Love Thy Alpha

CLAY

“Oh god, yes! Clay! Please, more! More! Yes! Yes! Oh, yes!” Lauren shouted as I fucked her hard from behind, the back of her blonde head thrown back in some kind of mimicry of pleasure.

I was glad she couldn’t see my face right now, or else she’d be able to see how annoyed I was feeling, I’m almost certain of it. I wasn’t sure why she thought she had to make so much noise.

I knew I was good between the sheets, but this wasn’t our first time, and she wasn’t ever this animated. Was it to let everyone else in the damned pack think we were back together?

Did she think I actually liked it? Did she think if she was louder I’d want to get back with her? I was betting on the first option, which made me regret jumping back into bed with her again.

I was nowhere near close to getting off, which was disappointing, but I never left a girl hanging.

I reached around and pinched her clitoris hard, making her whole body jerk forward before I pressed it down with three fingers and vigorously circled and played with her until she lost it.

“Clay!” Lauren screamed out loud, throwing her head back in real ecstasy this time. Her arms fell out from beneath her and landed on her stomach.

I pulled out of her as she laid there, getting up quickly. “Where are you going?” she asked, lifting her head up off my pillows, her naked body lying on top of my blankets.

I knew what she wanted, but couldn’t give it to her. She wanted me to lie next to her, pull her close to me, and cuddle.

If I did that, though, she would definitely think we were getting back together, and I couldn’t let her think that any more than she probably already was.

I already felt like an ass by taking her to bed when I knew she wanted more than just sex with me, therefore I knew I couldn’t give her what she wanted right now.

I wasn’t usually a jerk to women, but tonight I felt like I needed an extra boost, or at the very least, I needed help releasing the tension I felt inside my body due to the looming night tonight.

“I need a shower before I get ready for tonight,” I told her as I opened my bathroom door. I heard her huff in disappointment as I closed the bathroom door behind me, but I couldn’t give it a second thought.

I did in fact need to get ready for tonight. I only had a couple more hours before the party started downstairs.

I rubbed one out quickly before cleaning myself and jumping out of the shower. When I stepped out of the bathroom, I was happily surprised that Lauren got the hint and left before I finished my shower.

I was sure I was going to have to deal with her later.

But I couldn’t think about what I had to deal with later, I had to think about what I needed to deal with right now, which involved about two hundred wolves entering my headquarters tonight.

To say I wasn’t nervous would be a lie. I felt jittery inside and anxious to get this over with already, but I knew outside appearances were more important.

So, I kept my face blank for the rest of the evening, save for a few smiles here and there. Tonight could very well be a big night for me and my pack.

I’d been the alpha of my pack for a little over three years, so I’d held functions at the headquarters before, and although they did add their own level of stress each time, tonight it was almost overwhelming.

Tonight, I would be searching for her—my mate. My ten chosen packmates knew the search I was partaking in tonight, and we all knew there were no guarantees that she would even be here or that I could find her.

But we all also knew the clock was ticking for me to find her, whoever she was. I guess we figured my chances were better if I hosted a party everyone was invited to.

Although that should have been the biggest obstacle for me tonight, I knew that was farthest from the truth. Unfortunately, when I said everyone was invited, that’s exactly what I meant. Even more unfortunate, there was a widow and her daughter that would be in attendance tonight that I knew could either make or break this party I am hosting.

The Richardses.

Lilly and Jennessa.

God, I wasn’t even sure what I was supposed to say to them if I had the opportunity to. For the last three years I’ve been the alpha, I’ve tried my best to avoid the Richardses, while at the same time not ostracizing them.

I was aware of how they felt about me because of my own father’s decisions years ago.

And although I had nothing to do with my father making the decisions he did, I also knew it was hard to be mad at a dead guy, so I did my best to take it on the chin if it meant that one day, they could move on from it.

I hated playing the martyr. It wasn’t really my style, but I also knew they deserved some kind of retribution for what my father had done to them.

Usually when I open the headquarters to the entire pack and host a celebration, I send every family a letter, like I had done this time.

Except the letter that usually went out to the Richardses was an open invitation that didn’t need a response, nor did it state their participation was required like everyone else’s did.

Most of the time, neither of them showed up, except for a few occasions when it had to do with one of Lilly’s old friends getting married, or something of that nature.

