Christmas for the Wolves & a Wolf for Valentine's Day (Grey Wolf Pack) (11 page)

No, this was something she needed to work out on her own.

*

11
th
February

Adam sneered at the assembled males before him. All but one had the sense to tremble under his gaze.
He was in no fucking mood to deal with them right now.

Relations between him and his mate had turned downright frosty in the last few days. Rosalee refused to give up her diet and Adam refused to support her in this insane diet. His wolf was constantly on edge and desperate for a fight.
The fact that he hadn’t had sex in over a week sure wasn’t helping.

“Look, Alpha,” started Gabe diplomatically, “we all love Rosalee, but...”

“You need to control your female!” roared Cain.

The burly bear shifter was livid. His tiny mate, Carly had taken to exercising non-stop and eating very little food. It was some comfort to Cain that Carly hadn’t lost any weight; she had, in fact, added a bit due to muscle mass. But when she wasn’t crying over the fact that she hadn’t lost any weight, she was too tired to make love. Cain had decided to take his rage over the matter out on the Alpha.

The male wolves shouted out in agreement but were quelled with a look from Adam.

Gabe rolled his eyes. He was also concerned about his mate, Kira, but, thankfully, his mate was a little more practical about the matter and was mainly sticking by Rosalee because she was concerned. It was actually Kira who suggested Gabe speak to Adam in the first place.

“As I was saying, we’re a little concerned about her influence on the other females. As much as we care about our female Alpha, we don’t really like the way she has... ummm...”

“Made our mates think that they need to diet and lose weight,” snarled Cain.

Adam’s wolf roared at the bear’s disrespect, but Adam soothed the beast. He couldn’t agree more. “The situation is being handled,” he told them as calmly as he could.

He hoped.
He’d brought in someone who he thought might stand a chance of getting through to his mate.

*

Rosalee opened the door to find her sister-in-law, Delilah, on the other side. The two women hugged, and Rosalee led her into the kitchen.

Rosalee folded her arms. “Adam asked you to come speak to me, didn’t he?”

Delilah shrugged and smiled. “Yep, he’s pretty predictable. Do you have any cookies? I’ve been craving cookies.”

Rosalee gave her a half-smile in return. Delilah had proudly told them she was pregnant after Rosalee and Adam returned from their honeymoon. Adam had been overjoyed at the news, but, truthfully, it made Rosalee a little tense. The pressure for Adam to also produce a child was on now that his younger sister was expecting.

“Sorry, I got rid of all the sweet stuff. How about some caffeine-free tea?”

“Sounds good.” She sat down at the table. “So, how is the diet going?”

Rosalee arched an eyebrow. “What does it matter? You’re here to talk me into quitting anyway.”

Delilah held up her hands. “No, I’m here because Adam is worried about you, and, honestly, so am I. You’ve been kind of quiet around me since Christmas.”

Rosalee fidgeted guiltily. “That’s not true.”

The she-wolf looked at her in disbelief. “Come on, be honest. Now, the only thing that’s changed is the fact that I’m pregnant so...”

Rosalee blushed, and Delilah sighed. “What’s worrying you?”

“It’s nothing; I just... I know Adam wants kids and soon, but I...” Rosalee looked out the window and chewed on her cheek.

“You’re not ready? I’m sure Adam would understand...”

“It’s not that; I’m just not sure that us having kids is a good idea.”

Delilah furrowed her brow. “Why not?”

“What if... what if the baby turned out to be human? Adam wouldn’t want it.” She felt her stomach twist even as she said it, and it was only made worse by the flash of amber in Delilah’s angry eyes.

“Of course he would want the baby!” Adam may be a domineering ass at times, but he would never reject his own child!

“But he told me he needed to have a son, a wolf, who could be Alpha after him. What if I can’t provide that? What if I only give him human girls? I’m not a she-wolf, I can’t promise pups. God knows, I can’t even manage to clean or cook properly. I have to get in better and more capable she-wolves to do that for me. Maybe Adam should have mated with one of them!”

