Don't need the Alpha

Chapter 38 Fin

I wake up and snuggle closer to the warm body that's behind me. Dante has me all wrapped up in his arms, and I've never woken up this happy. He hasn't let go of me since I came. We don't speak even though we both know the other is awake. We just lay there, very much contented to cuddle.

Yesterday was without a doubt one of the most chaotic days of my life, and I had a few of those as of late. But yesterday took the cake! Starting with my mate forbidding me from coming home to him, to knocking out my mate's sister, and hopefully soon sister in law. Then running into the conniving bat, not to mention drinking his blood, which lead me to the third chaos, my mate's jealousy induced rage once he caught my scent mixed with his. I don't even want to mention my father, who, by the way, is still staying with his pack in our territory as our unwanted guests.

What a nightmare of a day! But not today. Today, I will forget all about curses and vampires, about parents and complications. Today will be ours, and ours alone. I will focus on my Dante and our little bubble of happiness. I will dream for today, and pretend that I've finally grasped my happily ever after...

"Where is your mind wandering off to, beautiful?" I sigh contentedly as I let his voice sooth my troubled heart. In response he wraps me tighter in his arms, being mindful of my belly at the same time, and I can feel the evidence of just how happy he is by my little sigh.

"Dante." I moan his name. I can't help myself, unlike that fake thing with the bat, the passion that Dante and I share for each other is very real and too hot at times. Oh, who am I kidding? Is too hot at all times.

"Oh what you do to me, my Brea..." Dante begins trailing kisses down my neck, and for an instant I almost forgot the fact that I'm just about ready to give birth anytime soon, or why I think it's a bad idea to make love to my wolf-man. It is safe after all...

"Dante...you must stop that..." He growls and then nibbles my earlobe gently before releasing me. I immediately felt the loss of his warmth and was rather disappointed that he had listened to me. "Where are you going?" I hated that my voice sounded so needy, but I did indeed need him, and I was done fighting it.

"I'm finding it hard to keep my composure, Brea. I need to claim you, and I need to mark you as mine, yet I can't do neither." His voice was dangerously low, and deceptively calmed. "I require a moment to compose myself. Pardon me."

"Dante." I grasped his hand with both mine before he got too far from my reach. It was as though by instinct that I reacted. I didn't want to leave his side ever again, and I felt a sudden panic when he turned to leave. His cold demeanor must have triggered that fear. "Don't...please don't leave me." I felt a tear run down my cheek. What the hell? Why am I crying?

I don't know what or how, but next thing I know I'm on Dante's lap as he comforts me. "I will never leave you, beautiful. Please do not cry..." I was a mess, sobbing on his chest. He kept saying soothing words, but I could hear the desperation in his voice. "What can I do Brea? Tell me what I should do to make it better?"

What in the world am I doing? I hate myself for making him sound so pained. I stopped myself and pulled away, just enough to clean my face. I still needed the comfort of his embrace. I then straddled him and looked into his eyes with the intensity of the love I feel for this man. This wolf. My wolf. "I love you."

Dante cups my face in his hands and rests his forehead against mine. He inhales deeply as though he is breathing in my words. "Then never leave my side again." He sighs. "Don't leave me Brea." He threw my words right back at me and I was grateful that his eyes were closed, otherwise he would've seen the alarm present in my eyes.

I work on keeping my pulse and my breathing normal. Dante sounded so vulnerable when he said those words and I hate that I couldn't soothe his pain or his worry away. That I couldn't promise him that I will never leave him again. Because the truth is that as soon as my baby is born I have to leave. I will leave them until I find a cure to this dreadful curse. I won't put them in harm's way by staying. I won't expose them to the curse.

There is only one thing I can give Dante instead. The promise that I will always be his, no matter where I go. The only way to show him that I want to be his, since completing our bond is out of the question. "Dante." I whisper my lover's name as I pulled my face away from his, not too far, but just enough so that we'll be able to look into each other's eyes. I waited until our eyes locked, and when they did I must admit I felt a bit nervous.

I sigh and gather as much courage as I can muster. Should I ask? Do I have to give one of those little speech confessing my undying love...? Ugh! How do guys do this? I feel so much respect for the opposite sex right now.

Suddenly Dante looks as anxious as I fell if not more, most likely mistaking my trepidation for something far worse, and I instantly knew what he was going to say without him uttering the words. "Brea, you're not-"

"Hush!" I brought my hand up to his lips to keep him from finishing his words, since I couldn't reassured him with a 'I'm not leaving you.' "Just give me a sec." I said instead.

I don't want to leave him, but sometimes we must make sacrifices for those we love, and no I'm not trying to be a martyr, I just can't risk it...I simply can't. I will be back, of that I'm sure. And that's my promise to myself. I won't give up on our love. We will have our happiness, damn it! Dante is mine, and I am his, and that's how it shall be. Just us. That's the other reason I'm leaving. I'm going to break whatever bond me and that bat share. I will only be Dante's.

I take deep breaths until I finally think to hell with it. "Marry me." I rushed the words out before I chickened out, and felt my face flush. Still I kept my eyes locked on his.

I saw his eyes shine with happiness and my eyes stray from them to his lips where I found that sexy crooked smile of his that I fell in love with the first time I saw it. I gasped with something more than relief. And he dare say, the things I do to him, if only he knew what he did to me.

His reply was an all too consuming passionate kiss, which only lead to the unavoidable, our lovemaking. The baby will have to stay there and wait. Is not like there's been any signs, just the huge watermelon that is about to burst out of my midsection. I don't think I can get any bigger. I thought there were two babies instead of one, but Hera said there was only one baby's heartbeat. I'm still not sure...

Thoughts of the baby ceased completely as Dante kept loving me. It was tender but intense nonetheless and my chest was constricted with both love and pain. Dante's love was filling any emptiness left in my heart. I know it will only open a bigger hole when I leave, but for now I need my alpha and I'm letting him fill every part of me.

THE END...