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The Denver Alpha 19
COLEThe police chief greets me as soon as I step into the station as if he’s been waiting on pins and needles for me to arrive. His loafers squeak against the linoleum floor as he rushes over, looking a bit frazzled and panting for breath. The man is in his mid-fifties, a little thick around the beltline and sporting a combover that gets sparser each time I see him, a telltale sign that he’s struggling to come to terms with the fact that he’s balding. He’s a little squirrely and high-strung, but the two of us have developed a good rapport over the years.“Cole, nice to see you,” he breathes, sticking out a hand for me to shake. His palm is sweaty when I do. It’s probably my fault- the chief is anxious by nature, and I’m sure it didn’t help that I was a little harsher than normal when I got him on the phone. He also knows I don’t typically call in favors, which I assume is why he’s seeing to this one personally.I knew something was wrong by the tone of Sam’s voice when he picked up S
The Denver Alpha 20
JULIET True to his word, Cole somehow made the whole getting arrested thing just go away, like it never happened. He must be really well connected- none of the alphas from the six-pack have that kind of pull with local law enforcement. Then again, we’re so far off the beaten path that the only police activity we get on the fringes of our territory is a random visit from a sheriff at the alliance-owned ski resort or brewery from time to time. I thought for sure that word of my little shoplifting incident would’ve made it back to my brother by now, but it has been nearly forty-eight hours and so far, crickets. He's not the only one I haven’t heard a peep from. Since fooling around with Cole on the ride home, I haven’t seen or heard from him, either. It’s not unusual for the man to be busy- he’s Alpha of the largest pack in the state, after all- but considering how things have been escalating between us lately, the last thing I expected was radio silence. Especially after he had his dic
The Denver Alpha 21
COLE “Wow, this is off the beaten path,” Juliet remarks as I pull into the parking lot of the small Italian restaurant on the outskirts of the city. Admittedly, that’s part of the reason why I chose this place. More importantly, though, I picked it because it’s a hidden gem- the atmosphere is intimate, the food is amazing, and it’s not obnoxiously stuffy or fancy. It seemed like a decent spot for a date. Though technically this is my first one, so I’m totally winging this whole thing. I shrug a shoulder in response, parking the Camaro and cutting the engine. “Can’t risk being seen out with me, huh?” she laughs as she unbuckles her seatbelt, cutting me a sideways glance. Although she says it in jest, I detect a bite of hurt in her tone. This isn’t how I wanted to start the night. I blow out a breath, reaching over to grab Juliet by the chin and turn her face toward mine. “I’m a very private person,” I say, staring into her pale blue eyes earnestly. “Make no mistake that I want to b
The Denver Alpha 22
COLE I stop short as I turn down the hallway toward my bedroom, my mood shifting from bad to worse when I see someone loitering outside my door. I guess it’s a good thing that Gavin Holley pissed me off so much that I didn’t invite Juliet to spend the night with me, because if she were here right now, she’d probably react poorly to seeing Tayla Bancroft waiting outside my bedroom. Fucking great. Tayla has never been one for subtlety, and her intentions tonight are apparent from the way she’s dressed. She’s flaunting her best assets, scantily clad in a black mini skirt and a tiny crop top that ends right below her nipples, displaying an indecent amount of underboob. There was a time when her body drove me wild, but it just doesn’t do it for me anymore. Nothing about the girl does. If she’s here to try to seduce me, she’s got another thing coming. “What are you doing here?” I growl in annoyance, refusing to advance another step closer until she explains her unwelcome presence. Tay
The Denver Alpha 23
Juliet“I’m still waiting for the play-by-play,” Shay teases, kicking her feet and splashing me from her perch on the edge of the pool.I pull myself partially out of the water to fold my arms on the warm concrete beside her, heaving a sigh. “You already got it. The date was great, but we just came back here after and went our separate ways. It was super anticlimactic.”Shay grins, waggling her brows. “You mean anti-climax-tic?”I giggle, pushing off from the wall and splashing water up at her. So obviously, Shay knows all about Cole and me. I was going to go crazy if I didn’t confide in someone soon, and I couldn’t drop a bomb like that on Quinn and expect her to keep it from my brother, so Shay was the next best option. Plus, the girl isn’t stupid- she knew something was going on between us, so I basically just filled in the blanks for her. She’s been so supportive and insightful that now in hindsight, I wish I’d told her sooner.“What’s with the slow play, anyway?” Shay asks. “Bo
The Denver Alpha 24
COLEI’ve never been a big fan of surprises. Chalk it up to my penchant for structure and discipline or my control-freak tendencies, but I just don’t understand why it excites people to have something sprung on them when they’re completely unprepared. I mean, wouldn’t it be better if everyone knew what the fuck was going on and could plan for it? For me, surprises don’t equate to fun, they just add unnecessary stress. Those closest to me know this and respect my strict no-surprise policy.There’s only one exception to the rule, and that’s my five-foot-nothing, curly-haired, overly-chipper little sister. She found her fated mate and moved away last year, and I’ve missed her like crazy since. She’s the one person who can show up unannounced at any time and I’ll always be happy to see her. And she knows full well that she’s the exception, which is why she never hesitates to do exactly that.She’s such a little sneak about it, too. When non-residents arrive at the gate to our pack’s commu
