Mated to the Alpha (Alphas in Heat 4)

“We’re going to happen,” I say in a low dominant voice. “Everything you can imagine. Sensual kisses, holding hands, hot steamy nights that you’ll never want to end, babies…”

“Babies?” she says with a gulp.

I nod as a wicked grin hits my lips. “Lot’s of babies.”

I can see her now—stomach all rounded with my child—and it makes my dick ache. I get hard as a rock as I lean a little closer to her sweet curvy body.

“Don’t fight this,” I whisper as my lips move closer to hers. She can feel my warm breath washing over her lips and it’s giving her goosebumps all over that smooth skin of hers. “Go with it. You won’t regret it.”

Her hand is suddenly on my arm, but instead of pushing me away, she’s running her palm up and down my flexed muscles.

“I know you feel it too,” I say with a moan. “These strong feelings can’t be one-sided. They’re too intense for that.”

She swallows hard and licks her lips. “I do feel… something.”

“It’s the bond. It’s pulling us together. It’s pulling us where we belong.”

“But it doesn’t make sense,” she says and I start to feel her pull away. She’s a smart girl, an analytical type who uses logic over emotion. There’s no way I’m going to get her to believe me with words. She has to experience it.

I press my lips to hers and she tightens up at first, but then melts as I wrap my arms around her.

She whimpers as I thrust my tongue between her lips, claiming her mouth in a hard but sensual kiss.

Her hands grab my gown and tug on it as I kiss her deeper, showing her just how perfect we are together.

My bear starts pacing within, urging me on as I bring our mate one step closer to being ours forever.

“Your chest,” she says as she abruptly pulls away. “It’s vibrating.”

“It’s my grizzly bear,” I tell her with a grin. “He likes you.”

Her green eyes widen as she looks down at my chest. She reaches up to feel it, but then hesitates, letting her hand hover over my right pec.

“You can touch me anywhere,” I say as I take her wrist and press her palm against my muscular chest.

She starts to smile with an amazed look on her face as she feels my bear. He’s talking to her.

“I’m taking you out,” I say in a firm voice that leaves no room for her to argue.

She looks back up at me and nods. “Okay.”

“Tonight.”

She swallows hard. “Are you going to be okay by then?”

I lean down and kiss her again. Her eyes are closed and her chin is still tilted up with her lips puckered when I pull away.

“I’ve been waiting for you my whole life,” I tell her softly. “Broken body or not, I’m not waiting any longer. What time do you finish?”

“Eleven.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

The fucking door opens and my sexy little mate scurries out of the room before I can grab her.

“Wait—” I say as I go to chase after her.

But four huge bodies block the exit as they make their way into the room.

“Look at you,” Carter says with a laugh as he looks at my hospital gown. “I always knew you’d look good in a dress.”

I’m forced backward as Blake, Ethan, Carter, and Westin fill up the small space. Mila is gone. I want to chase after her but I think she needs some time to process everything, so I let her go.

“What the fuck happened to your face?” Westin asks with a gasp. “It’s hideous.”

“Oh shit,” I mumble as I push past them to the bathroom. “Is it?”

I’m expecting to see purple bruises, swelling, and long gashes as I look in the mirror, but there’s nothing. I look perfectly normal.

“Ha ha, asshole,” I say as I come back out. “Really fucking funny.”

“Your face looked much better when it was all banged up,” Westin says with a shake of his head. “The swelling hid all of your ugly features.”

“How are you feeling?” Blake asks. “Almost ready to get out of here?”

I suck in a breath. I feel well enough to go home but I don’t want to leave my girl. It’s going to kill me to walk away from Mila, even if it’s only for a couple of hours.

And I’m afraid to find out how my bear is going to react… He’s going to be mighty pissed.

“My body feels like it’s a hundred years old, but I can move around well enough and it’s going to heal faster now that my bones are finished healing.”

“So, you want to come home?” Blake asks with his eyebrows raised.

I hesitate and he sees it.

“What is it?”

“I found her.”

Saying it out loud brings a huge smile to my face. She’s not here to distract me so the full weight of it hits me hard. I found her. I found my mate.

