Taking Down the Alpha

21 Doesn't Look Too Good

After the last fight of the night and subsequently the round, Al chatted with my friends before we split off from Denise and Andrew, the two of them planning to go out of drinks together. We declined to join them, because Al needed to be rested for his next fight, and I didn't want to distract him. Plus, I wanted to check on Liana.

Al drove me back to the hotel and pulled to a stop in the parking lot. I scrambled off his bike, again thinking how out of character the vehicle was for me. I used to believe I was more of a Sedan girl, and it was alarming how quickly my mate was influencing and changing me.

Before I even took a step he grabbed my hips like he couldn't keep his hands off me for any measureable length of time. I wasn't much better than him, wrapping my hands around his neck and pulling him forward into a kiss that lasted until I was panting.

"Leaving you here tonight is harder than last night."

I nodded. "I know, but I have to—"

He kissed me, abruptly ending my recitation of my list of urgent tasks.

If he didn't want to hear what I needed to do, maybe he'd be more motivated by his own goals. I broke the kiss reluctantly. "And you have to—"

Another kiss cut me off, but I didn't complain about it. The brush of his lips against mine made me want to devour him and be devoured in return.

But no, I had already made my decision. We both had things to do, there was no time to let ourselves get distracted now. I summoned all my willpower and broke the kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow night. After your fight."

He smiled ruefully. "Watch from the reserved seating again, so I know where to spot you. You can bring your friends too."

"I thought I was supposed to be not distracting you?"

"It'll distract me more if I'm searching the crowd for you. Better for my wolf if I know where to find you. And come back to find me after my fight. Security won't bother you this time."

"I'll be there," I promised, peering through the shadows into those entrancing eyes. He always looked so determined, like nothing would stop him from getting whatever he decided he wanted. And thanks to some miracle of a bond of fate, the one he seemed to want that way was me.

We kissed one more time, slower and more sensuously, as if we were trying to memorize each other to make up for the time that we would be apart. It wasn't going to be that long, but I had a new understanding of why mated pairs often acted like they were woefully codependent. Clearly, they couldn't help it, because separation did feel like one of the worst possible experiences a wolf could have. It was like being separated from my pack, but so much worse.

Finally I broke away and entered my room. With a peek through the adjoining door, I found Liana was already asleep, seemingly peacefully. She was legally an adult even in the human world, but she looked even more innocent and vulnerable than usual when resting.

I still didn't know how that corrupt alpha had dared to take advantage of someone like her. He was a true cad. I couldn't wait until Al beat him in our challenge. I might not have enjoyed violence, but I somehow thought seeing my soon-to-be-former alpha's face get punched in would be a very therapeutic experience. And Al would look so unbelievably hot doing it. How did I get so lucky?

I went to bed and spent some time on the internet trying to get a better bead on my mate's actual identity. Frustratingly, I found nothing again, as if he were a figment of my imagination. How could he both be someone who I might recognize yet someone I couldn't find anything about.

My irritation with the situation dissolved into dreams, leaving only longing and my wolf's burning desire fully make Al ours.

The next morning I woke up before Liana. She slept later than normal, and when she finally did wake up, she didn't jump out of bed like she usually did. Again, I worried that she might be feeling depressed. For whatever reason, my wolf really had decided that she was under my protection, and I didn't have any desire to contradict my wolf's instinct. Liana needed my protection.