Becoming the Alpha (8 page)

I felt a quiver in my core at the intensity of his words. I fell back in the chair with a groan as I covered my face. “Fine.”

His fingertips danced along the insides of my thighs, and I almost jumped out of my skin at the ticklish sensations. I batted his hands away. “No fair. You said no more of that right now.”

“I said I plan on taking my time,” he said with a devilish glint in his eye. “But I think I can make an exception for some things.”

I didn’t have time to speak before he gripped my hips and pulled me down the chair so that my butt would have fallen off the chair if his hands hadn’t held me steady. I started to protest when his head ducked under my skirt, but then I felt the first brush of his lips against my inner thigh, and I had to bite back a small yelp.

I felt the wetness between my thighs. It had been a long time since I’d been like this with a man, and this wasn’t just any man. It was Lukas, and there was something about the fact that he wanted to do this for me that stopped my hands from pushing him away. He wanted me to trust him.  I wanted to trust him.

So I leaned back in the chair and gave over to the sensations that had started to build in my core. I gave over to Lukas, just like we both probably always knew that I would.

Lukas must have felt my muscles relax, because suddenly my skirt up was pushed up to bunch around my waist. Our eyes locked as he looked up at me from the juncture of my thighs, and I felt a flush of heat across my cheeks.

“You don’t ever have to be embarrassed around me, babe,” he said. His voice was low and thick with need. “It’s just me.”

That was the part that scared me the most, and I bit my lower lip. He winked at me, and then his eyes returned to that most delicate and vulnerable part of me. He gently kissed my inner thighs as he pushed my hips back on the seat just enough so that I teetered right on the edge. Lukas’s fingers continued their exploration of my skin ahead of his lips. When they swept aside the thin fabric of my underwear and grazed that most sensitive part of me, my back arched in response.

“That’s what I remember,” Lukas whispered. His fingers began to dance up and down, and then I felt his teeth graze my clit, and I gasped. “I want to see you light up for me the way you did that night.”

I barely heard his words. I was completely distracted by the sensations he was creating with his masterful play of fingers and tongue between my legs. He pushed my legs further apart, and I wiggled my ass so that I had a better grip on the floor. Then his arms came up under my knees, and I felt my lower body sweep up into the air as he found a better angle that opened me up to him even more.

My hands wove through his hair encouraging him on. I could feel my release building inside my core, and as Lukas pushed a finger into my slick channel, I moaned and shifted trying to help him find that perfect spot. His teeth grazed my clit again, and then he pushed another finger inside of me.

I was too far gone to think coherent thoughts anymore. As he began to stroke inside of me, I felt his fingers curl to catch the spot that drove me wild. I felt my hips begin to buck, but he held me firmly against his mouth. There was no escaping his insistent tongue and his artful play inside of me that drew my emotions out and forced me to climb.

“Lukas,” I gasped.

“Yeah, babe. That’s it,” he said. “Fly for me.”

I could only do as he commanded. I felt an incredible wave of warmth slide over me, and I closed my eyes and let it carry me away. I didn’t care if I brought the whole town to my doorstep with the sounds of pleasure that I made. It was the most exquisite orgasm that I could remember ever experiencing in my life, and I squeezed my muscles around Lukas’s fingers to keep the sensations going as long as I could.

When they finally began to settle, I opened my eyes and saw that Lukas was studying me intently. I sighed as I felt the emptiness as his fingers left me. “Wow.” I didn’t know what else to say.

Lukas pushed his arms up underneath my back and drew me up to him. His lips found mine, and I sighed again at his gentle probing as I tasted myself on his tongue. When he pulled away, he stroked my cheek. “You keep looking at me like that, and I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself from taking you right here.”

“You’re the one that made up that silly rule,” I said with a pout.

“Trust me, I like nothing better than seeing my woman with a fully satisfied look on her face.” He pulled on my lower lip. “You are utterly beautiful.”

His sweetness finally broke through my lust filled haze. I wrapped my arms around his chest and set my cheek against his chest. His arms swept around me, and I sat there listening to his heartbeat for several long moments.

“This doesn’t seem real,” I finally said.

His fingers wove into my hair, and I felt his lips press against the crown on my head. “It’s real for as long as you want it to be. I promise.”

