Behind The Alpha Book 4 CASS

Chapter 33

(Chapter song ‘Romance(Ava Maria)’ by Jan Mulder,  ‘Love Game' by Lady Gaga)
JENNY

Surrounded by stacks of books, I chew my finger nail as I read…

‘Rowan, please stop.’
The gallant man turns.  His luscious, golden locks float on the winds as his mysterious dark eyes stare at her with strong determination. 
He stands grand and tall.  ‘I must, Scarlett.  My kingdom depends on the death of Murray.’
The tears fall like soft diamonds from her ocean blue eyes.  The winds blow her silk dress and her hair, as dark as night, flows around her shoulders.  Her pounding heart breaks as she pleads with her regal prince.

I raise my head from my book.  “No, you idiot.  She doesn’t care about stupid Murray.  Murray’s a horses behind!  Ugh…men.” I  mutter as my eyes widen.  I drop my eyes back to the words.

‘My brother will kill you.  Please don’t go.’  Scarlet runs to her brave and powerful lover.  He flexes his large pectoral muscles as he holds strong to his murderous conviction.
‘Scarlet, I love you, but I love my crown more.’  His deep voice penetrated her chest like his broad sword.  He flips his long, blonde hair over his massive shoulder.  ‘I cannot allow a woman to get in the way of my ultimate greatness.  My powerful reign must be protected.  Your luscious lips and ample bosom cannot distract me.’

I lift my head again.  “Forget Murray!  Kiss her already!”  I ball a fist and yell at the fictional characters in my head.

Scarlet turns away.  Her sobs ride the winds through the tall grasses of the fields.  ‘If you go.  That will only mean you don’t love me as much as you say you do.’  She cries into her sensitive hands.

“Ooo…Good one.”  I mumble as I tug on my ear.

She sobbed so hard, she didn’t feel her white knights presence behind her.  He scoops her into his arms with possessive force.  ‘Don’t you dare presume me not to love you.  For you are the only one my heart beats for.  I will kill Murray in your honor and you will worship my sword and my heart because I give them both to you.’
His domineering lips command hers to open as he takes her heart and her soul.  His gigantic, manly hand caress her supple skin and takes possession of her hair like a cup of warm ale.
He rips his majestic mouth off hers.  Her breathless stutter makes her bosom heave with lust.  ‘I love you, Rowan Riptorn.’
‘I love you, Scarlet Thorndrake.’  He deepens his voice and takes her lips again.

