Alpha Boxed Set

by Treva Harte

  “What you want.”

  Good healthy, familiar lust swirled up inside of her. What he wanted was what she wanted. Of course. They’d known each other since they were born. Never known a world without Tala-and-Arlin in it. They knew what made each other laugh, cry, and everything in between.

  The alarm on her watch buzzed shrilly and stopped. But it was enough to remind her. She’d set the time herself, earlier today.

  At midnight, about five minutes from now, give or take, Tala was going to be someone else. Was already promised to someone else. She’d been promised even before they were born.

  “Tala?”

  She shuddered again at the warmth that brushed against her skin with the word. She was primed, ready to go and—

  Arlin’s fingers pushed up hard and she cried out, unable to do anything except respond to the pleasure he brought. Jolts of hard, angry pleasure. They rode out her excitement together, pressed close, gasping.

  Then she was back. The watch had shrilled somewhere in the middle of the orgasm buzz in her head. She was pretty sure. It could have just been the buzzing in her ears.

  It didn’t matter. She shook her head as if to get it started again.

  Tala. She was Tala again, not Tala-and-Arlin.

  He let her back down on the floor, his shoulders pressed against hers, his forehead resting against hers, as she tried standing on her shaky legs.

  “Arlin?”

  “The answer is nothing. I want nothing.”

  “Don’t lie. You’re so hot for me I can almost see the smoke.” His erection was still there, hard and pushing against the confining jeans. She wanted to unbutton his jeans herself this time. She wanted—

  “I want nothing you can give me.” Arlin straightened up. He looked older suddenly, his mouth grim and his eyes cold. And, just like that, everything was different. He wasn’t the guy who was always more than willing to help her explore sex by going almost, but not quite, too far. The fellow smartass who would rather make a joke than tell the truth. As he stared at her, she could see him as an adult, not her playmate.

  For God’s sake, she was seeing him as Alpha. It wasn’t a joke any longer, the games about who was top dog. It was the truth.

  “Why not, Arlin?” Did that make her the bottom this time? She’d risk looking submissive because she had to know. Something was different. Everything was different. What had changed? She knew she’d be able to figure it out if the haze of lust had completely cleared out of her brain. But looking at Arlin, deliciously almost undressed, was fuzzing her brain over again. She was already almost forgetting the feel of danger and loss as it mixed with the rising desire in her.

  She wanted to taste him. She wanted to hold him down this time and—

  His next words cut through the warm fog in her brain.

  “Because what you can give me now isn’t enough.”

  * * * *

  “It’s midnight.” Dunne stated the obvious rather than the things he didn’t want to say. Probably they were things Hunt didn’t want to hear.

  “I’ve been up at midnight before.” Hunt rolled his chair back and stared out the window. Lights danced across the panes, one color after another.

  Midnight in Vegas didn’t mean what it did to the outside world. No one slept at night. At least no one slept when they were on the Strip.

  “She’s eighteen now.”

  Hunt didn’t say anything in response. Red light from the neon signs fell across his face. It made him look angry. Or bloodied. The light changed to gold and Hunt lit up under its rays.

  He was much older than when Dunne had met him first but he still looked young. Still rangy. Handsome. Powerful. So sexy that Dunne wanted to go take a bite of him right now.

  Hunt wasn’t eighteen or anything close to it. It had been a damn long wait to find a were female. It had been a battle to make sure that female was going to become part of the pack. When they first contracted for Tala as a bride, an eighteen years or so age difference hadn’t seemed important. Having a were female was. The two other packs, united with blood ties and with two pregnant females between them, had reluctantly agreed that Hunt would get the first girl child in either pack.

  Dunne wondered how important Hunt’s new mate was going to think the agreement and the age difference was now. She was damned young.

  But Hunt was the right age for him.

  Dunne turned his head away. It didn’t matter who Hunt was right or wrong for. The teenage bitch was going to have him.

  He’d always known the Alpha of his pack would eventually find a female were to mate with and ensure the pack’s survival. It wasn’t that Hunt didn’t care enough for him. Hell, it didn’t matter if Hunt cared for him or not. Or if Hunt cared for the bitch or not. Dunne couldn’t provide what the pack needed and she could.

