.” Her mouth clamped shut and her eyes widened. Ah, she hadn’t meant to say that last part.

  Well, fuck it.

  What was wrong with him? That’s what he wanted to know. What had he done to put that look in her eyes? That tone in her voice?

  “Look what we’ve got here, two wolves in one place. Shouldn’t you be back at the zoo?” a man sneered as he made his way out of a dark alley, another man on his tail.

  Brynn turned on her heel at the sound of the man’s voice. She kept her claws in from what Finn could see, and he did the same. He stood at her back, keeping his attention on the surrounding areas. There might be more than just the two males in front of them. He might not know what the hell was going on between him and Brynn, but he, without a doubt, trusted her to protect herself and him in a fight.

  That was just one more reason the woman confused him.

  It wasn’t the first time he’d heard the zoo comment. Hell, it wasn’t even that original, but he despised humans who hated him without cause. It wasn’t as if Finn and his family went on nightly hunts, changing humans and cackling like the Hollywood movies showed their kind to be. They didn’t rely on the moon to shift. They didn’t turn others unless they were their mates or in other dire circumstances. They weren’t monsters on two legs without control.

  They were families, children, and soldiers who protected their own.

  And the human in front of him and others like him just didn’t get it.

  Finn was afraid they never would.

  “Why don’t you two run along now,” Brynn said, her voice sickly sweet. He knew that voice. The sweeter she got in times like these, the more dangerous she was.

  The second man grabbed his dick and wiggled his brows. “Why don’t you get on your knees and tell me that.”

  Finn let out a slow growl, knowing he couldn’t fucking kill this bastard right here. Not when other humans were gathering around, wondering what the wolves would do. Everything mattered. Every choice, every decision. Gutting the fool who dared threaten Brynn wouldn’t help his Pack, but it might help his wolf.

  “You’re a fool,” he muttered. “Just get out of our way. We’re enjoying the nice day and we don’t want any trouble.”

  Brynn’s shoulders had stiffened at the man’s taunt ever so slightly that Finn was sure he was the only one to see the movement. At Finn’s words though, she relaxed into her ready-to-fight stance. It was hot as hell, but he wasn’t about to lose focus.

  “I’m going to ignore the fact you just threatened me like you did,” Brynn continued. “We’re not doing anything wrong, and I’m not in the mood to deal with a man who thinks he’s tough by thinking it’s okay to tell random women to get on their knees.”

  “You’re not a woman. You’re a dog,” the first man snapped.

  Finn tilted his head. “Then, with that logic, you want a dog around your cock. Seems to me you’re the one with a problem.” He took a step closer, watching the man’s eyes widen. He heard both bastards’ pulses race, but he did his best not to look menacing.

  Normal.

  That was the key word.

  Only Finn didn’t think there was a normal. Not anymore. Not that there ever had been one.

  “Asshole.”

  Finn took another step so he was right by Brynn’s side. Others surrounded them, but he only scented their fear and curiosity. The only threats were the two men in front of them. Brynn surprised the hell out of him by taking his hand.

  Her palm was soft, softer than he thought possible. His pulse picked up at the contact, even though his attention was on the men in front of them.

  “Goodbye.” With that, she squeezed his hand, and he moved with her, walking to the side so the men didn’t know what to do. The human males braced themselves, yet Finn and Brynn passed them, holding hands and not doing a single thing to threaten them. He had a feeling in the world of technology and instant communication, someone had shot a video of the altercation; there was no getting out of that. But all they would see was a
man and woman trying to get by two men who’d come at them. They hadn’t done a single thing wrong and hadn’t responded to the threats.

  He prayed that would be enough. Because if it wasn’t? Then acting normal wouldn’t be enough. Instead, they’d have to take the next step, and Finn wasn’t sure the world was ready for that.

  Brynn released his hand as soon as they turned the corner, and he immediately felt the loss. “Assholes,” she muttered.

  He snorted, even though the adrenaline rushing through his system hadn’t abated. His wolf wanted a fight, and it hadn’t gotten one. It would have to deal though because he’d already fought with Brynn enough. It didn’t escape his attention that they hadn’t finished their argument from earlier, but he wasn’t in the mood to deal with that. Not after what had just happened. Going against instinct and not pummeling the man for daring to even think about hurting Brynn had been hard as hell. He didn’t have the energy not to do something stupid like pull Brynn close and kiss her until they were both out of breath and gasping each other’s names as they came.

  “Ready for the museum?” he asked, his voice a harsh growl.

  She turned to face him, her brows raised. “You still want to do this?”

  “We have to,” he bit out. “I don’t care if we’re fighting with each other, we’re here for our Packs. They come before any of that shit.”

  She let out a breath. “I get it. And for what it’s worth, thank you for not killing those assholes.”

  He snorted. “Killing them would have been easy,” he muttered, aware they shouldn’t be discussing killing outside on a street. “They threatened you. They deserved worse.”