STORY EXCERPT

“Hey, cutie. You wanna have some fun?” a slurred voice said against his ear, followed by a hand on his.

Seeing the familiar face, he relaxed a fraction. “Mitch, I’m not in the mood tonight. Sorry.”

Mitch was a dominant but harmless werewolf in the same age group as himself. Mitch shrugged. “Suit yourself. You gotta unwind, Alex. You look like a fish out of water.”

Mitch wandered away from him. 

“Tell me about it. I felt like that most of my life,” he mumbled. Needing air, he exited the multifloored building they called the pack house. Cool night wind hit his face. He wandered away from the festivities, the gravel underneath his shoes eventually turning to rough dirt. Alex shoved his hands into his pocket as he entered the woods next to the pack house.

Shifters needed to be constantly around nature to soothe their inner animals, so the first Alpha of Bracken Edge had decided to build the compound here, close enough to the town of Bracken Edge and to the Bracken forests. As Alex walked further into the woods, he wondered if he should have gone in wolf form instead. 

Then again, Rider would probably want to talk, and it would be impolite to be in animal form while the Alpha was in human form. If he ran in as a wolf, he’d remain naked and human while he spoke to the Alpha. Shifters were normally comfortable with nudity, but Rider wasn’t just any other shifter male.

Shit. Rider being the official Alpha seemed to complicate plenty of things.

Despite not coming here in years, he eventually made his way to the secret grove, hidden from view by a huge rock wall. Few pack mates knew about this place. He entered the clearing, relieved to see Rider hadn’t arrived. Maybe Alpha business kept him away. What if Rider ended up not meeting him, or simply forgot? Or this was some kind of mean prank from Ryker?

He bit his bottom lip. No, he decided. Ryker might be a lot of things, but he doubted even Ryker would disobey a direct order from the Alpha. Besides, Ryker looked far too unhappy being the messenger boy. Alex sat on a rock, studied the trees, which had already seemed ancient ten years ago. Above them, he spotted the night sky, lit alive by stars and a bloated full moon. 

“A perfect evening,” he murmured. If only he wasn’t worried dead sick with what Rider wanted to talk about.

“Perfect, huh?”

At that familiar deep voice, he abruptly rose to his feet, straightened up his spine. There was no mistaking the Alpha had arrived, because the chilly air turned hot. His wolf sat up inside of him, recognizing the authority of the head of the pack. The urge to bear his neck to the Alpha arose. He was about to do just that, when Rider appeared in his line of sight, as if by magic. Well, probably supernatural speed. Rider always moved fast, despite his massive size.

He sucked in a breath, aware only a few inches stood between them. Worse, Rider only wore a pair of jeans and nothing else. His brain nearly short-circuited as he took every inch of the rock-hard Alpha. Realizing he’d been caught staring, he faked a cough and looked away. Rider used his hand to tip his chin upward, and no part of him wanted to bat Rider’s hand away. 

Doing that to the Alpha was rude, right? Besides, he had to admit, he liked Rider’s huge callused fingers touching him.

“Why weren’t you at the ceremony?” Rider asked, a growl accompanying his words.

Crap. Rider sounded pissed. 

“I couldn’t bear to.”

Rider narrowed his icy blue eyes. Unlike most werewolves whose eye color turned yellow under intense emotions, Rider’s eyes always remained that color. Rumor had it that it was because Rider’s eyes became permanently stuck that way because he’d nearly turned Rabid. Then again, Rider had always been more in tune to his animal side more than any other wolf in the pack.

“Explain.”

He breathed hard. “Is that a command?”

“I am the Alpha. It’s my right to give orders.” 

Was it his imagination or did amusement flash across Rider’s gaze?

Cocky man. Impossible Alpha. Some of the weaker members of the pack got easily intimidated by Rider, but never him. He always knew Rider would never hurt him. Hell, Rider would harm himself first.

Realizing he couldn’t bear to lie to Rider, he told the Alpha the truth. “It was too painful.”

“Why? You’re the one who kept telling me I’ll be a good Alpha, even better than my old man.”

“That’s still true. No one’s doubting your capabilities, but becoming the Alpha officially changes everything for me.”

God. Alex couldn’t believe he was doing this, baring his all to Rider. For years, he’d successfully managed to hide his feelings. This was more than some teenage crush, because deep down he knew Rider had always been the man for it. When his ex broke up with him, he’d been pissed off at first, then relieved. 

Both wolf and human inside of him always knew the truth. It was Rider or no one else. Too bad the Alpha had plenty of better choices presented in front of him, and unlike the other Omegas from all those other packs, Alex couldn’t offer Rider an alliance or anything of importance. Just himself.

Rider didn’t interrupt him, had always been a good listener. 

“Say what you mean, little wolf, because you should know. I’m not a patient man.”

No, he wasn’t. Heart in his throat, Alex took a deep breath and told Rider his secret.

“I love you, Rider. Have been in love with you for a very long time.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“Jeans off,” Rider said, offering him a hand and pulling him to his feet. 

