Breaking Up With The Alpha (Dark Hollow Wolf Pack 6)

“Yes, Logan. I’m going to do this. Gabe does it for his alpha all the time,” he said, referring to his friend from the Georgia pack.

“But Gabe is a true submissive. ”

“Maybe so, though they fight all the time and have epic sex afterward. Am I really so different? Marco has always dominated me in bed, and I’ve mostly always let him. He’s spanked me before too, and then we had sex afterward. He just doesn’t remember any of that, and all he knows is I’ve run away a few times when we were fighting, and I don’t let him boss me around. The thing is, Logan, that I always knew he’d come find me whenever I ran away, and most of what I do to be rebellious, I do it because I want his attention. ”

Logan shook his head. “You’re talking yourself into this, Nicky. ”

“It doesn’t matter. I want Marco on any terms, and that’s all me. If wearing his collar and letting him boss me around will allow me to keep him, then what the fuck is the problem? Hell yeah, I’m talking myself into it, because I’ll keep Marco no matter what it takes. No matter what, Logan! If you don’t want to help me with this…”

“Nicky, I want to help you. You’re my friend. But I want you to be happy. ”

“Marco makes me happy. ”

Logan sighed and stood up. “Okay, I’ll go find him. I just don’t get what his problem is. Why can’t he go on as he did before? Hell, none of us is exactly independent here. We all live with our wolves and mostly submit to their will. What the hell else does he want?”

Nicky heard the echo of Logan’s words as the memories receded. What did he want, indeed? Nicky sighed and finished eating, turning to go put his dishes in the sink. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of garbage. Marco must have forgotten to take it out and now it would have to wait until he got home. He was being punished and Marco had forbidden him to leave the apartment and ordered him to remain inside, naked, until he told him different.

Nicky walked over to light a scented candle on a table by the window to help sweeten the air. He also opened the window to let in some fresh air and stood gazing out. Last night, Marco had begun his “retraining. ” He’d been waiting for Marco when he came home, already wearing only a pair of skin tight briefs made of a jersey-like material that showed off his package quite nicely, he thought. The apartment was clean and Marco’s eyes had lit up when he walked through the door and looked Nicky up and down. Nicky had strapped on the thin leather collar just before Marco came home, and he saw Marco’s eyes linger on it for a few moments.

Marco came toward him and took him in his arms. “Are you sure about this, sweetheart?” he murmured, his lips against Nicky’s ear.

“I’m sure. ” And he was sure. He really thought he could pull this off and everything had gone really well until bedtime.

Marco had been working on some paperwork, so Nicky got involved in a TV show he liked while he waited for him to finish. When he stood up and stretched, te

lling Nicky to turn off the TV and come to bed, Nicky hesitated, feeling irritation. The rebelliousness that was so much a part of his nature reared its ugly head.

“I’ll come just as soon as this is over, Marco. ”

“Nicky, it’s getting really late. ”

“C’mon, Marco, I said in a few minutes! What possible difference can a few minutes make?”

Marco stepped closer and gazed down at him. “Are you testing me, Nicky? Is that what this is about?”

“I’m not testing anything. God! I’ve waited on you hand and foot all evening and now I just want to sit here for a few minutes and watch my show. Is that so much to ask?”

“It’s not about the damn show and you know it! Turn it off and come to bed. ”

Nicky ignored him and deliberately turned up the volume. From the corner of his eye, he could see Marco narrow his, and then he wrenched the remote from his hand and threw it across the room, shattering it.

Jumping to his feet, Nicky yelled, “Asshole!” Then he clamped his hands over his mouth and slowly turned to face Marco. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. ”

“No? What did you mean?”

“Uh, nothing. I mean, yes, sir. Or no sir. Or whatever it is you want me to say, sir. ”

“Come here, Nicky. ”

“Uh…no, I think I’ll stay over here for a minute. ”

“Nicky…”

“I’m not going to let you hit me, Marco!”

Marco’s eyebrows rose. “Hit you? What on earth makes you think I would ever hit you?”

“Oh I don’t know, maybe the fact you already have the first day you came home and I shook Dr. Tate’s hand. That and the look in your eyes. ” Marco started forward toward him and Nicky held up his hands in a Tai Kwan Do defense posture Logan had taught him. “Stay back, Marco, I’m warning you!”