The Alpha's Prey [Alpha-series (I)]

Chapter 17

Her shocked expression quickly turned into one of pure joy. Without thinking twice, she ran towards me, forcefully grabbed the collar of my shirt with both hands and pulled me down to her so she could press a hard, demanding kiss on my lips.

Did you miss me?, I asked, even though her actions already spoke volumes. I needed to hear it as well, needed to make sure this wasn't just a wonderful dream, make sure that I had truly earned myself a place in her heart.

Like crazy!, she bluntly confessed, her words vibrating with emotion.

I put my arms around my mate and engulfed her in a warm embrace, driving my nose trough her soft mass of hair and taking in her mesmerizing smell, bathing myself in this perfect moment.

Unfortunately, this pleasure was short-lived.

“So, this is the infamous Prince Charming that lured you away from us”, the voice of a woman declared.

Reluctantly I loosened my grip around my mate, but I couldn’t bear to let her go completely so I kept one hand around her waist as I turned towards the intruder. The woman was probably in her late thirties. She wore a long crimson dress with a skirt that was see-through from the thighs downwards. Her short brown hair fell in elegant waves down to her shoulders, her dark eyes focused on me.

“I am Sophie Taylor, nice to meet you”, she introduced herself, extending her hand towards me.

“Caleb Underwood, the pleasure is all mine”, I replied, returning her cold smile while taking her hand. “Thank you for the invitation.”

You have a family name?, Gemma asked startled.

Of course, I do, I chuckled.

How come you never told me?

You never asked.

I never heard you talk about pack members using their family names either, she wondered.

Compared to the humans we live in small communities, so such formalities are simply not necessary.

“Gemma is like a little sister to me, so her friends are always welcome at my house”, she sweetly replied, emphasizing the word friend while looking at me with piercing eyes. “How do you like the city so far? For someone living a secluded life in the middle of the woods, this must all be pretty overwhelming, I assume.”

She made it sound like she was truly concerned for me, but the dark glimmer lingering in her gaze betrayed her. No, she was all but concerned. She was a person used to having the upper hand, a human Alpha of sorts, believing someone else had claimed what she deemed hers – and that was something no Alpha would ever tolerate. But what she didn’t know yet was that I am an Alpha as well.

“This place is important to my wife, so it’s important to me as well”, I calmly replied while brushing a soft kiss to Gemma’s hair.

As expected, Mrs. Taylor narrowed her eyes at that, her lips a thin line.

“Interesting”, she snarled. “Her feelings didn’t seem to bother you when you decided to marry her without anyone she cares about being present.”