The Wilder Alpha (2 page)

CHAPTER THREE

As Kristi strode through the corridors, her thoughts became consumed in the Sentinel. The fluttery feelings in her heart intensified with every flash of his face. At the same time, her stomach lurched in frustration. She mentally reprimanded herself. Her body had to be playing a trick on her. There was no way she could have these strong feelings for him.

Beta Kristi, report to my chambers.

She blinked as Alpha Gavin’s silent howl resonated, loud and powerful, through her head. Her feet immediately altered her course to the hallway that angled toward the surface. A shuddering sensation clamped onto her brain. Her alpha would smell the Sentinel on her and he would ask questions.

Determination pressed the worries away as she neared his open chamber. The guards posted outside the entryway dipped their heads down as she passed. She wondered what they thought of the scent clinging to her.

She made her way to the center of the cavern, standing before Alpha Gavin. His green eyes regarded her with masked emotions, though his nostrils twitched as if picking up a curious scent. He lounged, with ease, atop a boulder, licking at the blood caked on his hands. Blood dribbled from a corner of his perpetual smirk. Kristi’s stomach lurched with hunger, realizing he had just returned from a hunt. Alpha Gavin must have been suffering from intense restlessness to risk going out, especially with the up-and-coming plan of attack. She tried not to focus on either thought as she dipped her head, waiting for acknowledgment.

“What have you learned, Beta?” Despite the alpha’s smirk, his tone detached and cold.

Kristi dared to look up, another pang of hunger tickling her stomach as her nose caught another whiff of the blood. She had stood over the Sentinel for a long time, waiting for him to rouse from his slumber. “Regrettably, nothing.”

One of his eyebrows cocked upwards, his smirk fading to a frown. Despite his reaction, his tone grew no colder, though his words had an edge of a bite to them, “What are you doing here, then?”

“We had a scuffle.” Kristi willed her voice to be level. If her alpha thought she was compromised, all her hard work in the pack would be for naught. A scuffle wasn’t enough to justify her walking out, but the Sentinel’s reaction did. “He got aroused.”

“Well, you are a rather fetching bitch.” The smirk twisted against his lips.

Kristi shifted and averted her gaze, as she always did when she couldn’t tell if Alpha Gavin were flirting or not. Selene already claimed him, though Kristi often wondered if they were Mates or just a beneficial arrangement.

In the past, Kristi had often fancied she felt a tingle – the tingle – around him. She had often mistaken it as a sign. Now, she wasn’t so sure. With some of her mental capacities mulling over the possibilities, her mouth stumbled around a plausible tactic. She returned her gaze to her alpha’s, her tone assured, “I want to see if I can use his attraction to my advantage.”

“Ah, such a naughty thing to do.” Alpha Gavin’s lips twitched in amusement. Heat bit at Kristi’s insides, though it wasn’t the usual pleasant variety. “Why not use it now?”

“I want to win him over a little,” Kristi swallowed, trying to distance herself from her thoughts. A pang of guilt jabbed through her as she spoke, as if causing this Sentinel harm recoiled against her. “Starve him for a bit, deprive him of interaction, then I’ll bring him some food and friendly companionship.”

The alpha’s eyebrows twitched. A frown ghosted over his lips. “Not too friendly, I hope.”

“He’s a Nameless Sentinel, Alpha.” Kristi inclined her head and wrinkled her nose, as if the mere thought send a roil through her stomach. She tried to ignore the pleasant warmth that touched her core.

“Even then, Kristi, you’re a Beta in this pack,” Alpha Gavin murmured. He shifted from his seat and moved toward her. His movements reminded her of a predator on the prowl, languid and precise. Kristi tensed as his licked-clean palms weighed on her shoulders. His tone took on a somber edge as he stared down at her, “If anything happens to me, you’re in the running to lead.”

“Yes, sir.” Kristi nodded, swallowing down anxiety and hunger. Despite the fact Alpha Gavin had cleaned his hands, blood was still matted in his long white-blonde hair.

She almost yelped and skittered back in surprise as the alpha swept down. His hot breath raked across her flesh. Once, the sensation would have been welcome. Now, with her confusion over the Sentinel marinating her synapses, she almost felt nauseated.

As she forced her heart to calm, Alpha Gavin’s deep words rasped into her ears, “Be careful how close you get to this mutt. The stink of them can’t wash off.”

“I am fully aware, sir.” Kristi resisted the urge to breathe a sigh of relief as the alpha stepped back. Her lips pursed in distaste, as if the mere suggestion was like lemon on her tongue. “Trust me, I don’t go for domesticated dogs.”

Alpha Gavin eyed her with a critical expression. Kristi felt her whole body razed by his gaze, as if he were seeking the slightest sign of uncertainty. Whatever he sought, she wasn’t certain he found it. Alpha Gavin spun on his heel, shrugging his shoulder as he waved his hand in a careless arc. “Carry on, as you will. I have complete faith in you.”

