Claiming an Alpha's Heart

by A. R. Ford

  “Come,” she demanded. “We need to scent the nest.”

  Who was I to argue when my mate demanded I take her in the center of the nest? My cock rose thick, and heavy, as I joined her. I took her on all fours, a fist clutching the much longer hair. We did not leave its sanctity until we were sated. By the time she fell asleep, covered in slick, and semen, her hair a chaotic mess, I knew my place was at her side.

  Emmy slept for several hours. She crawled from the nest, perfectly at ease with being naked in front of me. She sought me out, crawling into my lap as I worked at the COMM unit on the desk. A hand automatically rose to stroke her arm, a purr vibrating in my chest.

  “I’m hungry.”

  A brow arched at her admission. According to Posie, Emmy had refused to eat for some time, now. Hearing she wanted food, set my mind at ease.

  “Tell me what you would like, Emmy, and it’s yours.” My thumb caressed her lower lip.

  The tip of a very pink tongue darted out to trace along the length of my thumb before she sucked it into her mouth. My cock pulsed to life, instantly, when she gazed at me, heavy-lidded, and flushed, sucking my thumb in the same way I desperately wanted her to suck my cock. There would be time for that, later. I pulled my thumb free with a pop.

  “I want a baked potato, tapioca pudding, and a banana popsicle. Do they make those on Jade Island?”

  “They do. Walden may not be as adequately supplied. Let me see what the restaurant can whip up.” A phone call, and a thirty minute wait, brought a baked potato the size of my fist, and a bowl of tapioca pudding to the penthouse. Sadly, there were no popsicles. It did not matter to Emmy. She ate voraciously. Even the potato skin disappeared.

  Emmy climbed off my lap. She slid into the discarded t-shirt, and panties, before exploring the penthouse. I watched in amazement as she touched each object with great reverence, almost as if each were a fragile piece of art. We were not to have peace forever. A pounding at the front door, drew my attention. I opened it, only to be confronted by Rafe, and several of my men.

  “You have to leave now with Emmy. Head back to Jade Island,” Rafe commanded. “It isn’t safe here. The transport is ready.”

  “Head back to Jade Island? I don’t understand what’s going on, Rafe.” Confusion tinged my reply.

  Emmy appeared at my side, gazing at Rafe, without speaking. Rafe graced her with a smile before glaring at me, again. “One World has a unit on the way, now. They plan to take Emmy. For fuck’s sake, Evan, don’t think you hold any power on the mainland. Your only hope of protecting her, is at Baron’s estate. Go. Now.”

  Who would want to take my mate? More importantly, why? I would die defending her, if necessary.

  Not enough time remained to take all of our belongings. I gathered a few items of clothing, and the book the Walker family gave me. Emmy clambered onto my back. I could run much faster this way. The transport was on the roof. Easy access, takeoff, and landing came with its location. The elevator hissed open. Combat boots thudded on the roof as we ran toward the transport.

  Rafe followed, glancing into the sky as the loading ramp closed. This was the most precarious part of our flight. The time between boarding, and takeoff. I buckled Emmy securely into a seat. I covered her bare legs with an emergency blanket.

  “How long until this thing is airborne?” I shouted at the pilot.

  “Thirty seconds.”

  An explosion shook the transport. Rafe glanced out of a porthole. His eyes narrowed; jaw clenched when he turned to report what he saw. “They’re here. Missile hit the roof. The next one will be on target.”

  “Get this thing in the air, now!” I roared, stalking toward the pilot as he frantically worked the controls.

  A sigh of relief came as the transport soared into the air. Five seconds after our takeoff, the hotel disintegrated in a ball of flames. The image was clearly visible on the cockpit monitors.

  “You should buckle up, sir. The flight will get rough,” the pilot stated.

  I took a seat beside Emmy before strapping in. Each time the transport lurched, or swerved unexpectedly, she moaned, fingers tightening on mine. Then, it hit me. She had never been aboard a transport.

  “Tell me how you’re feeling,” I encouraged as I raised her hand to my lips.

  “I’m going to barf,” she whimpered. An air sickness bag came in handy. Emmy wretched miserably for several minutes. One of my men took the bag, and disposed of it discreetly in the waste bin. “My potato,” she whispered. “And pudding.”