I raise my head as my eyes well.  “Awe.”  I whine. 
“What are you reading?”
My head whips to the voice that just brought me from my fantasy to the reality that I was trying to avoid for the day.
I suck in a breath as my eyes travel from strong legs in athletic shorts.  Thick biceps in a cutoff, black tank top.  Strong, chiseled jaw.  Tanned skin, tattoos and black skull cap. 
I release the air I was holding.  I try to keep composed as I stare at the solid muscular man standing in the aisle between my bookshelves. 
“Are…you ok?”  He turns his head slightly. 
His voice snaps me out of my stare and my nerves shoot through the roof.  I stumble as I try to recover my book I almost dropped.  “Um…Yes…I’m fine."  I adjust my glasses.  “I’m sorry we’re closed.”  I blink at his brown eyes as we connect.
He smiles.  His gruff exterior is nothing compared to the God like heroes in my books, but his face lights up so much I can’t help but fall into another stare.
“That’s too bad.”  He says, looking around my newly acquired book store.  “I’m kind of looking for a book and I was hoping you could help.”  His lips part into another white, toothy, charming smile. 
I get up off the floor and dust myself off.  Pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose, I clear my throat.  “Of course…wh…What book?”
My body heats as he steps closer.  “You…got anything about…cats?”
I give him a confused look as my eyes give him a once over.  “Cats.”  He doesn’t seem like the type to be interested in that.
He grins.  “Yes, cats.”  He takes another step and my heart skips a beat.  “I like cats.” 
My mouth goes small as I feel his eyes on me.  I clear my throat once again and look away.  I dart past him, walking up the aisle.  “Um…yes…Ok…animals are this way.”  I lead him around the corner and a few aisles over.  “I’m sorry the place is in such disarray, we’re not supposed to be open for another week.”
I search the spines as I feel him stop beside me.  My head is screaming for him to change his mind and leave.
“That’s alright, Miss…”  In the corner of my eye, I see him lean to see my face.
I swallow.  “Jenny…Jenny Clark.”  I whisper so low I can barely hear myself.
He smiles again as I glance and look away from the man that’s shattering my introverted nervous system. 
“Jenny.  That’s…really pretty.”  He leans on the shelf and his flexed arm is at eye level with me.  My middle does flips as I watch his large, strong hand pick at the books on my shelf. 
I pull out a book and hand it to him.  “Everything about cats.”  I give a little half smile trying to be as professional as I can be while I’m being bombarded by this muscle bound invader.
“Thank you.”  He takes it and tucks it under his arm. 
“You’re welcome, Mr…”  I wait for a name. 
“Deacon.  Alpha Deacon Riley.”  He extends his hand.
“A…Alpha?...”  My lips drop and my eyes grow as I assess the fact that I didn’t sense his Alpha gene at all.  Why didn’t I feel it? 
He chuckles.  “No need to be nervous.  I’m not a dick.”
This snaps me out of my shock.  “No!...Oh God, no…No, I didn’t mean to insinuate…I’m just surprised…I get like that sometimes…Totally not you…I swear…God…I always do this…It’s so stupid…”  I flail my arm to my side and hold my forehead as my face turns a million shades of red. 
He laughs.  “It’s OK.  Really.  How much do I owe you?”
I stop and try to catch my breath.  “Owe me?”
“For the book?”  He tilts his head to me.
“Right!  The book.”  I giggle nervously and push my glasses.  “You know what, keep it.  It’s fine.”  I nod with a smile.
“I couldn’t…”  He says.
I turn him and practically push him out the door.  If I don’t get him out of here, I’m going to explode.  “It’s fine.  Totally.  I have a million books.  I want you to have it.”  I open the door for him.
“OK, but that’s not the only reason I came…”  He says as he steps out.
“I would love to talk with you, but I’m really busy right now.  Can you come back next week?”  My blue eyes lock with his.
I have two voices in my head.  My desperate self is screaming “Say yes!”  whereas my shy, nerve ball, awkward self is screaming “Go away!”  Ugh.  I hate being me. 
“Sure.  I’ll come back when you have time.”  He smiles that smoking hot smile of his and I internally whine.  “Thanks for the book.”  He turns and heads down the street.  I stick my head out, my long blonde hair swings off my head as I watch him saunter down the sidewalk.
I pull myself back in, shut the door and lock it.  I slam my back on it and blow out a breath.  I turn my head to where he left.  My body’s still sweating, my hearts pounding and my hands are clammy.  I wring the door handle as I picture him in my head. 
I thump the back of my head against the door.  “Holy Riptorn.”  I say as I blink my eyes and fan myself to relieve the heat.

THE END
Thank you for reading Cass.  I appreciate all my readers for reading the Behind The Alpha series.  It couldn’t come alive without you.  Remember to leave your reviews, likes and comments.  Your thoughts will help me improve the stories you love.
Behind The Alpha continues with Book 5 Deacon.
The series in order
Quinn
Wes
Nala
Cass
Deacon
Deacon Riley is Alpha of a town named Upton.  After building back from the attacks of Kay-Os, the murderous cave wolf from the past, he’s vetting new pack members.  When he meets the new shy librarian who moved in, he can’t help but want to bring her out of her shell and give her the full pack experience.  What he didn’t realize was that someone else wanted Jenny for something else.  Now, he must save Jenny from herself and the Alliance from the monster that wants to destroy it.
Oliver
Graham
Adam

For context read The Falcon Ridge Series and The Phoenix Mountain Series before this one. 

From the pipeline.
The Axelridge Series starting 2022/23 with book one Finn's Slapshot.
Finn Trezner, Captain of the Axelridge Hammers, spent his life high on the celebrity of being a national hockey player.  He spent the last 13 years partying and living a lavish life, but when 13 year old Benjamin Warren falls into the wrong crowd, Finn wants to step up and help his old girlfriend, April.  Even though she doesn’t want his help or his celebrity, Finn finds out that what Ben is getting involved with is just the tip of the dangerous, dark iceberg.  He tries to save his city with the help of his five Alpha friends and tries to respect April’s space as the old flame that was between them threatens to reignite.
The Oceans Of Atlas 2023
The Falcon Rises(Birth of the Alliance)
The Falcons Reflection(what lies on the other side of the mirror)
The Wolves Of London(Birth of the High Council)
The Rise Of Torrent stand alone story
The Dragon Survivors (Prequel to The Falcon Ridge Series Book 5 The Alpha Within Her-The Nomads)
The Council Of The Shaman-The Immortal Story of the Mysterious Shaman
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M. McTier