Claiming the Alpha Read online

  Darius stood at the foot of the stairs, his eyes glowing in the dim light. The soft expression made her heart pitter-patter, and her wolf sang at the familiar presence.

  “Adrianna, forgive me.” He took one step toward her.

  She tried to harden her heart. “For what?”

  “For breaking my promise.” Another step. And another. “For not being here when I said I would.”

  She let out a choked gasp, and more tears spilled down. “Darius—”

  “And for making you cry.” He was only one step below, but he still towered over her. He brushed a finger down her cheek to wipe the wetness away.

  She twisted her body to face him. “Darius. Please.” As her hands slipped up his chest, he swept her up in his arms, and carried her up the stairs. She pressed her nose to his neck, breathing in his scent like she needed it to survive. He walked her across the hall to her room, then set her down by the foot of the bed.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, running his hand down her face reverently. “When I saw you today, I thought I would die from wanting you.”

  “You can have me, Darius,” she said. “You can have all of me.” She reached behind her back and unzipped her dress, letting the silk pool around her feet.

  “Fuck,” he rasped. “You’ve been wearing this all this time?”

  She was glad she’d put on her best corset, matching panties, the stockings and garter belt. “Yes.”

  “You’ll wear this only for me now, Adrianna.” She shivered when he hooked his fingers under the garters and snapped them against her thighs. “You’re mine.” He growled softly before claiming her lips in a rough, possessing kiss. It was wild and consuming, but Adrianna matched him, arching her back and wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

  She whimpered when he pulled away but let him push her back so she sat on the bed. He pushed her thighs open and kneeled in front of her. “I want to worship you,” he said before he pulled the cups of her corset down, nearly ripping it. She gasped when she felt his warm mouth on her nipples, sending a thrill of desire straight down to her core.

  When he was done with her breasts, he moved lower, spreading her legs wider. He pressed his mouth to the front of her damp panties, making her gasp. His tongue pressed against her, moving in a rhythm that stirred her into a frenzy. She heard the sound of ripping lace and soon her panties were nothing more than scraps he tossed aside.

  “Look at me,” he said. “Watch me while I taste you.”

  She looked down, watching his lips and his tongue lick at her. It was obscene and filthy, the way he looked as he feasted on her, but it only turned her on more. He kept glancing up at her too, his eyes burning with desire as he pleasured her. A hand slipped between them and his fingers replaced his mouth. He moved his digits, pressing into her while his tongue lapped at her clit.

  “Ungh!” She lay back on the bed, closing her eyes as explosive, pure pleasure shot through her, making her body shake uncontrollably. He was relentless, pushing her to the edge for more, coaxing her body to come harder. When he finally stopped, she lay there, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

  He crawled over her, covering her body with soft kisses and nips as he made his way to her lips. His mouth was surprisingly gentle, as if savoring every moment. She could feel his cock, hard and demanding, as it brushed up against her hip.

  “Wait,” she said against his mouth. “I want to make you feel good too.”

  “Adrianna …”

  She pushed him onto his back, watching his expression turn from confusion to understanding as he realized what she wanted. Getting on her knees beside him, she wrapped her hand around his erect shaft, giving it a gentle squeeze. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her head to take the bulbous tip in her mouth.

  He groaned and shoved his fingers into her hair. He tasted all male and musk, with a hint of his vanilla scent. She bobbed her head up and down, taking more and more of him with each downward motion and using her tongue to massage the underside of his shaft. When the tip hit the back of her throat, she relaxed, trying to accommodate as much of him as she could, and wrapped her hand around the base.

  “Adrianna!”

  She continued to pleasure him with her mouth. She really wanted to know what he tasted like, but he pulled her off impatiently and rolled her onto her back. “I need you. To be inside you. Now.” He nudged her legs open and pressed the tip of his cock against her. When she bucked her hips up, he entered her in one motion.

