Alpha Me Not

by Jianne Carlo

  At first his words didn’t register. Heat scaled her throat and face. “He didn’t. I am so going to pummel him. How could he embarrass me like that?”

  Joe winked at her. “He’s simply being an alpha.”

  “Alpha?” Bile coated her tongue. “Exactly what did Gray tell you?”

  “He didn’t have to tell me anything, Susie. He recognized my wolf immediately.” He outlined her mouth with a thumb.

  The naked truth she’d been denying cascaded around her brain. Her stomach nosedived. She wrenched out of his scalding touch range. “You’re not a wolf.”

  “I’m part wolf, part regular guy. Like your older brother, I can’t shift.”

  No. No. No.

  Alpha.

  Me.

  Not.

  She couldn’t have been so stupid. “No. I can’t have such rotten luck. I did not fall for a wolf.”

  “Good to know you’ve fallen for me.” He hauled her against his chest. “’Cause you knocked me into a different universe the first time I set eyes on you.”

  She shoved at his chest and smacked him one. “Damn it. When were you going to tell me? Did I not spell it out for you enough? No marriage. No kids. No alpha. Gawd, what have I done?”

  Right then Gray stalked into the room. He glanced from Joe to Susie. “What any good woman should—found a man, an alpha to take care of her.”

  Gray’s smirk had her blood curdling.

  “You’re jumping the gun, pup. I haven’t proposed.” Joe folded his arms and leaned back against the counter. “I think I’ll wait for her to do the asking.”

  “I’m going for a run.” Susie had to get out of the stifling house, had to clear her mind of Joe, and had to get away from the seductive smell of him.

  “Not by yourself, you’re not.” Joe hooked an arm around her shoulder. “Let’s head up to the ravine site and check things out.”

  “Ravine? Things? What things?” Gray squinted at Joe.

  “Someone going for a sprint?” A man stuck his head through the laundry room doorway. He limped into the kitchen. “Don’t think my leg’s up to a run. Maybe tomorrow. You must be Susie. I’m Tate.”

  She squared her shoulders. This was Joe’s friend? The man could’ve sprung out of a fireman’s top ten calendar photo shoot. Talk about alpha. He oozed testosterone. All the wolves she knew had Native American heritage, dark hair, dark eyes. This man could have posed for Thor with his reddish-blond shoulder-length mane, piercing slate eyes, and cheekbones that would have an Olympic snowboarder drooling.

  Her insides flip-flopped. “No way. No fricking way. Tell me he’s not a wolf too.”

  “But I am.” Tate gave her no warning at all before he swept her off her feet and planted his mouth over hers. His tongue did nothing for her. No heat pooled in her belly. Her toes didn’t curl. And her mind didn’t fracture.

  Too surprised to resist at first, she pushed at the steel of his pectorals and tried to tear her lips away. He opened his mouth wider, and his tongue did a little dance with hers. She bit down.

  “Ow!” Tate dropped her like a hot potato, and she stumbled before grabbing the back of a chair for balance.

  “Not nice.” Tate’s aggrieved-I’m-innocent expression made her chuckle.

  Two seconds later Joe sideswiped Tate with a fist and followed the punch with an uppercut to the man’s stomach. “Touch her again and you’ll end up in the dump.”

  Tate bent over at the waist, gasping. He swiped at the blood trickling from the side of his mouth, and gingerly straightened. “I had to do it. Worth it too, to see the rise I got. I’m Tate. Joe’s best friend. Full wolf. I can even shift. You up for it?”

  “No.” Gray got right up in Tate’s face. “She’s my little sister. Stick your tongue down her throat once more, and I’ll make sure you never shift again.”

  “But it’s okay for Joe to tongue her?” Tate’s lopsided grin and the way his metal-gray eyes gleamed made Susie uneasy. What was the blond Adonis up to?

  “That’s different. He’s claimed her.”

  “He has not.” Susie crossed her arms. “Not once. I have no marks on my neck.”

  Joe’s lazy smile raised every hair on her forearm. “Nope, you don’t.”

  Gawd. The tickle between her legs had her tensing.

  No.

  No way.

