CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA UNDERBOSS

by Candace Ayers

  But, Cade expected as much. An infuriated roar of a challenge left his muzzle. Cade swiped those crude, strong claws of his against the face of an advancing wolf, then turned quickly to knock another wolf away that lunged for the back of his neck. The next, the one that had a taste for human flesh, dove for the woman lying unconscious at Cade's feet, a backhanded swipe sent it sprawling away yet again.

  The group froze again around the werewolf, unable to find an opening and certainly not ready for his counterattacks. Cade launched forward, his sharp teeth closing with a snap onto the alpha wolf’s neck, a quick jerk and the creature went limp. Nostrils flaring, Cade turned back and glared at the rest of the wolves, but the fight had left their eyes.

  By pack right, Cade was the new alpha. A sharp snort escaped and Cade growled once, his wide chest swelling with intense warning. Leave. Just that one deep, guttural growl was all it took before the rest of the pack tucked their tails between their legs and scattered. The wolf that had previously bitten Mira hesitated a moment, longing for another taste of her blood, but flinching at the guttural sound from Cade's throat. Taking pity on the wolf, Cade growled quietly. The wolf's ears perked up. A fresh moose kill? At the promise of fresh meat, the wolf turned tail and ran, leaving the werewolf with the human.

  Cade’s gaze scanned the woman’s body, seeing the crimson snow around her leg. His eyes narrowed in annoyance. He would have to take care of her. There was no way that he could just drop her off at the nearest hospital, which was 40 miles away. Besides, his clothes had been shredded in the unexpected change, so he would either be travelling as a large black male wolf, or a large naked male human. No, he really didn’t have a choice. He would have to take her to his home and allow her to stay, but only for as long as it took her injury to heal sufficiently. Once she could walk, he would see her on her way.

  Cade carefully scooped the woman up, feeling her weight and appreciating how her soft curves pressed into his body. A small shudder coursed through him and instantly, a feeling of calm replaced his annoyance. Inhaling her scent through her clothing, he smelled fresh berries, maybe her soap or shampoo? He also smelled the coppery sweetness of her blood that had begun to dry along her thigh. He tossed her over his shoulder and moved over to his felled doe. Grasping it by the hooves, he tugged it behind him as he walked carefully back to his home.

  The woman did not even stir on the way back to the house. Cade stopped to listen to her breathing every now and then to ensure that she was still deeply asleep. Her face had been so pale. He would have to close that wound up quickly.

  It took about ten minutes for Cade to arrive back at his home, a huge sprawling chalet-style mansion, three levels total. He left the kill outside to be butchered later. He froze as Mira suddenly shifted in his hold. His golden eyes looked down at her cautiously, and she winced briefly before going limp again. He hurried to his bedroom and placed her gently on the bed. As he examined the bite, he gritted his teeth at the severity. Careful to not wake her, he gently unbuckled her pants, slid the zipper down swiftly and carefully worked them off of her hips, a quiet moan of discomfort from Mira giving him pause and making him go stock-still for a moment. Seconds later, he worked the pants all the way off and inspected her leg more thoroughly.

  Luckily, it didn’t appear that she’d need stitches, but the wound certainly needed to be disinfected. He collected the necessary first aid materials along with a robe for her to wear. When he removed the rest of her clothing, he was surprised to feel his own body reacting with excitement to her supple, curved form lying nearly bare on his bed. It had been a very long time since he’d had that type of reaction to any woman and it caught him a bit off-guard. He felt the heat of arousal course through his veins.

  Cade shook his head quickly to clear his thoughts and return them to the task at hand. He noticed a locket on her chest. It was none of his business, but curiosity about his houseguest got the better of him, and he carefully opened it half expecting to find the face of a husband or a lover. Instead, he saw an older version of the woman lying in his bed. Even for a human, the woman in the picture looked regal. He guessed her to be his houseguest’s mother or grandmother.

