The Alpha's Choice: A Paranormal Werewolf Romance (Roadside Angels Motorcycle Club Book 3) (5 page)

Lex held his peace.  He now had confirmation that someone in the Council was behind the attacks; but, he knew there was more.  He waited, though his wolf pushed against him to react.

“But if you decide to be sensible and leave on your own, nobody but you will get hurt.  You’ll meet your doom without dragging anyone else down with you.”

“You seem certain I won’t win.  Who’s been lying to you?”  Lex’s tone was loaded with sarcasm.

“You only think it’s lies.  But those of us of the One Blood know what the real truth is.  And when we make a public example of you at your execution, everyone will know the truth!”

The rogue hadn’t given him any names, but Lex now knew for certain which members of the Council had sent Lancaster on his trail.  And he also knew what they were planning to do to him.  He had to be smarter than they thought they were, while letting them think he was fooled.

“That’s the offer.  Take it or leave it.  If you’re smart, you’ll be on a plane back to the Prime lands by midnight.  That’s the only way to save this town and that pretty slut you’re fucking.  If you’re still around after midnight, the deal is off, and whatever happens will be on your head.”

Forcibly ignoring the rogue’s insulting description of Tammie, Lex asked, “How do I know you’ll keep your end of the deal?”

The rogue laughed again, a harsh, ugly sound.  “You don’t.  That’s your problem, not mine.  Just remember, I’ll be watching you.”

The line went dead, and Lex slid his phone back into his pocket. 

“Well?”  The chief looked at him expectantly.

“I have to leave town by midnight, or they’ll burn the town to the ground and blame me for all the death and destruction.  There’ll be a price on my head.  I’ll become a fugitive.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say leaving isn’t such a bad idea, Lex, given the current mood of folks in town.  Still, I wish there was something I could do to help.”

“Thanks, Dave.  I appreciate the thought.  But he’s right.  Even though I didn’t kill anyone, the deaths have all been because of me.  So, I must do as he asks to save lives.”

“But you’ll lose yours!” the chief protested.

“That’s what they’d like me to think.  But I have a few tricks up my sleeve.  Don’t worry, Dave. I’ll be back as soon as I’ve dealt with this asshole, his gang, and the traitors in the Prime Council.”

His voice was grimly determined, and he saw by the look on Dave’s face that the chief recognized it.

“Well, I wish you luck, my friend.  If you need me, you know how to reach me.”

He reached out to shake Lex’s hand. 

“Take care of this town, Dave.  Get the men to help you watch out for any strange activities, especially after dark.  Find a way to secure the women and children where they can’t be easily hurt, if trouble comes anyway.  And please know I’m sorrier than I can say for bringing all this trouble to your door.”

Back in the truck, with a few choice words in his ears from the irate citizens on the way there, Lex called Bear to say he was on his way back and to have him call the boys for a meeting ASAP.  He let his senses spread out but detected no shifters in the vicinity, and as he drove, he looked out for signs he was being followed.  There were none, until he got to the road that led to his farm.  He did not see them, but he sensed the presence of shifters along the way.  None of them were on the farm, however, for which he was grateful, as his wolf was already going ape shit that his mate was in more danger now than ever.  It wouldn’t take much more to send him over the edge, and Lex could not afford to lose control now. 

He parked the truck in the front and hurried inside.  Bear had the guests in the kitchen with him.  Lex walked in to find six pairs of somber eyes, and Bear’s patient gaze.  “So what’s the plan?” Bear asked, verbalizing everyone’s unspoken question.

“I have to leave by midnight,” Lex said, as he summarized his conversation with Lancaster.  He said nothing about the fact that Lancaster knew he and Tammie were together.  He didn’t want to frighten her any more than she already was, but he knew he’d need to tell Bear and Jeff, and he knew he’d need the help of the one person he had most wanted to avoid calling on.  She was the only other person he could trust to protect his mate while he was away from her.  She was his vampire counterpart, his cousin, and the newly-appointed queen of the vampire nation.  Bear was the only one who knew he was in touch with her.  To protect each other, they have done as their hybrid ancestors did before them.  He would call her later and give her time to get here.