  He couldn’t have marked her there. Oh Lord, but she needed to get out of his presence. Right away.

  She raced to the bedroom. Threw off her clothes and reached for the running shorts he’d discarded the day before.

  Joe’s unique spicy scent preceded his entrance.

  She whirled around and waved the shorts at him. “Don’t. Don’t you grin like that again. You marked me, didn’t you? There.”

  “You didn’t seem to mind last night. Or this morning. And you’ve known all along that I’m an alpha, even if you tried denying it because of the ballroom dancing.” He went down on his knees and rubbed his nose against her panties.

  Her legs trembled.

  He curled both arms around her thighs. “I love the way you start creaming for me, even before I touch you. It started in the kitchen, didn’t it? Right there in front of Tate and your brother.”

  “Joe.” She tangled her fingers in his hair. “Stop that. You. Oh gawd. Stop. Your tongue. Oh my God. At least close the door.”

  Without a beat’s hesitation, he back kicked the door, and it shut with a thundering bang. He scooped her up and threw her on the bed. The mattress rose and fell. Before she could inhale, he ripped off her black lace panties, sniffed the crotch, and smiled. “Mine. All mine.”

  His eyes glowed amber, and her pulse skyrocketed. She scooted up the bed. “What’re you going to do?”

  “Eat you, my little Red Riding Hood. Eat you till you change your motto.” He tossed the panties aside and unbuckled his belt.

  “What motto?”

  “Alpha. Me. Not.” His canines glistened.

  “Gray’s in the kitchen. Tate’s there too. You can’t.” She covered her face when he pulled the sash off the drapes. “We can’t. Joe.”

  “We can. And we will. Though you might have to tone down your cute little moans.”

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “Just the thought has you all slick and ready. Spread your arms a little wider.” Joe unbuttoned his shirt and let it fall to the carpet. He shucked his pants and climbed onto the bed wearing nothing but his ever-present erection.

  “Do you even own a pair of underwear?”

  He stroked his cock. “Plenty.”

  “Do that again.” Fascinating the way the thing thickened and twitched.

  “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  She reached for him.

  He swatted her hands away. “Not today. Another time. Promise.”

  “I’m going to hold you to that.”

  “Spread your legs.”

  A wave of heat stamped every pore on her body. “Joe.”

  “I think I have a better way of doing this.” He sat against the bedhead and pulled her onto his lap. “This is where I marked you. See this tiny scratch right there on the inside of your thighs.”

  “That makes me yours?” Susie peered at the faint marking.

  “Nope. This makes you mine. You sitting here half-naked, all relaxed and hot and bothered at the same time.” He nibbled on her ear.

  Man, that drove her mad. She leaned into the caress. “You’re making me crazy.”

  “Hey. You two. The food’s getting cold.” A fist pounded on the closed door.

  “The door isn’t locked, is it?” Susie grabbed a pillow and covered her nudity from the waist down.

  “Trust me. There’s no way your brother will dare violate my turf.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “But we might as well forget this for now. Later. Get dressed, woman. I’ll stave them off for a few minutes.”

  He set her to the side and rolled off the bed. “We have a few issues
to resolve before hitting the sack anyway. And tomorrow’s going to be a trying day.”

  Petey’s funeral.

  She squished the pillow. “I understand completely if you want to go and stay with Kieran and Barb tonight.”

  “No, they need to be alone together.” He bent down and brushed his lips over hers. “And I need to hold you in my arms tonight.”

  She caught a glimpse of the anger and pain he’d kept in check when his pupils contracted to fine points. He dragged a hand over his eyes. “I need life tonight.”

  Her chest ached. She reached out and laced her fingers through his. “I wish I could do something to help.”

  “Just knowing I can reach out and touch you helps.” He went about getting redressed. Susie traced his movements, marveling at his inherent grace and strength. He left the room a few minutes later.

  She found Joe’s sweatpants in the bathroom, tugged them on, and rolled up the legs. She hunted in his drawers, found a T-shirt with a geometric pattern, pulled the soft cotton over her head, and headed out to the kitchen.

  The fragrant perfume of cream and garlic had her salivating.