  “I’ll buy you a dozen of each when we are safely on Jade Island.” My promise made her smile.

  The flight settled down after an hour of chaos. An announcement from the pilot advised that all threats were eliminated. I knew the transport carried weapons capable of dispatching threats from air, or ground. Emmy crawled into my lap the instant the belts were unfastened. She fell asleep, unaware of the moment we entered Jade Island airspace. The cockpit monitors clearly revealed Baron Michael’s estate.

  “Has our landing been cleared?” I asked the pilot.

  The man turned his head, mouth compressed in a straight line. “Someone named Joseph came online asking us to land between the two buildings. Mr. Michaels had a landing pad constructed there. Joseph and Mr. Michaels need to meet with Rafe upon our arrival.”

  I woke Emmy before our landing. She giggled when I took her into the bathroom to wash away the evidence of our tryst that still clung to both of us. “Your men probably think I’m an uncouth savage,” she murmured.

  “What my men know is that you are my mate, and to be treated with the utmost respect. Although, most are Betas, they understand how important you are in my life.” I wiped her face, and body, clean, sighing as I realized the t-shirt and panties were the only clothing she had, for now. I would remedy that once we arrived on the island.

  Unlike our takeoff, the landing was barely discernible. The ramp lowered with a soft hiss of hydraulics. Baron, Vito, an armed detail of men, and the strange white-haired Beta named Joseph, waited for us. For some reason, the welcome did not seem as friendly as I expected.

  “Baron,” I called as I walked down the ramp with Emmy’s hand clutched in mine. “Why are there so many of your men here? We aren’t a threat.”

  Baron stood a head taller than me. He was the most massive Alpha I knew. I had no desire to antagonize him. His head tilted, eyes going to Rafe, a person none of them were acquainted with. “It isn’t you I’m concerned about. Your friend here is a concern.”

  Rafe took a step toward Baron. Every weapon targeted him. He froze in place, hands raised in the universal sign of surrender. “I’m not a threat,” he muttered.

  Joseph, the strange white-haired beta, walked forward until he stood within a foot of Rafe. “It isn’t your fault, Rafe. One World installed a virus the last time you visited that horrible place in Exeter. Don’t you remember feeling ill, and falling asleep before your fun began? The woman gave you a tranquilizer. She has been dealt with. We must reprogram you now, my friend.”

  “You’re not doing anything to me,” Rafe growled, fists raised in preparation for a fight.

  “This won’t hurt a bit. X98, Rafe Stone, secondary objective, delete.” Joseph tilted his head expectantly as Rafe’s body trembled. When Rafe’s head dropped to his chest, Joseph continued. “ZR142, Rafe Stone, system reformat, reinstall primary objective.”

  I watched as Rafe’s fingers jerked, and wiggled. A series of tremors ran through his body. Minutes later his head rose.

  “Rafe Stone, reporting. Primary objective--protect the Omegas from One World, at any cost.”

  “Rafe Stone, come with me.” Joseph led Rafe toward a concrete building near the rear perimeter of the estate.

  “What the hell just happened?” I asked Baron. The weapons trained on Rafe were now lowered.

  “Joseph removed a virus, and reprogrammed Rafe. He’s been working for One World since you hired him to bring the Omega to you. According to Joseph, the
primary objective and the virus were at war with each other. That’s likely the cause of any unusual behavior you may have noticed,” Baron explained with a wave of one hand. He smiled at Emmy. “I see you found your Omega.”

  Emmy leaned against me, her arms clutching my waist. The trembling I felt came from her fear of new surroundings, and circumstances. My purr came automatically as I sought to soothe her. It was then I noticed a heavily pregnant Hailey walking toward us. Baron welcomed his mate by gently hugging her with one arm, while dropping a kiss onto her head.

  “This is Emmy. Emmy, Baron is our host, his friend Vito, and wife, Hailey. I’m afraid I don’t know the names of your men.” I caressed Emmy’s back until she relaxed.

  “We should go inside, now,” Baron called. “Maria prepared a feast when she heard you were returning with an Omega. Now Hailey and Eliane will have another Omega to bond with.” Baron turned, carefully sniffing the air as we drew closer. He grinned at me. “Congratulations are in order, I see. Emmy is carrying your child.”

