The Old-Fashioned Alpha

by K. S. Martin

  “Hey, Cap, you need help?” Freddy asked from the doorway. Freddy was unmated, but as soon as he could get permission from her father, he and Charlie would mate. He was also smitten, so James felt that Jess was pretty safe with Freddy.

  “Sure, grab a brush,” James said without looking down. Freddy whistled suddenly and four more men came into the room in work clothes.

  Jess recognized Mark, David, and Duane. Mark and Duane were there when she came by the day after James got out of the hospital. She nodded at David, who nodded respectfully back at her.

  James watched the interaction. He knew that David was attracted to her, but he was sure he was safe from any problems there. Jess didn’t seem interested in him. Good.

  “That’s Austin. Austin, this is Jess.” James watched them all carefully. Of course they scented what he did, but they remained politely distanced and kept their eyes on their work.

  “Ma’am.” Austin nodded and picked up a roller.

  “Can you cook?” Freddy asked Jess.

  She teeter-tottered her hand at him.

  “What can you make?”

  “I, um, can make a decent pot roast.”

  Freddy’s eyes lit up, and she grinned. “Meatloaf, lasagna…”

  He took the roller from her hand and rolled it in the pink paint.

  “Um, I grill okay. I can roast a chicken, but I’m not really good at the fancy stuff like French food or anything. I do better at comfort food, I think.”

  “Good, ’cause I like to eat, and I like to be comfortable. How are you at mac and cheese? Oh, and fried chicken?”

  Jess grinned.

  “I love me some fried chicken.”

  “My favorites, and I’m awesome at them.” Jess was happy that they seemed to like her and she would be happy to feed them. It wasn’t often that she had the opportunity to cook since it was just her, but she knew how. She liked to watch cooking shows and she liked to experiment, but she never had anyone to try recipes on. Now she would.

  “Good, let’s get this end of the house done so my new chef can move in and get cooking,” Freddy called to the rest of them.

  Jess wandered out of the bedroom since there wasn’t a brush or roller to be had now. She found a man she hadn’t seen before squatted at an outlet. He was rewiring and replacing the old one.

  “Hi,” Jess said.

  “Hi.”

  She nodded.

  “Nice to meet you, I’m Alex. I work with the cap.” He screwed the tiny screws into the wall.

  “Oh, you’re a policeman?” Jess stepped out of his way when he moved to the next outlet.

  “Most of us are, except Dave. He’s a mechanic.”

  She nodded.

  “You went out with him once huh?”

  She nodded again. No sense denying it. He probably knew more about her than she did. Number one, they were cops, number two, James had stalked her for six months, and she was sure that he had his pack helping him.

  He was the Alpha of this bunch, and the captain, so he was in charge here and at work. That turned her on more than a little. She didn’t so much like the fact that James was a police officer, but she did like that he was an in-charge kind of guy. It meant she wouldn’t have to make all of the decisions. One of her boyfriends years ago could never make a decision. They spent most of their time together saying, “What do you want to do?” or, “What do you want to eat?” and, “Where do you want to go?” Gah! She broke up with him because he never had a plan or an original idea. She didn’t have to worry about that with James. He had a plan, a backup plan, and a bunch of ideas to go with them, not to mention a million meticulous details. The nicest part of it was that he was always considerate of what she wanted and felt. It seemed like he was always thinking of her, and she really liked that.

  Alex finished another outlet.

  “You’re good at that. You should’ve been an electrician.” Jess watched his hands move expertly over the wires and tools.

  “Nah. All of the power is off in here. If I were an electrician, I would have to deal with live power sometimes, and that’s some scary shi…uh, stuff.”

  Jess laughed at his flushed cheeks. “I’ve heard that word before, it’s okay, and I’m not offended. You guys don’t need to be on your toes around me. We are all going to have to live together and we should all be comfortable.” Jess smiled. “And while that doesn’t mean that anyone should run around in the buff, I have no objections to language of any kind.”

  “Cool.” Alex smiled at her.

