The Stray Alpha

Lucy POVWell, I'm definitely not in Colorado anymore, Lucy Carrigan thought as the Arizona sun shone brightly in the sky. Moving from a well-known landscape for skiing and mountain climbing to a cacti-filled terrain can be a shock to one's nervous system, especially with the Sedona heat making all the difference. Lucy did not like the sticky feeling of sweat droplets trickling down her back into her underwear. She wiped her brow as she stared up at the bloom of an Agave Americana plant. This was such a different plant in comparison to Colorado's Quaking Aspens, Rocky Mountain Junipers, and Lodgepole Pines. Lucy huffed as she bent over, placing her hands on her knees and taking in a deep breath. Perhaps she shouldn't have come here. It was so different from home…what had she done? Had she made a mistake coming here?She stood back up quickly, stomping her foot. No. She had come to Sedona often in her childhood to visit her mother's old ancestral home, which was owned now by her

Gabriel POVThe Sedona heat hadn't yet affected the Dry Creek trail, since it was still early this bright Friday morning. Gabriel was enjoying a jog through the underbrush of a variety of plants and cacti as he trudged through the sand on the pathway. He was happy to let off some steam after feeling frustrated the day before.He paused by the dry creek bed at the bottom of a small hill, taking a moment to quench his thirst. The air was just starting to begin to feel dry on his throat, and the sunshine was peaking over the red rocks over the horizon, causing him to work up a sweat. The thing about the Sedona blue sky was its extreme beauty overturned any previous views of the sky one had ever seen. A sound of a lizard scurrying by brought Gabriel back to reality. The lizards and birds were still active around him in the quiet ambiance of the desert environment. He looked at the ground around him taking in the various stones and red dirt, happy to let his mind drift and wander off be

Lucy POVLucy could not believe her ears. First of all, this gorgeous tan man was being forward and admitting he was attracted to her. Secondly, they were on a date! Lastly, it was her first week officially settled in Arizona and she was already being asked out."So… I take it the pause isn't a good sign?" Gabriel's voice sounded defeated as he asked the question."Oh! I am so sorry Gabriel I'm just really floored… I'm not usually the one who gets asked out. I'm more of a sidekick for the friends who do get asked out," Lucy stated blushing a deep red as she made eye contact with him.She looked away, quickly sipping her coffee. Gabriel smiled softly, and Lucy realized he must think her so innocent without much dating experience!"Well, I just don't ask anybody out haphazardly. I… uh… I feel drawn to you… if you catch my drift. I'd really like to get to know you more. I have a … feeling if you will. I try and follow those feelings," Gabriel said matter-of-factly while nodding in wh

Lucy POVLucy's heart skipped a beat and her breathing was hitched. She hiccupped, her head slightly spinning. She took another sip of her drink as she texted back and forth with Gabriel, discussing their early morning hike. He had let her decide when she'd like to contact him next, a gesture that she really appreciated. It showed that he respected her enough to give her time to decide. She smiled reading his text. 'Hey gorgeous, that sounds wonderful. We must also both be early birds?She texted back. 'Must be.'Gertrude shot up from the couch that she had been zonked out on. "Huh? What?" She gasped, sleepily rubbing her eyes."Auntie, hey you doing all right?" Lucy asked worriedly as she sat upright on the couch watching her aunt."Whew, I'm just super tired, Lucy. I'm making my way to bed. I'll see you in the morning pumpkin." Gertrude stretched and walked over to the stairs.The two of them had made a pitcher full of a mixed strawberry margarita drink and had been happily c

Gabriel POVGabriel grabbed a basket as he entered the small farmer's grocery mart near his veterinarian clinic. He was thinking about asking Lucy out on another date since it was his turn to reciprocate. How he could make this a more romantic date and possibly win Lucy over? He grinned. Maybe I'll even get a smooch out of it. He cringed in shame as he pictured Lucy's shocked expression yesterday morning after he was brushed by her silver bracelet. No wonder she had been texting less, he had acted rather oddly. Well not oddly for a shifter. Silver was deadly to wolf shifters, and could even be used as a torture device if their weaknesses were discovered. It was a closely kept secret that there were even wolf shifters living in Arizona to begin with. He mentally kicked himself as he started down the cracker aisle looking for the perfect type of crackers to use on a charcuterie board. He really hoped he hadn't ruined the spark he and Lucy already had. Their spark as mates was ev