  “Ohhh.” Her eyes rolled back from the pleasure of being filled by him. When he started to move, she raked her fingers down his arms, and though he flinched, he continued thrusting into her.

  “You know what I want, Adrianna,” he whispered. “Come for me. I want to feel your wet little pussy squeeze around me and milk my cock.”

  “Fuck!” His filthy words were enough trigger her orgasm. The tremor inside her grew, spreading through her body as he continued to pound into her. She closed her eyes and buried her face in his neck, muffling the scream that ripped from her mouth.

  She didn’t even have a chance to recover from her orgasm when he pulled out and flipped her onto her knees. He hauled her hips up against him. “Mine,” he growled as he speared her from behind. “All mine.”

  “Yes!” She pushed her face into the mattress, trying not to cry out as his cock pumped into her, stroking her in just the right spot to have her body trembling again. His hands gripped her ass, squeezing tight as he fucked her. The sound of their skin slapping was almost obscene, but it drove her wild. She pushed back at him, meeting his thrusts and squeezing him as he slammed into her.

  When his hand found its way between her legs and stroked her clit, it sent her over the edge, and her back arched as she let the orgasm blow over her. His movements became irregular, and when he pushed into her one last time, she felt his cock spasm and twitch. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up, twisting her head to the side. His mouth fixed on her neck, his teeth grazing at the skin there as he suckled on her flesh, while his thrusts began to slow down.

  She moaned when he finally stopped, then withdrew from her, his sticky come coating her thighs. It was a good thing Lycans didn’t carry diseases, which is why she didn’t ask him to wear a condom, plus their fertility rates were quite low. Except in the cases of True Mates.

  Oh dear.

  Was it even possible?

  She racked her brain, trying to remember how True Mates knew each other. There was no definitive way to tell before that first coupling, which always resulted in a pregnancy.

  Madre de dio.

  The thought of having a baby with Darius, however, wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, she felt a warmth inside her just thinking about it. She glanced down at her stomach and imagined it full and heavy with their child.

  “I hope that smile is for me,” he said as he kissed the side of her neck.

  She glanced up at him. “Maybe.”

  He pushed her down on the bed, then gathered her into his arms, pressing her back against his chest. “If not, then I will give you more reasons to smile.”

  “I should hope so,” she said, her lips curling up. Dare she tell him what she suspected? Did he know about True Mates?

  Of course, there was one more question that had been burning in her mind this entire time: Did he love her? Because, True Mates or not, she was pretty sure she loved him already.

  “Now you are frowning,” he said. “Give me a few minutes and I promise I will make you forget your troubles.”

  She sighed and settled back against him. Tomorrow, she told herself. There was always tomorrow. For now, she was going to enjoy tonight

  Chapter Nineteen

  When Darius woke up, it was still dark, but glancing at the clock, he saw it was five o’clock in the morning. Gingerly, he removed Adrianna’s arms which had tangled themselves around his torso and got up. As his vision adjusted to the darkness, he found his discarded clothes and put them o
n, keeping his movements minimal so as not to wake her.

  He padded down the stairs and outside, then got into his vehicle. The bakery in town should have just opened. He wanted to surprise Adrianna with fresh pastries for breakfast. Surely, she would be hungry when she woke up. The drive over was quick and he was soon on his way back, a large pink box in his hand.

  When he arrived yesterday, he was determined to stay away from her bed until he figured out a way to solve the problem of Anatoli’s betrayal. He could at least tell her later that he didn’t think it was right to sleep with her when he knew what had happened. It hurt him to act so cold around her, and at some point when he saw her with the other Alpha, he wondered if he even deserved her. She should be with someone like that man—rich, powerful, and able to give her everything she wanted. But, seeing her looking so achingly beautiful and knowing he had caused her to be so sad broke his resolve.

  And now that he had Adrianna in his arms again, he wasn’t letting go. He would tell her everything and confess his feelings for her. It was a gamble, but this is what he had to work with. To wait any longer would destroy the fragile bond they had now.