He looked at Ginny, who sat next to Jeff, leaning into him, and wondered if his friend had told her what she was to him.  He wondered if their conversation had gone as badly as his had gone with Tammie.

“Are you all right, Ginny?” he asked her, searching her face for any signs that things were not well with her. 

“I’m fine, Lex.  Truly.”  She smiled as she spoke and took Jeff’s hand in hers, and Lex knew she was telling him the truth.  She was at peace, and she knew.  In fact, based on how she seemed to have settled down, she had probably always known.  He marveled at how easily some people took to the idea of other species, of how accepting they were of them.  If the world only had more people like Ginny.

“Good,” he said, as he walked over to Tammie.  “And you?”

She looked up at him almost defiantly.  “Me?  Oh, I’m fine.  Just peachy!” she snapped and turned away, but not before Lex saw the hint of tears in her eyes.  He reached for her, and she stiffened under his fingers.  He let her go, sensing her need to get her emotions under control in company, and walked back to the fridge, removing a bottle of water. 

“I have a lot to do before midnight, by which time I’m supposed to be on a flight back home.  So the first order of business is to buy myself a ticket.  I’ll be in the office if you need me.” 

He walked by his mate and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently before proceeding to his office.  She would come to him when she was ready, he knew.  And he would make sure she knew how he felt about her before he had to leave her.

CHAPTER FIVE

“I love those who can smile in trouble.”
~ Leonardo da Vinci

Tammie watched Lex walk away and struggled to keep the tears at bay.  His life was in danger, and he was walking into what she was sure was certain death as if it were just another home visit.  She had a feeling there were things he wasn’t telling her, but she had no way of finding them out.  If anyone would know what they were, it would be Bear, and he was as closed-mouthed as a grave.  She wanted to scream in frustration and whimper in fear, but she could do neither.  After all, Ginny’s mate was fighting for his life as well, and the young woman was like a port in a storm, calm and cool.  She would have to learn to weather these emotional storms with as much serenity as Ginny was displaying. 

She had to talk to Lex, but she needed to be completely under control first.  She got herself a bottle of water from the fridge, and as she turned away, Bear touched her arm.  She turned to look at him inquiringly, and he said, “He’ll be all right, you know.  You don’t have to worry about him.  And he won’t let anything happen to you.  None of us will.”

“You think I’m worried about me?  You don’t know me very well, Patrick, if you think that’s what’s on my mind.”  She couldn’t keep the irritation from seeping into her voice. 

“No, I don’t, but I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to remedy that,” he answered, unperturbed by her snappish outburst.  “But that wasn’t meant as an insult, either.  I just wanted you to know that we’ve got your back.”

Tammie felt the tears burst free, and she turned away, but not before Bear saw them.  He held her still, his hand on her shoulder, and bent to whisper in her ear, “Dry those tears before you go in there.  Lex’ll kick my ass if he thinks I made you cry.”

His humor startled and pleased her, and she looked up at him, tears sparkling on her lashes, and smiled.  “Thank you, Patrick.  And I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

He slung an arm around her shoulders and squeezed gently, like a big brother giving his baby sister some much-needed comfort.  “No apologies needed.  Now go on.  He needs you.”

She smiled at Ginny as she walked by and twisted the bottle cap off so she could take a healthy swig of the cold water.  Her throat felt parched, as though she had been out in the sun all day.  She knew it was from the aching need to weep that she had been holding at bay since Lex had left that morning.  She didn’t want to think about Lex leaving.  She didn’t want to think about what could happen to him when he left.  She didn’t want to think that he might never come back to her.  She took another big gulp of water to calm herself before she reached his door, so when she knocked her hand was steady enough.

“Come in.”

Tammie pushed the door handle down and walked in, her shoulders square only because she had her back ramrod straight to prevent her knees from buckling.  She refused to be the wussy girlfriend. 

