Imprinted By The Alpha (BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (The Marked One - Book 1) (7 page)

She couldn’t protect her daughter if she had no idea where Ava was. The air held electricity as well, and it pinched the top of Sarah’s spine with a warning. Whatever danger awaited Ava, it was potent tonight, and if she wasn’t careful, the young girl would be ripe for the picking.

Of course, there were several reasonable explanations for the late hour with no sign of Ava, the most likely of which was that she’d decided to spend the night at Kelly’s house. She may have been invited to a party or even stayed late at the Coyote to have a drink or two with her coworkers. Ava was an adult, and Sarah held her to no obligatory phone call to discuss plans or whereabouts. But Ava had always respected her mother, and without the requirement, she had still called with any change of plans.

Something had happened to her, and Sarah fretted over it as she picked at a loose thread on her bed sheet, starting to unravel it. She only hoped that, wherever Ava had landed tonight, she had gotten there safely and trusted her intuition, trusting no one who might have poor intentions.

With a sigh, she settled deeper under the covers, watching for some sign of her daughter until she could no longer hold her eyes open, and she was overtaken by a fitful sleep.

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T
he morning sun glistened through the bedroom window, assaulting Ava’s sleepy eyes as she opened them. She stretched and rubbed at them, trying to adjust to the brightness in the room, which had been so dark earlier.

Ava rolled over and laid her hand on Caleb’s chest, marveling at the peace she found in the rise and fall of his chest with the shallow breathing of his slumber. She glanced at the clock on his nightstand and groaned. It was nearly seven in the morning. She would have to leave soon, knowing that, the moment her mother noticed she’d never come home last night, she’d be plagued with worry. Sarah knew her daughter well, and Ava had never been one to stay out all night without calling. Her mother seemed to be keeping a closer eye on her now that she’d returned, too, and Ava didn’t want to worry her unnecessarily.

Caleb let out a low rumble in his sleep and tightened his arm around her, his head turning to rest against her forehead. Ava couldn’t find a single memory of feeling so delicate and safe as her body relaxed into his.

She trailed her eyes over his chiseled chest and up to the broad expanse of his shoulders until they landed on his thick neck. From there, she followed the lines of his meticulously inked tattoo, understanding that it held a special significance to him and again wondering what that was. One day, she would ask him. Now, her thoughts raced through the night, lingering on the intimate moments of their lovemaking, of such a potent reaction she had to a man she’d met only twice. Ava had never taken a lover so quickly, being picky about men, but Caleb’s allure overwhelmed her.

She reconciled her willingness – and even eagerness – to share his bed with the reality of the incredible attraction that surpassed anything she’d ever felt in her life. She liked the thought of Caleb having a greater purpose in her life beyond sex, but she didn’t want to jump the gun. She willed herself to stay in the moment and not read into things that weren’t in plain, bold print. If Caleb was going to have a larger role in her life, that role would reveal itself in due time.

Ava was still staring at him when his eyes slowly opened and gazed back at her. “Good morning,” he said with a smile, his raspy voice still heavy with sleep. He wrapped both of his arms around her and pulled her down for a full, sensual kiss.

With his mouth covering hers, Ava felt like they devoured each other in their moment, the kiss signifying something deeper than the desire that still buzzed between them. He suckled at her bottom lip, and Ava let out a soft whimper in response. She enjoyed the way he savored her mouth, loved the feel of his probing tongue as it wrestled with hers. Her temperature rose, and though he’d only been awake for a few moments, Caleb already raised a response in her body.

From the mischievous grin on his face, Ava knew Caleb didn’t miss anything and was fully aware of the effect he had on her. But now, Ava reveled in the fact that it was mutual – she made his blood pump just as hard and fast. Beneath the sheets, his arousal presented itself in a stiff erection, and Ava surprisingly found herself ready for yet another round of passionate lovemaking.

But Caleb pulled away and turned to face the other direction, leaving her with one last tender kiss before releasing his hold on her. Struggling for a sense of reality at the shift in mood, Ava pulled the pile of sheets tightly around her chest and leaned up against the headboard. Caleb seemed distracted but not upset or angry, and serenity settled over her being. As she watched his even breathing while he stared out the window into the sunlight, emotions flooded through her, and she considered just how differently things could have gone last night. On impulse, she ventured, “Thank you for last night, Caleb.”