Rosalee dissolved into tears and Delilah leapt up to sweep her into a hug. She eagerly rubbed her back while she made soothing noises. “If Adam wanted to be with a she-wolf he would have. He wanted you, and it’s breaking his heart to see you so miserable.”

Through hiccups she said, “But he was always going on about how good a cook Tilly was, and how wonderful Aimee was. How was I supposed to compete with that? How can I compete with skinny, young she-wolves?”

“It’s not a competition, and certainly not a close one; you win hands down every time. They’re sweet enough girls, but that’s all they are to Adam. She-wolves like them are all one and the same to Adam. They all suffer from one simple thing.”

“What?” asked Rosalee through sniffles.

“The fact that they aren’t you. Now, you have to stop feeling sorry for yourself, and stop doubting who you are. You’re Rosalee Grey, damnit! Female Alpha of the Grey wolf pack, and the only woman to tame the beast that is Adam Grey.”

Rosalee giggled. “Well, it wasn’t easy.”

Delilah pursed her lips. “Trust me, I know, do you think growing up with him was fun? Are you maybe feeling a little better about things now?”

Rosalee nodded and dabbed at her eyes with tissues.

Delilah raked her fingers through her black hair. Rosalee smiled; Adam did that all the time.

“You wait until I see Adam; I will give him a piece of my mind. He should know better than to be singing the praises of other women.”

Rosalee shook her head. “It’s not his fault; I should have told him how I felt.”

“Do you think Andy is ever dumb enough to walk around our house talking about how great other females are?”

Rosalee doubted it; Delilah’s bear mate, Andy worshipped his she-wolf and she doubted he would be that suicidal.

“Or, for that matter, do you run around telling Adam how great other males are?”

Rosalee’s eyes widened. She wouldn’t dare; she imagined Adam would tear apart any other male she had the nerve to compliment. “I agree, but please don’t say anything. It should come from me.”

Delilah grudgingly agreed and with one last hug she left. Rosalee let out a breath and felt more relaxed than she had in weeks. She knew what she had to do, and first, she thought it was best that she burn those damn lycra leggings.

*

13
th
February

Adam walked into the house with some reluctance. Since his sister visited, things had been marginally better than the days preceding them, but Rosalee had still been quiet and withdrawn.
At least she didn’t seem to be angry with him anymore.

She had disbanded her group of exercisers. The other males were thrilled, Cain in particular. Carly felt a lot better and figured that her obsession with exercise and diet had been channeled from the other females.

He’d been out all day; first of all dealing with issues from the new hotel a company from Alexandria were trying to build and then problems at the Sheriff’s station. He hadn’t seen Rosalee since he left her asleep in bed that morning.

His wolf had stopped snarling and had taken to whining instead.

“Rosalee?” he called, tentatively.

“In the dining room.”

His wolf was practically salivating at the delicious smell of steak and fries. His favourite meal. He quickly followed his nose and was elated to find the dining room bathed in candlelight, a huge slab of steak waiting to be eaten and, best of all, his mate was in a slinky dress and smiling at him.

“Surprise! Happy Valentine’s Day,” she cooed.

“It’s not until tomorrow,” he murmured as Rosalee came to him and brushed her lips over his.

“That’s the surprise, Alpha.”

She led him to the table and sat him down, wiggling her curvy butt as she went. He didn’t know what he wanted more, the steak or his mate.
Who was he kidding?
It was his mate, every time.

Adam looked at the steak. “Did you cook this?”

“Nope, I asked Tilly to come work for us again, and she made it. I also managed to get Aimee back; that’s why the house looks so good.”

Adam took a bite out of the steak and groaned at the taste. “I didn’t think you wanted them to work for us.”

