Alpha Wolf: Black Mesa Wolves #2 (Werewolf Shifter Paranormal Romance) (10 page)

“Huh.” Sara let her eyes rove around the coffee shop for a
moment. Mostly college-age kids, all hippy-cute, and a few older couples who
appeared to be tourists. The cowboys never came in here. They seemed to prefer
the bars. She looked at a couple ordering their drinks at the counter. The man
kept a hand on the woman's back, her hip, or brushing her fingers with his.
From the way she leaned into him, not to mention the obvious pheromones on the
air between the two, they were clearly happy together.

For the moment.

Rielle shifted in her seat and leaned a little closer to Sara,
as if to share a secret. “I think it will work for you, Sara. The two of you
are good together, from what I've seen.”

Sara snapped her eyes back to Rielle. “What are you talking
about?”

“You and Rafe. It will work out well. He's going to be a
very strong alpha, just like his father, and you're the perfect mate for him. I
know you weren't ready for it before now, and I don't blame you. That's a lot
of responsibility.” She smiled, not catching Sara's bewilderment. “But if it's
obvious to me when I only see you around a few times a month, then that means
it's pretty real between you.”

Rielle's voice was slightly dreamy and wistful. Her entire
face softened as she looked at Sara, and Sara had a feeling the other wolf was
picturing her own happily-ever-after someday. Sara herself felt slightly
queasy.

“And that,” Rielle went on, “means the new pack will be
very, very strong. With the rogue pack forming as well, Black Mesa will need
Rafe's new pack to be exceptional. With him running it, it will be.”

The entire world shrank, expanded, and shrank again with
such dizzying force Sara actually clutched the seat of her chair in an effort
to not topple sideways. She felt her mouth drop open as she stared at Rielle.
Rielle instantly looked apprehensive. Sara's wolf sat at full attention,
agitated.

“What?” the smaller wolf asked, her eyes widening at Sara's
reaction. “What did I say?”

“I—you—what?” The words would not form correctly. Sara tried
again. “What are you talking about? What new pack? Rafe has a new pack?”

Rielle's delicate features became positively stricken. She
put her hand over her mouth, soft brown eyes enormous above it.

“Oh, no,” she said, voice muffled by her hand but still
clear to Sara's wolf-sharp ears. “Oh, my God. Sara, I—I really thought you knew.
I mean, it's so clear about you and Rafe, so I just figured this was part of
the plan from the beginning...and the two of you being put on patrol together,
I thought Alpha was just giving you both more time to learn how to work as a
team.” Rielle's eyes shone with what Sara realized were the very sensitive
other wolf's tears. “I feel awful.”

“What pack?” Sara's voice barely rose above a strained
whisper.

Rielle uncovered her mouth and gripped her empty coffee mug instead.
“Alpha wants Rafe to start a new pack. Up north. Really north. To strengthen
our Canadian border.”

Sara's stomach dropped. She gripped the chair more tightly.

“Our pack is huge right now,” Rielle went on, her eyes
becoming more sympathetic with each word, “and Rafe's been groomed for so long.
But he's such a great leader, so even-keeled, Alpha thought he would do best
starting a pack that would need impeccable leadership. And this new pack needs
to get started now.”

Sara nodded. She felt completely numb and unable to wrap her
mind around the information. Rafe was starting a new pack as its alpha? He'd
known that when they'd been at the hot springs. She knew when he made her come
like she hadn't come in ages—damn her traitorous body, her clit was tightening
up right now in piercing anticipation—it truly had been the selfless gesture of
a man who cared more about the woman he was with than his own pleasure. The
gesture of a wolf who had chosen his mate, and wanted to show her how he valued
her.

The calculated move of a man who was leaving. What the hell
was he playing at with her? Did he want her or not? Was she his mate or not?

Why did she care?
This
was her pack, and that was
what she cared about.

The thought of the Black Mesa Pack without Rafe, though,
sent such a jolt of hard sorrow through her she almost felt a little kick to
her gut. It wouldn't be the same without him.
She
wouldn't be the same
without him.

What did it matter? She had a goal, and it didn't include
Rafe.

