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.”
Gone was all the friendly pretense now.
“I told you it was a mutual decision”, Gemma jumped in before I could so much as take a breath. “We wanted an intimate ceremony, and we knew that wouldn’t have been possible with a bunch of top celebrities on the guestlist. You know how these damn paparazzi are!”
Yet in the shadows of her protective statement, her words held sorrow, the dark emotion painfully cutting me like a knife in the heart. She tried to hide it from me, but our minds still were one, her effort in vain. As much as I hated to admit it, Sophie was right about this one: At first, I had separated my mate from everyone she loved, had forced her to come to terms with her new life all on her own, with only a mate by her side she was scared of and didn’t yet trust. I remorselessly dragged her into my world, not caring at all about the world she came from. I was selfish, succumbed to the animalistic desires of my wolf without making any effort to care about how my mate felt. Therefore, the first weeks we spend together would always be a dark memory for both of us. And the worst part of it all is I only realized the severity of my actions after a human woman frankly pointed it out to me.
The most important thing is you realized your mistake and you changed, Gemma’s warm voice invaded my mind. I already told you once and I will tell you again: I know now that you had no choice, that your wolf overwhelmed you. I don’t blame you anymore.
Sometimes the hardest part is to forgive oneself. My hand involuntarily tightened around her waist. As your mate, it’s my duty and honor to see to your happiness, and I failed to do so when you needed it the most. It’s a shame I will have to live with until the end of my days.
“You are right, I know that better than anyone else”, Sophie admitted bitterly.
She crossed her arms over her breasts, throwing me a look that could’ve cut through iron.
“Still, it’s not like you to fall head over heels for some hillbilly and basically marrying him on the spot. Is he blackmailing you? Threatening you in any kind of way? Whatever it is …”
Gemma wiggled herself out of my grip and took a step towards her friend, taking her hand in hers.
“Thanks for worrying about me, but there is really no need to.” She turned around, catching my eyes with hers. “Before I got to know Caleb, the only life I knew was a lonely life in the spotlight, with people judging me wherever I went. Then we met, we fell in love – and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was truly being cared for, like I belonged somewhere, to someone. I want to spend the rest of my days with him, and if that means I’ll have to give up my glamorous life as a model, it’s a sacrifice I am more than willing to make. Because what I get in return is this wonderful man by my side.”
“You are meaning what you say, aren’t you?”, Sophie realized, astonishment on her face. “The way you are looking at him … I’ve never seen you looking at someone else like that.”
Gemma gave her friend a bright smile.
“I know I sound like a heroine from one of those terribly cheesy romance movies, but yes, it’s how I really feel.”
At that, Sophie’s features lightened up as well. Finally.
“All that matters is that you are happy.”
She sighed and shook her head.
“My little Gemma got herself a husband, I still can’t believe it!”
“Jup, I joined the dark side.”
They both laughed.
“Despite my pessimistic view of love and marriage, I hope it works out for the both of you, I honestly do”, Sophie said, and for the first time, her warm words were sincere. The two of them conspiratorially stuck their heads together. “I mean he is a real eye candy, I can’t deny that …”, she giggled on the quiet.
“And you haven’t even seen him shirtless yet”, Gemma whispered back, throwing me a meaningful glance that made it obvious what she intended to do after we had left the party.
I rolled my eyes at their childish behavior, but I couldn’t deny hearing my mate admiring my physique so openly filled me with manly pride.
Soon, new guests arrived and Sophie excused herself to greet them.
“Come, I want to introduce you to some friends.”
Before I could argue, Gemma took my hand and pulled me towards another table.
When we left the party much later that day, it had already gotten dark. Even though Gemma had done most of the talking, I was the one who was utterly exhausted when we finally took our leave. Most of the time, I had not the slightest idea of what she and her friends were talking about. I had tried my best to follow the conversations and Gemma had done her best to provide me with context via our mind link, yet for the most part, it had felt like they spoke another language. Make-up, fashion, festivals and gala dinners, celebrity gossip, acting and modeling, social media – to me, it had felt like entering a whole new universe I couldn’t even begin to understand.