Rosalee shrugged and began digging into her own steak. “I didn’t, but I realized I was just being stubborn. There are always going to be people in the world who are much better at certain things than me. And I know you prefer Tilly and Aimee to me when...”

“What?” roared Adam as his wolf howled in displeasure. “In no way do I prefer either of them to you! Why would you think that?” His eyes flashed to amber;
how could she even imagine that any other woman even came close to her?

Rosalee smiled nervously. “You were always saying how great they were at cooking and cleaning…”

“Who gives a fuck about those things?” snarled Adam as his wolf prowled impatiently. “Why would I care whether you can cook or clean? I don’t need you to do those things; I certainly don’t do those things; I just need…” Adam took a deep breath and calmed from his mini-rant. He reached across the table and laced his fingers with hers. “I just need you.”

She beamed as she felt the strength of his feelings through the bond. “I feel the same way, and honestly it doesn’t bother me that you couldn’t fix our refrigerator…”

His wolf snapped his jaws. It had been irritating when their refrigerator broke, and Adam hadn’t been able to find the problem. He hadn’t really liked the way he had to call in a younger wolf to do the job for him. Particularly as Rosalee had told him he was clever and had done a good job. It dawned on him, and he almost kicked himself as his wolf hung his head. He realized why Rosalee had wanted to get rid of Tilly and Aimee; it was because of him, and the way he had incessantly complimented the girls. He had unintentionally made her feel inadequate, and he felt like such a jackass.

He reached over and pulled his very compliant mate onto his lap, his dinner completely forgotten. “To be clear, sweetheart, you are perfect. No other woman can ever compare.”

“I feel the same way, I am incomparable.”

Adam chuckled as he took in the tight red dress. “This is really pretty,” he breathed, fingering the low-cut neckline, “I take it you managed to diet back into your clothes.”

“Nope, even better, I bought bigger clothes.”

“You look beautiful.” He leaned his head down and pressed kisses onto her breasts.

Rosalee sighed as hot desire shot straight to her womb. “I think we should try for a baby.”

Adam pulled his head back abruptly and looked at her in surprise.

“I’ve stopped taking my birth control, and I threw out the condoms.”

Although Rosalee had been on birth control, at her fertile time of the month she had always insisted that Adam use condoms too. She heard rumors about male wolves’ virility and hadn’t wanted to put it to the test.

His face lit up like a Christmas tree as his wolf roared excitedly. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “As long as you are. You know the baby might not be a wolf…” She watched his reaction carefully, but his excitement didn’t dim one iota.

“The baby will be yours and mine, and that’s all I care about, sweetheart. I love you.”

“I love you too, Alpha.”

Rosalee pressed her mouth to his as he hand reached between them. She began stroking his already hard manhood through his jeans.

Adam groaned into her mouth. He pulled back, panting, as his eyes flashed to amber, and his fangs started growing. “How much do you like this dress?” he demanded roughly.

She bit her lip. “Hmmm, I can take it or leave it.”

She squealed as he expertly sliced through the dress with his claws; he pulled the tattered remains from her body and her underwear quickly followed.

Feverishly she began unbuttoning his shirt and fumbling with the opening to his jeans. He slipped a couple of fingers into her already wet heat as he fastened his mouth on one of her luscious breasts. She sighed passionately as her arousal soared, and finally freeing his fat member she began stroking him.

Adam let out a low growl and pulled his mouth and fingers from her body. She let out a mewl of protest as he batted her hands away but cried out lustily as Adam pulled her over his body and impaled her on his thick length.

He began to feverishly thrust inside her as she rocked and rotated her hips above him. His fingers dug into her hips as he mercilessly drove himself inside her. His wolf howled. Tonight could be the night his mate became pregnant, soon she could be carrying their young. The thought elated him and sent his arousal rocketing to dizzying heights. It was too much for him; he threw back his head and roared as he exploded within his mate, filling her full of his fertile seed. He continued to pump inside her, and he reached between them to pinch her clit.