Page 23 of Alphas Never Hide

Shouldn’the at least say he was attracted to me first?Something?Weweren’t hooking up in a bathroom stall at a club.Wewere in his bedroom, such that it was.Maybehe thought if he could jerk me off,I’dfall into a deeper sleep so he could finally sneak out.

“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “Notlike that.It’sjust that some people find comfort from my touch.Justto the back of your neck.”

“Oh.”Inodded. “Iget it.Becauseyou’re thealpha.”

Hegrimaced. “I’mnot the alpha.Ijust…”Herubbed his forehead, like it held a genie who could magic up some other word. “Fine.Imight have some alpha instincts.Itis only temporary, until another person steps forward to be alpha.”

Ididn’t think magic worked that way.TheEternalMagicdidn’t dole out power to people and take it back again when they said, “Thanks, butI’drather not.”Imight only be a half-supe, and therefore not privy to all the insider knowledge, but as far asIknew, she didn’t do refunds.

“So?”Haydenprodded.

“Yeah, sure.Whynot?”

AsHaydenrested one hand on my knee and reached for my neck with his other, my heart ticked a little faster.Hisrough fingertips slipped across the side of my neck, causing a wicked shiver to cascade through me.Hismouthopened to reveal a sliver of his white teeth, andIwondered what they’d feel like pressed against my skin where he was touching me.

Ishivered, butIwasn’t sure why.WasIscared or turned on?Maybea bit of both.

WhenRobbiehad bitten me,I’dbeen horrified.Butthankfully, the experience had been short-lived, andI’dsurvived worse torments in my old herd.SoIwasn’t fucked up over it, thankMagic, becauseIhad better things to think about now, like those rumors about wolves being wickedly good fun in bed.Allfull of biting and knots and awesomeness.I’dnever hooked up with a wolf before—Iusually just stuck to humans who didn’t have opinions about my hybrid genetics—butIwas game to try almost anything once.AndIknew, ifHaydenbit me, it’d be everythingI’dever fantasized about.

Hishand slid around until he cupped the back of my neck.Hesqueezed gently as he brought his forehead to mine.Hisscent was all around me.Hewas allIcould see.Hewas only touching me in a few veryPGplaces, butIcouldfeelhim everywhere.

Hismagic kicked up to the next gear.

Oh.Thatfelt…

Icouldn’t think of the word.Noneof the ones flitting through my head were adequate to describe the sense of peace and belonging and wonder flowing through me.

Myeyes fluttered shut asIleaned into him.

Chapter Eight

HAYDEN

Mysex drive wasn’t somethingIgave much thought to.Lotsof men and women flirted with me and tried to get me into their beds, butI’dnever been interested.Theyjust wanted to get close to me because they thoughtIwasAlphawith a capitalA, and that equaled power and prestige.

Icouldn’t remember the last timeI’dhad sex or found someone interesting enough to want to get naked with them.

Butright now?Listeningto the soundsRyleywas making because my hands were on his body?Mysex drive had gone from zero to sixty in record time.Ina fair race, it would have beaten aDodgeChallengerSRTDemon170, hands down.

Asmy alpha power flowed from me to him,Ipicked up more than he’d probably want me to see.Xanderhad warnedI’ddepleted my magic, but thankfullyIstill hadenough to comfortRyley.Thealpha energy always had felt different, separate somehow, from my shifter magic, butIwas choosing to pretend this magic was working becauseXanderwas wrong.

Andright now, my alpha energy was telling meRyleywas exhausted.

Becauseof course he was.

He’dbeen captured and caged and tortured.Ididn’t even know how longRobbiehad held him prisoner, becauseIwas an ass and hadn’t asked.ButIwouldn’t remindRyleyofRobbienow, not when he was finally resting and relaxed again.There’dbe time enough for that later whenVancame to get his statement.

ButIcouldn’t take him out to the woods with me tonight, not when he was like this.Andhe was being stubborn about me going on my own.

Iinhaled deeply to settle my frustration before it could rise again.Robbiehad been out there in those woods recently.He’dprobably been out there since the attack on his pack lands.Onemore night wouldn’t matter.Butone night could make a world of difference toRyley.Heneeded rest.Heneeded to let himself slip into a deep sleep, whichIdoubted he would if he thoughtImight sneak out again.

Iwaited for my wolf instincts to rebel and fight against the delay, butIwas strangely content being here withRyley.Soit looked like we were staying here.Withthat decision made,Ishould get more comfortable.Imoved my hand.Ryleywhimpered and pushed into my touch.

Mylust was about to spin out of control, but fuck.Thesounds he was making were doing things to me.

“Let’sget more comfortable, yeah?”Iasked.

Ryley’seyelashes fluttered as he opened his eyes to look at me.Ihadn’t noticed how long his lashes were before.Theylooked so soft and made him look so innocent.Butconsidering the bizarre and plentiful swear words he spewed and the other ways he behaved,Idoubted he was as innocent as he appeared right now.Butthat look on his face?Itinspired all kinds of wicked thoughts.