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The Denver Alpha 7
COLEBy the time I make it from the patio doors to the edge of the swimming pool, a bead of sweat is already rolling down my spine, the sun beating down brutally overhead like it is intent on scorching the earth before noon. This summer has been hot as hell, especially these last couple of weeks. Though I don’t swim often, that pool water is looking damn enticing right now- and not just because of the girl currently swimming in it.Juliet’s suntanned skin practically glows as her body sluices through the water, her arms carving a path in freestyle stroke and her round ass bobbing out of the water enticingly with every kick of her feet.My jaw ticks in irritation as she swims further away, suddenly focused on doing laps as if she didn’t realize I was headed straight for her when I came out here. Or maybe she did, and she’s just trying to piss me off by keeping me waiting.It’s working. Nobody keeps me waiting.I clear my throat loudly when Juliet surfaces at the other end of the pool,
The Denver Alpha 8
JULIETI’ve been learning something new with every day spent at the Denver packhouse. Like how if you arrive too late for meals, most of the good stuff will already be gone. And how there’s an entire dresser full of swimsuits of all sizes in one of the guest rooms for visitors, which explains why the one Tayla wore the other morning was so ill-fitting. And that most nights, the young, single guys that live at the packhouse congregate in the game room, shooting pool and watching sports highlights on TV to unwind from their day. Tobias told me about it at breakfast, so of course that’s where I head the following evening when boredom strikes, curious to check it out.It's a huge space on the upper floor of the packhouse that’s basically a bachelor’s paradise, chock full of all kinds of stuff that guys go crazy for. There’s a full-sized glass-front refrigerator stocked with beer, a massive flatscreen TV mounted on one wall, floor to ceiling windows that overlook the terrace lining another
The Denver Alpha 9
COLE“Still looking for answers in that thing?” Sam asks, the sound of his voice breaking through my concentration. I look up, a little surprised to find him standing on the other side of my desk in my office. I was so immersed in reviewing this file for what feels like the hundredth time that I didn’t even hear him come in.I grunt in affirmation, flipping the police file on the Sparrowhead apartment fire closed and shoving back in my chair, crossing an ankle over my knee.Sam eyes the file as he sinks down into his usual chair across from my desk and gets comfortable. “Look man, I’m sorry about what happened, truly. But torturing yourself over it isn’t going to bring them back…”“I know that,” I snap, immediately regretting how harshly it comes out. I’m still a little more short-tempered than normal even though Juliet and I have managed to steer clear of one another for the better part of a week. But at least my daily routine is finally back on track.I blow out a breath, scrubbing
The Denver Alpha 10
JULIET “Hey Jules,” Eddie greets from the foyer of the packhouse as I’m crossing it to head to my room in the guest wing. The pack warriors have had a busy schedule this week, so I haven’t seen much of them around here. Thankfully, Shay has been keeping me company, but since she’s off on a date with Sam tonight I figured my Friday evening would be woefully low-key.Or maybe it’s about to turn around.I slow to a stop and glance over to see Eddie loitering near the front door with Tobias and Mike, all of them dressed in jeans instead of their usual gym shorts and nice t-shirts rather than the ratty cut-offs they typically sport when they’re hanging around the house. I smile in their direction as I clock their attire. “Hey, where are you guys off to?”“A party,” Tobias provides, flashing me a handsome grin and carding his fingers through his auburn hair. “Wanna come?”I glance down at my cropped tank and jean shorts combo with a frown. “Eh, I’m not sure if I’m really dressed for that…”
The Denver Alpha 11
COLESqueezing my eyes closed, I try to focus. I’ve never had this problem before. It’s probably just stress. I’ve had a lot going on lately and I haven’t been sleeping well.Focus, Cole.I conjure up an image in my mind. Blonde hair, perky tits. An ass to die for. She’s a sweet little girl nextdoor type, my go-to fantasy. She sinks to her knees and stares up at me, batting her lashes and blinking her big blue eyes. Those eyes start to change though, beginning to look familiar. Her tongue darts out to wet her lips as they tip into a devious smirk, and suddenly she’s not just a random dream girl, but the vision of someone very, very real. Someone off-limits. Still, the thought of her is the only thing that has inspired any blood flow down south for the last twenty minutes, so I let myself picture Juliet, even though I shouldn’t be.“What’s going on with you tonight, baby?” Rosie’s voice breaks through the fantasy forming in my mind, shattering it in an instant.I heave an annoyed sigh,
The Denver Alpha 12
JULIETI’m just putting the finishing touches on my makeup- a sultry smoky eye look with winged liner- when my cell phone begins vibrating on the bathroom counter, the screen lit up with an incoming call. I pop the mascara wand back in the tube and glance down, expecting it to be Kylie calling since we made plans to go out to a club called Hydra tonight after we both interviewed for jobs at Jokers earlier. It’s not her name I see on the screen, though; it’s a number I don’t recognize. I don’t usually answer calls from unknown numbers, but since the first three digits are a Denver area code, I pick it up with a hesitant, “Hello?”“Is this Juliet Anderson?” a male voice asks on the other end of the line. Wherever he is, it’s loud. I can hear the roar of music and voices, clattering glass, and a cacophony of other sounds I can’t quite place.“This is Juliet,” I reply tentatively, not recognizing the voice of the caller.He breathes what sounds almost like a sigh of relief. “Juliet, this
The Denver Alpha 13
COLE I can endure a lot of things in the name of professionalism. Grating personalities, poor manners, terrible jokes. I’ve looked past all of those things when it comes to Gavin Holley, the new liquor distributor in town that has been courting me for my business, because regardless of whether he’s an obnoxious blowhard (which he is) his prices undercut all of the other local distributors, meaning better profit margins for my pack’s bars and clubs. I don’t have to like Gavin in order to do business with him. I do, however, have to tolerate the guy and maintain a cordial and amicable relationship, which is easier said than done as the night wears on and I’m forced to bear witness to the kind of man he really is. The kind who tosses money around like it’s endless, downs drinks like a sloppy frat boy, and shamelessly hits on a nineteen-year-old girl who’s just trying to do her job. A job that I’m not sure how she wound up with, but I’ll be having words with Jason before the night’s ove
The Denver Alpha 14
JULIETThe scent of Italian food wafts from the kitchen as I step through the doorway to enter, my stomach immediately responding with a loud grumble in protest. I skipped lunch today in favor of buckling down and getting some of my required reading out of the way before classes start. I’ve only got two weeks left to tackle all of it, and as interesting as I find the material, I’d like to get it done sooner rather than later so I can enjoy the last couple weeks of summer before diving into my studies.And yeah, maybe immersing myself in my textbooks was a distraction tactic, too. If my mind isn’t busy, it starts to wander back to last night and I either start overthinking everything that happened between Cole and me or I get hot and bothered all over again and end up rubbing one out.Seriously.I’ve already gotten myself off twice today thinking about what we did in that office, no shame. It was the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced. Not that I’ve done much to compare it to, but I’m
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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