  Perhaps his unexpected guest had no significant other. He studied her features. She was beautiful, like a goddess. A brief thought flickered through his mind. What would it feel like to wrap his arms around her in an embrace, or feel her resting her head on his chest, or lying underneath him as he made her cry out in pleasure...? He felt a tightening in his groin at the thought.

  “Get a hold of yourself, idiot,” he mumbled aloud in frustration. But, in the back of his mind, he was fully aware that somehow, for some reason, this woman had felt—right in his arms, and now right on his bed. A moan of discomfort came again in her sleep. He panicked a moment, not sure how he was going to explain this situation to her, but in a second or two, the rhythm of her breathing returned to normal. He took advantage of the fact that she was in a deeper state of unconsciousness to cleanse the wound.

  Cade gingerly poured hydrogen peroxide on the bite marks, watching it fizz, but keeping his focus on her body movements. She was still out cold, thank god. He spread antibiotic numbing ointment along the marks next, and gently wrapped the wound in gauze.

  For someone who was as repelled by humans as he was, Cade couldn’t understand his attraction to this woman. He couldn't help but stare at her body as she lay resting. He watched her sleep. Yes, she was a goddess. Her previously furrowed brows were smoothing out now, and her lips parted lightly as she breathed. She was still pale, but Cade was confident that she would be able to heal from the damage quickly.

  As he studied her, he was reminded of another reason that he liked women with thicker bodies. Besides the softness of their curves, they were far tougher and more resilient. He didn't have to worry about being extra gentle lest they snap like a twig. Cade imagined his hands grasping the softness of her hips as he ground his erect cock into her until he saw her eyes roll back in ecstasy. His body flooded with heat again, and he stifled the growl that tried to escape from his chest. He shouldn't be thinking like this; she was human. He should have felt disgusted, but disgust was the farthest thing from his mind as his eyes were drawn again and again to her curvy form. He watched how her chest rose and fell with every breath. He inhaled the scent of the warm juices at the junction of her thighs. Christ, he was acting like a damn pervert.

  He forcibly pushed aside those feelings and tenderly dressed the woman in one of his warm terry cotton robes. He carefully tied the belt and made sure that she was as well covered as possible, resisting all temptation except one. He allowed himself to lean his head down slightly and inhale the scent of her neck. Maybe that was a bad choice since he nearly brushed his tongue along her flesh before he stopped himself.

  After he’d moved her gently towards the top of the bed so that her head rested on the pillow, and tugged the covers over her body, a wry laugh escaped his lips. He was so used to living alone, he hadn’t even realized that he was still stark naked. It would probably not be a good idea for her to awaken to a naked stranger staring at her in her sleep, especially since his shaft had been rock-hard since he had undressed her. That would most certainly not make a good first impression, and Cade was a little surprised to realize that he definitely wanted to make a good impression. In fact, he found himself hoping that once she regained consciousness, the two of them could get to know one another bit before she left.

  As he pulled some clothes out of his drawers, his eyes darted to the window. Those clouds in the sky, that was a bad sign. They were still off in the distance, but with the wind direction and speed, those blackened clouds could easily cause a severe storm in the area. He wouldn’t be able to let her leave until he was certain the storm wouldn’t strand her out on the mountain somewhere in the cold. Wonderful. Along with dealing with her wrath once she found he had stripped her down, he would have to explain that she couldn't leave yet, either. Cade let out a heavy sigh, glaring at
the sky.

  Tonight just wasn't going to be his night, was it?

  Or, was it?

  Chapter 5

  Mira did not want to wake from her dream. It was so soothing, the feeling of resting atop a cloud but wrapped securely in someone's arms. It was a feeling of safety that she had longed for, but hadn’t felt in quite some time. This dream seemed to stretch on with subtle sensations like fingers brushing along her thighs, tickling at the backs of her knees, a sensual experience that left her feeling highly aroused.