  Emmy was unable to contain the question. She glanced up at me, fingers tugging my shirt. “How did he know that?” she whispered loudly.

  “He’s an Alpha. He detected it in your scent.” My response appeared to soothe her worries. Her brows no longer drawn together, eyes bright with curious interest, she took in every detail of the landscape. Occasionally, she would point at a curious item, chatter away with an observation before moving to the next item of interest. Emmy’s curiosity warmed my heart.

  Once we arrived in Baron’s mansion, Hailey took Emmy under her wing. A sigh of relief came to see my mate with someone who would, no doubt, become a good friend. The two of them soon conversed in whispers, giggling frequently while sneaking glances at Baron, and I. Eliane joined the group not long after we entered the sitting room.

  “Emmy needs something to wear,” Hailey advised. “I’m taking her upstairs to get dressed.”

  “Thank you, Hailey. I can’t wait to see what Emmy will look like when she returns,” I replied with a chuckle.

  Thirty minutes later, Emmy returned in the company of Hailey, and Eliane. Her hair was still damp. A fresh bandage covered the claiming mark. I sucked in a deep breath upon seeing her. She wore a pink sundress that revealed some of her cleavage, and a good portion of both tan legs. Absolutely gorgeous. Ethereal. All mine.

  Baron made sure we were fed well. Emmy ate something of everything, absolutely entrancing me as her stomach was filled. After the stressful events of the day, I was pleased when Baron escorted us to our quarters on the third floor of the mansion.

  “If there is anything you need, please, let me know.” He glanced at Emmy as she explored the room, curiously touching every object. “You managed to find the only Omega on the mainland. I’m certain I need to hear this story.”

  “I almost screwed it up, Baron. I let her go without claiming her. Are all Alphas as stupid as I am?”

  Baron gave my shoulder a pat. “If only you knew how badly I screwed things up with Hailey. I think Vito is the only one who’s managed to navigate the Alpha-Omega bonding, without being an idiot. She looks happy, though. That says something.”

  Emmy disappeared into the bathroom, no doubt to continue her exploration.

  “I found her last night, by some fluke. A Beta named Posie helped her. Emmy forgave me for everything. She told me she loves me. And I claimed her. For once, I did something right,” I chuckled.

  “Evan! You have to help me. This ... this thing is squirting water in the air. It’s all over the floor! It’s broken. Oh, gods! Baron will hate me! I broke something!” Emmy appeared in the doorway, wringing her hands.

  Baron and I accompanied her into the bathroom, only to find the bidet had spouted water onto the floor. “Should you tell her, or should I?” Baron asked. He held his stomach as he tried hard not to laugh.

  I knelt in front of Emmy. “It’s supposed to do that, but only if your tush is over it, love.”

  Emmy’s slate eyes widened as understanding bloomed. “It washes my tush? I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

  “I’ll leave you two alone,” Baron grinned. He took Emmy’s hand in his, pressing a kiss against her knuckles. “It was good to meet you, Emmy. I hope you rest well.”

  I was certain many misadventures awaited us as Emmy became accustomed to the modern inventions, and devices, of Jade Island.

  Chapter 7

  Emmy

  The past twenty-four hours overwhelmed me. Posie betrayed me in order to save not only me, but the Alpha I loved more than life itself. Evan showed vulnerability. Rafe’s appearance with news of One World’s attempt to take me. The flight. Arrival on Jade Island. Technology. I resorted to things I knew would ease my worries. Creating a nest worked best. My frustration grew when I realized there were so few items with our scent.

  “I don’t like big beds in fancy houses.” Squatting in the center of the massive bed gave me no peace. I jumped off the bed. Prowling around the room allowed me to examine things filling the room. Books. Decorations. Paintings hanging on the walls. Nothing belonged to us. Worst of all, nothing but the clothing on our backs retained our scent.

  Evan sat on the sofa; one leg crossed across the other. Jade eyes watched my endless circuit. “Emmy.”

  “Why can’t we sleep on the floor? Or outside. I can make a shelter. It won’t take long. Baron said to let him know if we needed anything, didn’t he?” I stopped at the window, staring out at the well-lit grounds. Armed men patrolled the perimeter. Rambling words continued to pour from me. “Why can’t I be outside? I didn’t want to be in the air flying, but I was.”