“Thank you.”
I looked down at my mate in surprise. We stood on the sidewalk, waiting for our cab. Gemma’s arms were tightly wrapped around mine, her head resting on my upper arm. Sensing my confusion, she raised her head and looked up to me.
“For coming and for listening”, she explained. “For trying to get to know the world I come from. This means a lot to me.”
“It was Neil’s idea”, I confessed. Now I felt stupid for not trusting her feelings for me, even going so far as to expect she would scold me for coming here. Our bond was still so new to both of us, so fragile that I feared one wrong step would take her from me again.
You are a monster and I hope you rot in hell, you bastard!
Never would I forget these hateful words my mate had once thrown at me during this first dreadful weeks after I had found her, pure disdain in her gaze. These words … they had almost torn my heart to pieces.
“I figured that much – it’s obvious this outfit of yours is his doing”, Gemma giggled.
My gaze darkened.
“I can’t wait to get rid of it”, I grumbled.
Gemma let her hand seductively wander over the buttons of my white shirt, sending warm tingles all over my body, tempting me to take her right here in front of all these humans. My self-control was running thin at a terrifying speed.
“What a pity, because I think the tux suits you”, she purred while I let out a warning growl. She played a dangerous game, this little mate of mine.
“But don’t worry. I’ll still gladly assist to take it off when we are back at our hotel”, she teased, her voice rough with lust.
I pressed her body closer to mine, her soft core against my hard one, letting her feel the impact her words and actions had on me.
“I’ll enjoy fucking you until that sassy mouth of yours will only be able to scream my name”, I rasped, a promise and a warning.
The cab arrived just in time. One second later and I would have pushed her against the nearest wall, not giving a damn about all the humans watching while I claimed what was rightfully mine.
“Madison Street 34/a”, I instructed the driver.
Gemma’s eyes widened. I pulled the keys to her apartment out of my pocket and handed them to her.
“It’s still mine?”, she asked with a lump in her throat.
“You bought it with your own money, so as long as you wish to keep it, it’s yours”, I stated, trying to make it sound matter-of-factish – yet the temptation had been there. More than once had I found myself looking at this small piece of metal, knew if I looked just a minute longer my possessive nature would take control over me and the place my mate spent so many happy days in would be lost to her forever. “I only had them in my keeping until things between us were … a bit more settled.”
The twenty-five-minute car ride back to Gemma’s place was pure torture. All I could think about while we were sitting in this tiny cab was how wet and tight Gemma would be when I would take possession of her body, how she would scream my name in pleasure, begging me to bring her to the edge and beyond. The intoxicating smell of her lust, of her longing for me, lingered in the air, mixing with my own. My wolf instincts threatened to take over any second and it took all my strength to keep them at bay.
When we had made it to the elevator of her building, I couldn’t hold back anymore, even if my life depended on it. My mouth was on hers as soon as we entered, my hands holding her pinned against my heated body. My mate answered the kiss with the same force, tangling her fingers in my hair to keep my head in place. Somehow, we managed to make it into the apartment fully clothed, but as soon as the door closed behind us, there was no holding back anymore.
I led Gemma take the lead, allowed her to press me against the nearest wall and free me of the tux and the white shirt beneath while our lips stayed glued to one another. When she was done, she let her hands wander over my naked torso.
Mine, Gemma and her wolf growled in unison.
I quickly switched our positions so it was her pinned to the wall now.
Isn’t that supposed to be my line?, I rasped into her ear, holding her hands in place beside her head.
My turn.
I slowly peeled her out of her dress, enjoying every inch of skin I freed.
Just rip the damn thing into pieces!, my mate moaned impatiently.
So, you are allowed to take your time, but I am not?
I teasingly bit into her ear.
That doesn’t seem fair now, does it?