  Mmmm… those feather-soft touches soothing her body, that slow ache building in her belly, her breathing was slow and deep, body quivering slightly with those gentle caresses along her frame, like a tender promise. A quiet little moan slipped past her lips, her head rolled to the side and a light sheen of sweat began to form along her skin. Rolling over, she crushed the wound on her leg, sending a sharp, shooting pain through her and causing her eyes to blink open. She uttered a curse before sitting straight up, looking around the room quickly, and blinking in alarm. A tremor of fear coursed through her. This wasn't home. Where was she?

  She winced and gripped her head, a flash of images racing through her consciousness, the foremost being the reason her leg hurt. Wolves. But, there were no wolves in sight here. It took another moment to figure out that she was out of her clothing. Panic raked through her. Her heart lurched into overdrive and she felt nauseous. Of course, this wasn’t the first time since “the incident” that she had awoken to a feeling like this. She was quite terrified at the moment, and felt a pulling at her thigh. Mira looked around quickly, trying to find something to use as a weapon. She noticed her clothes neatly folded on the side of the bed. A curious thing to do if someone had brought her here to have their way with her. She also felt her bikini style underwear still on, her bra as well.

  But where was she? Mira looked out the window and her heart sank. The house seemed to be hidden away in the woods. What if she were being held captive? She felt the blood drain from her face, and her body began trembling. Her head seemed to be wobbling unsteadily atop her neck. She felt as though her blood sugar was low. That would make sense if she had lost a lot of blood from the wolf bite. It took her several minutes, but using a breathing technique her therapist had taught her, she was able to quell the dizziness.

  Sounds of movement were coming from the other room. Footsteps, to be precise. She hastily looked around, grasping an ice pick that had been placed next to her pack. She still wasn’t convinced that she wouldn’t need to physically defend herself.

  A man walked into the room. No, not just a man, the hands-down most gorgeous man Mira had ever seen. He was tall and wide with ebony hair, thick bulging muscles, and broad shoulders that any football coach would be pleased to see on one of his players. The man’s hazel eyes stirred something in her. There was something about him, something beyond his physical appearance, that drew her in. Mira was astonished when she realized that for the first time in a long, long time, she felt a strong attraction to a man. Actually, it was more than attraction, the man felt safe. The same way she had felt in her dream.

  Why did the fact that she momentarily felt safe in the presence of a male stranger all of a sudden unnerve her? Because, she shouldn’t logically feel safe, right? She reminded herself of how she was clothed, or unclothed as it were, and she raised her pick into the air threateningly.

  The man instantly held up his hands, as if a gun were pointed at him, and he kept himself at a distance from her. Clad in a tight-fitting black t-shirt that stretched over the bulging muscles of his chest and biceps, and low-slung jeans, he looked like someone that should be on a magazine cover, not at all like a perverted-kidnapper-sex-trafficker on the lamb and hiding away deep in the wilderness.

  “Whoa now, sweetheart, I'm not gonna hurt you.” His voice had a low, deep, soothing tone. He waited a moment, watching the conflict in her eyes, before slowly lowering his hands and leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed.

  “I found you out there on the trail, injured, and bleeding all over the fresh snow. Trust me, sweetheart, you don't need to keep that ice pick raised anymore. I have no desire to do anything obscene to you,” against your will, that is, he added silently. His voice, again, was a soft growling tone, though surprisingly gentle for a man of his size. Mira felt her cheeks tint briefly but only lowered the pick slightly. Her free hand tugged at the collar of the robe she wore.

  “Then care to explain this? If you found me injured, you could have just transported me to a hospital. Why didn't you?” Mira's tone was clipped. She blinked in surprise when he let out a soft laugh, running his fingers through his jet-black hair.

  “Not used to getting help, are you? My place was closer, and the last thing I needed was for you to bleed out on me—any more than you had,” he said, and pointed to the bedding beneath her. There was a folded towel under her that had a small amount of blood soaked into it. It was then that she noticed the neatly wrapped gauze bandage dressing her leg. That, too, was slowly becoming blood-stained.

