Denying the Alpha: Manlove Edition

by 5 Author Anthology

  Jared sighed as he cast off his robe and moved to the bed. “Doubt I’ll sleep tonight,” he said to himself, his only comfort the knowledge that Gregor was likely in the same state.

  Chapter Two

  Gregor got out of bed for the tenth time, finally giving up on sleep as the sun began to rise. He dressed hurriedly and went in search of the library he’d been told about. He’d fallen into bed determined not to give in to the game Jared wanted him to play. But spending the night alone in that huge bed, knowing his mate could’ve been there with him, had him reconsidering. He’d been glad his Beta had been preoccupied with patrolling—Gregor didn’t know what he was going to tell Luke if he couldn’t find a solution by tonight. While Luke was one of his most loyal Betas, an Alpha who couldn’t claim his mate was always viewed as weak.

  A servant showed him the room, and Gregor thanked him before entering. For almost a minute, he simply stood there in the doorway, staring at the unending room and the shelves that extended all the way up to the ceiling, which seemed very far away.

  A throat was cleared at his side. “Can I help you, Alpha?”

  Gregor looked down at a young fae man who was barely four feet tall.

  “I would love some help.” He tilted his head. “You know who I am?”

  “Of course. Aside from your size, your power is obvious.”

  “I don’t really have powers. Not the way you do.”

  The man smiled. “Call it your strength then.” He gave a slight bow. “I’m Caden, the librarian. Are you perhaps here for books on our history? Or maybe something to please your betrothed? A surprise perhaps?”

  My betrothed? Word travels fast around here. But he didn’t want to reveal too much. “I am here because of Jared. A pack is very different from a kingdom. I don’t know much about”—he sighed, hating to say the words—“courting a prince.” He tried to smile. “I want to please him.”

  “Ah, I see!” Caden said. He turned and flicked his wrist. Dozens of books came flying from the shelves and settled in little piles on a nearby table. He walked over to the table and beckoned Gregor over. “These will be a start. Etiquette books, mostly.” He grabbed a red one. “But you might find this one interesting, if you wish to impress Jared with something special.”

  Gregor looked at the title. “The Great Union.”

  “Yes. Most humans don’t realize that the word fae—no matter how you spell it—is kind of a catch-all phrase that applies to dozens of different magical beings. The fae race, as it is today, is actually a blending of two races—elves and sprites.” He pointed to his ear. “That’s where the pointy ears come from, the elven side. The short stature and petite frame came from the sprites, a graceful and quite lovely race. Both races were dying out, until elven men started bedding female sprites. This happened thousands of years ago, so some things in the book will probably seem odd to you, but it might help you to see how the two races adapted to one another.”

  “Perhaps. Thank you.” Gregor sat down at the table and opened the book, even though he didn’t think he’d find much of interest in a history book.

  “Just snap your fingers if you need anything.”

  “Thank you,” Gregor said, even though it seemed the man had already left him. He sighed and glanced over the table of contents briefly. His gaze flitted up to the piles of books before him.

  It’s going to be a long day.

  ****

  Six Hours Later

  Gregor paced outside the king’s private rooms as he waited for permission to enter. The door flung open, and the servant who’d brought him there came back out.

  “My apologies, sir. I only needed to make sure His Majesty was prepared to receive you.” He gestured to the door. “Please enter.”

  “Thank you. No apology needed.” He felt bad, as his agitation must’ve been perceived as impatience. He strode in and closed the door, spying the king standing out on the balcony.

  Asmund smiled at him from his place by the stone railing. “Things must’ve gone well last night. Neither one of you showed up for breakfast. Or lunch.”

  Gregor frowned, wondering why Jared might not have shown up for those meals. Was he hiding? And if so, from Gregor or the king? “We both slept alone last night.”

  Asmund’s face fell. “What? Did you two talk at all?”

  “We talked. And I was given an ultimatum.”

  “Oh, dear.” Asmund sighed. “This is one of the reasons I wanted more contact with the wolves. Jared’s so different from us in many ways. I’ve never known anyone as stubborn as he is.” He leaned on the railing. “What did he say?”

  “He said I’d have to woo him. Properly. He practically climbed me like a tree within minutes of meeting me, but last night his exact words were no wedding, no wedding night.”

  Asmund went pale, worry plain in his eyes. “Perhaps I can talk to him again.”

  “I have another idea.” He braced one hand on the railing and leaned over to look the king in the face. “Tell me about The Hunt.”

  Asmund looked confused for a moment, but then his eyebrows went up. “The Hunt? How did you learn about that?”

  “The library. Caden helped me, though I don’t think he intended for me to find that.”

  “If you read about it, you know all there is to know, really. As the elves became less fertile, and females more scarce, elven men turned to a race that had the opposite problem—too many females and nowhere near enough males.”

  “But those females made them work for it. The way Jared is trying to.”

  “You could put it that way, but remember, he is only half shifter. It’s partly my fault. I assumed, from what you said, that he felt the pull as well. I really should’ve summoned him. He was pretty angry when I talked to him.”

  “You’re his king. He should obey.”

  Asmund smiled. “Kings and Alphas are different. I could use my power to make him obey me, but I love him too much to make him hate me.”

