Alpha

by Charlene Hartnady

  “I see a demon killing machine…”

  “Try again.” His voice a deep almost angry growl, but then he nuzzled into her neck kissing her at the sensitive spot just below her ear.

  It made her bite down on her bottom lip to stop herself from moaning. She arched her back, leaning into him, her legs had parted of their own accord, all the while staring at herself, at both of them, in the mirror. Her eyes had become hooded, glazed over. Her nipples were hard jutting points on swollen, aching breasts. When she released her bottom fold, her glistening lips parted and in that instant she not only looked but felt… “…I’m...” She wanted to say sexy but couldn’t seem to get the words out. “I’m desired.” Gray looked at her with such intense hunger that in that moment she felt sexy, she could feed off of his pure need for her. It felt amazing.

  Gray made a sound of acknowledgement which vibrated against her neck. “That and so much more.” He looked up past her and caught her gaze in the mirror. “One night but if you agree, there can be no thoughts of tomorrow. While we are together, it is just the here and now. I need an answer before we go any further. Before I will allow myself to touch you.”

  One simple little word, yet it left her breathless with need. Touch. Gray didn’t move, he waited patiently for her decision. Not trying to sway her with sugar coated words. She knew that everything he had said, he meant. A man of his word. A man of honor. Had Alisha already accepted him as her future mate, she knew that she wouldn’t be here right now. The only thing that kept her from answering was fear. Once they had made love, would she still be able to watch him take Alisha as his mate? Would she still be able to honor her word and help him do it? If it came to it, would she be able to watch him die?

  “Yes,” she whispered because turning him down and living with the inevitable regret would be infinitely worse. “One night. Only here and now.”

  His hands relaxed then folded around her waist, onto her tummy. “I want to taste you.”

  Lordie, he used that deep, baritone voice. So husky, so close to a growl, so damned arousing. She turned her head so that he could kiss her and moaned as their tongues intertwined. When he pulled away, she moaned again, this time in frustration.

  “…Something I need to do.” He took hold of the bottom of her dress, his eyes had turned the color of hot, liquid gold. “Up, now.”

  “Uh huh.” One sharp tug had her dress straddling her hips. Gray lifted her so that she was on her knees, still in front of him.

  “Off. Now.” His fingers had snagged her g-string.

  “Lordie, yes.” Agonizingly slowly, he inched the garment down. Ash held her breath.

  He groaned.

  “Sorry…doggies probably like a bit of fur,” she giggled as he continued to stare.

  “So wrong.” Leaving her panties half way down her thighs, he stroked her pussy. His fingers barely touching her recently waxed skin. “So soft. So fucking sexy.”

  Her arousal rocketed to melting point. His nostrils flared.

  “Lean forward. Hands on the bed.”

  For once she didn’t feel like arguing. Except for one little thing. “Take off your shirt first.” He smiled and something deep inside her gave a little pinch. It made her want to think about tomorrow and the next day, about how to find a way to safe guard her heart, but then he did as she asked. Her mouth went dry while other places became slicker. She struggled to breathe. Gray was the most well chiselled, most powerful beyond sexy man she had ever seen or hoped to see and as far as she was concerned, he could take complete control. She needed him to and so she did as he asked and slid down onto all fours.

  He removed her knife sheath in one easy pull, then, he slid an arm around her waist and lifted her slipping her panties the rest of the way off. When her knees touched the bed, Ash spread her legs, arching her back, she looked up so that she could see them, see him, in the mirror. When her eyes met his, shivers of excitement rushed up and down her entire body.

  ****

  A low growl slipped from his throat as she opened up for him. Smooth, glistening, ready. Although he’d done this before, for the first time in his life, he felt an all-consuming need to taste a woman, to kiss her in the most intimate of ways and so he slipped down between her thighs, cupped her ass and pulled her to him. The sweet scent of honeyed peaches came ever closer.

