Gabes Alpha (Dark Hollow Wolf Pack 4)

He had his shirt off, displaying his hot little body for the world to see, and dollar bills were sticking out of his pockets and waistband. He had a bottle of tequila in one hand, holding it by the bottle neck, and a half-smoked cigarette in the other. Head thrown back, he gyrated his hips in time with the music, singing along at the top of his lungs to a Trace Adkins song about honkytonks and something called badonkadonks, and shaking his beautiful ass. He had his eyes closed, never knowing when Zack came to stand under him. He was right at the point in the song where the singer asks,“Lord have mercy, how’d she even get them britches on?” Zack wondered the same thing himself.

Scott came over to stand beside Zackand grinned until he saw the look in his alpha’s eye. He dropped his head and shuffled his feet.

Zack raised his voice above the music and yelled at Gabe. “Hey,baby, having fun?”

Gabe opened his eyes and glanced down Zack, before doing a double take. His reaction was almost comical except for the fact he fell off the bar still holding onto his bottle and would have hurt himself if Zack hadn’t caught him. Zack flipped him over his shoulder and carried him straight out of the bar with Scott trailing along behind them. Catcalls and hoots sounded off as Zack strode out. Gabe even had the nerve to rise up and wave to the crowd.

Zack dumped him in the front seat, removed the cigarette from his hand, and threw it on the ground. He pulled the bottle of tequila away and handed it to Scott without comment before goingaround to the driver’s side and starting the car.

“Wait a minute, baby. ” Gabe called out drunkenly, slurring his words and lunging for the bottle. “I was gonna use that tequila. I thought you might gimme a tequila backdoor. ”

Zack looked at him steadily. “Okay, I’ll bite, what the hell is a tequila backdoor?”

“Ooh, it’s nice, babe. You just sprinkle a little salt on my rim, pour on a little tequila, gimme a squirt of lime,and enjoy, baby!” Gabe fell back in the seat laughing uproariously at his own joke.

Rolling his eyes and not saying a word, Zack drove down the road to the hotel where Scott said he was staying,took him upstairs to his room the same way he’d taken him out of the bar, and locked the door behind them.

Carrying Gabe straight to the bathroom, Zack started the shower, and pushed Gabe inside, clothes and all. The water was ice cold, and Gabe put up one hell of a fuss, fighting to get out and cussing. Zack held him in with a steely grip on the back of his neck, keeping him from turning the water off until Gabe shivered and his teeth clacked together. He turned off the water and helped him to strip off the skin tight jeans. Wrapping him in a big towel, he pushed him out to the bedroom and sat him down on the bed while he sat in the only chair in the room.

Zack sat there brooding, staring at him until Gabe finally spoke. “Why are you doing this to me? What are you doing here, Zack? Just leave me alone. You said you didn’t want anything else to do with me. ”

“I never said that, and you know it. ”

Gabe’s voice suddenly choked with tears. “You told me to go. ”

Zack sighed. “No, honey, it’s not what I said at all. I said I wouldn’t stop you, and I released you from your vows if you were really so unhappy. I love you. I’ve told you again and again. You’re my mate, and I’ll never want anyone else. Obviously it’s not anything you really wanted. You’ve never said you love me, and I could have even lived with that, but you constantly fight me on every little thing. I’ve tried to compromise. I’ve really tried while you disrespect me all the time in front of my pack. Packs have hierarchy, Gabe, which you well know. I’m the alpha, and I have to have the respect of my people. They’ll soon lose respect for me if your contempt and disrespectful attitude continues. If you’re really miserable, I can’t, in good conscience, force you to stay. ”

Gabe sat looking at him, but made no more comments. Zack had called his bluff, and he could see Gabe hadn’t really wantedto leave, but didn’t know how to get out of the situation he’d created. Afraid his sheer stubbornness would overrule his heart, Zack helped him out.

“Of course, if you changed your mind and wantedto stay, I’d be very happy. Really happy. You only have to tell me. You’d have to decide being with me is something you want, and it will be forever, Gabe. Make no mistake about it. If you come back home, you’ll have to agree to some things. If you stay, you’ll take orders from me in the important issues. I’ll try not to be too bossy, and I’ll always respect your opinion, but I’m the alpha, as well as your mate. As your alpha, I’m owed your obedience and allegiance. ”

Gabe was silent for a long moment, obviously thinking it over. Zack was careful to keep his face neutral.

“So if I decided to stay—and that’s a big if—you’d still want me as your mate?”

“Of course. I’ll always want you as my mate. I love you, Gabe. ”

“I can’t believe you would take your ring off. I would nevertake mine off. ” Gabe turned his head away, biting his lip, completely disregarding the fact he had taken his own off and thrown it across the room. Zack could see tears standing in his eyes. Since hedidn’t trust himself to say anything in response, he simply held up his hand and showed him the rings.

“I’m still wearing it. I have yours right here too. ” Zack could see Gabe really wanted the ring back on his finger.

Gabe sighed heavily. “If I decided I wanted to stay with you, what would happen?”

“Happen? Well, you’d need to apologize to me, accept your discipline for disrespecting me so badly and promise to try harder to be a good pack member and obey my direct commands. In return, I’d promise to protect you and provide for you always. I’ll never put this offer on the table again. It’s a one-time good deal. This marriage is not going to be a revolving door. If you don’t want me, if you want to leave, this is your chance. Your one and only chance. If you come back home, and don’t change, the offer is no good any more. Next time I’ll lock you down and spank you every day until you straighten up. ”

Gabe flushed and angled a strange look at Zack. “What about you apologizing to me? You treated me like a not too bright child. I ought to be able to decide for myself if I want to wear a damn cervical collar. ”

Zackdropped his gaze, considering his mate’s words. He nodded and glanced back up at him. “You’re right. I admit I was being overprotective. I’m sorry, and it won’t happen again. ”

“And the threats to spank me? I don’t respond to threats. ”

“It wasn’t a threat, Gabe. It was a promise. If you agree to be my mate, then you are agreeing to accept my discipline. Think it over. This is your decision. If I feel it’s in the best interests of both of us, I will discipline you—it’s part of the deal. ”

Zack noticed Gabe’s cock had hardened as he spoke. Did he like the idea of being dominated? Or was it just the spanking? Zack filed that idea away for later and focused all of his attention on his mate.

Gabe sat sulkily on the bed, his eyes cast down. “Okay then. I accept the conditions, and I’m sorry. ”

Zack felt a tidal wave of relief rush through him. Still he had to keep his face stern.