  “Do you want me to bring her here?” Dunne asked. “I could order up the jet.”

  Tala’s pack and theirs had made the contract long ago. Her pack wouldn’t object. They couldn’t. Not without tearing their own pack apart over what would happen next. But if there was any problem, well— Whatever his feelings about it, Dunne would be happy to enforce the contract if there was any sign of wavering.

  “She’ll take care of things.” Hunt stretched out a hand and Dunne stepped closer, tentatively. Did his gesture mean what Dunne wanted it to?

  “She will? How?”

  “It doesn’t matter how. She will.”

  “You sound pretty damn sure. She’s just a kid. A little young to take care of something this important.”

  “I know her. I’ve studied her ever since she was born. Tala has been thinking about it for weeks. Months. She has a plan.”

  Hunt was the boss. He usually knew exactly what he was doing. But if Hunt was wrong, that was just fine with Dunne. He could wait forever for their lives to change. In the meantime, Hunt wanted him.

  Dunne clamped down tight on all those emotions Hunt didn’t want from him and focused on what Hunt did want.

  Dunne knelt down in front of Hunt’s chair.

  Dunne unbuttoned Hunt’s crisply ironed pants, not bothering with any other part of the suit. There was something sexy about sucking off a man dressed in a tailored suit and tie.

  The smell of Hunt. Dunne ran his tongue across Hunt’s cock, tracing the pulse of the big vein in his shaft. The taste of Hunt. Salty and tangy all mixed together. Dunne sniffed Hunt’s balls, then mouthed them.

  “Yeah. That’s good.” Hunt touched Dunne’s hair, lightly, as Dunne opened his mouth and gently worried the smooth head of Hunt’s cock. “More.”

  Lust bubbled like lava, sending up a few good flames with Hunt’s command. Dunne licked his lips and tasted Hunt all over again.

  “Move down on that damn chair.” Dunne pulled at Hunt’s pants, desperate to strip the seated man. “I’ll give you more.”

  A muscled thigh. A tight ass cheek. Dunne licked his way to one of his favorite spots. Hunt’s hole resisted for a moment and then relaxed as Dunne shoved his tongue inside.

  Tight, hot, and Hunt’s. What else did he need to get hard as hell?

  “You plan to top tonight, Dunne?” Hunt’s voice was almost as tight and hot as his ass.

  Taking Hunt. God. That would be perfect.

  Dunne stopped just long enough to grin at his Alpha. “Yeah. And I don’t plan to hear any objections.”

  “Make it worth my while and there won’t—ah, yeah—be any. Fuck, Dunne, that’s good.”

  It had been too long since he’d had his cock inside Hunt. That was a pity. No one could fuck your brains out like Hunt, but he also definitely had talent as a bottom, squeezing every drop of cum out your body. Dunne felt his Alpha’s sphincter contract and then relax under his tongue.

  Hunt rolled over, braced on the chair.

  “Well, then?” Hunt challenged.

  Dunne fumbled, trying to pull out the lube and the condom from his pocket and unbuckle his belt all at the same time. Somehow he managed to get
everything together right before his fingers slipped and dropped the used container of lube on the floor. That was fine. They didn’t need it anymore.

  He hissed as the tip of his cock slid inside. Hunt grunted, shifted below him. And Dunne slid further in.

  Hunt reached back with one hand and grabbed Dunne’s fingers. Firmly, he pulled Dunne’s hand to his erection. Dunne snapped at Hunt’s shoulder with his teeth as he grasped that hard cock in his fist. He wished he could rip into the skin under Hunt’s pressed shirt.

  Hunt shifted again and Dunne realized that with Hunt’s cooperation, he was already balls deep inside. Dunne shut his eyes, fighting for stillness. He just concentrated on breathing for a minute, enjoying the feel of heat and his Alpha’s tight muscles locked around his cock.

  “Do I have to do all the fucking work?” Hunt growled below him. “You’ve forgotten how?”

  Not yet. Not until he was dead and maybe not even then. Dunne began to move and heard Hunt’s grunt of satisfaction. Or was that his own? Thrust deep. Pull back, only to push down deep again. He pushed home, squeezing Hunt’s cock at the same time.