I nuzzled against him and enjoyed the moment. Finally, I reluctantly let him go. He slid away from me and stood. He wore a goofy grin that I knew meant he was feeling quite pleased with himself, although I enjoyed the fact that he shifted awkwardly in his stance. His khakis left little to the imagination of his situation.

“I guess I can wait for that later,” I said, looking pointedly at his crotch. “Thanks for the preview this morning.” Lukas’s expression darkened, and I realized what I had just said. “Shit. That was a stupid thing to say. I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “We should probably talk about all of that at some point. There are things that you should know if we’re going to do this right.”

“Like clothing has to be optional when you phase back and forth,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “I guess I’m going to have to get used to all the women in the clan seeing something that they can look at but can’t touch.”

Lukas’s eyes twinkled. “Jealous much?”

“Don’t give me a reason to be,” I said as I lightly hit his arm. “It’s going to take me awhile to get used to this. Us.”

He pulled me into his arms again. “I like the sound of that. Us.”

I laughed and pushed up onto my tiptoes. I couldn’t help it. Now that I had Lukas where I wanted him, I had a feeling I was going to want him all the time. Luckily, he seemed more than willing to oblige with long and sultry kisses that made my head spin.

Two hours later, I approached the large white tent that had been set-up to accommodate the grand gala celebration that marked the beginning of the Summit. I saw the line of paparazzi waiting the required distance from the entrance to photograph each of the invited attendees. I saw my father’s bald head bobbing through the crowd, and I quickly moved toward the back of the tent. I nodded to several of the clan members who were working the security detail there. Lukas told me that they would be expecting me, so I wouldn’t have to walk in front of everyone and be forced to answer questions I wasn’t ready to answer yet.

It had taken me forever to pick out what I was going to wear to the gala. Lukas joked that he was fine if I wanted to wear a potato sack. I didn’t have anything that I liked well enough in my closet that I felt was ‘gala’ appropriate. I wasn’t going to wear the same dress he had just seen me in the night before. Plus, I still had to make sure there was enough material covering up his mark. Lukas said he was going to tell the council about us in the morning.

In the end, I was forced to pull out a red dress that had sleeves but a plunging neckline that left little to the imagination. I had bought it on a whim and always intended to return it but never got around to it. When I bought the dress, I was several pounds lighter, but now it fit me like a glove while also making it difficult for me to breathe. Judging by the appreciative looks the security guards gave me though, I hoped that Lukas would be equally pleased.

Since I had fretted over my wardrobe for longer than I anticipated, by the time I arrived inside the tent, I heard the clanking of a bell signaling that it was time for the opening remarks. Even with my heels on, I could hardly see the front of the room.

“Wouldn’t kill these clans to have at least a few short people in them,” I grumbled to myself as I stood on my tiptoes and strained to see over the shoulders in front of me. I knew that Lukas was likely on the stage up front because he would have to say something in greeting to the assembled crowd. The Greyelf Grizzly clan was the host of this year’s Summit.

I winced as I heard the echo of the microphone pop. I began my slow progress of squeezing around people to move closer to the front.

Doc Walden’s voice over the microphone was easily recognizable. “Thank you all for coming this evening. As the remaining original council member of the Greyelf Grizzly clan, I want to welcome all of you to the third gathering of the shifter Summit. I know that many of you traveled many miles from across the country to be here in our little end of the world. There are representatives from forty-four different clans represented this evening with another dozen expected to join us tomorrow as discussions get underway.”

My eyes widened. I was fairly certain that my dad knew more about shifters than any human out there. To the best of his knowledge, he thought that were a dozen shifter clans. It just went to show how secretive the clans were in general. I had a feeling I was going to be surprised a lot over the next few days.

I kept weaving through the crowd gaining inches toward the front with each move. Finally, I managed to push through and find a small opening right in front of the stage. Doc Walden stood at the podium and was gesturing in the air as he described all the turmoil of the past several years. I knew that I should be paying attention and taking note of what he was saying, but my eyes searched for Lukas. I found him sitting in a chair on the other side of Doc Walden. He leaned back in his chair with an air of slightly feigned boredom, but I knew that his eyes were sweeping the crowd looking for anything amiss.

