Moonlight (4 page)

“Drama queen.”

I sighed. “I guess what bothers me is that I
have
to do it. It’s one thing if it was truly my choice. I’m sure I would eventually get over my fears and come around to the idea. But forcing me to do it now… it’s too much pressure. I’m scared, yes, but I’m also not ready for it.”

“I get it. I do.” She scooted and sat cross-legged so she could face me. She met my eyes and all playfulness went from her voice. “You may not want to hear this, but I think you’re being too stubborn.”

“Pot calling the kettle black much?
You’re
calling
me
stubborn?”

“Yeah. Sucks, don’t it? You know it’s bad if I’m the one saying it. Really though. You just admitted you’d probably do it eventually. Five, ten, or fifteen years down the road, doesn’t matter. You’d eventually see the difference when he didn’t appear to age but you did. It would eat at you and you’d eventually submit; only then your body might not be able to handle the transition. Your chances are better now than later.”

“But what if that doesn’t matter? What if I die now?”

She shrugged. “Then you can come back as a ghost and haunt us.”

“This is serious, Lyssa.” I smacked her in the arm. “Say I do go for it and die?”

She turned away from me. “I don’t want to think about that.”

“You see? It’s a possibility. You can’t ignore that. Are you ready for me to die after how hard we fought to stay friends?”

“Then go vamp.” I could tell I’d struck a chord with her. Her tone became sharp. “You’ve got a better success rate, and then the wolf issue is moot.”

“We’re back to that?” I huffed and hung my head.

Alyssa reached out and grabbed hold of my hand. “Look, there are no other options available. You either change or walk away. And I think you’ve already made that choice. So, let’s get that bottle of Jack for you and start the pity party.”

“No.” I shook my head. “You and Lysander are right. I’m letting fear rule me, and Brady is right too, I’m being selfish. I have the perfect man who I love more than anyone. If he needs me to do this, I should.”

A smile split her lips and lit up her entire face. “That’s better. Not to mention, as a wolf, you’ll be around a hell of a lot longer than as a human, and that means I get to keep my best friend forever.”

I laughed. “You’re a dork, you know that?”

“Yep, and that’s why you love me.” She stuck her tongue out. “Now get on the phone and call your man. I’ll bet he’s worried.”

“He was sleeping when I left.”

“He’s a wolf… he probably sensed the moment you got out of bed and smelled you as you left the room.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. She was painting too clear a picture of what he
might
have done. “He called you before I came over, didn’t he?”

She grinned sheepishly.

“Damn those wolves and their senses. And damn you too for meddling. You should have told me when I got here.”

“Sorry, Fallon. But I’m on his side. I want to see you two work this out. And don’t be so quick to damn them. You’ll be one of them soon.”

I’d just been played, but there was nothing I could say. It was for my own good. I needed that little push.

“Fine. Give me the phone.”

When I’d last spoken to Aiden, I said “we needed to talk,” but hadn’t let on about my decision. I wanted to make it a big surprise.

About noon the following day, I returned to the wolf preserve, a small out-of-the-way section of woodland near Ipswich, Massachusetts. This wildlife sanctuary and preserve served as the Olde Town Pack’s main den; a safe gathering place away from prying eyes for the wolves of the northeastern US territories. 

The wolves manned this functioning wild life preserve to keep up appearances, and the primary building was busy with people performing their day-to-day tasks when I arrived. I entered through the large glass doors and walked past the reception desk where the wolf lady from the night before, Diana, was sitting. She wasn’t the normal receptionist, a redhead by the name of Jessica. I wondered what had happened to her. She’d never missed a day as long as I’d been around. Those thoughts would have to wait for later, though; the glare Diana tossed my way was setting off all kinds of red flags in my head.

Remembering that I needed to act like an Alpha if I wanted to be treated like one, I pretended to ignore her and continued past.

“Hey,” she shouted at me. “The boss is in a meeting. You’re going to have to wait.”

I kept pace and continued toward Aiden’s office door. “Don’t get your hackles up. He won’t mind me peeking in.” Aiden had never kept me from pack business. As potential mate, it was my duty to familiarize myself with the way the pack operated. That often meant sitting in on meetings.

“Maybe you didn’t hear me. I said you’re not going in there.” Diana stood and in a graceful whirl of motion, managed to get in front of me and block my way into Aiden’s office.

She was beginning to get on my nerves. I had to look up to meet her eyes. She had at least five inches on me, but, I wasn’t going to let her size intimidate me. It’s not the size of the dog, it’s the fight within that matters most, and if I wanted to be respected as the Alpha Female, I’d better start showing it now. I lowered my voice to a dangerous whisper. “I’m not sure if you’re just new to the receptionist position and don’t know how things work, or if you’ve got some kind of problem here, but you need to back down.”

Diana stared down at me, daring me, her hazel eyes locked onto mine almost as if she was trying to see through me. “You may be Aiden’s little plaything, but you’re not
pack
. And from what I hear, you’ll never be
pack
. Once he’s realized this, he’ll toss you aside and pick up a real woman.”

If it weren’t for the seriousness of the situation I would die of laughter. The audacity of this woman to think she had a chance with my Aiden. But laughter would have to wait.

“Aww, you think you have a shot with him? That’s so cute.” I narrowed my eyes but did not break contact with her. I knew better than to break eye contact with a wolf. I was the dominant here, even as a human, and she needed to know it. “Let me save you the trouble of getting your hopes up. He’s mine, bitch. And even if he weren’t, he’d never shack up with a skank like you.”

“Big words for such a small girl.” She leaned in, coming nose to nose with me. “Let’s see you back that up.”

The knob on the door turned with a slight creak. Diana straightened up and plastered a fake smile across her face just as the door opened.