“Thank you, Alpha.” She dipped her head down in a bow, backing out the door.

Before Kristi completely disappeared through the open maw of the cavern, Alpha Gavin glanced over his shoulder. His eyebrows furrowed in apprehension as he watched Kristi disappear around the corner. Her dark hair flailed behind her, waving farewell to the alpha.

CHAPTER FOUR

For the sixteenth time since the she-wolf left, Jay’s head throbbed with a migraine. Her warnings against contacting the Nameless Sentinels had gone unheeded. As a result, Jay suffered for his curiosity and his stubbornness. No different from living on the outskirts of Goldbridge.

He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth, trying to break through the barrier. Perhaps it was a side effect of being underground. Maybe the wild dogs had buried silver in the ground. Or, most likely, it was sheer distance that worked against him. Whatever it was, Jay couldn’t break through to the other Sentinels. The headache pounded at his synapses and he gave up.

Opening his eyes, complete darkness greeted his gaze and it soothed his head. It had been this way since she had left. No light, no food, no water. The wild wolves hadn’t even bothered to tie him up. Their lack of concern over him made irritation itch along his arms. He calmed the indignity. Being underestimated worked in his favor.

Yet, Jay wondered if the feral wolves had forgotten about him. More than once, the temptation to push on the boulder door itched across his palms. Something held him back, though. There was still a chance they were biding their time, trying to make him break from sheer sensory deprivation. He bristled at the mere prospect of the challenge.

He couldn’t be sure. After various, regenerative naps, Jay had completely lost track of time. All he had to track time were the sounds of daily life going on outside his room. Of course, the sounds were dampened thanks to feet of dirt and rock, but it was the only thing Jay had.

At one point, he spent hours tempting his guards by digging in his cell. The grunting, the sound of shifting dirt, it should have brought someone to his door. It hadn’t and he had met solid rock no matter which direction he ventured in. Even his supernatural strength had done little to the solid walls.

Hunger gurgled in his gut. His lack of nutrition wasn’t doing his strength any favors, despite the upturned grubs and roots from his digging. Jay grunted and flopped back onto the ground, remembering the mac and cheese he had on the stove at home. How long ago was that? Some hours? A day or two, at most. He hoped his trailer hadn’t burned to the ground in his absence.

At that thought, bright light snapped across his vision. Jay hissed and shielded his eyes with a forearm and jolted to a sitting position. His ears picked up the grating of rock against rock. A subtle pressure change indicated his door had opened. He winced as he lowered his arm, graced with the vision of the yellow-eyed she-wolf sauntering into the room. Her infuriating arrogance filled the room, driving Jay to his feet. He didn’t want her to feel an ounce more dominant than him.

His gaze flickered immediately to the turkey legs she carried. They were cooked to a delicious golden crisp. The scent of the meat curled around Jay, taunting his nose and tickling his tongue. Saliva pooled in his mouth as his stomach lurched forward, as if to grab the food from her grasp.

Kristi’s lips quirked into a smug grin. His pale eyes followed the meat in her left hand. She chomped a chunk of meat off the turkey leg in her right hand. Smacking her lips in a pointed way, the sound echoed around the small room. His gaze flicked to her face, intense hunger hiding behind his eyes. Kristi suppressed a shudder, uncertain if his appetite was for food.

“Hungry?”

Without thought, Jay gave a single nod. His eyes flicked back to the meat. Slight surprise tinged his thoughts; he hadn’t smelled her coming with such an aromatic treat.

“It’s yours,” she sauntered closer, waving the hunk of bird closer to Jay. She pulled it back a bit, her eyes narrowing, “But only if you’ll answer some questions.”

Jay’s gaze hardened. He pierced her with a glare as his nose wrinkled. So, this was her game. Starve him and use his hunger to extort information out of him. It wouldn’t work. Jay pressed his lips together.

“Oh, come on,” groaned Kristi. She rolled her eyes as she lowered both turkey legs. A frown curved over her lips as bitterness kissed her words, “What do you have to gain by being silent?”

Something hot and barbed rolled through Jay’s veins. It wasn’t complete anger. Something else prickled along his thoughts. Jay became hyper-aware of the she-wolf’s body, the way she moved, the slightest shift of her footing. His heart thrummed in his chest as his gaze wandered over her body. Repetitive imaginings had plagued Jay’s thoughts in the utter darkness. He imagined her every curve, her every divot, every rise and swell she had to offer. Even now, with hunger puncturing his stomach, hormones tittered in his thoughts.

Kristi’s whole body sang with heat under the Sentinel’s gaze. A flush crawled through her veins, making her breasts tingle. Dirty images caressed her thoughts, uninvited and vivid. The feelings didn’t strike her as imagination, though. They sliced through her thoughts like inevitable premonitions. They felt as likely as the moon going through its phases or the change of seasons. Her fingers curled around the turkey bones, “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“What?” Jay blinked, bringing his gaze to focus on her eyes. Maybe it was his imagination, but he thought the she-wolf’s cheeks pinked under his eyes.

