11: Dinner...

Dina’s POV

I don’t know why, but my wolf somehow decided that this was the perfect time to remind me of all the erotic visions of this situation that Rita had put into my head. I gulped, yet my mouth remained dry as a dessert. My heart felt like it was trying to break my ribs and a shiver crept down my spine. And worst of all? It wasn’t a bad kind of shiver…

“If you punish me,” I somehow managed to whisper. “Dinner will be late.”

His expression changed from mischievous to confused in a matter of seconds. His eyes went wide and his brows furrowed. I don’t think he expected that and, to be honest, as for excuses went, that was a rather lame one…

“Oh, what do I do?” he replied sarcastically. “Dinner or punish you?”

I shrugged, hoping he’d go for the former. He just sighed and shook his head, before walking over to me. His dark eyes trailed over every inch of my body, but instead of feeling scrutinized, I felt safe under his gaze.

“You alright?” he asked, stopping only a foot away, his eyes still set on scanning my body for injuries.

“I’m-I’m---,” I stuttered, just as he grabbed my arm and took a closer look. “He didn’t hurt me.”

My heart was fluttering in my chest like a hummingbird. Having him so close to me was intoxicating. His scent wrapped around me like a blanket and the power that radiated off him, left my wolf purring like a Cheshire cat.

What was wrong with me?!

I'd just been attacked and almost had a panic attack just a few seconds ago. Shouldn't I be--- I don't know? Afraid? I guess I should, but I didn't feel afraid.

Not with Alpha Stone here...

“Then what’s this?” he growled, pulling me out of my hypnotized state. I followed his line of sight and realized that there was a huge bruise forming around my wrist.

“Me putting up a fight,” I replied. My dad taught all of us some basic self-defense and while I wasn't a warrior, I wasn't the type of girl to rely on someone else to come save me. The only time I ever just lay flat instead of fighting back was when Dylan beat me. Mostly because I was too scared of what he'd do in retaliation if I fought back. I'd done that once, and in retaliation, he'd forced a silver color on me in my sleep, taking away my werewolf abilities. And then proceeded to beat the living shit out of me. It had taken him a week before he was satisfied and then he let me heal at a human speed. It wasn't until Rita showed up and got the damn silver collar off me that I finally healed. she wanted me to go to the alpha back then, but I was too afraid.

Too scared of the vicious rumors about the alpha.

Strange how he now was the man who brought me comfort...

“I’m fine, really," I tried to reassure him and pulled my hand back - or at least I tried to. "I’ve had worse.”

Alpha Stone didn’t answer me and didn’t let me go either. Before I knew what was happening, he was pulling me down the hall and into the kitchen. He wasn't rough and his hold wasn't painful, but I had no choice but to follow. As if I was a child, his hands gripped my small waist and I was placed on the kitchen table. I gasped at the contact. He was surprisingly gentle for such a big guy and his hands felt really warm against my skin.

Who knew that the coldhearted alpha actually had warm hands?

“Who?” he suddenly asked, just as he came back from the freezer. He grabbed a towel and before I knew what he was doing, he placed a bag of ice cubes around my swollen wrist.

“Who--- what?” I asked, a bit confused. And a bit nervous about the entire situation. You know, with Alpha Stone standing between my legs, tending to my bruises. At this level, we were finally the same height, and when he leaned forward, I realized that I was trapped by him. Not that I felt threatened or in danger, but I couldn't escape. I was only going when he gave me permission to leave...

“Who. Hurt. You?” He growled out each word, and finally, his eyes met mine. I gasped, once I realized his eyes were bright golden.

His wolf was in control…

I knew I should be scared. Terrified in fact. I knew the Alpha would never hurt me, but I didn't know his wolf. Sure, our wolves were extensions of ourselves, but we didn't always agree on everything. Did he even want me here? Did he hate me for what my brother had forced him to do? To agree to? And from the stories I’d heard, his wolf was more than just extraordinary.

