~Gemma~
I frowned at him from across our booth. How did I end up in this situation? Right. Alpha Devlin commanded me. And when that failed, he bullied me. It paid to have strength and size on your side. My small stature let me down once again. Alpha Devlin, the lout, had a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes to match the aggravating smirk on his lips.
My fingers twitched as I fantasized about grabbing a salad fork and stabbing the offending orbs out of his face. No. That did not make me sadistic, vengeful maybe but definitely not sadistic. One transformation to his wolf form and everything would magically heal. Oh, everything except for his disturbing behaviors. No helping that.
“Is there something specific you wished to discuss?” After two glasses of wine, my spine still felt about as firm as Jello.
“No more sleepovers with Tyson. I mean it.”
I smiled, a glimmer of hope sparking in my soul. “Is that all? Easy. Done. We could have had this chat in my office.”
“I also want to discuss the future.”
Yup. Spark dead and gone. “Look. No matter what happened in our past, I wish you and Twyla all the best." No I didn't. I hated that bitch. My soul burned bright green with envy just at the thought of her with him. "You will make beautiful babies. And I meant what I said to Tyson, just don’t ask Aunt Gemma to babysit.” I held my breath and avoided direct eye contact.
“Twyla? Damn.” He grimaced.
Crap! I picked Twyla because I thought she was his favorite bedmate at the moment. I had to be strong. I took another sip from my glass and nodded with conviction.
His brows furrowed. “I just thought…”
“Don’t think! You always overthink and complicate shit. Let life take its natural course. We have no idea when you or Sadie will bring your spawn into the world. It could be this year, or five years from now.” I covered his hand with mine. Big mistake! Why did I have to touch him?
His thumb caressed my hand. He closed his eyes and inhaled sharply. “Whenever I am close to you, all I can think about is dragging you to my room and fucking you until my wolf is satisfied.”
My mouth fell open. Yes, this was the romantic side of my esteemed alpha. I glanced at the people around us. Everyone appeared engrossed in their own little world. Yet, my cheeks burned. Alphas had a terrible habit of saying whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.
“Rude, sir! Are you crazy? Someone might overhear you! This is my favorite restaurant. I’d like to be able to return sans humiliation.”
Alpha Devlin ran a hand over his mouth before speaking. “And when I’m away from you, I can’t stop thinking about you. It’s driving me insane.”
Um. I came unprepared for this conversation. “Isn’t Twyla satisfying you in the bedroom department? You seem very close.”
“Hell no! My wolf lost interest in her long ago.”
“Forget about your wolf. What about you?” I grasped at anything, anything but the rotten truth.
“You don’t understand. My wolf is stronger than most. Even now, if you allowed me, I would drag you on top of this table and eat your sweet cunt until you begged me to stop.”
I remained cool and kept my struggling to a minimum as he griped my arm and thigh and proceeded to slide me around the circular booth until our bodies collided. However, I protested when his mammoth hand buried itself between my thighs.
“Do you have nothing to say?” He sounded irritated.
I moaned as his thumb caressed my intimate places. “What am I supposed to say? I don’t understand what you want from me!” I shoved his hand away.
He smiled, believing me ensnared in the trap of his sexy web. “It’s simple, sweetheart. I want to take you back to my place and fuck you into next week.”
“Why your place and not mine? It’s closer.” Really? That was the question I chose to ask? Ugh. Well, my place was closer and away from the pack house. Critical details.
The muscle in his cheek twitched. He leaned down to whisper in my ear. “I want your scent to linger on my bed. Then, maybe I can pretend Twyla is you.” His lips pressed gently on the side of my neck.
Ugh! Why did he have to be so darn handsome? And charming when he applied himself? My feeble heart stuttered. My tough act was shallow at best. I remembered every delicious sensation of having sex with Alpha Devlin. I gave him my virginity, along with my heart, when I was younger and stupid. I thought sex equaled love. Those were human notions, Alpha Devlin informed me. Mating for werewolves was a bit more complex. Sometimes, werewolves mated simply to establish dominance or as a reward for good behavior. And of course, mating could be a form of punishment. Although, Alpha Devlin did not condone that behavior in his pack.
“Nope. Not interested.” I insisted. I weaned myself off Devlin sex two years ago. Like any addiction, the withdrawals had been a brutal bitch.
His lip curled. “You mistake me, witch, by giving me more credit than I deserve. I am not asking your permission. I am informing you as a courtesy that I intend to mate with you until you are out of my system.”