  ***

  “What’s going on in here?” James came over and wrapped his arms around Jess, then kissed her cheek.

  “Alex is updating all of our outlets and learning how to cuss.”

  James grinned.

  “Is the bedroom done?”

  “Just about. They’re doing this room next so we can move in tomorrow.”

  “Why not tonight?” Jess tried not to whine. She really wanted to get on with it already.

  “Because I don’t want us breathing paint fumes. Soon, sweetheart.” He murmured the last part against her ear softly.

  She trembled, and James kissed the hollow beneath her ear. “Why don’t you go wash your hands and we’ll go out to dinner, okay?” he suggested, not liking the scent or the vibe he was getting from Alex.

  Jess nodded and let him kiss her cheek once more before leaving.

  “Why isn’t she marked?” Alex was up and in James’s face as soon as Jess was out of sight. “You know how we all feel about her, but you have her here in our faces.”

  James calmly removed Alex’s finger from his face. “Mine,” James said evenly, and stepped forward, showing no fear to his larger subordinate.

  Alex backed up a step. The rest of the pack was watching from the bedroom door. James growled low in his throat. Alex backed up another step.

  “She will be marked when I am ready to mark her, and if that takes ten years, she is still mine.” James took another step forward and Alex another one back until he was against the wall.

  “It is at my discretion, like all things in this pack. Are we clear?” James’s voice never rose, his eyes never blinked, and he never wavered. “Alex?”

  Alex tipped his head back to show James his throat, then hung his head in submission. James wrapped his arms around him in a bear hug, then patted his back like a brother. “It will be done tomorrow. I promise. I do not wish to cause any of you any pain or anxiety, but it will be on my terms. Understand?”

  They all nodded and disappeared back inside the room they were painting.

  “The living room is white,” he called over his shoulder, going the same way Jess had gone. She was on her way back, and she nearly ran into him.

  “Hi sweetheart.” He turned her around and marched her back toward the kitchen. “I feel like steak, what do you think?”

  Jess’s eyes lit up.

  “Yes?”

  “Please, I’m starved,” she said.

  “I told you we shouldn’t skip lunch,” he growled, and she giggled.

  She was beginning to love that sound. It sent shivers through her in a very good way. “I was hoping we would finish the bedroom in time to use it tonight,” she pouted, and James grinned. “Aren’t you anxious?” Her eyes traveled the length of his body.

  “Of course, but I only get one opportunity to get it right on the first try and I want to get it right. It will set the stage for the rest of our lives.”

  “We have plenty of time to practice and to make up for the first time if it’s not perfect.”

  James sighed.

  “Oh fine, but I think it’s bothering the rest of your pack. I heard you and Alex. Was he one of the wolves that wanted to…”

  “Yes, and he still does. You aren’t marked, so technically you are up for grabs. The only thing holding them back is the fact that I am the Alpha. If you were Alex’s girlfriend, he would’ve marked you before bringing you here. The last thing he would want would be competition from
the rest of us. It’s why Mark doesn’t bring Robbi or Bobbi or whatever her name is here. He’s been after her for months, but we’ve never met her.”

  They were in James’s bedroom now, and he was pulling out fresh clothes. “And we don’t have the rest of our lives to get it right, Jess. I will only mark you once.”

  She nibbled her lip. He was right. Of course. He shucked his overalls, and Jess gasped.

  “What?” James looked around the room quickly for what had frightened her.

  “That scar.” She pointed to the back of his leg. “Did a wolf do that?” she whispered, horrified.

  James turned to look at it in the mirror and grinned. “Nope, that was a shark. I was snorkeling off the coast of Texas in the Gulf and the hungry little bastard came up and tried to eat my thigh like a chicken. He couldn’t have been more than four feet long. He was just a young little sucker, but man, did he have some sharp teeth.” James chuckled. “I knew I would live, but damn did it hurt at the time, and the salt water set the scar. I don’t even think about it anymore. If I weren’t wolf, this would be a really nasty scar; I may have even lost my leg.”

  Jess grimaced, and James chuckled.