“Hi,” she said, wishing she could think of something else to say to the man she was attached to at the heart.  He was standing by his desk, and he held out his arms to her.  She ran into them and sighed when he closed them around her.  He was so big and warm and alive.  How could she lose him now?  She had only just found him.  They hadn’t said the words to each other.  And she had never known that she could be so needy.  She had lived all her life independently, so why was the thought of losing a man she hadn’t known more than a week breaking her heart?  She hugged him back, holding on to him desperately, as though she would protect him…as though she could.

“Breathe, Tamara.  I’m here.  I won’t leave you; I promise.”  His voice soothed her, as did his hands, which were stroking her back.  “I don’t want you to worry about this.  Everything will be all right; I promise you.”

“You can’t know that, Lex,” she mumbled into his chest.  “You’re not invincible.”

She felt his chest heave under her and knew he was laughing.  “It’s not funny!” she said, pulling away from him to glare at him.

“Well, at least you’re not trembling any more.  I see I’ll have to keep you angry so you’ll forget to be afraid,” he said, bending to kiss her nose.  “You’re a worry wart, aren’t you?” he asked her, raising her chin to look into her wet eyes.  “I can see it now.  I’ll be a henpecked husband.”  He kissed her lips lightly, smiling down at her.  When she slapped his arm, he laughed again.  “What?  It’s only the truth.  I’m just waiting for you to give me the list of instructions for how to stay safe and to tell me what time I’d better be back by or else you’re coming to get me with fire in your eyes!”

“I am not a bossy female!” she protested, pinching him this time.

“Ouch!” he said, though she knew he hadn’t felt it.  “Wounded man here!  Have a heart!”

“And I can see you’re going to try to weasel your way out of trouble by pretending to be hurt when you’re not!” she retorted, trying to pull away from his hold.

He held on to her, pulling her with him to the extra wide armchair next to the window.  He sat down and settled her on his lap.  She could feel the bulge in his jeans and wondered how he could be thinking about sex when there was so much danger around.  She knew she hadn’t been, till she felt his cock jerk when she settled her bottom on him.  She tried to think of other things—because she felt guilty for suddenly needing to ride him to a screaming orgasm.  It couldn’t possibly be normal.  It felt incredibly wicked.  And when he pushed up against her warming pussy, she moaned and hid her face against his shoulder.

“Look at me, Tamara,” he demanded, waiting till she complied.  “There will never be a time that I won’t want you.  No matter what else is going on.  And I don’t ever want you to hide away from wanting me just as much.  We belong together.  Nothing we do with each other, nothing we feel for each other is wrong.  Ever.”

She stared at him in shock.  “How did you…?”

“I’m your first lover, honey.  I can imagine what you’re thinking.” 

He pushed up against her again, and she moaned and squirmed, needing to feel that sweet burst of sensation between her legs.  She turned her lips up to his, and he accepted her silent invitation, invading her mouth with his marauding tongue, holding her head steady so he could plunder them and extract the very last drop of sweetness from her lips.  He nipped and sucked on her lips and swiped his tongue across them, and Tammie understood how it felt to be overwhelmed by sensation. 

His hands were busy as he kissed her, stroking her through the cloth of her shorts, then sliding under the hem of one leg and reaching up to tease her.

“So tell me about the stories you’ve sent off to your boss,” he asked suddenly, his hands still busy under her shorts.

How did he expect her to think when he was holding her on the edge of a precipice that she knew she would fall over if he touched her clit even once?  His mouth was even now suckling her left breast through the thin layer of lace that covered it.  She hadn’t even noticed when he had unbuttoned her top.  She struggled to think while he systematically destroyed her powers of concentration with his talented fingers and tongue.  He had also unbuttoned her shorts, and now his hands were inside her panties, his fingers moving around her pussy lips, sliding between them, but never touching her little pocket rocket.

“I told him the story…”  She gasped when his fingers slid inside her.  “Um...about the wolf attacks being connected to…”  She was speechless for a moment as he rubbed his fingers onto her g-spot and massaged it for a second. 

“Connected to…?”  He twisted his fingers inside her and pulled them out slowly. 

She swallowed and tried harder to concentrate.  “Connected to illegal importation of black wolves from up north.”  She groaned, proud that she had made it through that whole sentence without having to catch her breath. 