  “Emmy.” Evan’s deep voice came directly behind me. His hands came to rest on my shoulders, fingers massaging the tension away.

  “Why did One World want me? You won’t let them take me.” I turned to face him; wide eyes uplifted. Why was I frantic? What was it I craved? My hand settled on my stomach. Instinctive realization filtered through the confusion in my head. As an Omega, my concern for my offspring, and mate, would overshadow everything.

  “No one will take you, precious. We are safe, now. Most of the men who worked for me at one time, are here, now. Baron’s force is now double in size.” His voice was reassuring. He scooped me up, without another word. Once in bed, he pulled a comforter over us. A hand cupped my cheek, thumb caressing my lower lip. “You should rest. I can tell you’re exhausted.”

  His warmth, and bulk comforted me. The purr was the most heavenly sound. Barely audible, yet the vibration filled my body. Soothing. Erasing fears. Lulling me to sleep. I did not wake until the next morning.

  Evan was not in the room when I woke. A new toothbrush, and tube of toothpaste, were laid out by the bathroom sink. A blue sundress, sandals, and sweater lay beside the toothbrush. I touched the items with reverence. Items of this nature were rare in the wasteland. Uncertain if the items were intended for me, I chose to wear the pink dress from the day before.

  The window revealed the sun at its zenith. Men patrolled the perimeter. I saw Baron, the man named Vito, and Evan from my vantage point. They paused near the concrete building. The white-haired Beta appeared with Rafe at his side. A conversation took place. My vantage point did nothing to ease my worry. One World could be on the way to take me. Alone as I was, I stood no chance.

  I paced the floor for some time longer before braving the unknown. I saw a library not far from the doorway. Books did not interest me. The stairway leading to the second floor did. The second, and first floors, appeared to be empty. The house was beautiful. Elegant, expensive furnishings in black, and red, filled each room I passed.

  Where was everyone? A rush of indignation filled me. How dare Evan desert me in a strange place?

  My temper soared as I made my way outside. Instinct drew me along the walkway to an area behind the mansion. As I suspected, the Alphas gathered near the concrete building, talking. Evan threw back his head and laughed at something Baron said.

  Evan’s
gaze fell on me as I stalked toward them. The smile disappeared, only to be replaced with a somber expression. The group of Alphas turned when Evan muttered something beneath his breath.

  “Emmy,” he called as I came within feet of the party.

  “Don’t Emmy me. Everyone left me! If I wanted to wake up alone in a strange place, I would have stayed in the drainage tunnel in Walden!” I paused, both arms crossed on my chest. Evan laughed. Blood pulsed in my temples. “I suppose you think that’s funny?”

  He approached, without faltering. I knew a boundary had been crossed the instant his jaw clenched, and brows drew together. Regardless of his irritation with me, he never once raised his voice, or embarrassed me with others looking on. “You are hungry. I can understand you’re upset because I left you. You were safe, Emmy. I very much wanted you to rest. Let’s go inside where Maria can prepare you something to eat.” The low, velvety rumble of his voice did little to calm me.

  “You ... you won’t hurt me when you discipline me, will you?” My voice dropped to a whisper, for his ears only.

  “What makes you think I’ll discipline you?”

  Silence was the best response. My fist pressed against the aching length of my sternum. It told me everything I needed to know. I embarrassed him in front of the Alphas. He was angry, and wanted to discipline me. I could not look at him. Instead, I trudged toward the mansion. Evan’s footsteps came behind me. The heat of his gaze on my back forced my shoulders to hunch. By the time we made it to the eat-in kitchen, my stomach ached. Maria prepared scrambled eggs, and sausage, with toast. I could do little more than pick at the food while resting my chin in one hand.

  “You no like eggs, and sausage?” Maria asked. Her dark eyes were filled with concern as she glanced from me, to Evan.

  “I’m not hungry. Thank you for making breakfast.” Thoughts of attempting a bite of food made my stomach toss, and turn. I excused myself before trudging up the steps to the third floor, and the room Baron so graciously allowed us to have. Once inside the room, I knelt by the bed, leaned my head on my arms, and waited for the inevitable. The door closed behind Evan, the lock clicking. A shiver raced along my spine. The short hairs on both arms stood erect.