  “He wouldn’t hate you. He feels the pull, too, no matter what he says. He’s angry he wasn’t consulted. Once we’re mated, he won’t care.”

  “So what do you propose? I’m not sure I understand.”

  “According to what I read, at first, the sprites were mischievous. They’d make the elves chase them. Hunt them down. But then it changed, it seems.”

  “Yes. Once the races had begun to blend, some sprites would call for a hunt to find the most worthy male. That’s when they began referring to it as The Hunt. It was for sport as much as anything. A sort of sexual game.”

  Gregor nodded. “And there was another option as well.”

  Asmund frowned. “Another option? After a few hundred years, it all stopped. No one has declared a hunt for well over a thousand years. I don’t know what you mean.”

  “What I mean is there was another form. It wasn’t always the women initiating things. When a man declared for a woman but was denied, he could invoke The Hunt if no other suitors came forward. She had twenty-four hours. If he caught her, she had to yield.”

  Asmund narrowed his eyes. “Yes, well, today I believe we call that rape, no matter what those old texts say about it.”

  “I agree. But it gave me an idea. Hear me out. I want to propose something altogether new. I come from a race of hunters, so to speak. Jared sent me to the library to punish me for what I did. But trust me, he wants me. He’s going to give in, but on his terms. The wolf in him, though? It wants to be claimed by its Alpha. He’ll jump at this idea if we present it the right way.”

  “We? I’m not sure I want to be this involved in my cousin’s sex life, if I’m honest.”

  Gregor sighed. “You help me, or we go back to square one with this alliance. We wrote the mating into the contract. No mate, no alliance.”

  The king’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes. He’s my mate. I don’t expect you to understand. The desire is almost instant, but so is the need to protect. To care for, provide for, figh
t for. He and I have had two conversations and touched twice, but I would kill for him. I would die for him.”

  The king considered him for a long moment. “Tell him that. He’s stubborn, but deep down, he’s tender-hearted. In a way. Tell him how it feels not to have him at your side. He’ll persist in this if he thinks his denial is only hurting your pride. But show him you’re aching in another way—one that has nothing to do with your cock—and he’ll stop. Open up to you again.”

  Could it work? The idea of Jared feeling bad and trying to make things up to him certainly had its appeal. “And if it doesn’t work?”

  “Let’s try it my way first. All right? If he keeps giving you a hard time, then propose it. If you’re actually right, he’ll jump at it, won’t he?”

  “I think so.”

  “He’s never hesitated to fall into bed with anyone. If he wants you, he won’t hold out much longer.”

  Gregor growled.

  “What?” Asmund said, his eyes widening.

  “I’m a wolf. I don’t like constantly hearing about my mate’s former lovers.”

  “We do have sprite blood—they were a sensual and mischievous race. Add in the wolf part of him? Might explain his behavior. I can’t believe you’ve been celibate all these years.”

  Gregor let his breath out in a huff. “That’s hardly the point.”

  The king laughed. “Then don’t bring up how many lovers he’s had. He’ll make it the point if you start acting jealous.” The king turned to look out across the land. “Do as you wish. I can always back you up and use the alliance as a justification, though the more I think on what he said to me, the more I believe you might be right. He’s not the submissive type, so his anger might be as much at his desire to yield as it is at you and your actions.” He sighed. “Whatever it takes to get you two to settle this.”

  Whatever it takes? My thoughts exactly.

  ****

  Jared sat in his receiving room and stared at the door. He’d never been so bored in his life. According to the servants, Gregor had in fact risen very early and gone to the library. No one had yet delivered any news of him leaving. Jared’s meals had been brought to him, but he’d only picked at them. He wanted to go find Dane, his best friend, but he didn’t want to run into Asmund. He and his cousin had never argued about anything before. While the king always showed strength when he needed to, his one weakness was how much he hated conflict with individuals. That’s the kind of mate Gregor actually needs. Asmund probably would’ve bent right over the desk for him as soon as the contract was signed.

  Jared frowned at that idea. His cousin had only been teasing him yesterday, trying to prod him to action. And if Jared was Gregor’s mate, the wolf wouldn’t want another anyway.

  Right?

  The idea of Gregor satisfying his need inside another made Jared feel hot all over. He rose and tried to think of something else as his mind threw up images of Gregor with other men. Resting his hands on the mantelpiece, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

  A knock came at the door, and his eyes popped open. He definitely didn’t want to talk to the king, but he felt undecided about Gregor. “Who is it?” he asked.

  “Gregor.”

  He let go of the mantle and stood up straight. Smoothing his clothes, he turned around and said, “Come.”

  The smile on Gregor’s face made him wish he’d said, “Come in,” instead. The way the large man got him hard with just a look both annoyed and fascinated Jared. He cleared his throat and said, “Good afternoon.” He cringed inwardly at how stiff he sounded.

  “I’m hoping it will be. I’ve been doing some reading and hoped we could talk.”

  Jared gestured to the longest couch. “Certainly. Please have a seat.”

  “Thank you.” Gregor sat and patted the cushion beside him. “Will you join me?”

