by Sky Winters
“It’s getting late,” Alex said, glancing at his watch. “I think we should head back now. Miss Abby’ll have a fit if we’re out too late. She doesn’t like us coming and going at all hours.”
“What’s it matter to her?” I asked. “We pay to live there, she’s not our mother.”
Alex’s eyes widened. “Well she worries, Decker. It’s not particularly safe hereabouts. There are lots of rogue shifters who wanna take all their anger out on anyone they can find. Lost many a good man that way.”
I mulled this over as Alex led me through the dirt streets, back toward the boarding house. We were both too drunk to drive, and clumsily made it up the long row of steps at the house when we got back.
“C’mon,” Alex said, turning the corner of the porch instead of heading inside.
I followed him, and was surprised to find that there was a whole back porch linked to the front; this one with a porch swing on it.
“Sit with me,” Alex said, plopping heavily into the porch swing.
“All right,” I said reluctantly, sitting down on the edge of the seat beside him. “What’s on your mind?”
“Oh, I’m just not ready to go in yet,” Alex said, smiling at me. I couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol or if his eyes lingered on me a little too long. I felt a little forbidden thrill course through me, but quickly fought it away. There was no way I could be thinking about sex right now. Not after what had happened with Jake. He was the only man who I had ever let touch me.
“All right.”
We were quiet for a moment before Alex began to speak again.
“I came here a year ago,” he said, looking off into the distance. Our view from the back porch was actually really beautiful. The porch looked over an overgrown garden and a deep marsh. The sound of bullfrogs and cicadas in the night was actually really comforting. I expected there to be mosquitoes, but for some reason they seemed to leave this place alone.
“I never thought I’d leave my home,” Alex continued. “I wouldn’t be here if I had a choice.”
I almost asked what happened, but remembered that it wasn’t polite. Thankfully, Alex answered my unasked questions. There was something so remarkably transparent about him. It was nothing like Jake, who was dark and secretive. I had a feeling Alex would have none of the possessive and competitive qualities that Jake had.
“I’m the omega in our pack,” Alex said. “Or I was. I don’t have a pack anymore, not really. We’re all just a quilt work of rebels out here. That’s why we wear the amulets. We don’t want anyone from our former packs to find this place we have in the Bayou. It’s our refuge. Our only home now. But god I miss the city.”
“What city?” I asked.
“Las Vegas,” Alex said. I was surprised. I guess I had assumed only flashy types were from Las Vegas. Alex seemed anything but flashy.
“Wow,” I said. “That’s far.”
Alex grinned. “I was alone a long while before I found this place. But as soon as Miss Abby saw me, she gave me this amulet and set me up a room. I don’t plan on staying. I want to settle into a city somewhere. I just haven’t had a chance to save very much.”
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a city boy,” I said with a small laugh. “Least of all Los Vegas.”
“It’s not like I was raised inner city,” Alex said, raising an eyebrow at me. “I just really like the hustle and bustle of it all. It’s just too quiet for me here. I feel like I’m just too alone. Alone with my thoughts…even alone with everyone else around here. It’s a fishbowl, you know. Only the same people to talk to and watch every single day of my life.”
“Hm,” I said, mulling this over.
“Not that I’m not grateful!” Alex said quickly. “I love everything they’ve done for me here. I’d never be able to repay them. But this just isn’t my end game, you know?”
I knew. I had been thinking the same thing myself. I nodded and Alex seemed to relax.
“I don’t know if I can stay here long-term either,” I said, looking down at the pants that Alex had lent me. They were surprisingly comfortable, though I was a little bit taller than he was, so his shirt occasionally bared my navel.
“I reckon that’s why we’re both here at the boarding house,” Alex said with a laugh.
I smirked. “I reckon.”
We fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes, but it was soon interrupted by Alex jumping up from the porch swing, leaving me swinging wildly for a moment. “Fireflies!”
I furrowed my eyebrows and peered out over the marsh, and my drunk mind became just as captivated by nature’s light show as Alex was.