Then why the hell did this news stun the hell out of her?

Her thoughts ping-ponged so rapidly she felt a headache
threaten. Her wolf half-whined, half-growled in similar confusion.

Rafe had behaved as a wolf who had chosen his mate because
he was about to be tapped to lead a new pack. And he'd made that choice without
letting said mate in on the decision.

Her wolf growled, pawing the corners of Sara's mind.

That knowledge hit her hard. The numbness vanished as an
enormous surge of anger and adrenaline roared through her instead. She straightened
up in the chair.

“I'm going to rip his tail off first,” she muttered.
Rielle's eyes popped wide again. “Then I'm going to bite him in the ass so he
knows who's in charge around here.”

Rielle leaned back, a safe distance away from Sara. Sara's hands
had unclenched her chair and were now tapping at the table. She could feel the
energy in them, desperate to get out. How could he? What was he thinking,
playing with her like this?

If Rafe Bardou thought he could play a player, he had
another think coming.

“Are you going to—hurt him?” Rielle still looked at Sara
wide eyed. “I really didn't mean to spill the beans, Sara. I just thought you
had to know.”

Sara shook her head and impulsively reached across the table
to touch Rielle's hand in a comforting manner. She always forgot how
soft-hearted Rielle was. She was the most tender wolf in the pack. Probably ate
daisies instead of bunnies when she hunted.

“I promise to leave his tail intact,” Sara said. Rielle
visibly relaxed. “But the jury is out on whether or not he will still get his
ass bitten. Hard.”

Chapter
7

Rafe groaned and rubbed his temples. He'd been writing up
yet another report for the Alpha. At this rate, he'd be a hunched over old man
well before his time.

A quick grin skimmed his lips. He wasn't old yet. He still
had many years left to bring Sara to the brink of an explosive orgasm, teasing
her with it until she begged in that shivery, out-of-control voice of hers when
she was unbearably aroused, then tumbling her over the edge to the echo of her
drawn out gasps and moans.

If she'd ever let him touch her again, that is.

He had to shift position a bit on his semi-comfortable
office chair as he pictured her the way she'd looked at the hot springs.
Finally responding to him again, the way her wolf wanted, the way he wanted.
Skin flushed, full lips open and moist, nipples taut as pretty little pebbles
in his hands as he rolled them back and forth with his fingers.

Three weeks seemed impossibly long ago. He savored their hot
springs encounter by replaying its each moment in his mind. Then again, he'd
waited for her for over a year. Three weeks, he could handle.

His wolf huffed in soft disagreement. Rafe hmphed back, and stood
to pull his arms behind his back. He reveled in the stretch and the fluid play
of his own muscles. He was in plenty good shape to keep on pleasuring that sexy
little wolf. Just seeing her expression at the peak of her release had sent a
hot current zipping through his veins. To know he was the one responsible for
the complete abandon on her face. That he was the one for whom she'd called out
in her rasping, pushed-to-the-edge voice, gratified him. The knowledge almost
made him dizzy, because Sara was the only mate he wanted. And he needed her to
be that mate sooner than later.

After days of wondering what he'd done to make her turn tail
so quickly, he'd finally figured it out. Sara still wanted to play with him, to
keep it simple and easy. It was her standard modus operandi with men, and the
same thing she'd pulled on him the last time. He'd always known she was
skittish about relationships. In his mulish judgment, not to mention a healthy
dose of solid lust, he'd decided the thing to do was show her what she meant to
him.

What a pitiable mistake that had been. Letting her see how
much he valued her had set off clanging sirens in her commitment-phobic mind
and she ran from him faster than a rabbit being hunted for dinner.

Clearly, she would have greatly preferred it if he'd
ravished her multiple times and not held himself back.

His wolf sent him an image of a big, strong wolf tripping
head first over a tree root, only to come up looking chagrined and maybe even a
bit foolish.

Rafe sighed.

And then they'd had their little chat the other morning,
which hadn't gone quite as he'd hoped. For almost a full day afterward, Rafe
had analyzed every damn word of their conversation again and again until his
wolf forced a shift to get him into a simpler, freer state of mind so it would
stop fruitlessly wrestling with itself.