The Denver Alpha 25
JULIET Leave it to Astrid to pop up right when I’m more pissed off at her brother than I ever have been, intent on giving him the cold shoulder to make him suffer for it. It’s not as if I could turn down her dinner invitation. I’ve always liked Astrid and am happy to see her, even if it does mean sitting beside her brother and trying to play nice throughout the meal while suppressing the urge to stab him in the arm with my fork. There’s no way the others don’t pick up on the tension between us. In fact, judging by the looks they’ve been throwing our way, I know they do. Cole is in full on business mode, all polite smiles and courtesy laughs, while I’m still silently fuming about this morning. I try to push it aside for the sake of everyone else, but I’m not near as skilled as Cole is when it comes to burying my emotions. I tend to wear them on my sleeve, which makes for a slightly awkward dinner. It’s not all bad, though. Astrid and Brock announce that they’re expecting and we’re al
The Denver Alpha 26
COLE The first thing I notice when I wake up is that the light’s different. It’s brighter than usual, filtering in through the cracks in my blinds and bathing the room in a warm glow. I usually wake to pale grey light and the chirp of birds in the early morning, but today’s different because the sun’s already higher in the sky. I’ve slept in. For the first time in recent memory, I didn’t set my alarm. Any disruption to my rigid schedule would typically throw off my day, maybe even my entire week- but as my eyes start to adjust to the light, it hits me that I’m not alone. Another first: I’m waking up with someone beside me. No, not just someone. Her. Juliet Anderson, the woman who has infiltrated my every waking thought since the day she arrived here in that pale blue sundress, batting her eyelashes and playing all sweet and innocent. I was hooked from our first hello. Now she’s fast asleep in my bed, her hair pooled on the pillow beneath her like spun gold, looking so angelic t
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The Denver Alpha Epilogue
JULIETTwo Months LaterIt’s not a traditional wedding by any means. There’s no bridesmaids or groomsmen, no towering wedding cake with roses made of icing. No real pomp or circumstance. I do wear a white dress, though, looking every bit the blushing bride, and Cole looks so handsome in his suit I can hardly stand it. The ceremony isn’t one you’d see at a typical wedding, either. The vows I take aren’t just to Cole; they’re to the entire pack, to swear me in as their official Luna. We mix in a few of our own vows to each other and sign a marriage certificate while we’re at it, though, and it’s still beautiful and meaningful and perfectly us. The ceremony itself is brief, only for the members of the Denver pack, but the reception afterwards is far less intimate.Everybody’s there. Cole’s parents traveled in, my own family made the trip, and all of the six-pack alphas and lunas are in attendance, too. In lieu of some stuffy, formal reception, we host it at Jokers nightclub, closing it
The Denver Alpha 42
COLEI didn’t tell Juliet there was a step four.I’m a planner, and it was no accident that I chose last night for my grand gesture to make her mine. It was in hopes that if all went well, I could officially introduce her to the pack today as Luna at our annual end of summer gathering. Rumors have already been swirling since the morning I staked my claim in the packhouse kitchen, and if I’m being honest, the whispers started long before that.Guess I wasn’t exactly subtle about wanting her. But now I get to officially announce the news; that we’re fated, marked, bound to one another for the rest of our lives. That Juliet will be joining our pack and leading it alongside me.I could’ve told her about today, but then she would’ve had time to worry about how the news may be received rather than just embracing her moment. She might’ve taken Tayla’s cruel words to heart instead of allowing the rest of the pack to speak for themselves.So yeah, I’m springing it on her. But it’s with the be
The Denver Alpha 41
JULIETI should’ve known Cole had something up his sleeve when he told me to dress to the nines for dinner tonight. Even more when I walked into the living room to find him looking all dapper in a suit- not just his usual slacks and a button down with the sleeves casually rolled to the elbows- a full blown suit: black pants and jacket with a charcoal grey dress shirt underneath and a black silk tie around his neck.Cole always looks sexy as hell, but when he rose from the sofa dressed in that suit, I swear my heart stopped beating for a few seconds, the sight of him stealing my breath. Then he started devouring me with that dark-eyed gaze, smoldering eyes assessing me until heat burned through my veins and I felt like I could catch fire at any moment.When our eyes locked, the emotions that crashed through me- desire and fierce possessiveness and love- suddenly had my insecurities screaming to the surface, Tayla’s words from last night echoing in my brain. They flew out of my mouth li
The Denver Alpha 40