  When he entered through the back door, he didn’t expect to see her in the kitchen, the smell of brewing coffee in the air. Her thick dark hair was piled on top of her head and she wore a white silk robe, her feet left bare.

  “You’re awake,” he said. He lifted his hand to show her the box. “I got breakfast.”

  “Oh. Thank you.” She gave him a weak smile and opened the box.

  The less than enthusiastic reception didn’t bother him too much. She certainly looked hungry enough, but seemed restrained as she took a tentative bite of a Danish. Maybe she needed some caffeine. “Is the coffee ready? Do you want to get ready for work soon?”

  She swallowed the pastry and then shook her head. “I’m not going to work today.”

  “You aren’t?”

  “No.” She dusted her hands together. “I called off. Told them I deserved a day off today. I’m just so … tired.”

  He knew what tired her out, of course. “Good,” he said. “Then you can spend the day resting in bed. With me.”

  “I don’t think I’ll get much resting done,” she replied wryly.

  They sat down to breakfast, and while he thought maybe she was just tired, he could see the change in her this morning. She was quiet and pensive, chewing each bite of food carefully and pondering every sip of coffee. He knew something was bothering her.

  “What’s wrong?” he finally asked, unable to keep quiet any longer.

  She looked up at him and blinked. “What? Nothing.”

  He sighed then reached over to take her hand. She let out a sharp yelp when he pulled her out of her chair and settled her in his lap, her legs straddling his. “You cannot hide anything from me, Adrianna.” There was a tightness in his chest as he asked, “Do you regret last night?”

  Her eyes flew open. “What? No.”

  The tightness eased. “Good.” He searched her eyes. “Then you are having other doubts?”

  “I … yes.” She bit her lip. “I’m having doubts about my … responsibilities in the future. And being able to cope with them.”

  “Doubts? You?” He had never known a more confident and capable woman. “Adrianna, you were born to lead and be Alpha.”

  She hesitated again. “No, I wasn’t. Not me. Lucas maybe, but me … I’ve always had doubts. I do still. It’s a lot of pressure, you know? All these expectations of me, to be a good leader and Alpha. What if, after coming from a long line of female Alphas, I’m the one to destroy that legacy? And on top of that, what if I’m not fit to be a m—” She covered her mouth suddenly.

  “Not fit to be what?” He tipped her chin up when she looked away.

  “I’m … I’m sorry, I can’t … can we just talk about something else?”

  He let out a long sigh. “If that’s what you want. But, may I say something?”

  “Of course.”

  Cupping her face in his hands, he looked her straight in the eyes. “Adrianna, how could you still have doubt in yourself? After everything you’ve been through this week? When you handled that crisis with grace and poise? “

  “That’s different,” she said. “I’m the president of Muccino International. It’s my job to respond to disasters like that.”

  “How is it different from being Alpha?” he asked. “You preside over your employees as you do with your clan, guide them and help them do the right things. You put your employees first, above everything, like you should do with the people who look up to you as Alpha. You showed those workers you care and gave them hope when there was only grief and sadness. If this is not being an Alpha, then I don’t know what is.”

  He had never experienced such a thing, not with Anatoli or even his Grandfather, but deep in his heart, he knew this was what a leader should be.

  She was looking at him, her face in shock. “Darius ….”

  He didn’t want to hear her protests anymore, so he silenced her with a kiss. She relaxed against him, opening her mouth to him. He deepened the kiss and rubbed his hands down her back in a soothing manner. “I know what will make you feel like yourself,” he said.

  She wiggled on his lap. “Oh, you do, do you?”

  He let out a laugh, then picked her up and set her on her feet. “We should go for a run.”

  “A run?”

  Grabbing the belt of her robe, he gave it a tug. “I want to see my lupoaică,” he said. “To run with her and be free.”