One essential aspect of the symbiotic relationship the human
self had with the wolf self was the power each had over the other. A human
shifter was the same being as his wolf, and vice versa. The deepest part of the
difference lay in the animal self and the human self. Each one informed the
other in ways that worked for the best existence overall. If the human over
thought things, the animal took over in order to bring calm, simple sense back
in. If the animal strayed too far toward natural predatory instincts, the human
took over to reintroduce more rational thought.

Of course, there were wild wolves in the world; shifters who
had no pack but were not rogue, and lived much more from the animal side of the
equation. But Rafe was not a wild wolf. He was an alpha, and he needed to
remain clear and sharp.

His phone chirped and he checked the message. A scowl
immediately crossed his features. Unsanctioned wolf activity had been detected
west of the den, again out in the canyons and mesas near where he and Sara had
been patrolling earlier in the week. The rogue alpha-to-be, Luke, had accounted
for all his wolves. He'd dismissed one who clearly would never truly be able to
function in a sanctioned pack. The others he vouched for, and was keeping them
under tight control while they enjoyed the hospitality of the Black Mesa Pack.

A somewhat suspicious hospitality on occasion, Rafe knew,
but courteous nonetheless. Channing Bardou would tolerate nothing less from his
pack members. In return, Luke Rawlins had guaranteed his remaining wolves would
behave, which included not venturing beyond the central den premises without
escort.

Whoever the wolf was sniffing around the southwestern edges
of Black Mesa territory, it was in for a serious surprise. Rogue or not, it
didn't step paw onto their territory without questioning. Alpha wanted Rafe and
Sara to join up with the patrol currently out there and bring it in.

This would be a fun hunt. But first he needed his patrol
partner with him. Another grin slipped onto his face as he flicked his thumb at
his phone and called Sara while jogging downstairs to head to his house.

Sara's ire rose to a sharp, fine point when her phone buzzed
and she saw Rafe's brief text.
Meet me at my place. Strange wolf southwest
boundary

Perfect timing.

It took her twenty minutes to get from downtown to the den.
She didn't bother stopping at her place to grab more practical clothes for what
could be a long patrol in both human and wolf forms. A small overnight bag she
periodically checked and restocked always rode in the trunk of her car, filled
with a variety of clothing options. Good thing she thought ahead that way,
because she was still so annoyed she probably would have picked out a crazy
ensemble.

Pure angry energy carried her straight from her car to
Rafe's front door. She was almost too focused on the sizzling irritation to
notice the neat little vegetable garden off to the side, the one he kept well
tended when he needed to zen out, as he had once told her. Or the cute porch
swing his mother had given him several years ago, which Sara sometimes saw the
young cubs swinging on when they came by to visit. Rafe was unflappable as an
alpha-to-be, but he was also unerringly gentle with kids and seemed to
genuinely enjoy their presence.

Not that she wanted to notice these things right now. Nope.
Right now, she was still charged up from finding out about his new pack.

With a sharp rap, she announced her arrival. Even his door
had personality to it. Hand carved, it featured a dark, heavy wood with
intricate yet subtle designs above and below frosted inset windows. The entire
little house was attractive in a serious way. Just like the man.

Rafe swung open the door. Sara felt some of her fury weaken
as he stepped out into the light and she got a good look at him. Jeans hugged
his hips. A black t-shirt molded itself to his chest. He hadn't shaved for a
few days, so an unbelievably sexy stubble grazed over his chin and cheeks. His
eyes, the color of a deep blue mountain lake, regarded her with a healthy
amount of interest.

She had the most insane desire to lean forward and lick him.

He didn't tell you he was leaving,
she reminded
herself as sternly as possible.

“That's your outfit?” The low, easy rumble of his voice
caused a rippling shiver up and down her skin. He didn't seem to mind drinking
her in with his eyes. “I like it.”

Sara took a deep breath and stood as tall as she could.
Which meant even wearing heels, her head barely reached his nose.

“Ready to go?”

Willing herself to stop thinking about his darned lips, she
kept her voice firm. “Nope. We've got something to discuss first.”