COLE“What do you have for me, Rico?” I ask as my head of IT steps through the threshold of my office at the packhouse, pausing from my discussion with Sam to give him my full attention.“We wiped everything,” he replies, a flicker of pride shining in the rich brown of his eyes. “Shame it turned out that way, because we pulled some pretty damning evidence off of the guy’s phone. For a man involved in organized crime, Holley sure was sloppy.”“Prison would’ve been too good for him,” I mutter, tossing a crumpled piece of paper into the wastebasket. “You’re sure you got all the cameras?”Rico arches a brow. “Do you really have to ask?”I don’t. The IT team that works for my pack is good at what they do; they leave no stone unturned when I set them on a task. This time, it was locating and hacking into any surveillance cameras in the area of Club Atlantis last night to wipe the footage. If the bodies are ever found, the cops will have a hell of a time trying to piece together what happene
The Denver Alpha 39
JULIETMy adrenaline must finally be waning, because exhaustion hits me like a lead weight when I park the Camaro in the underground garage at the packhouse and head inside. My mind feels a little fuzzy, my neck and shoulders stiff. The muscles in my thighs burn as I ascend the stairs from the garage, my breathing labored by the time I reach the landing at the top. I practically sigh in relief when I step through the door into the familiar foyer, hardly remembering a time I felt so glad to be home.Home.If Cole and I seal our bond, that’s what this packhouse will become to me, permanently.No more Westfield. No more six-pack. When I return there, I’ll merely be a visitor. An outsider, like I was when I came here. Like I still feel I am.On the precipice of such a major life change, I feel like I’ve got one foot in each world, struggling to decide which way to jump. I know how I feel about Cole, but it’s everything else that goes along with being his mate I’m unsure about. As Alpha, h
The Denver Alpha 38
COLEThe shrill scream that pierces the air makes my blood run cold.I was just thinking that it was taking Juliet way too long to come outside, but I wouldn’t allow myself to jump to the conclusion that something had gone wrong.Then that scream…Something primal deep within me knows right away that it’s her. My wolf thrashes within my chest, biting and clawing to get free. My body trembles with the effort it takes to keep him contained as I throw open the door of the Camaro, leaping out and abandoning my vehicle on the curb.I take off in a dead sprint around the dark building beside Club Atlantis, guided by the sharp tug of the mate bond being pulled taut. Even though we haven’t sealed it yet, the bond snapping into place on the night of the full moon is strong enough to guide me to the side alley between the buildings. Just as I round the corner, I hear Juliet cry out in pain again, and the sound of it is enough to send my wolf hurtling forward again, my shift imminent.It’s a mir
The Denver Alpha 37
JULIETMy heart’s beating so fast that it feels like it’s going to lurch out of my chest. The interior of Atlantis nightclub is dimly lit in hues of blue and purple, the bass beat from the music pulsing into the soles of my feet as I stride through the main floor toward the VIP area. Although this whole plan was hatched from my idea, every angle examined to ensure it’ll be executed seamlessly, I’m still jittery with anticipation as I take the first steps to put it in motion.The bouncer at the entrance to the VIP section is tall and stocky, dressed in a well-tailored suit with his hair slicked back neatly. He gives me a once-over as I approach with confidence, my tight red dress accentuating every curve and my stiletto heels clicking against the floor, then angles his chin down to murmur something into the microphone on his lapel. Pressing a finger to the earpiece he’s wearing, whatever response he receives has him drawing back the black velvet rope and stepping aside to grant me entr
The Denver Alpha 36
COLELife has a funny way of working out. When I look back on how things were when Juliet first arrived in Denver, it’s crazy to think how far we’ve come. Back then, I wanted nothing more than for her to turn around, go home, and stop disrupting my life. Now, I can’t imagine it without her.My mate.A grin spreads across my face as I watch Juliet from where I’m parked at the curb on Denver U’s campus. She’s chatting with a few other students, including Tobias, as they exit one of the school buildings and start down the walkway. My possessive side flares as she laughs at something Tobias says, but I try to tamp it down quickly, not wanting to put a damper on her first day because I can’t control my own jealousy.I shouldn’t be jealous. Juliet’s mine, and Tobias wouldn’t step a toe out of line with her unless he had a death wish. Still, I can’t help but want to be the only one who makes her laugh like that. The only one who captures her attention.As if she can read my thoughts, her gaz
The Denver Alpha 35
JULIETI close my eyes as I step underneath the stream of hot water cascading down from the rainfall showerhead, tipping my head back and combing my fingers through my hair to wash out the shampoo. It smells like Cole, and so did the body wash. It’s a little ironic that I decided to take a shower so I didn’t walk into breakfast reeking of him, but by using the products in here, my scent is still a dead giveaway as to where I’ve spent the night. Part of me likes that. My wolf preens at the thought of everyone knowing I’m his. That he’s mine.I hear the shower door open behind me, resisting the urge to squirm under the weight of Cole’s attention as I hear him step inside. With my eyes still closed, I may not be able to see him, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel the weight of his stare practically eating me alive.His feet slap against the tile as he moves closer, and despite the temperature of the water and the thick steam surrounding me, a shiver runs down my spine. My inner animal s
