Chapter 10

Authors note:

Hey guys! So this chapter includes the snippet you read in the introduction. I've added some more dialogue in this chapter in amongst what you have already read, but haven't changed the actual introduction chapter... I'm too scared I will stuff it up somehow or just confuse people who might re-read it... I hope you don't mind! 

The footsteps were coming closer, panic started to take over as I realized I was both in my underwear and in enemy territory... What if they didn't know I was mated to their Alpha? Or worse, what if they did know and they were here to kill me?

I wanted to dive behind the stream of the waterfall, but the footsteps came to a halt before I had a chance. Standing at the water's edge, taking all of me in, was Alpha Grayson. His eyes roamed my body, watching each water droplet roll down my curves. His eyes paused on my wet bra, his gaze ignited a fire within me. My cheeks began to burn as my nipples pressed against my bra, fully aware of his searing stare. I watched as he stalked closer, slowly he began to undress himself.

"Wh- What are you doing?", I asked, a shudder ran through me as I watched him pull his tank top over his head, his glorious muscles rippled as he tossed it aside. 

"What does it look like I'm doing?", he asked, a sly smile formed on his face.

"Back the fuck up", I said as strongly as I could possibly make my voice sound. My mind was conflicted and swirling with lust, desire, and guilt. 

The thought of betraying my pack weighed heavily on my conscience, but there was no denying the electric pull I felt between us, or the warmth spreading between my legs as I stared into his scorching eyes.

"Is that any way to address your Alpha?", Grayson said as he stalked closer towards me. His eyes a whirlpool of Emerald and black. 

While I can't deny the chemistry between us or even my own hunger towards him, I needed to stop this before we took it too far. I was scared for his lips to touch mine. Scared to forget about my pack, my loyalties, and scared that I could never turn away from him again.  

"You're not my Alpha!" I cried. 

As I went to turn away a huge hand grabbed me by my wrist. 

"DON'T TOUCH ME" I shrieked.

Grayson cupped his hand between my legs, a hot pang of desire hit my core. 

"Your words tell me one thing, but your body betrays you. Your pussy wouldn't be this wet if

you truly wanted me to leave, now look at me". 

I struggled to avoid his searing gaze, but obediently my eyes turned to his. Gone was the brilliant shade of Emerald, replaced completely by darkness. His eyes were a black hole, sucking me into an unknown universe that lurked within him. I had never felt so much desire, such raw, carnal need.

As soon as I looked into his eyes I couldn't remember my feelings of guilt and reluctance, they had been replaced by longing and urgency to feel Grayson's touch all over. I felt my knees begin to buckle as he slowly began to tease my swollen clit through my dampening panties.

A soft whimper escaped my parted lips, which was greeted by a low growl from the Alpha. I could feel the heat radiating from his body, the sparks between us threatening to explode. 

His slow and teasing strokes began to quicken as we both fought the urge for control. 

As I could feel the last of my resistance waning a blood-curdling scream tore the Alpha away from me, he cursed under his breath. His eyes once clouded by lust had once again retreated behind their walls. Replaced by the only other emotion I had seen clearly in his eyes, anger. 

The Alpha led us both back to where our clothes lay on the ground and hurriedly put his own on before assisting me with my own. Without warning, he hoisted me onto his back and he sped through the forest. Once we were back at the packhouse and I was on my feet he turned to me, 

"Do not leave the packhouse. Don't open the doors, don't stand near the windows, stay inside. I mean it", his voice was full of authority, it was his Alpha voice ordering me to stay put. It was also etched with anger and concern. I nodded as I mirrored his concern in my own eyes.

What was going on? Who's scream was that? Had my pack come to get me? 

I followed the Alpha's orders as I locked the door behind me and ran to the bedroom. I shut all the blinds and climbed into the huge bed. Alpha Grayson's scent was comforting as I sunk down into the cushions. I flicked through Netflix as I tried to calm my nerves.

"I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but I hope he's alright", I called out to Amara. 