“And do you have any idea how long it will take to rid me from your system? You know, so I can make plans?” I took another sip, mentally patting myself on the back for the steady hand. My rising anger dulled any growing desire I might have begun to feel for him. Fucker.
“I’ve no idea if it is even possible. I’ve never gotten away from my desires for you. It’s bordering on obsession.”
I set my glass on the table. No! He could not have true feelings for me. His fated mate was out there in the world, waiting to make her appearance at the most inconvenient moment. And how many times have I been informed that a human was not good enough for an alpha?
He tilted my chin up so I had to take in every chiseled detail of his beautiful face. As if I didn’t have him memorized in my long-term storage. “You aren’t any human, Gemma. You are my human. And I would forsake all women just to have you at my side.”
Sure. They all say that to get you in their beds. And when their fated mate turned up, they abandoned you with no remorse. Cold-hearted bastards. That scenario literally happened to a friend ealier this year. Now she played single mom while daddy moved on to play house with another woman. Fucker.
“Damn you. I do my best to respect your privacy. Why can’t you do the same for me?” My voice shook and I gave no shits about it. Maybe I should take that Florida vacation all by myself. I didn’t need some stupid wolf messing it up or bossing me around during my vacay. I was strong and independent. I intended to remain that way for as long as possible.
Alpha Devlin pulled me from my musings. “I am the reason you’ve grown so cynical and for that I am sorry.”
“You are?” I couldn’t hide my astonishment at his admission. I also became suspicious.
“Yes. I am also sorry it changes nothing. I will have you. Again. And again.”
Wham! And there it was! I snorted. Loudly. Our clan should have been named Pig-Headed Alpha Pack.
“Gemma, that is not funny. My head does not look like a pig.”
I smiled. “See? That’s what I’m talking about. You have no sense of humor. This is a major character flaw I cannot overlook.” For the millionth time, I built an impenetrable fortress around my mind. I deserved my privacy. Dammit.
~Alpha Devlin~ From across the booth, Gemma frowned at me. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. She never made it easy for me. I shook off my feelings of inadequacy. I was her alpha and in control of the situation. I grinned at her. Her glare narrowed on me. “Is there something specific you wished to discuss?” I ignored the way she clung to her wine glass as if it embodied her sanity. “No more sleepovers with Tyson. I mean it.” It was a demand, actually. I resented the bond she shared with my younger brother. Sure. It may have been jealousy over her spending time freely with him while avoiding me at every turn. Her smile devastated me. I felt the unrelenting tug of my soul seeking hers. It tore me up inside that she never seemed affected by the bond I knew to be there. I took a swig of my whiskey. It was nearly impossible for werewolves to get drunk. No. It didn’t stop us from trying. I enjoyed the burn of the alcohol in my gut replacing other sensations. “Is that all? Easy. D
~Gemma~ I nursed my third girly alcoholic drink chasing that sweet, magical release from reality. My seat at the small table was wedged between two she-wolves, Sammie and Megan. Werewolves ran hot and I felt the heat from their bodies increase in tempo with their excitement. Yuck! "Why didn't we invite Twyla!" Macy asked in her sickly sweet tone. WTF? I was about to make some unladylike comment when I opened my mouth and nearly swallowed a feather. “Sammie! Stop swatting me in the face with your boa!” I spat out the fake feather. “Sorry, girl!” Sammie laughed, sloshing me with her drink in the process. I sighed. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed a good strip show. I enjoyed it a bit less on a freaking Wednesday night. Stupid ladies’ night. I had to be up at 6 a.m. in the morning to tackle my day. Damn Alpha Devlin! I blamed him for my current predicament. If not for the emotional stress he inflicted on me, Fat Kitty and I would be snuggling and watching something silly on hulu. Six o
~Sammie~ I hated Fanged, dumb vampire strip club. Although I adored Gemma, I resented being tasked with playing witch sitter. Again. Alpha Devlin ordered me to keep an eye on her. Specifically, I was not to let her out of my sight. I didn’t care if we’ve all been friends since childhood. Their twisted relationship had the whole pack on edge. He was with Twyla and others from time to time. Gemma tried her damnedest to find love with anyone else but him. Yet we all knew they still longed for each other. Stubborn jerks. I sighed and sipped on some disgusting blue concoction of mostly sugar with a touch of liquor. Werewolves couldn’t really get drunk. But hell if I didn’t try! “Sammie! Stop swatting me in the face with your boa!” Gemma grumbled. “Sorry, girl!” I laughed, accidentally sloshing her with my liquor sugar. Truth be told, I was b-o-r-e-d out of my damn mind. Gemma had a grimace on her face. She seemed to be enjoying herself just as much. Why were we in this predicament anywa
