MasukShare
173
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-03-31 00:14:06
Bab terkait
The Tyrant alpha 174
“Well, uh—” He jerks his head in the direction we came. “We should, uh—”I let him lead, and I don’t make a crack about the tent he’s got in his pants. I wonder if it was the word ‘tits’ or ‘naughty bits’ that did it. Or the idea of a towel bath.Was he picturing it?The bond flows a little faster, a little more sparkly.I feel my insides warming, and it makes me nervous, so I pick up the pace, push myself until the walking is work. Cadoc matches his stride to mine.I don’t want to get lulled into a false sense of security again, or whatever it’s called when you know you’re in for a world of hurt, but you forget to brace yourself.I can’t afford it.Cadoc casts a worried glance down at me.Again, it’s not any different from his default face, but the fact that he looks down—and the subtle shift in the bond’s flow—makes it read worried.I don’t see what he has to be concerned about. He’s out here finding himself or whatever, but I’m sure the minute he turns back up at Moon Lake, everyon
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31The Tyrant alpha 175
“Alban would exile us. That’s the best-case scenario. We’re rats to him. He hates us.” I’m piecing it together now. I’m seeing. “You have to go back.”“No. There are more than two choices.” He raises his head, and for once, his inscrutable face doesn’t look empty or hard—it looks unflinching. “You have to trust me, Rosie.”“No, I don’t.”“Trust me, Rosie,” he says again, his voice lower, a deep whisper.“Why should I?”“Because I understand now.”“What do you understand?”“What’s important.”He’s too calm. The future’s unfolding in my brain, as clear as if I did have foresight. A Hughes as alpha won’t hesitate to demolish the Bogs. They taunt us every day with what they’ll do to us when they have the chance. My lungs seize. There isn’t enough air in this den. I scramble to my knees.Cadoc reaches a muscular arm around my middle and draws me gently but unhesitatingly between his legs, holding me with my back to his chest. He’s so strong, his grasp so unyielding, I don’t struggle for lo
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31The Tyrant alpha 176
“Stew.”He spins it to check out the label. “Beef.”My stomach does the gurgle it does now when it’s not sure whether it’s hungry or queasy. It’s been a long day. I follow him into camp, and I don’t fuss when he lays out his jacket for me to sit on and applies himself to lighting the fire. He gets it quicker this time.“Do you have something I can heat this in?” he asks.“In the trailer.”He bops inside to get it like it’s nothing—like Nia or Bevan or Pritchard would. Like it’s his territory.He’s like that everywhere I’ve ever seen him, even on those solstices when he toured the Bogs with his parents. He strode the boards like they belonged to him, and I guess they do. Or did.He comes back out with my huge cast iron pot and sets himself to hacking open a can with a pocket knife and cussing under his breath.“So what are you now if you gave up being the heir apparent?”“Same as I always was. An alpha with no pack.” He doesn’t look up from his task. There seems to be a lot of stew dri
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31The Tyrant alpha 177
Eventually, he rubs his scent on the edge of the mattress and retreats to lay in front of the closed door and watch me.I swing to lay on my belly, heels in the air, and I watch him back. He yawns, his pink tongue unrolling. I rest my chin on my folded arms.We consider each other.My wolf is pleased that he’s here. She circles once, twice, flops down, and promptly falls asleep.My body’s tired, but my brain’s still chugging.“What are you doing here, eh?”He lowers his muzzle to his front paws.“We’re going to have a pup, you know. If you’re not in, you should go now.”His tail lazily thwaps the linoleum and then curls in a C shape.“We’re going to need a better set up. Running water. Pups make a huge mess. You’re gonna have to hunt for us. I won’t be able to shift, and the pup needs fresh meat.”His ears perk. In one fluid motion, he rises and jumps his front paws up to the kitchen counter, nosing open the cabinet and emerging with his fangs sunk into a bag of jerky. He walks it ove
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31The Tyrant alpha 178