  Nothing. Better.

  Dunne rested his head against Hunt, feeling the sweat drip down onto Hunt. He was sopping, both of them were gasping like they were dying.

  Hunt arched up under him.

  “Damn it!” Hunt snarled, and wetness spilled onto Dunne’s hand. Tightness squeezed Dunne’s cock in a near death grip, so hard that Dunne howled and let go, let the bubbling lust from before turn into a boiling stream as he came, joltingly, explosively, inside Hunt.

  “Ahhh, Hunt…”

  It took Dunne a few minutes to get his brain back in gear. He found himself cheek to cheek with Hunt. Though maybe a romantic would think this particular cheek to cheek wasn’t the right position, Dunne kind of liked it—besides, he was too weak to move. Right now his knees barely held him up off the floor as he rested his head against Hunt’s ass. He waited and listened to Hunt’s breathing gradually even out.

  “Dunne—”

  He looked up, staring directly at Hunt, even though that was a breach of were protocol.

  Hunt touched his hair again, lightly.

  Was that touch the last one he was ever going to get from the man he’d been close to for so long? Was he never going to know for sure if Hunt gave a damn about him?

  Dunne glared. “We’ve been doing this for over twenty fucking years, Hunt. You asshole.”

  “Dunne!” The urgent tone over the intercom cut off whatever it was Dunne was going to say next. It was just as well. He wasn’t sure how to finish that tirade. He was afraid he might start to beg instead. That would never work.

  “Fuck.” Dunne stood up, throwing Hunt’s pants toward him as he began to pull on his jeans. He flipped on the switch. “Yo, Bassett. What?”

  “Someone here to see Mr. Hunt. Maybe you should come down and handle this one.”

  Dunne knew then. He glanced over at Hunt. They both knew who it had to be.

  Hunt was usually right.

  Damn it.

  “Maybe you should clean up or something, before she steps in the office.”

  Hunt winked. “Don’t worry yourself. I have a plan too.”

  Chapter Two

  “Miss…Kinkaid?” The man standing in front of her was at least a head taller and much, much wider. She looked him up and down. He was big, intimidating, and she had the definite sense that he didn’t like her.

  Tough.

  “That’s what I was named. In human terms, maybe the last name doesn’t strictly belong to me, but we won’t deal with that since we don’t have to.” Tala dropped her suitcase on the floor. “You can take care of my luggage, right?”

  He glanced down at the bag and frowned. So he didn’t like being made into a bellboy either. Tough to that too.

  “Take her things to the boss’s office.” He didn’t back down. Didn’t even acknowledge the nervous security guard’s name when he gave the order. The other man, who had delayed her so long, now picked up the bag without a second’s hesitation.

  So this unfriendly soul had power, even if he wasn’t Hunt. She had checked out photos of Hunt on the Web. This definitely wasn’t him. Whoever this guy was, she could tell he wasn’t the hired help. Her research hadn’t told her enough, obviously. However, she could still use common sense to figure things out.

  “Hunt’s right-hand man, are you?” She nodded to herself without bothering with his affirmative answer.

  He had the look of her dad. Formidable, tough, alert to danger. Daddy Grey was always at his most daunting when he was protecting his Alpha.

  Apparently she was considered a danger to Hunt. Tala almost smiled. This Beta was smart.

  “I’m Dunne.”

  “Done with what?”

  He looked at her and she saw a flash of bitterness.

  “I suppose I’m done with everything. Now that you’re here.” He didn’t move.

  That sounded interesting but was not something she needed to get into right now. She had an agenda of her own to move on.

  She tapped her booted foot instead. “I’m not likely to hurt him, you know. Not if you take me to him and leave us alone. Sometime soon?”

  “I doubt you could hurt him.” The brooding look directed at her didn’t change. “Not unless he allowed you to.”

  “I’ll be gentle, just in case.” Tala followed him down the hall.

  Nice butt for an older guy. Too bad he had a stick up it.

  As they walked, she began to relax. Maybe it was the surroundings. The carpets on the floors were luxurious. The paintings on the wall, artfully lit to show their best points, were beautiful. The casino business did well for Hunt and he’d used the money with some idea of good taste. Nice to know her research hadn’t lied. The man was rich and knew how to spend his money right.