“Come on,” he said, jumping off the porch. “Let’s go look closer.”
I glanced back at the big house, knowing I didn’t want to face the rest of the night inside alone.
“All right,” I said, following on Alex’s tail.
He was surprisingly fast, and it took a little more effort than I thought it would to keep up. He stopped suddenly on the edge of the marsh. Unfortunately, I was a little too drunk to stop and skidded into him.
Alex fell forward with a laugh.
“Whoa!” he exclaimed with a huge splash. I scrambled into the water to help him out, but he stood up on his own and grinned. “You just wanted to see me wet, didn’t you?”
I was dumbfounded, but he laughed again, a pleasant, pure sound that was a nice change from Jake’s malicious cackle. I stared at Alex, unable to figure out if he had pegged my sexual orientation or if he was just being playful.
Alex swept his arm across the water as I was working the question in my head like a puzzle, and soon, my whole torso was drenched.
“Gotcha!” he exclaimed triumphantly. He doubled over laughing again, his shirt soaking wet and clinging to his muscular chest. He looked so brilliant in the moonlight, his smooth, clear features so easy to understand. He didn’t seem the type to hide a thing in the world.
An unexpected growl started in my throat, and Alex froze, looking at me in fear. I would have been able to hold myself back if I was sober, but I guess in most situations, I did what I wanted anyway. I was an alpha, after all. Even if I had made a mistake by letting a parasite like Jake get too close to me.
“Whoa!” Alex exclaimed again. This time though, it was because I had sprung forward, tackling him into the water. The fear and confusion in his eyes only seemed to fuel me more, and without any ceremony about it, I kissed him hard on the lips.
He resisted for a moment, but soon I felt him grow still under the heat of my body, and his soft, warm lips began to tug eagerly at mine. I stood up and dragged him out of the marsh by his shirt. He followed willingly, stumbling and falling on top of me. His handsome face lit up with a smile, and for a brief moment I was completely transfixed.
Alex seized my lips again, and soon we were rolling in the damp grass, Alex laughing quietly. I struggled to remove his shirt, but with his back pinned to the ground and my motor skills impaired by alcohol, it was difficult. He sat up and stripped the shirt off himself, and I was awe-struck by his unbelievable torso. It was more than I could have asked for; nothing like Jake’s lean, scrawny muscles and beer gut. Alex was solid.
“Your turn,” he said, hoisting my shirt over my head. I was about to protest, the memory of Jake throwing me off my game, but instead I stifled a moan when Alex’s hand found its way inside my jeans.
A surge of bliss made my knees weak. I hadn’t wanted anything to do with sex because of Jake, but right now I felt spiteful and bitter. What did it matter what I did with this stranger? I didn’t owe anything to our joke of a relationship! Whether I thought I was emotionally ready or not, it was happening. And it felt fucking good. Screw Jake.
I shoved Alex against the grass, violently tearing his pants and boxers off. I was impressed by the size of his cock; it was long and thick, and felt perfect against my skin. I could see Alex’s abdominal muscles rippling as he breathed heavily, trying to bite back grunts of pleasure as I began wor
king his shaft in my hands.
He began to rock his hips against me, and I couldn’t resist tugging him gently until I was gratified by the sound of his voice.
“Fuck,” Alex whispered, his shaft growing thick in my hand.
His clear eyes bore into mine, and I was captivated by him as he received my touch. Alex’s every slight movement set me ablaze. I was frustrated so much by what had happened with Jake. All I wanted to do was find a way to get back in control of my life.
Alex grunted when my aggression reared its head, and I flipped him roughly to his hands and knees. I knelt behind him, wasting no time before shoving myself inside of him. Alex yelped, and I wasn’t sure whether it was pleasure or pain that he was feeling. In the heat of the moment, I hardly cared. All I wanted to do was feel myself again. To feel like an alpha.