"We should be out there, protecting our mate", she huffed back.

It was dark before Alpha Grayson returned to the packhouse. As he stood in the bedroom doorway I could see the worry and strain this afternoon's events had taken on him. 

"Two of our own have been found dead on the borders", he said. He sounded defeated as he sat on the edge of the bed. I found it strange to see him take this so personally, I always thought of him as emotionless, mostly due to the rumours surrounding his viciousness. But as I sat and watched him, I realized he was just like any other Alpha, he felt he had failed to protect his own. 

I crept over towards him, placing my hand on top of his. I didn't even think to ask what had happened, I only acted on instinct. I could feel the sparks between us, and I sent comforting waves through them. At this moment I no longer saw my enemy, I saw a man who was hurting and crumbling under his own scrutiny. He didn't need to say that he blamed himself, I could feel it. 

I lifted my hand away, reluctantly. I wanted to keep it there, forever if I could, but I was sure the Alpha would want some alone time. 

"Am I so bad that you cannot bear to be around me? Am I so horrible that I don't deserve a mate?".

I could swear that I saw a flash of pain in Alpha Grayson's eyes as he looked at me. The thought of hurting him caused my heart to jerk, a single tear rolled down my cheek.

"No, I-"

"Why haven't you rejected me if you believe we don't belong together? Tell me!".

I was stumped. As I sat staring up into his eyes, blinking away the tears from my own, I wondered why I hadn't rejected him as my mate. I was confident he would reject my rejection, but that didn't answer why I never spoke those formidable words, Amara shuddered at the thought of rejecting our mate.

Alpha Grayson sighed, then walked out of the room. I wasn't sure how long I sat there for, I couldn't help but long for the Alpha, I craved to be around him now that he had left. I felt such pain as I sat and continued to cry, I hated seeing him upset. I pondered more about why I hadn't rejected him when a thought suddenly dawned on me, perhaps I was mated to him for a reason... This thought brought strength along with it, and a determination to create change. I was tired of battling my inner demons, I shouldn't have to choose between my family and my mate. I wasn't sure if it was the mate bond, or my true conscience coming out to take control, but I vowed to myself that I wouldn't let our packs rivalry tear me apart any longer. 

I stood up and ran out the door, once I was at the stairs I stuck my nose to the air and sniffed, searching for Grayson's scent. I hunted through the packhouse until I found him in a quiet sitting room, a glass of whisky in his hand. I slowly approached him, as he looked on at me confused I took his hand and led him from the room. I walked towards the bedroom and went straight to the bath. 

"What are yo-"

I raised my hand in a stopping motion, I wanted to show him that I was willing to try. I was tired of being caught in the middle, and right now he was hurting. I ran Grayson a bath and pointed at him to get in. I closed the door behind me, chuckling to myself as I saw his perplexed expression as I shut the door. I dashed towards my suitcases and dragged them into the wardrobe. I neatly put my clothes away and lined up my shoes next to the Alphas. Checking that he was still in the bathroom, I made my way downstairs and once again made myself at home in the kitchen. It was like my own mini supermarket, everything I needed was right at my fingertips. As the smell of my cooking wafted through the air, I heard a familiar pair of footsteps behind me. As I turned to meet his gaze my breath hitched slightly, he looked radiant. The hot bath had given his sunkissed skin even more of a glow, his wet hair was roughly dried and pushed to the side and he had that confused look on his face again, he looked adorable. He was the only man to ever wear sweatpants and get this sort of reaction from me, pure attraction. 

"What is-", again I pointed my finger at Grayson to sit down and zip it. He obliged, though I wondered how much longer he would play my game. Alpha's aren't prone to following someone else's orders. 

He sat and waited patiently, watching my every move. As I brought over a steaming bowl of chicken pesto pasta, I noticed his eyebrow was slightly raised and his eyes were full of interest. We sat in silence for a few moments while I scoffed my food greedily, even Grayson was knocking back his share. Once we began to slow our pace I felt his eyes on me again.

