Romancing the Alpha Read online

  “Come with me,” she said. “I want to show you something.”

  Grant followed her to the back, climbing into the passenger seat of her ancient Honda. She revved up the engine, and pulled out of the parking lot, down Main Street and headed towards her house.

  A few minutes later, she pulled into the driveway of her home, but instead of parking her car out front, she maneuvered it to the back of the house.

  “We own about two acres of land,” she explained, turning the engine off. “Plus most of the adjacent properties are all owned by other Lycans. I know where to go, so just stick with me.”

  It had grown dark, the nearly full moon was rising in the distance, and the air was crisp and cool. Frankie opened her door and stepped out, and he did the same, closing the passenger door behind him and following her to a clearing.

  “Turn around,” she ordered. “And don’t even think about peeking!” She warned, as she reached behind her to unzip her skirt.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he winked at her, turning to face the house. He couldn’t help it though, and snuck a glance. He saw a glimpse of smooth skin, and full, round buttocks that sent blood straight to his cock. He quickly turned away and began to undress. Removing his jacket, shirt, and pants, he then folded them neatly on the cool grass.

  Frankie may have been prudish about her naked body, but he wasn’t. He turned around, fully naked, his cock half-hard, and faced her.

  His breath caught in his throat when he saw her wolf. The she-wolf before him wasn’t as large as his, but it was certainly impressive. Ink-black fur covered the animal’s lean body, except for patches of dark and light brown on her snout, face, and paws. The tips of her ears were standing at alert, dark bushy tail wagging behind her. The wolf looked at him with keen blue-green eyes, urging his own animal to come out and play.

  The change came quickly so he barely felt the usual tension and pain that came with a shift. Soon, his own wolf stood proud and tall in the moonlight, and he let out a loud howl, the sound piercing through the still air. She joined him and their dual howls rang through the tranquil spring night.

  Frankie’s wolf came to him, warily at first, sniffing the air around him. Grant got down on his front legs, leaving his hind legs unbent in a play bow position. She moved closer, rubbing the sides of her body against him in affection, and he licked her face. His wolf growled in approval, a low rumble in chest as warmth spread through him.

  Yes, let’s play, his wolf said.

  In an instant, she sprinted towards the woods at the end of the property.

  Catch her, the wolf pressed and he needed no more urging.

  He quickly followed, his longer and more powerful legs quickly catching up with her, but she was surprisingly fast, plus she had the advantage of familiarity with the woods, dashing here and there and avoiding obstacles a second faster than him.

  They charged through the woods, the wind blowing through his fur and the feel, scent, and sights of the woods and the damp earth filled his senses. Frankie’s wolf, right beside him, lead him through her territory and they ran as fast as they could, jumping over felled logs and sprinting through the trees.

  Grant had never felt so…free and wild. The wolf in him felt the same, as if he’d been caged for years and was only now allowed to roam. Nostrils flared and warmth spread throughout his Lycan body each time he got close enough to sniff the she-wolf’s delicious scent, his inner wolf itching with desire as he pushed his body to keep up with her.

  They roamed the woods, racing each other through the trees. He wasn’t sure how long they were out, but eventually, they circled back around the property and were headed back to the house.

  They ran, side by side, racing to the back porch. Grant’s more powerful legs spurred him forward, but to his surprise, Frankie lunged at him, her front paws digging playfully into his fleshy rump, and sending them sprawling across the lawn, landing near where they started. Grant quickly changed back, his limbs tangling with furry legs and a tail, forcing her to shift into her human form so as not to crush him.

  After rolling around for a few feet, they finally stopped, Grant laying on his back on the grass, Frankie sprawled on top of him, giggling and laughing.

  Her laughter was the most beautiful thing he’d ever heard. Full, rich and sincere. She sounded relaxed and happy, and his inner wolf was appeased, and so was he, especially with her soft, naked curves pressed against him.