I knew the minute he spotted me by the slight twinge of a smile that played across his lips. His eyebrows rose as his eyes traveled down my body, and I couldn’t stop my blush. I was as hungry for him as he appeared to be for me, and I couldn’t wait until we had time to continue what we had started that afternoon.

My eyes were drawn back to Doc Walden when I heard him say Lukas’s name.

“…terrible tragedy with the loss of Markus Kasper, but Lukas has stepped into his alpha role with strength and wisdom well beyond his years.” I rolled my eyes. I figured that it wasn’t going to be public knowledge how close it had been to Lukas not becoming the alpha.

Lukas stood up then and straightened his jacket clearly expecting to take over the microphone. I had to admire that he didn’t appear the least bit nervous about addressing the crowd of almost five hundred shifters.

“It is also with great pleasure that I am able to announce an additional reason for celebration this evening,” Doc Walden continued. I saw Lukas frown at him. “It is well-known that there has long been a dispute regarding the treaty between the Grizzlies and our neighbors to the north, the Loper clan. Some of those disagreements have resulted in scrimmages and misunderstandings that claimed lives on both sides.”

That was something I did know. There wasn’t any love lost between the two clans, but I had always chalked it up to bears and lions not getting along. Even though myth and legend would say that lions were the ultimate kings of the animal realm, in reality it was the grizzly that held the upper hand. That had never sat well with the lions. I knew that there had been a few brawls along their shared border that had ended in bloodshed. The feud was long-standing and ran deep.

“It was Markus’s sincerest wish that during this Summit we find a way to put the scars of the past behind us and truly all come together as one. After long conversations with Paul Reddon, the Loper alpha, I am pleased to say that we have at long last agreed on terms that end the feud once and for all.”

The crowd erupted in applause and hollers of delight. I started clapping as well because it seemed appropriate, but I saw the look on Lukas’s face as his eyes darted between me and Doc Walden. I felt a pit of dread form in the pit of my stomach as Doc Walden put up his arms to wave for everyone to quiet down.

“So it is with great pleasure to say it is my honor to introduce you to Lukas Kasper, the Greyelf Grizzly clan’s alpha along with his intended mate, Vivian Reddon from the Loper Clan. Come on up here, sweetheart.”

It felt as if my heart dropped into my stomach as I watched a curvy blond with legs a mile long step onto the stage and approach Lukas with a wide smile. Doc Walden stepped back from the podium clapping and gesturing for Lukas to join him. I couldn’t believe it.

It all hit me then. Marilee told me that the council had chosen the alpha’s mate and there wouldn’t be any way that he’d be able to refuse. Lukas had known the council had arranged for his mate, but he never told me it was a deal that had been done to end the blood feud between his clan and their most hated enemy.

I stared at him with tears forming in my eyes. He stepped to the podium and the gorgeous Vivian Reddon joined him. He kissed her on the cheek, and then she smiled and waved the crowd. They looked sickeningly perfect together. Lukas didn’t look at me as he moved to the microphone.

He told me that he wanted to be with me, but he was the alpha. I had told him that taking on the job meant he’d have to accept the responsibility that came with it. That responsibility apparently came in the form of a six-foot blond goddess who had the ability to phase into a lioness.

I felt sick.

“Friends, welcome to Greyelf.” Lukas’s voice boomed through the microphone. It was even and unemotional.

I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t watch it happen. I turned and began to shove my way back through the crowd. I refused to cry until I was outside the tent. I blocked out his voice. I had to forget him. I had to forget everything because the vision of the future that he had built up for me that afternoon had been quashed to nothing.

At the last minute, I remembered to veer toward the slit at the back of the tent. There was no way I could face my dad or the assembled paparazzi outside the tent. I had no words to explain how stupid I was to think that anything could ever be different between me and Lukas.

I stumbled out of the tent and was grateful to see that the security guards must have stepped inside. I kicked my heels off and ran into the tree line of woods so that I was out of sight of any prying eyes. I felt the huge push of a sob building in my core, and I put my hand against my stomach in a useless attempt to stop it.

I took as many deep breaths as my dress would allow. Although I tried to block it out, the reel of Lukas kissing Vivian’s cheek played over and over again in my mind. My senses had dulled, and I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I never heard any indication that I was no longer alone.