  “What? Would a one-legged man not stand a chance with you?” He raised an eyebrow.

  Jess walked to him and wrapped her arms around him. He was so gorgeous. Wide, strong shoulders set above a heavily muscled chest that tapered into a trim waist. His legs were long and powerful, nicely dusted with crisp dark hair. She sighed. She wanted him.

  “It’s not your leg that I’m really interested in.” She kissed him softly. “Well, I am but it’s not all that I’m interested in.”

  “Oh yeah?” His voice grew husky.

  She shook her head. Jess let her hand trail down his strong shoulder and over his chest and belly, still dropping lower. James caught it and brought it to his mouth then kissed her palm tenderly while gazing into her eyes.

  “Tomorrow, sweetheart.”

  Jess pouted, and he kissed her lips then went back to dressing. Jess did her best not to sulk, but she was so frustrated that it was proving difficult not to lose it completely.

  Chapter 11

  James got an all-hands call alarm on his phone and rolled out of his temporary bed in the corner. He stood up as a man from his wolf form. He’d slept as wolf so neither of them would be tempted. Jess was snuggled under the covers. His wolf pushed to mate, but she was special. Their mating would be special. Tonight would be a night she would never forget. He and his boys had it planned down to the minute. The flowers, the candles, and the dinner were going to be spectacular like Jess. He dressed in his uniform in the dark and tried to be quiet, but when he looked over at her, she was watching him. He smiled at her.

  “Can I make you breakfast?” Jess asked. “Or at least coffee?”

  “No, I’ll grab it on the way. Something big is going on, and I’m not sure what yet. I got an all-hands call. Go back to sleep, baby.”

  Jess was already rolling over and pulling her covers up. He came around the bed and kissed her chastely on the forehead. “I love you, sweetness.”

  “Mmmhmm. No guns, right?” Jess murmured, and he smiled.

  He didn’t answer because she was already asleep again. One more day and she was his. This goddess would be his in less than twelve hours. Sleeping near her and not touching her was the hardest thing he’d ever done, and the most painful. If he didn’t get inside of her soon his nuts would shrivel up and fall off. Best to be on the safe side, though. If he started he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. He smirked and crept out of the room, then let himself out of the apartment, locking the door behind him. He pushed the keyless remote on the SUV and climbed in, then headed for downtown. They’d been sleeping at her place, but most of her things were at the house waiting. She had a few clothes left in the apartment, just the essentials, and her toiletries. Everything would be moved later when he took her to dinner.

  ***

  Jess tried to open her eyes, but they were so heavy. She felt as if she was floating, but her limbs wouldn’t move and her belly felt weird, a little sick. She drifted in and out and began to wonder how long it was since James left. She hoped he returned soon because something was very wrong with her.

  Hours passed, maybe days for all she knew, but she could finally open her eyes—just slits—but where was she? This wasn’t her room, this wasn’t the new house, and she wasn’t in the hospital. This room was small and old. The paint was peeling in the corner over the door. It was mint green with beige behind it. The door looked like it was real wood and not one of the hollow ones that her apartment had. Jess tried to lift her hands and found they were tied down. Her feet as well. She started to panic, tried to get up and couldn’t. The door opened then, and Alex came in.

  “Alex? What’s going on? I can’t move.”

  “I know. I have you secured. It’s okay, don’t be afraid.” He ran a hand through his dark hair. “I left my piece out there so it wouldn’t scare you.” He reached for a table out of her eyeline and brought her a glass of orange juice with a straw. “Are you thirsty?”

  Jess nodded.

  Alex scooped an arm under her shoulders and helped her upright so she wouldn’t choke. He brought the straw to her lips and let her drink. She finished half of it. “I’m still deciding what to do with you. You don’t have to worry, though. I’ll take care of you.”

  Jess looked around the room and down at herself. Her clothes were different.

  “Did you dress me?” she whispered.

  He nodded.

  “Oh my God, you changed my clothes?”

  Alex nodded again. “I had to. I gave you too much and you vomited on the clothes you were wearing. I tried not to look, I promise. My intentions are honorable.”