“Babe?” Aiden pushed straight past Diana as if she hadn’t been standing there. He pulled me into his arms. “Why didn’t you come in when you got here?”

 Over Aiden’s shoulder I spotted Diana sneering at me. I smiled in return. “I was just having a friendly little chat with your secretary. She’s new, right? You might want to keep her on a shorter leash until she’s trained a little better. She’s so unprofessional.”

“Forget her. You get in here.” He pulled me straight past a fuming Diana, into his office, and kicked the door closed behind him.

“So, we need to talk—” I tried to say, but he captured my mouth before I could finish the sentence. Aiden’s kisses had all the intensity of a man who’d finally found what he’d been sorely deprived of. His lips begged for more contact as he backed me up against the bookshelves.

“Go ahead, talk. I’m listening.” He left my lips only to taste new delights as he worked his mouth down to the crook of my neck. His hands came up and cupped my breasts through my t-shirt.

Aiden was all heat and need and pent up aggression. He nipped possessively at the hollow of my neck, making me squirm with delight. That man knew exactly how to get my motor running! My body throbbed with need for him and warmth pooled between my thighs.

“You’re not saying anything,” he teased as he pulled back. Fire blazed in his eyes and he burned a trail all the way down my body. “Didn’t you want to talk?”

“Talking is overrated, just fuck me,” I panted and gripped his pants, pawing at his belt buckle. Suddenly, it felt like there were too many layers of clothes between us, but it only took me a moment to rectify that.

“That’s my girl.” Aiden seized my hips and lifted me up in a smooth motion. His strength added to my desire. He carried my weight easily while his large hot hands gripped my ass under my skirt. 

I wrapped my legs around his torso and gripped his head, weaving my fingers into his dark thick hair, and ground myself into him.

Aiden growled his appreciation; the vibrations of his chest rumbled through my body. He twirled around toward his desk, swept a hand across it and sent his pencil cup, notebooks, and stapler crashing to the floor.

Though he was furious with need, he laid me out gently across the now-empty desk. Desire smoldered in his pitch-black eyes. He slipped his hands under my skirt, hooked my underwear with his fingers, and dragged them down. I kicked off my fur-lined boots and flung my panties off with them. Aiden smirked and grabbed my ankles. He lifted them to his shoulders and smoothed his hands down my bare legs.

Both rough and gentle, soft and hard, he was a sexy conundrum that had my body aching for his next move. And move he did. His boxers hit the floor and he dove into me with one powerful thrust. He knew just how to hit all the right spots and how hard to drive me. Aiden was all Alpha, and I was ready to submit to him forever.

I reached up to pull him down to me. “My answer is yes.”

I swear I saw a new spark ignite his smoldering eyes. “Babe, you don’t know how happy you’ve just made me.”

“You could show me.”

Another deep growl rumbled through his chest. He leaned on his hands and met my mouth as he drove into me harder. The desk beneath us creaked and shifted, moving with his thrusts. He had me pinned and I loved it. His power flowed through me with each plunge. It was if he was joining us, fusing us together. He found places I don’t think had ever been touched before. Places that caused me to lose control and quiver. He drove me to the edge and then sent me freefalling into the abyss. Stars burst in my vision and I swear I blacked out for a moment. When I came to, my body still buzzed with electricity and Aiden towered over me, smiling.

“I don’t know what you just did there, but… damn!”

“Just wait until you’ve transitioned. It gets better.” He winked.

Oh damn! I swear I almost came again hearing that. “Why didn’t you open with that when you first asked me to change? I doubt any woman alive could turn that offer down.”

“I wanted the decision to be yours. No coercion.”

“You’re evil.”

“I’m yours.”

“No… I’m yours.” I lifted my head and punctuated my point capturing his lips in an intense kiss.

Someone knocked on the door, a soft almost tapping sound. It was my turn to growl, only this time it was out of frustration. I wasn’t ready to end our moment.

“I’m busy.” Aiden shouted to the door.

“Sorry, boss.” Diana said. “Micah is here and the rest of the council are meeting in the conference room.”

“Bad timing.”

“We’ll have to continue this later.” Aiden’s shoulders sagged.

 “Do you want me to join you in council?”

“No. I need to give them the good news, though. That should get them off my back. For now, you get that sexy ass into a shower and be ready for me to ravage you again later.” He stood and retrieved his boxers and pants.

“Is that all I am to you?” I joked as I sat up on the desk.  “Your little plaything?”

“No, that’s just one of the perks.” He stole one last kiss and headed for the door. “I won’t be long. I promise.”

“You better not.”

He walked out, passed Diana, and headed down the hallway. She stood in the doorway, and once Aiden had walked out of sight, turned to me and sneered. I sat proudly on top of Aiden’s desk, naked from the waist down, and crossed my legs.

“You think you’re untouchable, don’t you?” Diana spat at me.

“You’re treading a very thin line, lady.”

“Tough words for a human. I could shred you right here.”

“So do it. What are you waiting for? Oh, right… Aiden would have your head for that.”

“Accidents happen.” An evil glint shone in her eye and a smile spread across her face.

I wasn’t going to let her scare me. I glared back at her. “They do, don’t they? I’d feel terrible if my fist just accidentally found your face. Cut the crap. You don’t want me for an enemy.” As soon as I became Alpha Female, I planned to make her life hell.

“Why, because you’re fucking the boss?” She rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, I heard. Half the pack heard you. You’re quite the little slut, aren’t you? Just walking into the boss’s office and screwing him as loud as you can for all to hear. Bet you feel like you’re something hot, don’t you?”

I folded my arms in front of me.

“Lemme tell you a little secret. No one wants a human mating with the Alpha. The council won’t allow it, and I won’t stand for it.”