  She sighed, melting into his arms, moving her head up so she looked at him, her chin digging into his chest, her wild, dark hair spilling over her shoulders. Her bi-colored eyes burned and glowed in the moonlight. It felt so right, having her in his arms, and he pulled her tighter against him, trying to ignore the way his fully erect cock was pressing against her stomach and her full breasts flattened up against him. Frankie also seemed more relaxed, the tension from dinner had all but left her body.

  “You never just…shift and let the wolf take over?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

  “No,” Grant confessed. “Not lately I mean. When I was younger and learning to shift, of course I had to learn to change back and forth. I was in training summer camp with other Lycans my age and we went upstate so we had a safe place. It was fun and we got to roam around, but since then it’s always been about following the rules. No shifting unless absolutely necessary.”

  Frankie wrinkled her nose. “I couldn’t imagine not letting my wolf out. Sure, Nonna and Ma taught me and Dante how to shift when we started going through puberty. But then, when we mastered controlling the shift, we’d have nights like this, when the moon was full and bright and we’d go out and just run and play. Even my human brothers got to tag along.”

  As a smile lit up her face, and Grant thought she looked even more beautiful. He placed a hand on her cheek, caressing her gently. A satisfied growl came from her chest, and he impulsively shoved his fingers through her hair and pulled her up for a kiss.

  She nipped at his lips playfully, but let him slant his lips over hers. His tongue snaked out, dragging along the seam of her lips. Eagerly, she opened her mouth to him, letting him taste her.

  Grant groaned into her mouth when she adjusted her hips so his aroused cock lay right under her sex, the neatly trimmed hair tickling his shaft. Her arousal was unmistakable, the smell of almond cookies and her excitement were teasing his senses. He only had to move lower, maneuver himself in the right direction and he could bury himself inside her. She moaned, rubbing her core against his shaft, and she took a deep breath, reaching between them to wrap her hands around his cock and guide him to her entrance. His heart was beating so loud he could feel it slamming against his ribcage.

  “Frankie,” he ripped his lips away from hers. “I-”

  A loud, piercing sound rang through the air, an unmistakable sound that sent Grant’s blood cooling.

  “Fuck!” he cursed, closing his eyes. He grabbed the back of her head and pressed their foreheads together. “That’s my phone.”

  Frankie froze, and she let go of him. “Is that important?” she whined, the need in her voice evident.

  “Yes. Goddammnit!” That was Nick’s ringtone, a special tone that would ring his phone even if it was on silent mode or even switch the phone on. But it only did that in extreme emergencies. His first thought was that there was another mage attack.

  She sighed. “Go and answer it then,” she rolled off him, and began to gather her discarded clothes.

  Grant cursed again as he watched her curvy, luscious body move away from him, her buttocks jiggling enticingly as she shrugged into her tight skirt.

  His inner wolf snarled at him, as if blaming him. Why are you just letting her go?

  Oh shut up, he thought. Years of training and learning control snapped back into place, and the wolf was silenced. Following the sound of the rings, he found his pants and fished his phone out of the pocket.

  “Nick,” he said as he began to dress. “What’s wrong? Is it the mages?”

&n
bsp; There was an amused laugh on the other end. “No, not at all. Sorry to, er, interrupt,” Nick knew where he would be tonight. “It’s Alynna. She’s in labor and I thought you would want to be here when the baby comes.”

  “Right,” he glanced over at Frankie, who was already fully dressed, but her hair down over her shoulders, like a pitch-black waterfall. She gave him a weak smile and nodded her head towards the back porch, and began walking. “I’m on my way.” He pressed on the red button on the phone and then dialed another number. “Hello, Patrick? Yes, I went to Ms. Muccino’s house. Can you pick me up, please, we need to head back to New York. Two minutes. Great.” He put the phone in his pocket and walked towards the back porch. Frankie was on top of the steps, leaning against one of the railings.

  “I have to go,” he said, looking up at her. He shrugged his shirt on, but left it unbuttoned, and his jacket was slung over one arm. “It’s Alynna. She’s having the baby now.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Oh wow! That’s amazing…I mean, congratulations!”