He tilted his head to one side to look at her with a boyish grin. “You’re welcome. Thank you, too.”

But that wasn’t what she meant. “I’m talking about the field and...that man.”

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C
aleb’s thoughts darkened. He didn’t want her to think about that man or what almost happened. In fact, he wanted to erase every moment of last night prior to their lovemaking. And that brought on the idea that he didn’t want her thinking of other men at all, in any capacity. His need for Ava was definitely stronger than he’d given it credit for.

He rolled to his side and perched up on one arm for a clearer view of her face. Ava’s expression was serious, hesitant, and almost haunted. He wanted to wipe it away. “You’re welcome for that, too, Ava.” He searched her face, hoping she would understand what he wanted to tell her. After all, he’d never had to give this speech before, and it wasn’t something easy to explain. But he was driven to tell her, to express to her the vital need within him. The commitment he couldn’t ignore.

Taking a deep breath, he locked gazes with her and spoke as plainly as he could. “Ava, you should know that I’m here now to protect you. For as long as you still have a pulse, with blood pumping through your veins, I’m here for you. It’s my destiny now, and there is no turning away from it.” He knew his voice was low and husky with the emotion and intensity of his vow, and she looked at him in confusion.

She gave him a questioning smile. “Listen, Caleb, you don’t owe me anything. I chose to be with you last night, and I’m not asking for vows and ‘destiny’. I mean, I’d love to explore what this is between us, but you don’t need to feel obligated to me.”

“Yes, I do,” he insisted. She was thinking on a human level, and this went far beyond standing in front of a holy man and making promises. “I will never let you be harmed.”

Her smile faded. “I’m not afraid of you, either, Caleb. I know what you are, and I know how much strength and power you have. But I don’t believe you would ever hurt me.”

Caleb swallowed his frustration, looking for an explanation that would make sense to her, which would clear up this miscommunication and make her understand. He rolled to sit up as he pondered his words, and she narrowed her eyes, considering him with the same intensity.

Finally, he asked, “When we met at the bonfire, on the trail, did you get a sense like you were being drawn into me?” He looked up at her, saw her thoughts churning, and watched the color drain from her face slightly. He nodded. “Was it sort of like everything stood still, and your breath caught in your throat, and everything prior to that moment became null and void?”

She gave a nervous chuckle. “You seem to make all girls feel that way.” But she grew serious and swallowed visibly as Caleb just stared at her in expectation. Eventually, she nodded. “It’s strange because I still sort of feel that way when I look at you, or when you touch me.”

Caleb held his breath and closed his eyes. He breathed, “In that moment, I imprinted on you.”

With an expression that told Caleb she had no idea what he meant, Ava asked, “Imprinted?”

Struggling to put the concept into words, Caleb told her, “Every werewolf will imprint on someone in their lifetime. It’s involuntary and it happens the first time that werewolf meets the person. When it happens to us, the universe stops expanding, everything goes silent, and our minds are clear. It’s like a gravitational pull that unconditionally binds the werewolf to that one person for life. Any other connections to other people are completely undone.” He watched her face as he explained, but he could tell she didn’t quite feel the desperation of the need he had for her. He continued, “The importance of everything else in my life pales now, Ava. You are the one thing I live for, the one person I’m connected to, and my sole purpose for the entirety of my existence.”

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T
he impact of Caleb’s statement and the force behind his words overwhelmed Ava, and her thoughts came swift and pounding into her skull. Certainly the level of attraction and some sort of connection made their coupling more intense, their desire unbearable. She admitted being drawn to anyone in such a way was foreign territory, and the thought of it had her marveling. But she didn’t know how much further she was willing to go with her belief in fate, destiny, and karma. She wasn’t sure she could believe Caleb, accept what he told her. But as she stared into Caleb’s glowing green eyes, she felt the weight of his devotion, the seriousness with which he spoke. His expression was stoic, unreadable, but his eyes spoke volumes to her.