He was a beast…

But I wasn’t afraid. Not of him and not for myself, anyway. But I was afraid that if I told him about my brother, he’d go out and kill Dylan.

And I couldn’t let that happen.  

“It doesn’t matter---” I tried to calm him down with a soft smile. I hoped that by not making a big deal out of it, he would just let it go.

Big mistake on my part...

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he growled, and a continuous rumble made his chest vibrate. His hold on me tightened just a fraction and I felt his claws start to dig into my skin. His whole body started to tremble and his features became more defined. More wolf-like...

My heart skipped a beat.

Shit!

He was about to shift…

I didn’t think. My wolf pushed through and suddenly, I knew what to do. Without thinking, I reached up and cupped his cheek. I brushed his jawline and the connection sent a surge of sparks up my arms. Under any other circumstances, I’d stop to enjoy the feeling of his stubble against my palms. It didn’t just feel good.

It felt right!

I wanted to feel him…

But for now, I pushed down my desire and concentrated. I slowly lifted his head and his eyes met mine...

Gold on gold...

“Please don’t?” I pleated with him and that seemed to get his attention. He stopped shaking and growling and his tight hold on me loosened again. His eyes were fixated on mine and for a split second, he looked confused as he frowned down at me.

“Please?” I begged him again. “He’s my brother. A shitty-ass brother, but--- please? Don’t make me say it?”

I knew Dylan didn't deserve my protection but--- he was the only family I had left. I knew that one day I had to walk away; let him go and never look back. Especially if he kept doing this to me and himself. But a naive part of me still held out hope. That the sweet and caring older brother that I grew up with was still in there somewhere. That one day he would wake up and come to his senses. It was stupid, but it was the only thing I had to hold on to...

I needed it...

I could see Alpha Stone's jaw clench and his hands balled into fists at his side. But after a few deep breaths, his eyes returned to their usual stormy sea color and his features returned to normal.

“Fine,” he mumbled, not being too happy about it. Still, that he would put aside his own needs for me, did make a strange kind of tingle spread inside of me.

“Thank you, Alpha,” I sighed in relief and smiled. He nodded and returned the smile with his own, subtle ones. For a while, we just stood there, looking at each other. Time didn’t exist and the world around us had vanished. It was just the two of us. And damn, did that feel---

Perfect!

It wasn't until Alpha Stone’s eyes suddenly fogged over, that I realized the compromising position we were in. I quickly pulled my hand down and felt a hard blush trail across my cheeks. Sure, it was a mind link, but I still felt as if someone had just walked in on us. A mind link was a telekinetic bond that the alpha had with all of his pack members, making them able to reach him no matter where they were. Mates could also mind-link, but only after they claimed each other; otherwise, mind-linking was something mainly for the alpha and the enforcers to use.

“Sorry,” I whispered, as if whoever was mind-linking the alpha, would hear me.

“You did the right thing,” he replied once his eyes returned to normal and grinned down at me. “Had I shifted in the kitchen, you’d have no place to destroy our dinner.”

“Hey!” I huffed and playfully hit his shoulder. He was telling the truth, but he didn’t have to point it out so bluntly!

“I see the wrist isn’t permanently damaged,” he smirked and took the ice off, eyeing the injury. It was already healing and my skin was slowly returning to my normal pale color. Perks of having a strong wolf.

I healed fast…

He gently took my hand again and examined the injury. I let him for two reasons. One, I didn’t want to risk pissing off his wolf; not because I was afraid of him, but because I was worried that he might go after Josh and kill him. And two, I liked it.

I know...

I’m weird, but I honestly enjoyed being the sole object of his attention. Even though he was my alpha and my employer, I couldn’t help but feel safe when he was close. And as cheesy and outdated as it may sound, it literally felt like his touch swiped the pain away. That him just being there, kept the fear and suffocating panic at bay.

That’s when I noticed his bruised knuckles.