  Jared sat across from him, with a table between them. “What did you want to talk about?”

  Gregor fixed him with an intense gaze. “The way you changed completely once I’d done something to displease you. And what it’s doing to me.”

  “I changed because what you did hurt me. Disrespected me.”

  “And I apologize. I made an assumption based on your initial reaction to me, and I’m sorry I did that. But there’s something you simply don’t understand. Centuries ago, no wolf asked permission to claim a mate. The moment I scented you, you became my world. You’re mine.”

  “So I’m just your little fuck toy? No rights of my own?”

  “That is not what I said. You’re mine to fuck, yes, but also to love and cherish. To protect and care for. To provide for. I will kill for you. Die for you. My every action revolves around you. I would even turn on my pack or step down as Alpha if you were in danger. You can ask me for anything, and I’ll do all in my power to give it to you.” Gregor rose. “I only ask for one thing from you.” He knelt at Jared’s side and reached for his hand.

  Jared didn’t pull from his touch, but he grew nervous when Gregor didn’t say anything. He cleared his throat, very conscious of the other man’s nearness. “One thing?” he asked.

  “Quit denying the pull you feel. Let me claim you. Make you truly mine.”

  Jared withdrew his hand slowly. “I’m glad you apologized. Despite what you think, I do understand how shifters feel toward their mates. But what you need to understand is that I won’t bind myself to anyone based on some primal urge.”

  Gregor gazed down for almost a minute before standing up and looking at Jared. “And that’s your final answer?”

  “I asked you to woo me. Not talk me into coming to your bed.”

  Gregor smiled, but it was an odd smile. Jared thought it looked playful, with a hint of something else underneath it. “Then you leave me no choice. I’ve already spoken to the king about this.”

  “About what?” Jared said, shrinking back as he waited for Gregor to make a move.

  “I’m invoking The Hunt. Unless you accept another suitor by sundown, The Hunt will begin in the morning. I believe I’ll allow you a three-hour head start, since I am a wolf.”

  Jared laughed, but the look on Gregor’s face killed that laughter within a few seconds. “Who told you about this?”

  Gregor’s smile broadened. “I read about it in the library. Where you sent me.”

  “My cousin actually agreed to this? The type of hunt you’re talking about is what led to it being done away with.”

  “I’m a hunter. This type of courtship seems fitting to me. And yes, your cousin agreed. If you defy me, and him, the alliance is void. We’ll start negotiations back at square one.”

  Jared jumped up. “You can’t do that!”

  “I can. Our union is what seals this deal.”

  Jared turned away, his mind racing. All I have to do is let him fuck me. Then everything will be all right. The alliance will be saved. We can worry about the consequences later. The thought of pulling Gregor into the bedroom made his body stir, and he turned and looked at the Alpha.

  Gregor still grinned at him, crossing his arms over his puffed-out chest.

  Jared turned away again. He thinks he’s already won. If he wants to play games, then fine. We’ll play a fucking game. Pushing his hair behind his ears, he tried to calm his features as he faced Gregor again. “We’ll do it your way. If you don’t catch me, you’ll leave me alone?”

  Gregor hesitated, but eventually, he nodded. “Yes. But rest assured, I’ll catch you. I could follow your scent all the way around the world.”

  “And if a suitor comes forward, and I accept him? Or her? You’ll concede?”

  “Yes.”

  Jared looked to the clock. “It’s five hours until sunset. That’s plenty of time.”

  “Already have someone in mind?”

  “Several, actually.” He made for the door, knowing he’d lose his cool if they dragged this out too much longer. “If you’ll excuse me.”

  Gregor threw a hand up to stop him. “Just a minute. W
e have to follow all the rules.”

  “Which ones am I not following exactly?” He searched his memory but couldn’t think of anything else he was supposed to do.

  “You can’t leave this room. If you’re circulating among others, you could bribe or persuade someone to come forward and declare for you. You’ll stay here, with a guard in the room. It will be announced far and wide what is happening. Anyone wishing to declare for you will go to the king and—”

  “Stop!” Jared said, moving to stand nose to nose with Gregor. “I shouldn’t have to follow all these rules. You aren’t following them.”

  “How am I not following them?”

  “I’m not rejecting you. I’m telling you to slow your furry ass down. You can only invoke The Hunt if I reject you.”

  “You’re denying me. That is a rejection.”

  “You’re impossible.”

  To his surprise, Gregor didn’t argue. Instead, he knelt down. “And you’re hard as a rock.” Gregor’s hand reached out and moved over the bulge in Jared’s trousers.

  Jared sucked in a gasp. Nothing had ever felt so good, and this was just the man rubbing him through his pants. What would more feel like?

  Gregor watched him closely as he slowly unlaced the trousers. “I’d make a joke about the lack of zippers around here, but I like this. It’s like opening a present.”

  Jared started to reply, but then his cock was in Gregor’s large, warm hand. Gregor’s strong fingers moved as if they already knew what Jared liked. His heart pounded as his breathing quickened. Gregor’s dark eyes transfixed him as a surprisingly rough tongue flicked out to lick the pre-cum from his tip.

  “I thought my submission was the goal,” Jared said.