  But the sight that met her eyes sent the notion of food flying.

  Between Tate, Gray, and Joe, they dwarfed the spacious room. What contrasts the men were—Tate with his shoulder-length golden mane, Gray with his black spikes, and Joe with his mass of inky curls.

  “What’s up?” Tate flicked her chin as she walked by.

  Susie’s gaze flickered to Joe, who stood in front of an immense bowl filled with spaghetti noodles and Bolognese sauce.

  “You’re chopping wood after dinner, Tate,” Joe growled.

  “Chopping wood’s Joe’s euphemism for beating me to a pulp. Not happening, buddy. Gray and I decided we’ll head up to the cabin. Give you lovebirds privacy and all that.” Tate popped a chunk of garlic bread onto his plate.

  “We’re going to scout that covered bridge and the rock in the morning before Tate heads back for the funeral. I’m going to head to the library and do research while you guys are at the funeral.” Gray pulled the tab on the can of soda.

  “You told them about the bridge?” Susie grabbed a bowl from the counter. “Is that your cabin they’re going to?”

  “I told them about everything, including you being near comatose twice in less than two days.” Joe tugged the rubber band from her ponytail. “And yes, the cabin is mine. Inherited from Gran-gran.”

  “Why’d you do that?” She glared daggers at him and planted her palms on her hips.

  “I like your hair down.” He kissed her forehead. “And I like you wearing my clothes.”

  “And I don’t like hearing any of this. My sister better have a ring on her finger before the week’s out.” Gray folded his arms and scowled at Joe.

  “Don’t even try going there, Gray Theodore White.” Susie held up a hand. “Here are the rules. Joe and I are in a relationship. A relationship that’s none of your business. No more cracks.”

  “That goes double. For both of you.” Joe nudged her shoulder. “I ordered salad as well. The feta cranberry one you liked on Sunday.”

  A warm glow started low in her belly. He had remembered what she liked. She filled her plate and moved to the table. Joe followed on her heels. “Take the bench, babe.”

  She sat down next to him, and he immediately gave her leg a squeeze. “Here. Have a slice of this bread. Tell me what you think of the pesto.”

  Susie passed the bread under her nose. Roasted pine nuts, basil, loads of garlic, and pecorino cheese. She bit into the hot, toasty slice and sighed. “Delish. From Mama’s?”

  “Yep.” He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. “I got the draft report from the fire department. It appears the fire was arson.”

  Susie choked on her mouthful. She grabbed the water glass in front of her and downed the contents. “Arson? Someone set the fire?”

  “Yep. I owe you.” Joe nodded at Tate.

  “Why do you owe him?” Susie studied first Joe, then Tate.

  “I called in a favor. Asked a friend on the force for a copy of the report. And he e-mailed me the preliminary while you guys were at Hallelujah. Didn’t have a chance to read it but forwarded to Joe. Report has to go to the chief for approval, but my friend says you guys should expect to be questioned again. Real soon.”

  Gray set his soda on the table and grabbed a plate. “I don’t like this one bit. Who stood to profit from the fire?”

  “Terri gets the insurance if the authorities don’t find any evidence of her involvement.” Joe spun ropes of pasta and meat around his fork.

  “How and where did the fire start?” Gray selected two garlic buns.

  Why on earth had someone deliberately burned down Terri’s house? Her appetite vanished. She turned to face Joe.

  “Terri kept her outdoor gas grill in the laundry room. The water pump was also in that room. The investigation team found traces of accelerants and parts of a timer in the rubble. The fire department believes the fire started because a stray spark from the pump ignited the gas leaking from the grill. They believe the fire would’ve been easily contained if not for the accelerants.”

  “So, it had nothing to do with the stove’s gas tank?” Susie held her breath.

  “Nope. You’re cleared on that count.” He stared at her for a moment. “Whoever planted the accelerants had to have set everything up while Susie and I were eating dinner at Mama Maria’s on Sunday.”

  “Why would you say that? The stuff could’ve been there before. I don’t even know what accelerants are.” Susie resisted the urge to pinch her skin. The situation seemed so surreal. A fire. Visions. She worried her lower lip.