  “Gray no I”—her words turned to a desperate moan as he closed his lips on her clit—“no don’t…oh yes…oh…don’t you dare stop…”

  He mimicked what he would normally have done with his hands and cock, keeping his touch soft but constant. Ash rocked against his mouth making the most sensual noises he had ever heard. He inserted two fingers into her slick sheath pumping into her. His cock wept in response, Hounds how he wanted inside of her. It didn’t take long and she came undone. Crying out as she orgasmed. Gray licked up each and every drop. Laving her until she begged him to stop. His cock strained against his zipper. When he looked down the shiny head was sticking up above his waist line. He had to be inside her, wanted to hear her cry out all over again. This time he would be with her. Her eyes widened into full moons as he pulled his jeans off.

  “…I don’t think you’re going to fit.”

  His lips tugged up even though the rest of his face kept that strained pinched look of a man hornier than the devil himself. “I promise I will.”

  “I’m doubtful.”

  Instead of answering, he rolled on a condom, kneeled behind her, sliding over her back so that he could whisper into her ear. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”

  “Pinkie swear.”

  With his balls in his throat and through clenched teeth, a laugh was forced from him. How was it in such a short time, this woman had him tied up in so many knots “I pinkie swear.” Gray crouched over her. Using utmost care, he pushed into her. So incredibly wet. So tight he had to close his eyes to stop them from rolling back in his head as he slid the rest of the way. “…Ash... Christ, so fucking tight.” Once he was in to the hilt, he stopped moving. “Are you okay?”

  She whimpered an acknowledgement. He stayed still trying hard to stay in control, wanting so badly to let his beast loose.

  “Less talk. I need you to…fuck me.”

  Her words almost had him coming then and there like a big pawed teenager. His Chaser looked into the mirror, her eyes both glazed and defiant. Just the way he liked her.

  “Easy honey. We have all night.”

  The tingles were firing off between them. A non-stop erotic sensation. His balls clenched some more and his dick twitched inside her. Ash moaned.

  “No.” She was panting. “Needs to be hard. Next round slower…”

  Humans were always intensely affected by sex with demons. Even though he was a half blood, all sensations would be drastically amplified. It had always fascinated him. Not right now though, because he was feeling just as much as Ash was. He finally knew exactly how his human lovers had felt.

  “Do it Gray. Now!”

  “One little thing.” Slipping two fingers under her dress straps, he slowly eased the garment down until her pink tipped breasts sprang free. They had his mouth watering and his hands itching.

  Powerless to try and stop himself any longer, he pounded into her, needing her just as much as she needed him. Maybe more.

  Electric heaven.

  Watching her watch him. The most sensual thing he had ever seen. Her tight little breasts bounced with every stroke. The sexiest thing he had ever seen. Hades help him but already he could feel his balls pulling up, preparing for release. She was so tight, the perfect fit. He pulled back, gripping her hips so that he could pound into her more completely. The scent of peaches engulfed him. A roar was torn from his throat. He was losing control. Thank hounds, she clenched around him with her impossibly tight, hot sheath. Moaning as she spasmed hard. He came right behind her, holding her name back behind clenched teeth. Teeth that had elongated. The demon inside him was eager to mark her as his.

  Chapter 7
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  Heaven help her. Ash struggled to catch her breath. Couldn’t stop herself from shaking. It wasn’t fair. Sex with Gray was like every orgasm she’d ever had in her whole life combined and then some. Almost too much and not nearly enough. She thought back on the way he had gone down on her. Ash had never allowed a man to do that to her before, it had always seemed too intimate. To open herself up to that degree had never felt right. Boy had she been missing out. “All night you said?”

  Gray smiled. “Oh yes.” He pulled back onto his haunches pulling her onto his lap. Ash circled her arms around his neck and leaned into him. “The dress has to go.”

  He tugged it up. She helped him by lifting her arms. His skin was fiery hot. So good to touch she pushed herself more firmly against him. The tingles were still there. A constant hum between them, only this time they felt more comforting than sensual. There were so many things she didn’t know about him.