  “Where is James? I want James.” Jess struggled to free herself.

  “He isn’t here, and he doesn’t know where you are. He’s probably looking for you. Don’t hurt yourself. You can’t get free.” He shifted around and put the juice glass down, then settled her back into the pillows.

  Her eyes were getting heavy. “What did you give me?” Her eyes slid closed.

  “It won’t hurt you, and I still need to figure this out.”

  Jess didn’t hear anything after that because the world went black.

  ***

  James was frantic. Jess was missing, and it looked like she’d been taken. None of her clothing was gone, and the bed was left unmade. That was very un-Jess. She was neat and tidy always. It didn’t look as though she had breakfast either. His officers had done the forensic analyses of the apartment and found nothing. It was all off the books, of course, since she couldn’t be reported officially as missing for forty-eight hours. He was beginning to understand the panic he saw in people’s eyes when they came into the station to report a missing person. They, like him, knew something was very wrong, they couldn’t prove it, but they knew. How did you use your gut as evidence?

  “Cap? I found something on the stairwell outside. Has Alex visited you here?”

  “No.” James’s wolf fought to get out. “Why?” he snarled.

  “I’ve got his prints on the railing outside. I just ran them through the computer and it came right back as his. Has he visited her, maybe when you weren’t around?” Freddy finished the last part on a whisper. He could see the internal struggle James was having. His eyes were amber and his breaths heavy, forced. James was trying to calm down. Alex had presented the biggest problem all along where Jess was concerned. He’d made it no secret that he wanted her. Jess showed him no interest, though, so why take her? James closed his eyes and blew out a breath.

  “Where would he go?”

  Freddy shrugged.

  “If he hurts her…if he marks her…”

  Freddy dropped a huge heavy hand on James’s shoulder. “I know, Cap, and we’re all with you. You have our full support and we’ve already voted that if you want him out of the pack, he’s out. If he lives, that is.” Fred
dy gave him half of a weary grin then turned to go. “I’m gonna follow up on something, then I’m back on it ASAP.”

  James nodded. “Give Charlie my best.”

  Freddy nodded and left him alone. James went to the bedroom and picked up her pillow then inhaled deeply. A silent sob shook him. To have her run from him was the hardest thing he’d ever faced up until now. He sat on the edge of the bed and drew deep breaths. If Alex took her, he would have had to touch the bed. They did cop work in here earlier. They’d looked for hairs, DNA evidence and fibers, but none of them had wolfed out.

  James shifted into his wolf and put his nose to the ground. He sniffed the bed and caught Alex’s scent. He’d been here. He’d been in her bedroom, had touched her bed, and had touched her. Son of a bitch. Alex was a dead man. James would rip his throat out, then he would chew off his small parts. There was no use in following the obvious trail. He’d lifted her from the bed and carried her out, probably after he’d drugged her. God help them all. James hoped it wasn’t something addictive and that she was safe. He had to find her. He shifted back to his human form and pulled at his collar. His cell chirped, and he answered it.

  “All known safe houses are clean, Cap.” It was Leland. “We’re still looking. Keep the faith.”

  James muttered his thanks and locked the apartment door.

  ***

  Jess tried to move and still couldn’t. Her muscles were so stiff that if she had an opportunity to get away, she wouldn’t be able to run. If he didn’t let her up she was going to wet herself. How long had she been here now? It seemed like the sun was high in the sky the last time she was awake, and now it seemed to be rising. Jess pulled at her restraints.

  “Good, you’re up.”

  “I need to pee.”

  Alex nodded.

  “Really bad.”

  “Okay. Okay.” He unlocked the cuffs around her ankles then her wrists. “No funny business. You know I’m wolf, you won’t get far, and I will hurt you if I have to, clear?”

  Jess nodded and rolled out of bed, nearly falling to her knees.

  “Let me help you.” Alex lifted her easily and guided her to the bathroom. No window. Damn, she thought. Jess realized she was not wearing underwear, and gasped. She relieved herself for what seemed like hours.