Ava knew he was waiting for a response, but she didn’t know what to say. She attempted a weak smile and failed. “I see,” she offered, trying to get a handle on the situation. He’d just explained some deep, supernatural bond, and she’d just acknowledged the existence of anything paranormal maybe forty-eight hours ago. The gravity of all this made her feel weighed down and naïve, unable to comprehend the true meaning of it all.

“Look, I know it’s hard to process. I’d be hesitant and probably overwhelmed myself if someone who was practically a stranger told me what I just told you. It’s a new experience for me, too, if that helps at all. I just need you to try to understand the importance of this from my perspective.” Ava watched his eyes darken as he searched her face for some sign of acceptance.

Hoping to make him feel better, Ava asked, “So the person you imprint on...is that your mate? I mean, what does it mean for me exactly?”

He seemed to experience some relief. “No, Ava, you don’t have to worry that you’re suddenly my mate forever. You won’t turn into a werewolf, and it’s not a matter of you owing me anything. But from the moment we met and going forward, I will always be whatever you need, whether it’s a friend, a protector, or a lover.” He smirked at her, adding in a teasing tone, “I certainly enjoy the role of lover.”

Ava giggled as he leaned into her and kissed her gently, and then nuzzled her neck, tickling her with the overnight growth of facial hair. Her nerves were calmer now, and he rained soft kisses on her face until she was cackling. To stop him, Ava wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a solid kiss on the lips, after which he leveled three more kisses on her forehead and cheeks. She stared into his face from inches away and smiled. “I sort of like that part myself,” she admitted, and he rolled over on top of her with a growl, feigning an attack.

As they calmed, Ava noted the relief and peace on Caleb’s face, the looser set to his shoulders, and while she needed some time to fully figure out where she stood with all this, Ava felt comfortable with the situation and knowing that Caleb would hold a special place of some sort in her life. She wasn’t afraid of it, and whatever happened from this point, happened.

She gave him a look of wonderment and mused, “You know, I’ve lived in Willow Falls my entire life. My mother and Kelly’s mom told us so many stories growing up about supernatural creatures and haunting stories about this place, but I never really believed in any of it. I thought they were just old folk tales.” She gave him a playful grin and ran her fingers through his hair. “Now, here I am, in bed with you. A werewolf.” She giggled just to say the word, and Caleb shared in the chuckle.

He waggled his eyebrows at her. “Ironic, isn’t it?” He hesitated, and Ava watched his expression shift. “I don’t talk about it much, you know. And most people don’t even know about it. I think it’s for the better, since a lot of people tend to fear the things they don’t understand.”

That made sense to her, and it brought up another question one that might answer some of her own personal concerns. “Why did you and your family come back here?”

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C
aleb thought for a moment. He’d asked himself that same question over and over since their return. As leader of the pack, he was supposed to have all the answers. This time, he just didn’t.

He could be honest with Ava, though, in a way he couldn’t even discuss his lack of understanding to the rest of his pack. “I’m not sure yet.” He ran his hand through his hair, again at a loss for words. “It felt like a pull within that made me bring the pack back to its original settlement. There’s a reason behind it, I’m sure of that. I just don’t have the explanation for it right now. I’m waiting, and I’m sure I’ll know soon enough.”

Ava nodded, her eyes distant but her consciousness there with him. “So, you’re originally from Willow Falls.”

“Our bloodline originated here, and we’ve lived here for generations.”

“You have other family members besides Lil?”

He confirmed with a nod. “There are about thirty of us around, though not many people know we’re werewolves. I have an older brother, and you know Lil is my sister. My father was the Alpha when we lived in Baton Rouge, but he passed away before Christmas, and I took his place as pack leader. I’m the Alpha now.”

She tilted her head in consideration. “I thought the oldest would be designated the leader.”

No matter how many times people raised the common question, it stung Caleb, and he didn’t find anything fun in answering it. “Blaez is my adopted brother, so no. It was always set that I would take my father’s place because I’m his true heir. The decision never set well with Blaez, and he left the pack over a decade ago. I haven’t seen him since.” His jaw clenched, his eyes hardening with the pain of the memory.