Real Alphas Bite (The Alpha-Hole Duet 1)

Syn

Iwoke with a start, the sensation that something was wrong washing over me. I lived in a small loft over the bar that consisted of a tiny futon mattress, a single burner stove and sink, and then a bathroom with a small shower that only gave out cold water. It was a hovel, but it was my hovel. The only sanctuary I had in this pack.

And my wolf could tell something was wrong.

I sat up and blinked in the darkness.

It only took a second to see him. The place was too small for anyone to hide.

The stranger I’d seen for just a moment at the bar was leaning against the door, his overwhelming presence and scent sliding over me.

I fumbled for the steak knife I kept right by my futon, the only thing I had for protection without my wolf.

“It’s not there, little wolf,” he said, his gravelly voice washing over me. My wolf immediately quieted inside of me, so still I could almost picture her laying down and relaxing in the sun.

Traitor, I muttered inwardly.

And I swore my wolf just yawned.

“She likes me, doesn’t she?” he murmured, like he could see inside of me right at that moment. I inched backward in bed, my gaze still darting around the tiny, dark room like a weapon was going to appear in front of me suddenly.

The stranger took a step forward, and I squeaked, “Don’t take another step…” He chuckled darkly as if I was amusing him.

"I mean it. I'll scream. The whole pack will hear you. They’ll all come." I tried to sound convincing. I actually wasn't positive that anyone in the pack would show up if I needed help. But he didn't know that.

He chuckled again, like I was this cute thing intentionally amusing him. "I might like it if you scream. But it won't do you any good. No one will come for you. You belong to me now."

My stomach clenched. I belonged to him? I ignored the warm sensations I felt at that comment. A therapist would probably have a field day with someone like me, a girl who'd had all affection withheld from her since she was little.

He took another step forward. Even in the darkness, there was a possessiveness in his gaze. A look that backed up his strong words. I eyed the window next to me, wondering just how badly I would get hurt if I tried to jump. If I could even do it fast enough for him not to stop me…which would never happen.

Two more steps and he was already right at the edge of my futon. His gaze was warm and hot as it trailed over my skin, and I realized belatedly that I'd let my sheet drop. I was sitting there in nothing but a spaghetti strap top and a tiny pair of shorts. And of course, because the things weren't comfortable enough, I was braless.

"You like the sound of that, don't you, little wolf," he purred the question as my own wolf purred back. She’d never acted like this before. It was almost a good thing I couldn’t shift at this moment, because who knows what she would've done. She’d probably be humping his leg right now.

He shifted, and the moon streaming in from the window lit up his features.

He was… Beautiful. I’d known that from the little glance I’d had of him in the bar. But seeing him this close…There were almost no words. Beautiful was the only way to describe him. Dark messy locks, like he’d just gotten done running his fingers through his hair. His features were like the Moon Goddess herself had gathered up all the perfection in the world and decided to put it on his face. He had full pouty lips… And those eyes, I’d never seen eyes like that. In the moonlight, they looked like they were almost glowing. The light blue color reminded me of ice glittering under the moonlight.

Okay, Syn, get yourself together. I usually had more self-preservation than lusting after a mystery man who had broken into my room.

"You need to get dressed. I'd like to leave as soon as possible," he said, his gravelly voice rolling over me.

My wolf perked up even more. She liked the sound of that.

Me? I was both intrigued and terrified.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," I told him emphatically, crossing my hands over my chest when I felt my nipples begin to pebble under his hot gaze.

"I'm afraid that's not an option," he replied as he finally dragged his gaze away from me and took in our surroundings with a disdainful look. "Surely you must want more than this? More than a pack that would trade you away at the first chance?" he asked as he brought his attention back to me.

I stiffened at that news, although the sharp blade of betrayal I thought I would feel after hearing that never came.

I was nothing but a slave to this pack, a reminder of the dark blight in their history that they were forced to face every day. Honestly, it was a surprise that this hadn't happened before. Looking back at my Alpha’s conversation that I’d overheard, it was surprising that they hadn't jumped at the chance to send me to Reject Island. I was a hard worker, and they all clearly enjoyed bossing me around, but I was still little more than a slave.

He sat down at the end of my futon, the whole thing threatening to collapse under his weight. Again, he gave the futon a disdainful look, like it had personally offended him. Even sitting down, he was huge. I’d never been very good with height estimates, but I knew he was at least 6’4, easily able to overpower my measly 5’6 form.

By this point, I was curled up in a little ball as far away as I could get without crawling up the wall.

"I could offer you the world, Emersyn," he told me, and there was power threaded through his promise, like there was no way he could break it now that he'd said it.

"I don't even know your name," I reminded him, having to force my body to not lean towards him with the way he was looking at me.

I’d never had anyone look at me like that. Like I was priceless, worthy. But here I was, in my little hovel, with a stranger looking at me like I was more priceless than gold.

"Perhaps this conversation would have turned out better if I'd led with that," he chuckled, sounding almost embarrassed. And somehow, seeing just that bit of vulnerability helped me relax just a tad.

"My name is Hendrix. I’m the Alpha of the Khan pack."

"The Khan pack?" I asked, trying to think if I'd ever heard of them before. Something niggled in the back of my brain, something important, but I couldn't quite latch on to the memory.

I shook my head. “But…why me? I’m no one. Why would you want the pack slave?”

His eyes darkened, and something red flashed within their depths. My wolf jumped inside of me, alarmed at the sight. But I blinked and whatever I’d seen was gone, the almost crystal-colored irises back.

“It’s simple, really. I don’t deny myself. When I see something I want, I take it.”

I gritted my teeth, hating how conceited he sounded. I would always be a possession to these men, nothing but a plaything to use and discard when they were done with me.

As much as I wanted to get out of here, I wasn’t going with this person. What was that saying? It was better to have the devil you knew rather than the devil you didn’t? Who knew what horror would follow if I went with him.

The memory of Brayden forcing me to kiss him flickered through my head, reminding me that I actually couldn’t be too sure of here either. It could always get worse.

I shook off the dark thought and belatedly realized that this stranger was softly stroking my foot, tingles emanating across my skin even from such a simple touch.

What the hell.