Cadoc’s lips compress, and he shoves his hands in his jean pockets. “According to my parents, Broderick Moore made the momentous decision that we would no longer live like animals, prey to the elements, threatened by human encroachment and discovery. He had the foresight to understand that to survive, we needed to be more human than human, or they’d wipe us off the face of the earth.”This all sounds vaguely familiar, like a lecture I daydreamed through in history class.“So that’s what happened?” Broderick Moore must have had a silver tongue. I wouldn’t have wanted to leave here. Even empty and cold, it feels like a nest. Well built. Right.“That’s what they say.” There’s a sharp note of cynicism in his voice.“It’s pretty awesome. It’s got a sunroof.” I smile up at him. I don’t know why, but I don’t like the hint of bitterness in the bond. He’s obviously questioning what he’s been told since birth—and Fate knows he’s been fed a steady diet of bullshit—so of course it’s gonna throw h
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31The Tyrant alpha 179
Just like that, all the worries crash back down on me.Diapers.Laundry.Cadoc.Madog Collins.Alban Hughes.Brody Hughes.New dens.Food.Newborn pups.Childbirth. Oh, dear, sweet Fate—childbirth.Inside, my wolf is yawning and arching her back in a luxurious stretch, utterly relaxed. I’d be chilling too if I were off duty for the next six months or so.I can’t bear to put on stiff, dirty socks—again—so I shove my freezing feet into my boots and stamp outside to start the day.The first thing I notice is that Cadoc’s moved his truck. It’s parked next to the Land Rover, now.Cadoc himself is sitting on an overturned crate in front of a stack of boxes. On top of the boxes, there’s a laptop, a cell phone, and a rectangular black box with an antenna. He’s typing away, occasionally taking sips from an aluminum mug. If he weren’t wearing cargo pants with bulging side pockets and a green plaid flannel shirt, he’d look like the quintessential nob in the office.He taps one last key, drains h
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31The Tyrant alpha 180
“No.” His reply is immediate. After a beat, he takes my hips and drags me back until I’m flush with his chest. It’s not an aggressive move. More like he’s securing me in place.I swing my legs, gently drumming his shins with my heels. He doesn’t complain.“What’s this?” I ask and tap a few buttons on his keyboard. He swats my hand away, tucking it in my lap with a hard forearm.I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m not a brat or a flirt. I’ve seen Brynn and Lowry and the others, though. I’ve seen how they tease.“It’s my email inbox.”“It’s long.”“Yeah.” I can’t see his face, but there’s a smile in his voice. His raspy cheek brushes mine, and shivers dance across my skin. “What are you doing, Rosie?”He’s not warning me off. I know because the arm holding me tightens, and I feel a poke in the cleft of my bottom. I wriggle. His wolf growls low in the back of his throat. All my nerves sparkle.“Flirting like a nob. How am I doing?”He buries his nose in the crook of my neck, inhaling, then
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31The Tyrant alpha 181
No one’s called me that before. I’m not claimed.“Rosie Kemble,” I mumble.“Collins,” Cadoc corrects. “She’s well.”“And the pup?”“Growing,” Cadoc answers. It’s strange. His manner has changed. He seems older, talking to Darragh. Like an instructor. Or like his father. The thought’s unsettling. “You’ll join us for a meal?”“What are you having?” Darragh glances at the trees around camp. He’s looking for a fresh deer or rabbit strung from a branch. He’s going to be disappointed.“Stew. Jerky. Canned salmon. Tuna.”Darragh hesitates before he says, “Yeah. All right. Thanks.”Cadoc ushers me toward the fire, and Darragh trails at a distance. Cadoc sets out crates, one for Darragh on the far side of the pit, two for us close together closer to the Airstream. Cadoc clearly doesn’t want me near Darragh, and Darragh is being careful to give me distance and move slowly and deliberately.It’s a stark difference from how Cadoc acted back at Moon Lake. Hurt twinges in my chest. No one felt the
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31
Bab terbaru
The Tyrant alpha 484
