The Alpha's Other Woman

22 Avoiding

Author's Note: Surprise bonus double update, because TRM is ranking high in love and romance! (This is the second chapter tonight, so you should go back to 21 first if you haven't read it yet.)

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Carrie Mature

Jason and I danced, lost in the beat, and the world faded away from all around us. Before long, we were kissing, completely enthralled with each other. Somewhere outside of my conscious thoughts, Max had excused himself from dancing, and Porter and Amanda had completely disappeared. Amanda's friends had scattered and were dancing with other humans.

The music tempo changed to a slower song, and I wrapped my arms around Jason's neck. His hands were on my ass, just barely, and I could feel how hard he was against my stomach. He was definitely ready to get home.

His voice broke into my mind. "Porter just said he left with your friend."

"Okay, I'm just going to ask it out loud. Is she his mate?"

"He didn't say."

"Well, do you think he is?"

"If I had to guess...yes."

"So how will we handle a human mate in the pack?" I wondered. While everyone had heard of human mates, they were rare enough that I had never met anyone who had one. There hadn't been any in Greenwoods, unless someone had one, but had kept the situation a secret.

"I'll worry about that if it happens. Even if she is his, he'll have to convince her first, right? That'll take time, because she won't feel the bond?"

"I think? I don't know. She looked really into him, so maybe she does feel it. If we're right?"

"Have I ever thanked you for being a werewolf?"

I laughed. "No, but I can think of a few ways you could thank me." A tall guy dancing stiffly with a girl next to me gave me a weird look, probably because it appeared I had started laughing out of nowhere. Humans and their obliviousness. He clearly assumed I was strange rather than imagining there might be something he was missing.

Oh well, I found that trait cute in humans. It sure made hiding the werewolf world easier.

"Are you ready to go home? Max says he'll leave whenever."

While dancing with my mate was fun, Amanda was already gone, so there wasn't much point in staying. "Yeah, let's go."I wanted to get home so that I could get him alone.

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I made Jason keep his hands mostly off of me, and I stopped my own from wandering as well, out of pure sympathy for Max. I was sure he didn't want to play third-wheel chauffeur while we made out in the backseat. The melancholy expression I sometimes caught in his light eyes made me sympathize with him too much to ignore.

My restraint crumbled the moment we got out of the car. Jason's mouth caught mine and his hands roamed over my back to cup my ass under my skirt, standing together in the darkness. Max headed home with a quick goodnight, and Jason broke our kiss just long enough to respond.

His tongue possessed my mouth, and his fingers strayed towards more dangerous territory. "Inside," I said, not wanting whoever was on patrol duty to see us.

Jason didn't answer with words, but he did lift me up so that I rubbed against him. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me inside, slamming the door of the trailer behind him. I clung until he placed me on the bed, and undid my shirt with nimble fingers. I groaned at the sensation of him inside me, and grasped his shoulders as he pushed home hard and deep. Anything I drank at the club had already worn off a long time ago, so my mind was completely clear and fixated on the feel of him sweeping inside, rubbing that spot that made me melt for him.

To my surprise he took hold of my hips and rolled over so that he was underneath me. "Ride me," he demanded, and I didn't need more encouragement, grinding my hips into his, and before long I convulsed around him.

Grasping my hips, he guided me to move faster until he found his own release. I dropped down to rest on his chest, mess of dark curls falling all over him. His heart beat against my ear, and I could have almost sworn mine was beating in sync with his.

Was this what mates were? Satisfaction? Companionship? Love?

Love?

That wasn't possible, was it? Not already?

But I already felt so much more for Jason than I ever had for Asshole Dane, not even what I had felt for him in the excitement of the beginning. There was so much more sweet adoration now than when that jerk alpha had proposed to me. This was better, purer, more true.

Then my heart sunk as I remembered I had planned to tell him about my past tonight. But I couldn't now, not when we were so close together. I was still too afraid to risk honesty.

He rubbed my back with his hands. I loved the feel of those hands on my skin.

And coward that I was, I lay there until I fell asleep in his arms, not saying a single word.

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The next few days were busy. I worked a couple more of my final shifts, I packed up more of my things, I started delving into more pack matters that were traditionally handled by the luna or gamma. I began to formulate lists of bulk suppliers that might help cut down on costs over time.

Jason was also as busy as ever, but we still managed to find time to enjoy each other's bodies, but somehow no time to really talk. Deep down, I knew I was avoiding the inevitable, but I kept doing it, because I was afraid to see his reaction. I thought he would understand, but what if he didn't? I couldn't bear to be rejected again.

I had barely seen Porter since the night at Angie's. He didn't say anything about Amanda, but he did make a couple extra unexplained trips into town. I was curious, but I didn't want to pry since I didn't know him that well yet. Jason seemed uninterested in asking him, convinced his friend could handle everything himself. And he was right. Porter's mate situation would work itself out in time, but it was hard to wait, because I was curious now.