“You found who?” Ethan asks carefully. “Not her her…”

I nod as my smile widens. “I found my mate. And guys, she’s so fucking perfect. I can’t get over it.”

“And you never will,” Ethan says as he slaps my shoulder with his big heavy hand. I wince and he quickly apologizes. “Shit, sorry! I forgot you’re still healing.”

They all gather around, wanting to hear all about it.

I tell them all about Mila, but in the back of my mind, I’m only thinking one thing…

I have a date. With my mate. Tonight.

Chapter Six

Mila

Just as Rylan promised, he’s waiting outside at 11:05. It’s dark with a crisp fall air and he looks sexier than ever as he leans on a light post, watching me with his intense blue-gray eyes.

I thought he couldn’t look any better than he did in an old faded hospital gown, but he looks absolutely drool-worthy in black jeans, a tight white shirt, and a brown suede jacket. His dark hair is styled and his beard is trimmed.

He spots me immediately and doesn’t take his eyes off mine, which is really annoying because I’d like at least a solid minute to stare at and study every inch of him.

“You look… incredible,” he says as he walks over. His eyes leave me warm everywhere he looks, which is everywhere.

I’m starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, we are mates.

I’ve heard about the intense love affairs of the lucky few women who get to be mated to a shifter. No one I know has experienced it before, but I’ve seen it on the cheesy talkshows. Topics like, I never knew love until a shifter marked me, or My bear shifter husband jumped off a building for me and survived!

I always thought they were so ridiculous and laughed through the episodes, but now I can see how wrong I was. These women weren’t living a pretend fairy tale like I thought. They were living the real thing.

I haven’t been able to get that kiss out of my mind. It rocked me, staggered me, made me believe in true love. I don’t know what would have happened if his friends hadn’t come in when they had. I’m not sure how far I was willing to go.

I’ve never been the slutty type. Alicia calls me Dr. Prude. I guess that’s deserving when you’re a twenty-seven-year-old virgin who’s not even trying to get laid.

But with Rylan… geez… I haven’t been able to turn off the dirty thoughts that keep pouring into my head. It’s like a pipe in my mind broke and I can’t turn the escaping stream of filth off. A guy came in with a rusty nail through his hand and I was thinking about undressing Rylan as I pulled it out, puss and all.

All this must mean something. This is not just a crush. I’ve had crushes before but when it came time to act on them, I got instantly turned off. It’s the opposite with R

ylan. I’ve never been more turned on in my life.

He steps up to me and takes his time looking me up and down. Why doesn’t that bother me like it normally does with every other guy? Why do I like his eyes on me?

This is all so confusing…

“You really are stunning, Mila,” he says without a hint of sarcasm in his deep voice.

“Please,” I say with a nervous chuckle. “I’ve been working for twelve hours and I have a guy’s blood on my shirt. You don’t have to compliment me.”

“You are gorgeous,” he says, shutting me up. “I have more words if you’d like. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Dazzling. Lovely. Magnificent. Superb.”

“We haven’t even gotten in the car,” I say as I hold my hand up. “It’s a little early in the date for sucking up.”

“It’s a little early for falling in love too, but that’s already happened.”

I turn away because I don’t want him to see my blushing cheeks. “There’s an Irish pub around the corner. We can get a drink there. I’d kill for a beer.”

“Lead the way.”

We start walking together and I look up at the stars as I breathe in the crisp autumn air. He’s only looking at me.

“So, you’re a fireman?”

He nods. “In Blackcloud Point.”

I know that place. It’s a small town in the mountains about half an hour away. I’ve always thought about living there. It’s so cute and looks very peaceful. Not to mention, there are a ton of hot muscular guys always around. There must be something in the water.

We talk about his job and his friends who work there as we walk over to the pub. He smiles easily and is quick and witty, which I like. I already feel at home by the time we arrive.

“After you,” he says as he opens the door.

There’s a band playing tonight so the place is busy. Heads turn as we walk in and I swear I hear his bear growling.

“You okay?” I ask as I turn around and look up at him. His jaw is clenched and he looks tight all over, like he’s fighting something back. Maybe he’s in pain from his accident. Shifter or no, it’s going to be a while before he’s completely pain-free.