  She shrugged her robe off. “Let’s go then.”

  The weather had warmed up overnight and the snow that had fallen in the past days had begun to melt, leaving patches of ice here and there. It still wasn’t an ideal time to be out, but their bodies would adjust to the weather.

  He let her get ahead of him, discarding his clothing along the way, enjoying the sight of her delicious, naked body as she ran from him. Go and run, lupoaică. He would catch her eventually and the thought made him lick his lips with anticipation. When she began to shift, he called on his own wolf, feeling his body elongate and his bones snap into place as silvery fur grew all over his body.

  He had let her run, thinking she could get away from him. Her wolf was gorgeous, he had always thought so, since the first time he saw her shift, with its thick brown and white fur, pointy ears, and those mismatched eyes. He would know them anywhere. It was fun, this hunt, and he enjoyed watching her roam and be free. But he was ready to claim her again.

  His wolf circled around, listening for the pounding of her paws on the ground, anticipating where she would be headed. He pushed his wolf’s body to its limits, leaping over logs and bushes to get ahead of her. There was a movement in the thicket to his right, and when her wolf leapt out, he was ready.

  The she-wolf was startled to see him and tried to stop, but it was too late. Its body hurtled into him, and they rolled on the ground. He started shifting back to his human form, forcing her to do the same lest she crush him. When they were both fully human, he landed on his back with her above him.

  “You’re mine,” she said with a grin. “I caught you.”

  He didn’t point out that technically, he had been waiting for her and she collided into him. “You’re right, Alpha,” he growled. “So, take what you want.”

  She lifted herself on her knees, grabbing his already hard cock and pointing it to her slick entrance, then impaled herself on him.

  His she-wolf was wild and wanton as she sought her pleasure. He watched her, his pleasure building up as she bounced on top of him, her full breasts on display. He reached up to cup them, feeling the weight in his hands.

  She was magnificent. Her skin glowed and her hair shone like polished black marble. She even smelled different, like something in her had changed. Her body shuddered as she clamped around him.

  “Adrianna!” he grunted, unable to stop himself as he felt his pleasure coming on. Normally, he would have wanted to have her
come at least three times before him, but just this once, he would let himself go.

  She fell on top of him, her breath ragged. He kissed the side of her neck, slick with a sheen of sweat. Her scent was strongest there at the pulse, and he nuzzled it, bathing and soaking in it. There was definitely something different about her. But what?

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “I really needed this.” She got to her feet and then helped him up. “Darius?”

  “Yes?”

  “I …” She blushed, then wrung her hands together. “I need to tell you something.”

  “What is it?”

  “I … well …” A hand went down to cover her belly. “I can’t do it when we’re naked like this.”

  Was she nervous? What did she want to tell him? “Whatever you wish. Let’s go back into the house and we can talk there.”

  They had gone farther than he thought, and by the time they neared the house, the sun had already gone down. He found his pants somewhere in the backyard and put them on, then gave her his shirt to wear since she had left her robe in the kitchen.

  “Thanks,” she said as she slipped the white shirt over her head. “I was starting to get cold.”

  He hurried her up the porch steps and into the kitchen, eager to find out what it was she wanted to tell him. However, when they walked inside, the house wasn’t as empty as they had left it.

  “I was wondering where you two had gone,” Julianna said. She wasn’t by herself, though, there was another woman standing next to her.

  “Mika!” Adrianna greeted. “It’s nice to see you.”

  “Hello, Adrianna.” The woman’s gaze flickered to Darius. The green gaze held his, unflinching.

  “What are you doing here?” Adrianna asked.

  “So, you’re still sleeping with him?” Julianna accused.

  Adrianna grabbed his hand. “What am I supposed to do? Give in to you because you threw a tantrum? Grow up, Julianna.”

  “Me, grow up?”

  “Yes! And I can’t believe you would drag our cousin into this.” She looked at Mika. “I’m so sorry you have to be here.”