The Alpha's Queen

Chapter 15: Animal Impulses

Beckett

I closed the laptop and rubbed my temples. Catching up on all the work I'd neglected since Devany's arrival had taken me hours. Administrative tasks irritated me on the best days, and this was not definitely not a best day. All I wanted to do was to leave this stuffy office and find her. Even if she didn't want to talk to me.

Voices drifted through the door as two people passed by. Too low to make out what they were saying, but loud enough that I could tell who they were. My stepmother, Leann, and her sister, Patricia. I tensed, waiting for them to bust in, but besides a moment's hesitation outside my door, they did not linger.

Maybe the goddess did grant small favors. Paperwork was almost preferable over dealing with Leann, and Patricia... I shuddered. The moment I turned eighteen, she started throwing herself at me despite being twice my age. It was odd that she was even here right now. Most wolves were with their home packs or making their way to the Blue Mountain pack for the annual mate run.

No doubt Leann's stories of the new wolf had drawn here her. Devany's arrival would have generated interest among the other packs even if she had never shifted, but now that she had shifted and survived, everyone wanted to see her. In fact, I'd spent at least forty-five minutes denying requests to visit the Black Fang pack.

My lips lifted in a smirk. The Blue Mountain pack better be preparing for a record number of attendees at the mate run this year. Every unmated wolf out there would be salivating for a chance of mating with a wolf like Devany.

And just like that, my smirk vanished. Wood splintered as my nails shot out, stabbing into the polished surface of the desk. I wrenched my hand free and forced my wolf down.

I had to figure out a way to claim her as mine before the mate run. Even if I knew it was impossible for her to mate with another because she was mine, the slim grasp on my control would snap the moment another male dared get too close. Then there was the chance that whoever had faked my mating with Pria would do the same to Devany.

At least she was safer with the moonstone necklace concealing her Alpha Marks. That was the only reason I'd been able to leave her alone in the house while I worked, but I'd reached my limit. I needed to see her again.

I heard her aggressive steps down the hall just seconds before the door banged open. Devany stormed in, crossing her arms over her chest and pinning me in my seat with a glare, but even her anger couldn't dampen the elation that went through me. Just the smell and sight of her eased all my worries.

"What the hell, Beckett?" She grasped the moonstone around her neck and shook it in front of my face. "I thought this was just supposed to hide my markings. You didn't tell me it was going to make me an Omega."

"What?" I recoiled as if some of its power might transfer to me. "Liam didn't say anything about that?"

My genuine shock seemed to ease some of her anger, and she released the necklace. Wandering to my desk, she gripped the edge and leaned against it. Her back arched as she dropped her head back, and the lavender tips of her hair brushed against the surface.

It was an innocent enough position. Meant to relieve stress judging by the way she breathed deeply. But my mind raced with every filthy thing I wanted to do to her that would have her back arched, just like that.

"Wait." Devany sat up straight, and I scrambled to get my thoughts out of the gutter. "Why didn't you notice? The other wolves did."

She was right. I should have noticed, but whenever she was around me, I could hardly think straight. Hell, on the car ride home, I caught myself holding my breath because her scent made me feral. It was an intoxicating combination of flowers and honey, and just a whiff of it made every nerve ending in my body light up. Even now, that was all I could smell.

Walking right up to her, I inhaled deeply. There was a brief hit of something sharp and sour, like pennies and must, but it lasted only a second before the floral and sweet notes struck me like lightning.

I swayed, falling into her. She gasped and grabbed my shoulders to keep me from crushing her. That was the first mistake. The moment she touched me, every shred of control fled, and as I brought my mouth to hers, I saw a glimpse of my glowing eyes reflected in hers.

Before kissing Devany and after kissing Devany. That is forever how I would measure time from this moment forward.

Nothing I had imagined before came close to the reality of what it felt like to put my lips on hers. Those fantasies had been built on previous experiences and pale imitations of lust. Since she was my mate, I expected it to be superior to other kisses, but I had been measuring it on the wrong scale. It wasn't just that this kiss was better.

This kiss was everything.

Then she moaned, melting against my body and opening to my exploration, and I realized there was nothing that could describe how fucking amazing this felt.

Tongue tingling with the tart taste of her chapstick, I flicked it against hers. A light, teasing touch that made her chase after me when I drew back. That was our rhythm for some time. A gentle discovery of one another. Until she rocked her hips forward, grinding her center against my rock hard cock.

"Fuck," I grunted, fisting her hair hard enough to arch her back again. Her breasts scraped against my chest, and the urge to rip her tank top down the middle to see if her nipples matched the color of her lips surged through me.

"Beckett..."

She squirmed against me as my mouth chased the fluttering vein in her neck. Pulling on her hair, I brought her back to the desk, ignoring the papers strewn across it. Her legs hung over the side, and I hooked them around my waist as I brought my body over hers.

When her glowing eyes locked on mine, a bit of control returned. But only a little. Not enough to stop myself completely, but enough to take a moment and make sure this was what she wanted. Because if I was having a hard time controlling my animal nature, it was probably dragging her under right now. And the last thing I wanted was to see regret in her eyes at the end of this.

"Tell me what you want," I commanded.

She blinked. Almost as if confused by the question. Her hands went around the back of my head to pull me down for another kiss, and only sheer willpower kept me upright.

"Devany. If you don't tell me to stop, I'm going to fuck you on this desk."

"Then don't stop," she replied, rolling her hips to drive home the message.

"Thank fu–"

The door swung open so hard it hit the wall. "Well, well, well.."