  “Getting you out of those wet clothes was a priority and the nearest hospital is a forty-minute drive west of here. I didn’t want to risk making you wait that long. You were pale enough as is. I tended to your leg and wrapped it properly as soon as possible. Though, it looks like you may have opened the wound again by tossing and turning. Bad dream?”

  Mira blinked, looking down at the bloodied bandage. She lowered her pick onto the bed, before glancing back at him. He noticed her cheeks flush pink as she mumbled, “I… I have nightmares…. Bad ones.” She was still a bit suspicious, though she had to admit, he hadn't given her any reason not to trust him. If he wanted to do something to her, he could have easily done it while she was unconscious.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve been rude. My name is Mira Jenkins. I apologize, I’m not used to being helped, as you mentioned,” Mira started. A roaring chuckle came from the man which, in turn, caused Mira’s lips to turn up slightly in a small half-smile.

  “I’m sure it’s disorienting to wake up in a stranger’s bed in the middle of the wilderness. I’m Cade Donovan. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mira Jenkins. I’m sure that we would both have preferred to meet under a different set of circumstances, but there isn't much that can be done about that. Would you mind if I redress your wound? That bleeding needs to be stopped again.”

  For such a large man, his voice wasn't very intimidating. At least, not to Mira. She took a breath, and paused before answering. She could feel the heat rise to her cheeks, and silently cursed her sudden bout of shyness.

  “Yes, if you don't mind. Although, I suppose I already owe you big time for helping me out like this. I don't have much in the way of money but I would love to repay you a little as a thank you for helping me out so much.”

  He laughed, waving his hand dismissively. “No, no need for that. We need you get back up to full strength so we can make the trek back down the mountain.” Mira stifled a grin when she noticed he said we.

  “Alright, lay back and let's see how bad the damage is.”

  Chapter 6

  “Owie... Ouch!”

  Mira winced as the tape was peeled away from her wounded leg, inhaling sharply. Of course, the man that saved her would have to be an absolute hunk and have an amazing personality to boot. It would be her luck to have to struggle to not fall for the guy.

  “My apologies, ma’am—er, Mira,” he said, pausing at the sideways glare she gave him.

  Cade offered a toothy, sheepish grin as an apology for falling into his old habits. Just a moment before, he had referred to her as ma’am and she had explained quite firmly that she didn't like to be called that, and that she would rather be called by her name.

  “It's fine Cade, it's just—Ow!” Mira flinched as the gauze was peeled away, having to catch her breath at the wave of nausea the pain caused. It wasn’t the pain itself that bothered her, it was the memories that the pain evoked. She flat-out refused to look at
the wound, trusting him to take care of it. But, the smell of the blood was enough to make her even queasier. His hand moved quickly to steady her leg from moving and she jerked reflexively and cowered backwards on the bed slightly. Cade froze.

  “Mira, are you... alright?” he questioned softly, confused by the look of fear that was anchored on her face.

  She nodded hastily, swallowing hard and struggling to breathe. “Y-Yes, I'm sorry, just... just continue, please,” Mira’s voice trembled and she was very obviously struggling to catch her breath. Her fingers gripped the blankets tightly. She knew Cade was watching her. She looked away, but he noticed her knuckles turning white from the death-grip she had on the sheets.

  He isn't going to hurt you, Mira, just calm down.

  She tried to gain control of herself. Her breathing was ragged and her head sunk down into the pillow as she tried to slow her heartrate down. She was already sweating profusely, but now she trembled bodily from the fear that plagued her.

  Cade sighed quietly, he didn’t know what trauma she had endured in her past to cause this type of reaction, but he understood what she was going through. He also knew that he had to put a lid on his own anger that was rising to the surface as he watched her suffer. He wanted to kill whoever had hurt this beautiful goddess of a woman. His wolf was enraged—clawing at his insides to get out and seek its vengeance for her. Cade knew he had to remain calm, though, for Mira’s sake. The last thing she needed in her state was to sense anger emanating from him. He reached with slow, exaggerated movements to pull the covers up, holding them out to her.