  “Why did Bain exile you when your mother died?” she felt him tense. “I’m sorry I…”

  “No it’s fine. My mother was the only reason I was allowed to remain at Wilderness. She met my father after her mate, Bain’s father, was killed in a challenge. Some of the demon species are lax when it comes to mixed breeding, but wolves are very much against it. It’s not illegal but half breeds are shunned by most packs.” He brushed some hair from her forehead and kissed her there. Soft and gentle.

  “Your life must have been difficult.” It was almost unheard of for a pack to accept an Omega as they were considered weak. A half human half wolf was only able to erupt into wolf form under the light of a full moon.

  “I was mostly ignored. Bain and his gang felt the need to taunt me whenever they felt like it.”

  Taunt, he’d used a nice word to describe beat and harass. Bain had been a cold blooded, evil demon. Gray must have lived in misery.

  “The bastard kicked you out the moment your mother died?”

  “In a lot of ways I thank Bain because he made me into the demon wolf I am today. I had to learn to stand on my own two feet and how to use my brain instead of relying on claws. Hell, he taught me that almost from the moment I was born.” He stroked her back using the tips of his fingers.

  Oh so good with his hands.

  “How did you survive out there, all on your own?”

  He chuckled, deep and rich. “I actually did better out there than I ever did in here. I’ve always felt comfortable with who I am and what I have to offer. I never thought I needed others to validate that, but it felt good.”

  “If that’s true then why did you come back?” Ash pulled back so that she could look him in the eye. They had gone back to being dark, dangerous. There were so many layers to this man.

  “This is where I belong. The pack needs me,” his voice had lowered.

  Instinctively she knew to change the line of conversation. “What did you do out there? How did you survive?”

  “I dabbled in the stock market. Short term investments. High risk, but the payoffs were big and came fairly quick. You could say I have a good instinct for what stocks to buy and which to sell and when to do it.”

  “I thought you were using pack money to pay for Brice’s surgeries, but you’re not are you?”

  He tensed up again before he spoke, “No tomorrows Ash. That was the deal.”

  “I’m scared for you Gray.” She couldn’t help herself. The thought of losing him was almost unbearable.

  “Shhhhhh…,” he whispered as he kissed her. Forcing back all the questions. All her fears. Making her forget everything.

  Only here and now.

  Gray stood, lifting her with him. Lord but he was powerful, so sexy. A needy whimper escaped her. The funny thing was, she didn’t care. Right now she did need him and didn’t care if he knew it. Even when they got into the bathroom, he didn’t let go. Instead, he used one hand to hold her while he used the other to work the tap. It was like the whole suite had been designed with sex in mind. Jets blasted hot water at them from all angles and although there was a sitting area to the one side, he pushed her up against slate tiles. Ash wound her legs around his hips.

  “I want to be inside you”—he whispered his breath in her ear—“with nothing between us. We only have one night.”

  Ash nodded, “I’m on the pill.” He was thick and hard against her. Her own body reacted, nipples tightened against the scattered hairs on his chest, her breathing hitched.

  “Are you sure?”

  A deep growl she’d come to recognize as desire. For her. It was heady to know that she had such an effect on him. “Never more.”

  He dipped down taking a nipple into his hot mouth. Each tug and nip pulled right down to her core. He raked a thumb over her swollen clit just as he delivered an extra deep pull. She groaned, so close to yet another orgasm. It was scary how tuned her body was to him. The tingles were back, firing on all cylinders.

  “This time we take it slow,” he said as if he were on a mission.

  Hot water cascaded down her body. The steam intensified the musky smell of Alpha male. She opened her eyes catching his burning look of need. Their gazes never wavered as he moved to her opening, maddeningly slowly he inched his way in. His eyes glowed brighter and his jaw tensed as they joined.

  “Hounds, but you’re tight. So damned wet. I love the way you feel.”