  Hunt’s Beta stopped at one particularly large, ornately carved door and opened it. He gave her one more hard stare. She stared right back.

  She knew she was a valuable were. All female weres were rare enough to be valuable. So even though he might not like her at all, his face was nothing but an empty threat for now. Probably.

  Tala figured she’d just see and kept staring him down. She tried not to wonder what would happen if she was wrong.

  Sure enough, he broke first. She tried not to look too relieved when he turned his head toward the interior of the room. “Boss? She’s here.”

  Boss. Tala swallowed. Inside was the real threat. Time to face it down as well. She stepped forward and stopped before the huge desk in the center of the room.

  The man sitting there had to be him.

  “You’re not—” She bit off the what I expected. It was a cliché and besides what had she expected?

  For one thing she’d expected the Beta to stay, like a dog guarding his bone. Instead he took one look at the man behind the desk and disappeared.

  What had she expected from Hunt? Someone who talked, for one thing. Instead he just sat, looking at her. Assessing her.

  Well, she was looking right back at him, summing him up. He looked younger…older…not quite like his pictures. But close. He was gray at the temples but he didn’t look particularly old, unless you saw the—the what?—in his eyes. His eyes held wariness. Weariness. Amusement, for God’s sake.

  He was wary and weary and amused over her. That wasn’t really what she’d been aiming for. Who the hell was Hunt Winters?

  He didn’t look like Fate.

  He stood up. And up. Jesus God, he was tall! Her boots with the three-inch heels didn’t do a thing for intimidation when she was dealing with an almost seven footer.

  “Welcome to Las Vegas, Tala.”

  His voice rumbled into her brain. Nice. She liked the voice.

  No. Not nice. He wasn’t nice and she wasn’t either. He wasn’t her welcoming committee to a new city. He was her Nemesis, unless she could become his first.

  Her breathing quickened as he glanced at her mout
h and then down her body.

  Unfortunately this potential Nemesis apparently could make her think of sex. That probably was only to be expected. She thought about sex a lot and everything about Hunt promised to deliver sex big-time.

  But she needed to keep her usual focus. She wasn’t here to have sex with him. She was here to gain her freedom so she could have sex with whomever she wanted.

  She needed to focus on her goal. Sum up her adversary so she could gain the advantage. She took a deep breath and looked him over critically.

  Once again she regretted the tall boots. She added the red leather halter top to her list of fashion mistakes when she saw the tailored suit he had on. She’d made a tactical error there. He looked so powerful compared to her… Then she saw the intent look enter his eyes.

  Maybe she hadn’t gone entirely wrong.

  He took her hand. Instead of shaking it, he leaned forward and licked her palm. Slowly. Tala stiffened and her other hand clenched into a fist, trying to deny her explosive reaction.

  He bit into the fleshy pad of her thumb, very deliberately, very softly. Her breath whooshed out.

  Then he let her hand go and smiled. “I hope you enjoy it here.”

  She resisted staring down at her hand, although it still tingled from his touch. She tried to ignore the other parts of her body that had also received an unexpected thrill.

  Surely that just proved what she needed to tell him? She had to have her freedom.

  “I’m not staying, Hunt.”

  “No?”

  “I came here to talk to you directly. That was the fair thing to do. I suppose everyone thought I was too young to handle my own affairs—er, life—before. Everyone told me not to talk to you until I was an adult and I went along. But I’m old enough to talk to you now.”

  “I think so too. So tell me what you came to say.”

  Tala straightened her shoulders. Hunt knew what he was talking about. Just say it and be done.

  “I’m not right for you, Hunt.”

  “No?”

  “No. I—” She pushed her hair up, out of her face. Somehow she hadn’t worked out the explanation. It had always flowed in her head but not now when she had to say it aloud. Not with those cool gray eyes looking right into her, questioning her. “I’ve always wanted to be Alpha. But my mother was an omega and my father—my biological one—was Beta. I’ve seen how Alphas behave. My other father is Alpha. Hell, even Arlin is going to be. It’s not that I don’t know how. But it’s not in my blood. I’d probably get it wrong because it’s not instinctive.”