Caleb, please …, she begged, her fingers painfully fisted into my hair.
I pressed a soft kiss to her breast which earned me a sweet groan.
More, she pleaded. She forcefully stopped my fingers from pulling down her dress and led them to her warm center. I need more.
The moment my hand felt the wetness of her core, I was a goner. I allowed my wolf to surface and mere seconds later my erection was buried in my mate, our bodies one again. As always, we immediately found a mutual rhythm. It was still a miracle to me how perfectly we fit, like two puzzle pieces made for each other. I knew no other woman could ever make me feel the way Gemma does, would be able to understand what I needed and desired the way Gemma understood.
You feel so good, baby. So tight. So ready for me.
She wrapped her legs around my waist and her arms around my shoulders, encouraging me to push forward even harder. Her eyes were pitch black by now, just like mine.
It didn’t take long until we both reached our first climax. Many more followed until we ended up in Gemma’s bed, both completely exhausted and covered in sweat, our naked bodies still entangled. That's when a dark thought found his way into my mind.
How many men has she made love with in this very place?
A furious growl escaped me at the mere thought of my mate touching another male.
You are the first, Gemma’s sleepy voice rang in my head.
In the last weeks, our mental connection had become natural to her as well, which was something I still had to get used to.
I am sorry, love. Did I wake you?
No, I wasn’t asleep yet.
She raised her head and let it rest on her hand which was still on my chest, looking at me with those breathtaking green eyes of hers.
This was my home, the only place I could have my privacy. My safe haven, if you will, Gemma confessed. As soon as I walked out of this building, I knew there would always be a camera around the corner, someone watching me, waiting for me to make a fool out of myself or simply walking the streets in a nice, expensive dress so everybody could nag about what a spoiled, rich celebrity I am.
As Alpha, the feeling of always being watched was old news to me as well. The grave difference, however, was that I was always looked at with kindhearted intentions or fear by the wolves of my pack – never with malevolence. Imagining walking out of my house and having to constantly fear being judged by strangers for all sorts of ridiculous things sounded like a nightmare.
That’s why this apartment was very special to me. Even my manager wasn’t allowed in here, which drove her crazy.
She chuckled at the memory.
I wanted this to be a place I could have all to myself, a happy place with no work, no public – and no drama. I told you no men I had ever been with meant something to me the way you do. They were publicity stunts or at best a friend to keep me company, nothing more. Nobody special. Nobody I would have ever allowed in my safe haven.
While speaking mind to mind one couldn’t lie. Gemma spoke the truth.
Did you ever try to escape, to live a normal life?, I wondered.
She shook her head.
To me, this was normal. It was all I ever knew, and it wasn’t all bad, you know? I never had to worry about money, I got to see a lot of astonishing places and meet inspiring people, I had – and still have – some really amazing friends … That’s already more than some people will ever have, she reasoned. What about you?
Me?, I asked surprised.
She nodded.
I know you told me an Alpha is born an Alpha, but still … did you ever desire to be something else?
Never, I immediately responded.
Never? Really? Gemma suspiciously raised an eyebrow.
Even as a child I felt a much stronger connection to the wolves of my pack than a normal wolf would. I've always felt the need to protect and care for our pack, for every member of it. If one of them was hurt, a part of me hurt, too. Their sadness is my sadness, as is their happiness. As much as we are destined to be, I am destined to be an Alpha. That's the will of the moon goddess.
Doesn’t it bother you that such an important part of your life was decided on by a mysterious entity? Her words held honest curiosity.
I shrugged.
How we live our lives is never fully our choice anyway, isn't it? The family we are born into, the country and its culture, how we look like ... All these are things we can't influence, to begin with, I reasoned. There was one time when I started to doubt her though.
Gemma’s eyes grew big. So far, I had never talked bad about the goddess.
I absentmindedly ran my hand through her tousled red hair while resuming my story, forcing my mind to return to the darkest time of my life.