My Female Alpha

TWENTY

lenora

The anxiety and joy I feel from my mate's presence are at war with one another. I want to lock her in my bedroom and cradle her in the bed. Well, I want to do a hell of a lot more than cradle her. Baby steps.

"Why did they call me Luna?" Emery asks. "And why do they bow like that? They're just kids."

I set her bag down on the bedroom floor and close the door behind her. Pushing my sunglasses onto my head, I take her hand again. "Let me show you something."

She moves compliantly with me to the set of windows that overlook the backyard. A large auburn wolf sits on his haunches while my two teen wolves talk to him.

Emery gasps. "There's a wolf! Why aren't they running?"

"And there's another," I remark as Denver's gray form slips out of the woods and into view.

"Oh my god!" she cries.

"It's okay," I assure her, wrapping my arm around her waist. "Just watch. They aren't going to hurt them."

She presses her hands to the glass as she observes the encounter below, her worried breaths fogging the pane. My mind flashes to all the ways I'd like to be causing her breath to do that. To run my hands up and down her sides, between those plush thighs, dipping into her honey pot . . .

"What is this place?" she whispers, drawing me from the dark places in my mind.

"A sanctuary of sorts," I say, "for people like that wolf, like Desiree and Caden."

She squints. "Wait a minute—I know that gray wolf. I saw him in my parents' neighborhood! He saved Kibbles from getting hit by a car!"

I nod, understanding now why my Beta revealed himself. "Want to take a gander at who that is?"

Emery turns to me, eyes wide. "Is that—is that Denver?"

Her awe is adorable. I lift a hand to stroke her soft, cool cheek.

"Yes, baby girl. That's Denver."

The skin between her brows furrows. "But I don't understand. How?"

"We're werewolves. We are half-human and half-wolf."

"You're one too?" Her voice shoots up an octave.

Smiling a little, I nod. She pulls away from my hands to cover her mouth. I hear her heartbeat accelerate.

"Now you know what I am," I tell her. "Well, partly. There's a lot more you need to know."

"I didn't think werewolves were a real thing. I can't believe this!"

"You'll get used to it." I shrug. "Do you want to know why I'm telling you this now?"

Her hands fall away from her face as she nods. I turn my attention back to the yard and she does the same. Where Desiree and Caden stood are now two wolves. The auburn and gray wolf have disappeared, so the tan and brown figures playfully spar with each other.

"Every wolf has a soul mate," I explain softly, hoping the perfect words come to me. I've never had to explain this before. Wolves grow up in this culture. They just know these things. "We are bound by soul and body to our mates. We only get one in a lifetime. Almost always, wolves are mated to other wolves. Only very rarely are we mated with humans."

"And you said I'm your mate?" she asks.

"Yes." My eyes flick up to her face. "That's why I have to protect you. You're literally the love of my life, Emery."

Her eyes water but she blinks away the tears. "Is that why I feel kind of . . . connected to you?"

I nod. "It's mutual."

Shaking her head, she turns away from the window and rubs her temples. "This is insane. This has to be a dream."

My body melts with a sigh. I'm glad it isn't, I think.

"Emery," I say, touching her round shoulder, "there's more."

She turns back to me. I slide my hands into hers and run our fingers together. Hers are warm and soft whereas mine are bony and calloused.

"The wolves who live here, in this house and around it, belong to my pack. We live together and do things together. I am their leader, their Alpha." I take a deep breath. "Some wolves don't live in a pack. By circumstance or choice, they go rogue. Rogues are dangerous, especially to humans, because they don't care. They don't belong to a delicate social system, so all of their wolf energy and hunting senses are unstrung. They usually are criminals. Usually pretty good ones, unfortunately." Squeezing her hands, I lift them to my mouth and tenderly kiss her knuckles. "Right now, there's a group of rogue wolves making their way east across the country. They'll be here very soon, we think. Probably in hours, if no one has stopped them yet."

"Why are they coming here? What are they going to do?" she says with a dredge of fear.

I pull her into my arms and rub her back. "They've been ransacking packs and small towns. Killing livestock. Hurting people. Killing Alphas."

She sucks in a breath and looks up at me. "Oh, my god. They're coming to kill you?"

"Not me specifically. Probably. But if they come through this area, I'll be targeted."

"What are we going to do?" Her fingers bury into my shirt, nails scratching at my collarbones.

"You aren't going to do anything," I say firmly, looking deep into her jungle eyes. "You will stay in this room. If rogues know that I have a mate and that you're human, you will be their target. I'll kill every single one of them with my bare hands if they catch wind of you."

"So I'm supposed to just sit in here while you're doing—what? You're the one they want! Shouldn't you be hiding too?"

I bristle, my lip curling back in distaste. "An Alpha never hides. I have to fight alongside my pack. We have to put an end to this little terrorist group. Another Alpha who is a friend of mine is here with some wolves. They're hoping to put an end to this before the rogues reach the coastline and turn north, towards their pack."

"How do people not know about you? If these rogues are causing so much damage, why don't we know about it?"

"Because our DNA doesn't make sense to forensics. They don't understand how a bunch of canines are raping and murdering."

Emery shakes her head in disbelief. "I still can't believe this. It sounds so crazy."

"Crazy is my normal, babe." I wink at her.

Her cheeks flush a blood-orange color that makes them look so delectable. I cradle her face in my hands and kiss her forehead. Then I kiss her nose, her warm cheeks, and, finally, her peachy lips. She moves with mine and even shyly licks my mouth with her tongue. I open my mouth to her indulgence and let ourselves get really into it.

She's bunching my shirt in her little fists, moaning into me, when a heavy knock pounds at the door. I growl as I withdraw. Her eyes flit to the door. I sniff at the air.

That damn Alpha.

"Why don't you go sit on the bed?" I suggest.

Emery slowly releases me and goes to the bed, kicking off her shoes and climbing onto it. I resist the urge to soak in that welcome sight, instead of going to the door.