The humans know about shifters, of course, but there’s no need to draw more attention to us than we already do, as strangers in such a small town. Folks already gawk as Annie leads us to the village commons even though the streets are busy. It’s market day.As soon as we reach the grassy expanse filled with tables and tents, Alroy and Diantha peel off, heading in opposite directions. Griff seems torn, but when he sees that Diantha is making a beeline for a booth with racks of female clothing, he hurries to follow Alroy.Annie leads us down the makeshift walkways, smiling when she’s greeted by name. My mate is still shy, but there’s no trace of fear in her scent. I breathe her happiness and excitement in, letting it flush my lungs clean of the oily town air.She sees her friends before I do and lets go of my hand to run toward them.My mate. My Annie. Running with a smile lighting her face.This is a good, good day.Two females rush around their table, the third making her way more slo
The Tyrant alpha 483
JUSTUSMy perfect, beautiful mate does not like surprises, so she knows exactly where we’re going as we trot through the woods that run along the human highway. At first, I was sad that I couldn’t spring this visit on her, but I love watching her wolf get more and more excited the closer we get to Chapel Bell. Her short little legs are moving so fast, I almost don’t have to slow my pace.Alroy, Griff, and Diantha don’t have my patience, so they’re several yards ahead of us. Poor Griff has to be the buffer between them, and he keeps getting caught in the crossfire when their wolves decide to break the monotony by sniping at each other.I was worried that Annie would be too nervous to venture this far from camp, but she gets more confident every day. I’m pretty sure that’s because when we were out for a walk two months ago, she saw me take out two ferals that were encroaching on our territory to the north, so even though Killian and I pretty much fought to a draw, she knows I can handle
The Tyrant alpha 482
He bares his fangs, yanks the needle from his neck, and blinks at it, bemused.“Did you stab me with a fucking knitting needle?” He holds it up. Blood oozes from the wound, dripping down his bare chest. I didn’t even hit an artery.Justus snarls, squaring his shoulders and bending his knees, readying himself to attack. Every inch of his body is covered in mud and blood, gashes and purpling bruises. White bone shows through a jagged slash on his forearm.A male coughs, clearing his throat. “Can we just take a beat?” Killian raises his hands, raw flesh where his nails should be.I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but he’s as battered as Justus, and he seems to be favoring his left leg, like his right can’t hold weight. Our males spar constantly. I’ve seen all of them beat up at some point, but I’ve never seen any of them mangled this bad. I can’t believe either he or Justus are still upright.“That bitch stabbed me.” Leith points at me with the knitting needle.Justus howls and steps
The Tyrant alpha 481
My wolf skids to a halt several feet away and then slinks forward, keeping the fire between her and the Salt Mountain wolf, letting the smoke block her scent. When she’s too close to dare creep closer, she huddles close to the ground, staring up and up at his tremendous mud-caked haunches. She’s a miniature in comparison. All the females are, and we all stare, powerless, as the wolf’s bones crack and a strapping man rises from the hulk of his beast.His blond hair shines through the dirt. I’ve seen him. Leith Munroe. The new Salt Mountain alpha.He rests his hands on his hips as if there isn’t chaos all around him as his wolves play a game of distraction, breaking after our slower, smaller, or older males and mauling them until our strong males are forced to turn back, away from us, to rescue them.Leith takes no notice of our wolves, even when they get close, or me, skulking behind the fire. Why would he? I’m no threat—skinny and small and stinking of fear.Instead, he’s intent on so
The Tyrant alpha 480
ANNIERun! Run! Run!I squat as low as I can in the wildflowers and tear off my clothes.A few yards away, Killian and Justus are murdering each other. Tye, Ivo, and the rest are just watching, and no matter how much I scream, no matter what I say, their wolves don’t listen.And the Salt Mountain wolves are up to something. They’re edging away from the fight toward the trail to camp. Quarry Pack is so intent on the fight, they either don’t notice or don’t care.I have to get to Khalil, and my wolf is faster.Run into the woods! The woods!I huddle in the tall grass and summon my wolf. For the first time in my life, she’s ahead of me, bursting through our skin before I’m ready, assuming form like she’s surfacing from water rather than tearing herself free from bone and muscle.She runs away from the woods, toward the trail. The Salt Mountain wolves have gotten ahead of her, so she hangs back, keeping low and downwind.Turn around! Now!What are they doing? They can’t think to attack La