But even then, only Lilly showed up. Never her daughter, Jennessa.

The last time I had seen Jennessa, she hadn’t even been a teenager. I dreadfully wondered what she thought about me, and if she saw me tonight, what she would say.

What do you say to the person your father murdered a close relative of?

I pondered that question silently as I dressed in my black suit, making sure the knot of my tie was centered.

I came up blank after a few minutes, still unsure if inviting them tonight was the right thing to do.

I spoke to my beta, Brice, last week before I sent out the invitations. He told me one night of facing the Richardses was worth finding my mate.

He made a sick joke that day, saying how funny it would be if Lilly’s daughter was my mate, and I almost didn’t even invite them. The thought made me sick to my stomach then, and it made me sick to my stomach now.

The universe wouldn’t be that cruel, would it?

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry with the notion that my mate could already hate me before she even knew me. For a moment, just an instant, the anger I felt for my father was an inferno inside of my chest.

So help me God, I silently prayed, ~if my father made my mate hate me for the irrational decisions he made ten years ago, the next time I see him, I’m dragging him to hell with me.~

I looked myself over in the mirror, checking to make sure I’d buttoned all the right buttons, zipped my zipper, tied all of my laces.

When I saw that I looked good to go, I took a deep breath, trying to forget about my worries over the Richardses being invited, and headed downstairs to where the party was just beginning and guests were already crowding.

Everyone was dressed to impress. Women wore expensive floor-length gowns, while the men wore their best suits and ties.

Everyone I passed smiled, thanked me for the invite, or shook my hand. Everyone seemed to be in a great mood tonight. I could feel the excitement in the air.

“Well,” my beta and best friend, Brice, said as he walked up and slapped me on the back. “The party has been going for two hours now, and yet…”

My mood instantly soured for a moment. I was being very careful, trying to speak with every female in the room, making sure to make eye contact with each one.

Still, I had yet to find my mate. I glowered at Brice for reminding me of my failure so far.

I was the alpha of an extraordinary pack. The people I had were loyal, hardworking, and smart. Everyone there pulled their weight.

With my pack being the biggest in North America and still growing every day, it was quite possible my mate had been living in my territory, and I’d never met her before.

That was one of the major reasons why I had a few functions a year, so I could meet my pack.

“I know, but guests are still arriving, so things can still change,” I told him, sounding more optimistic than I actually felt.

“Exactly, and do you know who hasn’t made an appearance yet?” Brice asked, his brown eyes shining with humor and mischief.

“Don’t say it.” I growled, squaring my shoulders and stuffing my fists into my pant pockets. No need to make my guests concerned by seeing me get angry.

I glared at Brice when I saw he was chuckling. He quickly sobered his expression. “Hey, man, just trying to make you sweat a little.”

“Tonight, of all nights. Really?” I asked, shaking my head.

A woman passed by Brice and me. Her ruby red silk dress shimmered in the low lights of the room.

She smiled and winked an emerald green eye at me. All I could do was nod back and plaster on a fake smile. Brice has gotten my anxiety up, like he wanted, and suddenly the last thing I wanted was to be there.

Brice whistled beside me, his hands in his pockets, rocking from heel to toe. His eyes were glued to something behind me, his expression was one of awe.

I looked over my shoulder and found Kimberly, Brice’s mate, walking down the grand staircase, a black dress hugging her small waist and sweeping against the floor.

Her blonde hair was pulled up into a complex-looking bun on the top of her head. She looked gorgeous, no one could deny that, and when I looked back at Brice, no one could mistake the look on his face.

He was captivated by Kimberly instantly. His heart might as well have been in his eyes, because that’s all I saw in them, love.

That was what I wanted. The look on his face as he watched Kimberly make her way to us from across the floor, as if he was seeing her for the first time in his life, as if he was falling in love with her all over again.

I wanted that for me. I wanted to be head over heels, madly in love, adoration seeping from every pore in my body, when I found my mate. I wanted a damn happy life with a beautiful woman who loved me back just as fiercely.

“Hello there, beautiful,” Brice said, taking Kimberly and swooping her into his arms before dipping her low. Kimberly’s neck and face seemed to blush at the blatant affection Brice was showing in front of all these people.

“Hey, handsome,” she whispered back to him. Her blue eyes twinkled up at him, and she smiled.