I reached around and gripped his cock to keep it from dangling in the air as I used his body for my gratification. He moaned then, and electricity shot through my loins. It was warm inside him. Jake had rarely let me express myself like this in the bedroom. He thought it was novel that he could top the alpha. But with Alex I felt a shocking need to assert myself. To let him know who was really in control here.
To my surprise, Alex seemed to be loving every second of it. Jake would have fought his way from under me by now. He would have tried to do something to make me submit and serve him. But Alex glanced back at me and we stared at each other, sparks shooting from his eyes to mine. He was challenging me. He wanted me to give him everything I had.
I hissed in pleasure as my cock swelled inside him. I had been drunkenly operating at half-mast until then, but now I wanted him to know that he had no choice in the matter. He was mine.
Alex moaned when I squeezed his shaft, running my hand along the thick cylinder of his cock and down to its round, weeping head. Heat pulsed through my loins and I could feel his body tight around me. Every slight movement was electrifying.
I had never dreamed of feeling this good with Jake. Our relationship had mostly focused on Jake being pleasured by me and using my body as he liked. It hadn’t felt particularly satisfying, but I had loved him so much that his immaturity in the bedroom had seemed like part of his charm. Now, though, I knew the truth. He had suppressed my alpha ways intentionally. He had always been after more power. Who knew how long he’d been plotting this mutiny?
Alex grew limp against the grass, bracing himself with his knees dug deep in the dirt and his arms extended outward. He was breathing heavily, and my eyes roamed the muscular curves of his back, illuminated to perfection by the moonlight. What had taken me so long to really embrace this side of myself?
My desire to dominate Alex began to grow in intensity the more he seemed to submit to my power. He was groaning in pleasure with every thunderous thrust of my hips, and I could feel a hot tingle beginning to build up low in my abdomen.
When I knew I couldn’t hold back any longer, I gripped Alex’s shaft hard and began pumping my hand around it. He writhed in pleasure and struggled against me. I held him still and rammed my hips against him until he was gasping my name.
We erupted together at the same time. I threw my head back in rapture as I emptied myself inside of Alex. I could feel the hot liquid bursting from the pit of his loins. The feeling of his cock tense in my hand enhanced the power of my climax, and soon we were panting on the ground together.
“Well,” Alex said, finally sitting up and pulling his boxers back on. He cast a sidelong look at me. “Are you okay?”
I was surprised by the question. Jake never would have bothered asking. He would have gone off to do his own thing by now.
“Fine,” I said.
“Cool. Then I’ll pick you up for work in the morning.”
Alex grabbed his wet clothes and headed toward the boarding house. My eyes followed him until he disappeared safely inside.
Chapter 12
I tossed and turned that night, my mind flooded by horrible memories of my time with Jake. I couldn’t believe I had already allowed myself to be sexual with another person. Even though I knew Jake had done so long ago; I had to be honest with myself, it seemed way too soon.
And the worst part was that I had basically just used Alex for my own means. He wasn’t exactly my top priority when I had been using his body for my gratification. He was a second thought. I might as well have done to him what Jake had always done to me. I felt terrible. How was I going to face him again?
Eventually, the alcohol took over and I was pulled into a dark oblivion. I was torn out of it far too soon by urgent rapping on my door.
“Breakfast, Mr. Decker,” Penelope said. I groaned and rolled out of bed. I was used to my routine with Jake, where we did as we pleased and stayed in bed late. He was happy to live on my inheritance, and I hadn’t thought anything of it. I just felt good to be able to take care of the man I loved. It was the alpha in me. And I was growing more convinced that Jake had known exactly how to take advantage of that.
“Coming,” I mumbled, dragging myself out of bed.
“About time, Mr. Decker,” Miss Abby said, raising an eyebrow at me.
I was hungover and tired, and slumped down at the table without acknowledging her. I was beginning to hate that my seat was permanently beside Alex, and did my best to avoid his eye.
“I have something I want to give you before you leave today,” Miss Abby said, unfazed by my mood.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said.
Everybody was quiet during breakfast, and I retreated from the dining room as soon as I could. I could hardly stomach the smell of food, let alone keep it down. Everything felt heavy in my stomach, and I was hoping to avoid Alex.