“You heard me,” growled Kristi as she pursed her lips. She raised the turkey legs up again, trying to ignore his sudden curious stare. “Are you going to be a good boy and earn some dinner? Or are you going to let your pride starve you?”

Something changed between them. The tension took on a sensual pressure and Jay wasn’t sure if it was a bad thing. He inched toward her, pulling himself up straight. She watched him, wariness in her gaze. It amused a darker part of Jay. That same part of him relished the sudden change in atmosphere and his eyes hooded. A smile twitched at the corner of his lips and his head listed to the side. “And how am I supposed to earn it?”

The heat inside Kristi flamed as his rasp sunk into her ears. A tingle careened through her body, nibbling at her nerves. Kristi ignored the sensation, steeling herself against misled hormones. She clenched her teeth, the ache in her jaw acting as a distraction. Pulling the food closer to her body, she bit out a retort, “Intel. Give me it.”

“I can’t give you something else?” Jay’s crooked smirk drew across his lips. He leaned closer to the she-wolf. Her scent consumed his thoughts and brought a hot tingle with it. He mentally bottled up the scent for later recollections. “I could more than earn my dinner in other ways.”

Kristi’s brain stuttered to a stop. Her lips parted, struggling to find words to throw in his face. She came up with nothing. Her eyes flickered from his eyes to his close lips. Heat breathed over Kristi, making it all the more difficult to speak.

Jay took her moment of silence and swooped down. His lips pressed against hers and she gave a strangled gasp. She jerked halfway back, before something drew her forward, drawing her eyes shut. Whatever prompted her sudden change of heart, Jay didn’t mind. She tasted delicious on his lips.

Hormones boiled between them, ricocheting through the air. The temperature climbed to searing heights as pleasure stung their blood.

When the Sentinel pulled away, Kristi’s eyes snapped open. A dark, rosy color tinged her cheeks. She could feel the unpleasant prickling along her face, across her neck, and down her shoulders. She focused on him, as he leaned back. A smug, insufferable smirk curled at his lips. He waved a turkey leg in front of her eyes.

Kristi’s eyes snapped to her empty hand, where the hunk of meat once lingered. Only grease coated her fingertips. Indignity and anger flurried through her thoughts. They mixed with the pleasant, erotic heat that coiled in her lower stomach. She stumbled back, putting well-needed distance between her and the Sentinel, as she swiped the back of her hand against her mouth.

A bead of guilt bulged in Jay’s mind as he watched Kristi’s wide-eyed reaction. Hunger erased his shame. He eagerly tore into the turkey, grease and meaty juice spritzing his starved, dehydrated taste buds. He almost moaned in pleasure as the taste dribbled down his throat.

Watching the Sentinel enjoy his price, rage flared in Kristi. Rage and…fondness? She resisted the urge to jerk her head from side to side. She needed fresh air. The cell smelled of him and it dizzied her under a wave of hormones. Kristi cursed under her breath as she turned to the door. There was a momentary pause, after she mentally snarled at the guards, before the boulder eased out of the way.

She didn’t look back at her captive as she ducked into the corridor.

Jay, on the other hand, watched her in curiosity. His mind couldn’t release the sight of her blush, her wide eyes, or her flustered yelp. It was all so appealing to him. Plus, the fact she hadn’t hit him was a good sign, right? He gnawed on his turkey bone, contemplating the she-wolf’s reactions. Just before darkness flickered back into the room, his eyes fell on the second turkey leg. It had been discarded in disgust or surprise. Jay grinned to himself as he snatched the meat from the floor.

Satisfaction continued to swell in him, expanding in his chest, as the lights flickered out around him. The pleasant feelings, and reaped rewards, made it all the harder for guilt to sink into his head.

***

Hours later, or so he presumed, Jay lounged back on one of the dirt piles he had accumulated. With his belly sated and little chance for escape, his groggy brain tried to piece together a plan of escape. He had no clue how to navigate the underground labyrinth and he had no means of contact with the Nameless Sentinels. And those were only problems if he managed to escape from the cell.

Jay grunted and folded his hands behind his head. There was only one plan that tickled at being probable: attacking the she-wolf. The thought came halfhearted and hollow. Jay found no joy in hurting her, which was ridiculous. She had attacked him, knocked him out, punched him,
and
taunted him. He should be seething with retribution.

But he wasn’t.

He scratched at the back of his head as his thoughts lolled around her. Heat slid through his synapses as memories teased his body. He could still feel the way her body had shifted and squirmed under his as they scuffled on that floor. His lips twitched into a grin. Hormones coated the recollections, making them a little raunchier than the original memories.

Exhaustion tugged at his eyes. It had been a long day, as far as Jay’s skewed sense of time cared. His begrudging body relaxed against the dirt pile, but the hormonal fires still raged through him. Tingling itches crawled through his head. He didn’t pay them any mind as he drifted off.