“And the other story?” he wanted to know next, kissing her down the side of her neck as he continued to stroke in and out of her wet pussy. 

“The other story?”  She licked her lips, as he finally touched her clitoris on the in stroke.  “Oh God, Lex!” she exclaimed, forgetting what she had been going to say.

He kissed her, raising the hunger inside her.  “Yes, the one about the bad biker boy who’s really a pussy cat.”  He smiled against her lips and pinched her clit, setting her off like a rocket.  He swallowed her cries of pleasure in kisses as he raided her mouth.  When she stopped screaming into his mouth, he eased his own away from her and resumed his stroking.

“Lex, I can’t...oh God!”  Her hips moved of their own accord, as he finger-fucked her, pushing her shorts down and off her legs and setting one leg over the arm of the chair, opening her up to him.  “I can’t go again!”  She felt weak with pleasure and still he was wringing more out of her with every touch.

“Yes, you can.  You can come as often as I want you to.  Who knows, maybe I will even make you squirt before we’re through tonight.  Maybe that’ll be your reward for telling me about the second story.” 

He pushed another finger in and drew her cream out to her little rosebud, which tightened when he touched it. 

“Someday, when you’re ready, I’m going to show you how hot anal sex can be, baby.  And if I stuff both holes, you’ll come like a geyser.” 

As he stopped speaking, he pushed his fingers deep into her core, slamming the heel of his hand against her clitoris.  She humped his hand now, forgetting her earlier embarrassment.  Now, all she could manage to think about was how his fingers inside her were not enough, how she wanted to strip him and have her way with him, how she wanted to show him that she was in love with him, how she wanted to keep feeling this sweet ache, this burning desire, how she wanted to scream as she came, and how she wanted to make him scream.

“This time when you come for me, I want you to think about how it will be when this is over, and we are free to be with each other without fear.  I want you to think about how it will be to have me loving you all day and night, every day, whenever you want me to.  I want you to think about how it will be to have me at your fingertips, ready to pleasure you.” 

He was breathing as hard as she was though she hadn’t touched him anywhere.  She couldn’t seem to get control of her limbs as he whispered in her ear, “Come, baby!” At that moment, she howled into his waiting mouth, kissing him desperately, her body shaking uncontrollably.

“You’re so hot, honey!” he breathed against her skin.  “I’m gonna make you come so often that you’ll forget about being afraid.  You’ll forget about worrying.  You’ll only be able to think about me.”

She pulled her face away to catch her breath, her limbs still trembling from the second wave of bliss. 

“I didn’t answer your question,” she said, hoping to contribute to the forgetting project and give herself some recovery time simultaneously. 

“What question was that?” Lex wondered as he nibbled on her breasts, now freed of the restraining bra cups.

Tammie chuckled, despite the way her heartbeat sped up when he licked her nipples.  “Now who’s forgetting things?” she asked, stroking his cheekbones lovingly.  “The question about the bad biker boy story,” she reminded him.

“Oh yeah...that question.”  He sucked a nipple into his mouth, robbing her of speech once again, and then he said, “Just remember, no pictures of my face.”  He switched to the other breast.  “And about the wolf story, just make sure no one comes down here looking for werewolves.  This little town has had enough drama to last it a lifetime.”  He nipped her nipple, and she squealed.  “Now, can we please stop talking shop and fuck?”

She gasped in shock at his crude language but retorted, “You started it!”  And when he nipped her other nipple, she slapped his arm before drawing his mouth down to hers for another soul-swallowing kiss.  He moaned and took her deeper.

“I will never get enough of you,” he confessed. 

“You might change your mind when I ask my next question,” she said, sliding a trembling hand down his arm and back up.

Lex could tell she was nervous despite her state of arousal.  He didn’t want her to lose the buzz, so he ruthlessly tamped down his own raging lust and waited for his mate to continue.

“Will you let me see you shift?”

He could tell by the way she held her breath, and by the way her nipples peaked, that the idea of his shifting was turning her on, and her arousal was turning him on even more.