“Decker,” Miss Abby said, “Come here and put this on for me, please.”
Miss Abby was holding out an amulet, just like the one that Alex wore.
“If you put this on, it will reduce your danger while you’re staying in the Bayou,” she said. “It conceals your scent and helps you to avoid ambushes.”
I took the amulet and frowned at it. I was proud of my scent. I was an alpha. It was kind of criminal to go into hiding like that. It really solidified the fact that now, I was an outcast. Did she think I couldn’t take care of myself?
“I can guess what you must be thinking right now,” Miss Abby said. “But it’s your choice whether to wear it or not. It keeps other shifters from picking fights and making trouble that doesn’t have to be made. You do what’s right for you, Decker. I know your father would have refused to wear it. It’s completely up to you.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled, stuffing the amulet in my pocket.
“Hey Decker,” Alex said, striding out of the dining room. Somehow, despite our late night, he was looking as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as ever. “You ready to go?”
“Nah, man,” I said, turning my back on him and heading up the stairs. “I’m going back to bed.”
I could sense that he wanted to push the subject, but the last thing I needed was to spend a horribly awkward day with Alex. Our fling hadn’t meant anything to me, and I didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. I had given in to temptation, but that didn’t mean that we had any possibility of getting any closer.
I waited in my room until I was sure Alex had left, and then went back to bed until lunch time. Alex wasn’t there for lunch, and everybody chatted pleasantly. They had learned I wasn’t the talkative type and left me out of most meal conversations. Especially after Miss Abby had warned them about asking me invasive questions.
“Have you given the amulet any thought, Decker?”
I turned around, surprised to see Mrs. Lewis.
“No, ma’am,” I said. Mrs. Lewis was normally as silent as I was during meals, so I hadn’t recognized her voice at all. She was soft-spoken, and although she didn’t look like she had a mean bone in her body, from her gaze I could tell that she was the type to hold her own.
“Well, I’d like you to consider it,” she said, gesturing for me to follow her out
onto the porch. She sat carefully on the stoop. I stood across from her and she took a deep breath. “My boy was killed a while back. He didn’t want anything to do with the amulets. We’d been forced out of our pack. They didn’t like having a woman as an alpha.”
So that explained her serious attitude. I had never considered that a female could be an alpha, but I shouldn’t have been surprised.
“What happened to your son?” I asked, trying to hide my surprise.
“He thought he could handle himself out here. Called this place the boonies. We were from a city far out yonder, and he liked to think that he was a big shot because he was the son of an alpha. I am partly to blame for that; he was raised with a soft hand.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being confident.”
“Oh honey,” Mrs. Lewis said, a wry grin creasing her face. “There’s a fine line between being confident and stupid, and my boy Rodney walked it.”
“I’m sorry about your loss,” I said, unsure of what else to say about it.
“So am I,” Mrs. Lewis said, her eye clouding over. “I’m sure you’re wondering how it happened.”
I nodded, relieved that I wouldn’t have to wonder or pry to find out.
“He refused Miss Abby’s amulet, then went out into the forest alone. I hear it’s something like what happened to your pap. He came across some rough characters looking for someone to rough up. There’s nothing more rowdy than a shifter with nothing left to lose.”
“I understand,” I said. And in a way, I could relate to that, too. I had been a complete pig with Alex, taking what I wanted without any consideration for him at all. He had seemed okay with it, but he shouldn’t be all right being dominated by someone who was feeling as rough and uncaring as I was. He deserved better than that, and if I couldn’t even keep a jerk like Jake happy, there was no way I would be able to give a guy like Alex the treatment he deserved.
“There’s a lot of folks around here who think a lot of you. Do what you can to take care how you handle things. No matter what happened between you and your pack back home, you know who you are. You know where you belong. And you know what? You follow your own destiny. I have something in mind, myself. You think I’m just going to sit back and accept being ousted from my own pack? They’ve got another thing coming, they do…”