  “Come with me,” he urged, climbing up the steps. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, nuzzling his nose in her hair to breathe in her scent.

  “I can’t,” she replied, but snuggled against him, her hands slipping into his open shirt and wrapping around his middle. “This is a special moment for your family. I can’t - don’t want - to intrude.”

  He nodded and kissed her forehead. “Alright, but, give me your phone number,” he said, fishing his phone out of his pocket. Handing her the phone, he watched as she tapped her number into the device. She handed it back to him, and before he took it, he kissed her palm. “I’ll text you.”

  “Sure,” she stepped back. “Your ride should be here any moment.”

  They walked around to the front porch, and sure enough, Patrick was already holding the door of the town car open.

  “Have a safe drive and tell Alynna I said congratulations.”

  “I will,” he said and walked towards the car. He fought the urge to grab her and kiss her senseless, torn between wanting to stay and needing to get back as soon as he could. The birth of Alynna’s child, the first True Mate child for this generation, was a big deal and he had to make sure his clan was safe. As the car pulled away, his eyes never left the front porch of the house, looking at Frankie standing there, watching him leave.

  Chapter Twelve

  Grant entered the private room at The Enclave Medical wing, his eyes immediately drawn towards the figure on the bed. Alynna was lying down, looking exhausted, but happy, holding a small bundle in a pink blanket in her arms. Alex was sitting on chair beside the bed, watching his wife and baby with the biggest grin in the world, looking like he couldn’t stop smiling even if he tried. When he saw Grant, he quickly stood up and strode over to the Alpha.

  The drive back from New Jersey took less than an hour. Still, the baby came quickly, and by the time he arrived, it was all over.

  “Congratulations,” he clapped his brother-in-law on the shoulder, but Alex pulled him in for a hug. Grant hugged him right back.

  “Thank you,” he replied as he let go, his face beaming. “Now, go meet your niece!”

  “Grant,” Alynna called and motioned for him to come over. He walked towards his sister, and she moved her arms to show him her bundle. “Say hi to your niece. Michalina Jean Westbrooke. Mika, meet your Uncle Grant.”

  Mika was wide awake, her tiny features scrunched up in a yawn. She was still all pink and wrinkly, but looked healthy. Grant felt love and pride swell up inside him as he watched the perfect, tiny face. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Mika’s forehead, the scent of daisies and earthy rain marking her as pure Lycan.

  “She’s beautiful,” he said to his sister. “I’m proud of you.”

  “Yeah, well, I did push a life out of my hoo-ha, so thanks!” she joked.

  Grant laughed and pressed a kiss on her forehead. “How did the delivery go? Sorry I missed it.”

  “Not bad,” she answered. “It went much better and quicker than we thought.”

  “Alynna only threatened to have me castrated about a half a dozen times,” Alex quipped. “And only tried to reach for a scalpel to try and do it herself once.”

  “Yeah, well next time, you can carry the baby,” she retorted, pulling her daughter close. “But she was worth it.” She snuggled Mika closer.

  “Knock knock!” A bright voice came from the doorway. Cady entered, with Nick behind. “How’s everything? How is the baby?”

  “She’s beautiful, healthy and perfect,” Alex said proudly.

  The other couple walked in and Cady hugged Alex, while Nick shook the new father’s hand.

  “Oohhh, she’s beautiful!” Cady cooed as she stared at the bundle in Alynna’s arms, her hand instinctively going to her own belly.

  “Congratulations,” he said to Alynna.

  “Come say hi, Uncle Nicky!” Alynna teased, lifting up Mika.

  Nick laughed and came closer, giving Alynna an affectionate hair ruffle and looking down at the baby. “Beautiful, just beautiful,” he proclaimed as his large hand brushed gently over the baby’s tiny cheek.