  Ash wound her legs more firmly around him, her fingers digging into the corded muscles on his shoulders. Gray had her pinned between the wall and his hard body. She couldn’t move. Could only wait whilst enjoying the sensation of being completely filled. Stretched to capacity. He was pushing all the right buttons without even moving. His eyes softened as they moved over her face. Almost like he was taking the moment to memory, like this was maybe more than just sex for him too, but she couldn’t allow herself to think like that. It would be too dangerous to ever allow hope into her heart. Gray kissed her and started to move as slowly as her greedy, very slick body would allow.

  He moaned against her lips, “You’re killing me Ash.”

  “Double homicide,” she managed to get out between ragged breaths.

  He growled taking back her mouth, nipping at her lips and tongue then doing the same to her breasts. She never thought the feeling of teeth on skin could be so erotic. When his canines tested the flesh on her throat she felt herself become frantic with need.

  “Oh God yes…bite me Gray…do it…please”

  He growled bucking harder with his hips. Using his teeth and lips, he slid up and down her neck never increasing the pressure.

  “More…more…,” she pleaded.

  He kept the tempo slow and rhythmic yet hard and demanding. She moaned every time he pushed into her. Every stroke pushed her closer to the edge.

  “Bite me...oh…oh,” she didn’t know what had come over her except that it felt right somehow. Gray using his teeth right there. Biting her hard enough to draw blood was how it was meant to be between them.

  Ash threw her head back opening herself up to him completely. Giving him free rein over her body. Her orgasm came on slower this time like the first sparkle of light before a meteor shower. Pulling her in. Ever growing before exploding and igniting into something bigger and bigger. In amongst the bright hail storm of blinding pleasure she called out his name saying it over and over.

  Chapter 8

  Shit! She had seriously over slept. It had been the early hours of the morning when she finally snuck back to her room.

  As she threw her legs over the side of the bed, hairs stood up on the back of her neck and an icy fear caused goose flesh to break out on her arms. Something was wrong. Ash threw on some jeans and grabbed her knife as she left. She made for Gray’s suite at an all-out run. Already, she could hear shouts and snarls in the distance and sure enough, there they were, a large gathering of demon wolves with Gray and the wolf from last night in the center.

  “It doesn’t have to be like this Rage. Let’s talk about it. You’re my second in command, my friend.” Gray
stood tall and proud. His stance told her that he was ready even though he didn’t want to fight.

  “Nothing to talk about. Let’s get this over with,” growled the other wolf.

  Her heart moved to her throat as the big man erupted growing impossibly taller and stronger with each passing second.

  Man against demon wolf.

  Not a fair fight. This was murder, plain and simple, why didn’t anyone else see it or do something to stop it? Gray stood his ground. Frustration gnawed at her.

  This was bullshit and if no one else had the guts to do something, then it was up to her. Rules and regulations be damned, she pulled her knife from its sheath as she ran, placing herself between Gray and the wolf.

  “Stop!” she shouted holding up the knife. The wolf, still standing on its hind legs, was even bigger up close. Trying to stop this beast would be like trying to tame a hurricane. It didn’t matter, she had to try. “Back off you brute. I said move.”

  The demon wolf took a half step back and actually had the good grace to look embarrassed.

  Gray dropped his hands onto her shoulders. “Ash,” he whispered, leaning down so that he could talk into her ear. “What are you doing?”

  “Saving your doggie ass. What does it look like?”

  “I’m the Alpha and he has challenged me. This is my fight.”

  “You’ll lose.”

  Gray chuckled. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. I’ve got this.” He gestured to Phoenix who came right over.

  Ash watched the big man approach.

  “Come on wild cat.” Phoenix put a hand on her upper arm.

  If it weren’t for the situation at hand, she would have taken a moment to appreciate how his double breasted pin striped suit fit him like a glove on finely chiselled steel.

  She shook her head turning back to Gray.

  “Please, Ash. Thank-you for caring but listen to me just this once. I need you to go with Phoenix.” His eyes burned, begging her to do as he asked.

  Every instinct she possessed screamed against allowing for this to continue, but in the end she nodded.