The Tyrant alpha 479
“Lavender is light green this time of year. It doesn’t bloom until June or July.”“What are you going to do with it now then?”“Make a sachet. The scent mostly comes from the oils in its leaves.”“Make a sachet for who?”I wade through the tall grass to stand close to her and inhale her sweet rainy scent.“For the den,” she says, glancing bashfully up at me from under her thick brown lashes. She’s wearing my old sweater and another pair of my drawstring pants. Her pulse flutters at the base of her throat. She’s excited, too.Maybe we should cut this trip short and head back to the den.Or take a detour into the woods.She probably wouldn’t do that, but I think she’d agree to return to camp. I draw in another deep breath. Her arousal teases my nose.My wolf snarls.Annie startles.It takes my brain three seconds too long to catch up.Underlying the rain and slick, there is another scent. Earthy, yes, but not the right earth. It doesn’t belong. I’ve smelled it before. A long time ago.I
The Tyrant alpha 478
My grip on the pot handle tightens. Water sloshes over the sides. My jaw clenches, my guts knot, and my dry eyes burn.I can’t do this.I have to.“Justus?” Annie appears in the den entrance. She’s wrapped herself in a light pink sheet, and she’s holding a cup. “You brought water.” She smiles, padding toward me on bare feet.And then she stops. Her smile falls aways.She blinks in the sunshine, the bleariness of sleep disappearing as she takes in my grim face and desperate hold on the pot. If I had dignity, I’d find a way to smile back. Say good morning. Act like everything is fine.Her chest falls as she lets out a long, silent breath. She looks me straight in the eye. Her fear and doubt are clear as day.She’s going to ask me to take her home now.She takes a step closer to me, and then another, until we’re toe to toe. She gazes up at me, and for a second, all I can see is her beauty—her graceful neck, her delicate pointy chin, her soft, curving lips—and then I notice the expression
The Tyrant alpha 477
“Trust me,” he shushes, the hot head of his cock already notching at my entrance. He flexes his hips and sinks into me, a groan of pure relief torn from his throat. He fills me so completely that I ache where I take him, but I love it.I pant through the strain, and he gathers me close as he thrusts, cradling me to his chest, kissing my lips, my brow, my cheeks, the tip of my nose. I start to rock my hips in time.“You’re so beautiful, Annie,” he rumbles in my ear. “So perfect for me. My Annie. Mine.”I sigh and ride his bucking hips, his cock stretching me until I feel like a glove made for him.“Come for me, now,” he growls. “Now, Annie.”Hot cum floods my womb, and his knot catches and swells, tearing a raw shout from my throat. His fingers find my clit while his fangs sink into my shoulder.I scream, bucking against him, but I’m caught, so he moves with me, hushing me.I hover another second on the edge, somehow above myself, watching his strong arms tremble as they wrap around me
The Tyrant alpha 476
I let my hand fall and turn my head away.He snarls. He doesn’t like that.I drop back so I’m sitting on the pallet, lift my chin, and fold my arms. His wolf rumbles unhappily. He shouldn’t have let his man mess with my nest.He dips his head and looks up at me from his lowered eyes, a wolf playing at a lamb. “I’m sorry, Annie. Here it is.”He holds the pillow out.It’s a trap.Of course it’s a trap. I reach for it anyway. As soon as I grab the pillow, he yanks and falls to his back, dragging me with him. I tumble on top of him. He quickly nips the pillow from my grasp, tucks it behind his head, and grins up at me.I push up on his chest, struggling upright until I’m straddling his waist. He crosses his arms behind his head.I lean forward and try to pull the pillow free, but his head is too heavy.“Just ask nicely, Annie.” There’s a new note in his voice, a gravelly depth that has nothing to do with his wolf.I prop myself on his folded biceps. They’re hard and velvet and flexing und