~Gemma~I nicked my lip on a sharp point. “Can you put those away? There’s an art to kissing when fangs are involved.”“Yes. And you are so very talented at it.” Damon winked, his fangs in tact.I squealed like a nervous virgin when he crudely yanked my dress over my head. “Okay, buddy! Clothing is fair game.” I fussed with removing his shirt. “So many buttons! I hate your fancy clothes.”His dark brown hair, almost black, fell in the most flattering way across his forehead. His chest, although needing a tad sun, might have been sculpted from marble. “Little dove, are you ogling me?”“Uh-huh,” I managed to form the words. I touched his chest to see if the muscles were real. You’d think I’d be over this obsession by now. I’ve seen the show before. However, it didn’t stop me from being a repeat customer.“Truly. I am flattered by your ad
~Gemma~ WTF! That was a total shit show. I ran a hand through my hair and collided into a statue. Nope. Just another vampire. “Excuse me.” I mumbled and stepped around the blockade. Unfortunately, the blockade spoke. The blonde vamp crossed her arms and gave me a hostile glare. “Well. Hello, witch.” Yeah. My night went from incredibly bad to even worse. She hated me with a special flavor of venom. “What? Does nobody bother to learn my name?” “You are off in a hurry. Trouble in paradise?” She ignored my rant and examined her manicure with rapt attention. “Hey! Were you listening to us back there?” My adrenaline had not faded. I was still raring to go. She shrugged, pointing a finger and invading my personal bubble with it. “You do not deserve him.” “Listen, Vampirella.” See? I could play that game. “I am so not in the mood right now!” I grabbed her finger to shove it away but paused. I could read her! I could not read or sense a
~Gemma~ I held my cup of coffee as if it could rescue me from my life. It was Tuesday. Tuesdays meant listening to the most intimate details of some very dysfunctional relationships. I swallowed the remaining contents in my mug before promptly refilling it. I had two minutes before my next headache walked in the door. I filled this relationship guru position out of pack desperation. My pack ran off last qualified individual. Alpha Devlin seemed in no hurry to find a replacement. I’m stuck in the shit until then. “Good morning!” I greeted cheerfully. And they said I couldn’t act. Ha! “Hey, Gemma.” Layne grimaced. Geoff trailed closely on her heels, similar grimace in place. My worries that it would be another boring hour were completely unfounded. “Take a seat. How is it going?” I struggled to remember where we left off from last week. I really should consult my notes prior to these sessions. That would require me to start taking notes! As the loving couple immediately began bic
~Alpha Devlin~ The meeting proved to be pointless. In fact, I anticipated this outcome. I pitied Alpha Derrick. His character lacked strength and honor. I shook my head in disgust as the meaningless words continued to tumble out of his mouth. Gemma appeared to be enjoying herself. She cared more about her meal than the discussion at hand. The meeting was a just an excuse to get her by my side. I did not need her input. I made my decision regarding Alpha Derrick’s request as soon as he proposed it. However, I grew tired of the witch’s lack of interest. “Gemma!” I scolded her privately. She dropped her knife and turned to face me. “Rude! You don't have to yell.” She screeched at me like an angry banshee. I swallowed thickly. Did she realize how fucking beautiful she was? I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and teased, “I hope this isn’t your first meal of the day.” Gemma rolled her eyes before stuffing another chunk of meat in her mouth. “Ahem,” our visitor cleared his th
~Gemma~ I came into awareness with a slight feeling of distortion. Ugh! Of course the goddess would leave me smack in the middle of a spectacle. I did my part, vessel. I played your champion. Her voice rippled through my conscience. I smirked. The goddess was ever practical. “Gems? You in there? Are you really laughing right now?” Tyson nudged me. "Are you really naked right now? What do wolves have against clothing?" I ruffled his hair and avoided looking at the elephant in the room. That's right. His cock. He shruggrued with a rueful grin. "I had wolfy things to do. " “Thank the gods you are well.” Alpha Devlin interrupted our conversation, pulling me into a rib-crushing hug. “Okay. I’m okay.” I patted his shoulder and tried to disengage from his embrace. Everyone was staring. Again. “Do you think now is an appropriate time to proceed?” Corbin inquired. His expression was severe, his face lined with stress. He reminded me of the grave circumstances at hand. “I suppose