“Mmm, you look absolutely delectable,” he told her, running his nose up the length of her collarbone and neck, making Kimberly gasp, and the faintest moan slip past her burgundy-coated lips.

I might have felt more out of place if this wasn’t something that happened every time they were together. He always showed his love in some kind of grand demonstration.

It was nauseating, but I also couldn’t deny I was just a little jealous of them.

They found each other four years ago, and like true mates, they were inseparable and sometimes—like right now—seemed insatiable. Who wouldn’t be just a little jealous of that?

Suddenly, my mind drifted to Lauren, and my stomach dropped. Even if tonight didn’t go the way I wanted it to, I couldn’t keep seeing Lauren.

It wasn’t fair to her that I slept with her knowing she wanted more from me. Watching Brice and Kimberly, I knew what they had is what I wanted. Not some knock-off relationship.

And that’s exactly what it was. I wanted my mate. I wouldn’t settle for anything less, and Lauren shouldn’t either.

“No luck so far?” Kimberly asked, pulling her lips away from Brice’s just long enough to ask. Brice looked over his shoulder at me and smirked.

“Nope, he’s still waiting for his girl to show,” Brice chuckled, turning back to Kimberly to grope her.

“You’ll find her,” Kimberly told me, before she started giggling over Brice’s wandering hands. “Stop it. We’re here for Clay.”

“He’s a big boy, he’ll figure it out,” I heard Brice say, tugging Kimberly’s hand and guiding her back toward the grand staircase.

“I can’t wait another minute to rip this dress off of you.” Kimberly giggled and followed along, but turned around to look back at me.

“Good luck!” was all she said before she ran upstairs with Brice. I rolled my eyes at them acting like a bunch of horny teenagers, but couldn’t help but chuckle. Lucky bastard.

I walked over to the open bar, ordering myself a Jack and Coke. I sipped on it while I turned and surveyed the crowd.

The room was fuller since the last time I had done my rounds. I figured I’d at least enjoy my drink before I started working the room again.

“Hey, Daniel,” a woman in a soft pink gown cooed as she walked up and threw her arms around the neck of one of my warriors. I sighed, everyone seemed to have someone here, just not me.

“Hey, Sasha,” Daniel said, shooting her a confident smile. He was a good-looking guy, every bit as tall as me, but not as filled out as I was.

If I remembered correctly, he was one of our top warriors on Training Hill. A lot of potential to move up in the pack for him.

“Having fun yet?” he asked the woman.

“I am now,” she said in a sultry come-hither voice. The bartender placed two drinks in front of Daniel. “How sweet,” Sasha purred, reaching her slender hand out to grab one of them.

“I’m sorry, these are actually for my date,” Daniel told her, somewhat apologetic.

“Date?” Sasha asked, her hands placed on her delicate hips. “Who?”

“Her name is Jennessa Richards. She’s right over there,” Daniel pointed into the crowd. Out of pure curiosity, I followed the line his finger pointed out and found her.

My wolf stirred inside of me as I began watching her.

Long, dark, glossy hair fell down her back, her shoulders and back exposed, showing off her perfect olive skin, the hunter green dress hugging her body perfectly, accentuating every delicate and delicious curve of her body.

I was having a hard time breathing all of a sudden and having to fight my wolf back.

“Wow, I’m surprised she even came.” Sasha’s words pulled me out of my own thoughts. “You know, bad blood with the alpha and all.” Clearly she didn’t realize I was standing off to her left.

“I don’t know, but I’m glad she let me be her date. She’s absolutely stunning, don’t you think?” Daniel asked Sasha, while his blue eyes stayed pinned on Jennessa.

Sasha scoffed indignantly, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. “Not hardly,” I heard her murmur under her breath, but Daniel didn’t notice.

He was too consumed watching Jennessa speaking with another rowdy she-wolf.

“Another drink, Alpha?” Marcus, the bartender, asked, making both Sasha and Daniel’s eyes turn to me. I just nodded my head at him, keeping my eyes locked on Daniel’s.

“Is Jennessa your mate?” I heard myself say, her name falling off my tongue and making my spine quiver.

Daniel’s blue eyes bulged. “No, but whoever gets her is a lucky bastard.”

Marcus handed me my second drink, which I finished in three large gulps. I wasn’t sure what it was exactly—maybe morbid curiosity—but I soon found myself making my way over to her.