  “Yours will be just as perfect,” Alynna said. “I know it’s difficult not knowing, but see? She’s fine and you’ll have one just as healthy. Let’s just hope he or she takes after Cady in the looks and brains department and not you, right?”

  Nick gave Alynna a mock dirty look and then laughed. “I’d be just fine with that,” he looked at Cady with pure adoration and love, and she came to him, snuggling against his side.

  Grant looked at all the people around him, and the newest addition to his family. As Alpha, the protective instinct rose in him, and he knew he was going to do whatever it took to keep them all safe. However, a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach formed and he suddenly felt longing, an ache as he watched the two happy couples.

  Want…this…

  Grant was startled. His inner wolf had never talked to him this much, especially not while he was fully in human form. He frowned and gave a soft growl.

  Mika fussed at the sound and let out a cry. “Aww, don’t worry Mika, Uncle Grant will forgive you, even though you cock-blocked him,” Alynna joked, her eyes sparkling knowingly.

  “Shouldn’t you watch your language now that you have a baby?” Grant countered.

  “She’s two hours old,” Alynna rolled her eyes. “I doubt hearing ‘cock’ will harm her development. Judging by the way you’re all wound up, I suppose you didn’t get any bow-chika-wow-wow tonight?”

  “I think it’s time to for you and my niece to get some rest,” Grant rolled his eyes, changing the subject.

  “So you’re not going to talk about your sex life?” Alynna joked.

  “Not in front of the baby,” he said, the corners of his mouth twitched up into a slight smile.

  “Ok, but you have to promise that you’ll tell me about what your grand plan make Frankie fall for you,” Alynna yawned. “Because I wanna keep her.”

  So do I, Grant thought to himself. A soft, contented sound rumbled in his chest, as if to agree.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The anteroom lay in shambles. The curtains had been ripped out and shredded, the chairs and tables smashed against the walls, paintings torn down, and the precious vases shattered on the floor.

  Daric winced as he heard another loud crash, but he remained rooted in his spot. Stefan stood in the middle of the room, his hands fisted at his sides.

  “Lord Stefan,” an unfamiliar voice greeted him as he entered the room.

  “Come in!” he roared.

  Daric turned around and looked at the newcomer. If he was surprised at who it was, he didn’t show it. Victoria, who stood next to him, opened her mouth to protest, but shut it quickly when Stefan sent her a warning look.

  “You’ve heard the news?” Stefan asked the stranger. “The child has come.”

  “Y-y-yes,” he stammered.

  “And what are
you going to do about it?”

  “Lord Stefan, I swear…things are moving along,” he began. “We are looking to get into Grant’s good graces, and we’ve already planned to ingrain ourselves-”

  “I don’t care to hear your plans!” Stefan roared. “I need action! Now. And you will deliver Grant to me once you have secured his legacy or you will not get New York.”

  “Of course,” the man cowered slightly. “But these things take time.”

  “I can be patient,” the mage said. “But, do not try me. And do not fail. You know the consequences.”

  “We won’t, Lord Stefan.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Hello,” Frankie picked up her mobile phone absentmindedly as she was looking through all the purchase orders on her desk.

  “Frankie!” a bright voice greeted her. “How are you?”

  “Alynna!” she greeted the familiar voice. “How are you? And the baby, how is she? Thank you for sending me that picture.” Frankie grinned, remembering the picture Alynna had sent the day after she gave birth. It was Grant holding little Mika, which was quite sneaky of her, as it definitely sent her hormones into overdrive. Butterflies didn’t flutter as much as start a revolution, in her stomach, seeing the him holding a baby, his strong forearms gently cradling the pink bundle. That was a week ago and her ovaries were still threatening to explode. And of course, she glanced at the photo at least once a day.

  “I’m great, and you?”

  “Oh you know, just busy,” she sighed. “Did you get the package we sent?”

  “Oh my God, yes!” Alynna gushed. “Thank you, it was amazing.”

  “Glad you liked it, but it was mostly Dante and Nonna Gianna who put it together.”