  “The accelerants haven’t been identified, but they believe they were all petroleum based. When the house exploded, pieces of carpet, wood, and chunks of concrete were thrown far and wide and the accelerant detection canines found the evidence easily enough.”

  “Accelerant detection canines? Dogs who can smell gasoline?” It was like Joe spoke a foreign language.

  “Yes. Dogs trained to detect gasoline, turpentine, and other flammable solvents.”

  “When did the house blow?” Gray scrubbed his chin and frowned.

  “Six thirty-five. Seven, eight minutes later and Susie would’ve been inside the house.” Joe’s jaw clenched.

  “Shit. Someone deliberately targeted Susie.” Gray sat down across from them.

  “Doesn’t make sense. Arson’s set for only a few reasons. Profit, vengeance, or obsession. There’re no reports of an arsonist in the vicinity. Susie gains nothing from the fire. Terri does.” Tate pushed his chair away from the table. He’d inhaled his food as far as Susie could tell.

  “You know Terri as well as I do. Do you really consider her the villain in this piece?” Joe and Tate exchanged a long glance.

  “Okay. I give you that one. So Terri’s out. Who else is there?” Tate carried his empty plate to the sink.

  “No fricking person. That’s what’s driving me loco. First of all, I never expected a verdict of arson. Second, why that night? Why when Terri’s out of the country? I have a shitload of squirrellies on this one.”

  “Squirrellies?” Gray quirked a brow.

  “Back-of-the-neck tingling. Something’s not right.” Joe massaged his nape.

  “I’m with you on that one. One of the reasons I flew down was because I’ve been worried about Susie. No, don’t get your dander up, sis. You know my sixth sense is never wrong.”

  She studied Gray. Her brother was overprotective and overbearing, but his wolf instincts had never led him astray. “It doesn’t make sense for this to be about me, though. I hardly know anyone here.”

  “Were there any signs of a break-in?” Tate asked.

  “Not enough left of the house to know for sure. The authorities questioned the neighbors. The Hassani girls were playing with their new puppy in the front yard. Mr. Arnold was sitting on his front porch. No one approached the house from the
front.” Joe collected Susie’s plate and then his. He stood.

  She piled her fork and knife on the top plate. “Did anyone else have a key to the house besides you, Joe?”

  “Petra. I phoned her today. She has the key in her possession, and she’s not been to the house since Terri left. Trust me. Petra doesn’t have the smarts or the ruthlessness to deliberately set fire to a house.” Joe walked over to the sink and stacked the dishes in the steel basin.

  Susie hugged her arms against the sudden chill raising goose bumps on her skin.

  Joe noticed immediately. “You’ve gone all pale again. What’s wrong?”

  “The first day in the house, I kept misplacing things. You know, I’d put something down, go clean or unpack a box and come back to find it in a different place.” She shivered. “Do you think whoever set the fire could’ve been around then?”

  “It’s possible. Can you pinpoint what went missing?”

  “Not missing. Misplaced. My purse. I only have one purse, and I always have a purse place. You saw me pick up my purse from the coat stand. Yet twice that day I found it by the telephone in the kitchen. My God, had the arsonist been there all along?” She cupped a hand over her mouth. Had he snuck in while she was sleeping? Watched her shower?

  “Stop. It’s over and done with. No going back. No what-ifs. The fire was arson. You’re okay.” He hauled her to her feet and tucked her head under his chin. “You’re safe.”

  She felt safe in his arms. Protected. Cherished.

  “It’s all been too much. First the fire. Then Petey. Then today. I don’t like any of this.” She buried her nose in the soft cotton shirt he wore, inhaled his comforting scent, rested her cheek on his chest, and listened to the reassuring thump, thump of his even heartbeat.

  “What kind of mortgage does Terri have on the house?” Tate opened one of the closed boxes on the counter. “Cheesecake, anyone?”

  “One slice of each for Susie. It’s the chocolate trio from Mama’s.” He toyed with a wayward lock. She liked the way Joe seemed to need to touch her, because Susie sure loved caressing him.

  Nothing like chocolate to snap a girl out of a depression. She straightened. “Heaven in every bite.”