Rider hooked his fingers into his belt loops, slid his jeans down, along with his boxers. He helped the Alpha along, kicking them aside. Rider dispensed with his pants as well. Finally, they were both fully naked. 

“Is this really happening?” he whispered, coming closer to plant his hand on Rider’s chest. 

He could hear it, the steady and confident beat of his Alpha’s heart while his own beat erratically. Rider knew what he wanted all along, Alex realized, saw it in the Alpha’s blue eyes that no longer seemed icy. Instead, Rider’s pupils seemed to take on the color of a passionate storm.

Rider clasped his fingers with one hand, the other the Alpha used to curl over his aching shaft. He moaned as Rider began to work him. The Alpha cupped his ass cheek, gave it a squeeze, and he moaned as Rider slid his fingers to his crack, fingered his hole, rubbed at it. 

“Omegas are self-lubricating. Always loved that fact,” Rider said. 

He shivered in anticipation. He’d always wondered what it would be like, with Rider fucking him. 

A man like Rider would be rough, fast, exactly the way Alex wanted it.

“Tell me, little Omega. Do you want to come?” Rider whispered against his ear.

“Oh yes, please.”

Rider worked his prick faster, then stopped. Alex let out a groan of frustration. “Not yet. If you orgasm, I’ll bend you over my knee and punish you. That’s for missing out on my ceremony today,” Rider chided.

He mumbled an incoherent reply, too turned on to be annoyed. A game. Werewolves loved games, but he did feel guilty about skipping out on the event. Alex shouldn’t have let his insecurities get in the way, should have manned up and supported his man. 

“What can I do to make it up to you, Alpha?” He knew without a doubt he’d do anything just to have Rider’s fingers on the most intimate part of his body again.

“Lie down, over here.” Rider grabbed his arm, led him to a grassy area underneath an old oak tree.

Alex lay on his back, barely caught a glimpse of the view of the night sky before Rider crawled on top of him. He groaned, licked his lips at the sight of Rider’s rock-hard body, slightly beaded with sweat, and didn’t protest when Rider pinned his hands above his head. Then the Alpha lowered his mouth to his, kissed him so slowly this time that it threw him off guard.

Rider kissed, sucked, and nibbled, made his way from Alex’s mouth to the side of his neck, all the while Alex lay helpless underneath him. Oh, Alex knew he could put a stop to this anytime. One word from him and Rider would get off him, but where was the fun in that? The only reckless thing he’d ever done in his life was leave the pack and this town, but he’d been filled with guilt the entire time.

Tonight, underneath this wild, powerful Alpha, he wanted to be wild, free, and loved. Rider showed him how much the Alpha valued him with every kiss and possessive touch. To be owned and claimed by his man, he couldn’t even imagine, but every part of him yearned to be Rider’s in every single way.

He shuddered when Rider grazed the pulse point on his neck with his teeth. A warning or a promise?

Do it, his wolf pleaded, but Rider went lower, seemingly wanting to take his time enjoying him. Rider took one nipple in his mouth, sucked on it, used one hand to keep Alex’s wrists in place and the other to play with his prick.

“Rider,” was all he managed to gasp.

“Go ahead, little Omega. I’m sure you can’t hold back anymore.”

Rider muffled his scream of bliss with another kiss as he came, spilling his jizz all over Rider’s hand. His mind was in a haze as Rider got off him, flipped him to his hands and knees. He moaned, felt Rider pry his ass cheeks wider, slide a finger in him. He was already slick and ready for Rider. 

“Mm, perfect and you’re virgin tight, too,” Rider murmured, giving his ass a squeeze.

He blushed. “I only let one man in me, my ex, and that was a mistake. Made me think sex was nothing special.”

“Forget him,” Rider growled out. “Because I’m about to change that once I make you mine.”

* * * *

Alex moaned as he thrust his ass upward in offering, angling himself better so Rider could easily plunge inside him. Rider wasn’t done playing with his hole though. The Alpha slid a second finger in him, began to widen him for access. 

Wiggling his ass at Rider earned him a slap. He groaned into the grass. 

“Be patient, little Omega,” Rider chided.

“I’m trying,” he mumbled, relieved when Rider finally replaced his digits with his slick cock head.

The Alpha gripped his hips, smeared his pre-cum around his hole, his buttocks, being all territorial, and he liked that. Alex felt foolish to even think Rider was thinking of taking one of those Omegas from the other pack. 

Rider finally breached him. He gasped, intently aware of how huge Rider was. A burn started, but once Rider pushed past the thick ring of muscles, it felt a lot easier. He breathed hard, as Rider finally slid balls-deep in him.

“After this, there’s no one else going to be inside you but me,” Rider said, his tone final.

Alex had been rendered incapable of speech, but he wanted to let Rider know that he couldn’t imagine being with anyone else but him. Rider reached for his balls, gave them a squeeze.

“That understood, Omega?”

“Completely,” he managed to answer.