"Am I free to speak now? Or will I get put into time out?", Alpha Grayson said with a sly smirk.

"Go ahead", I mumbled over a mouthful of pasta.

"Your clothes, I noticed they're packed away. In my wardrobe".

"Our wardrobe", I corrected him. I avoided his gaze as I continued to inhale my food, I could feel my cheeks start to heat up, aware of his eyes watching me. 

After dinner, we headed up to our bedroom together. While it felt strange to say that to myself, it didn't feel as wrong as it had before. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief as soon as I decided to give my mate a chance. It was as if the weight of both of our packs was on my shoulders, but my choice to let my fears and anxieties go softly guided them off of me. 

I made my way to the wardrobe, making sure I remembered to bring clothes with me to the bathroom. I quickly rinsed myself off in the shower, leaving my hair up and dry, before slipping on an oversized tee and a pair of panties. I found Grayson in bed, he looked deep in thought as I slipped underneath the covers. Unlike our first night together, I was wide awake and fully aware of how close we sat to one another. Though the bed was large enough to fit at least 3 more people, I found myself drawn like a magnet to Grayson, his arm grazing mine as I made myself comfortable. 

"You remembered your clothes this time... That's a pity", Grayson spoke in a low, rich tone. 

I blushed as I could feel the heat from his arms warming my own. Flashbacks of our afternoon at the lagoon displayed themselves for me, though I suspect Amara was behind this. I could smell my lust escaping me, my body begging for release as I remembered the feel of the Alpha's hands on my most sensitive area, the look of sheer desire in his eyes. I didn't need to look at him to know his eyes were dark, I could feel his longing,  his desire to take me in his arms. My heart raced as my own temptations matched his. Warmth began to spread between my legs once again as Amara purred in response to our mate wanting us as much as we wanted him. My breathing became heavy as I felt Grayson brush a strand of hair away from my face, his fingers lingered on my cheeks, slowly tracing along the curve of my chin until he guided me to look at him. I was right, his eyes were swallowed whole by darkness, no longer emerald green, but pitch black. Again I felt myself being drawn into his eyes, I wasn't afraid to venture into the darkness he possessed.

I slowly inched my face closer to Grayson's, I closed my eyes as his soft lips landed on my own. His kiss was sweet and gentle, one I had never expected from him. His minty breath was refreshing, cooling my insides slightly, though as the kiss depended I felt myself start to burn up again. I moaned his name, "Grayson", as he deepened the kiss. This enticed a deep growl to erupt from the Alpha's chest, his kiss became more demanding, possessive even as I felt him roll on top of me. His hands drifted from my face, making their way down my chest. I moaned as he squeezed my breast through my shirt, he squeezed harder, giving me a euphoric mixture of pain and pleasure. I began to tremble with need as he ripped my shirt and bra off in one go, his lips had now moved to my neck, nibbling and kissing every inch as his left hand continued to tease my nipples, his right hand stroked my body as it made its way slowly to the source of my heat. I writhed underneath him as his fingers once again found my clit, slowly moving in circular motions before I moaned for release.

"All in good time, Laila", he said, as he continued to tease my throbbing clit. 

I continued to plead for release as Grayson ignored me and explored my body, his lips hot as they found my neck again. As he began to pull my panties aside he paused and looked into my eyes, I could feel his hesitation as he searched my face for any of my own. The mate bond continued to grow between us and I was able to feel the Alpha's emotions, and piece together his thoughts. He was excited and longed to continue, but he was hesitant that I would still reject him. 

"Are you sure?", he asked. His face was serious and his tone was urgent. 

"I just don't want to disappoint you", I whispered. I was too focused on reading Grayson's emotions that I completely ignored my own. I wasn't stupid, I knew Grayson had slept with women before, which is why he picked up on my anxiety I was desperately trying to ignore. I'm not a saint, I've had my fair share of experiences with boyfriends and flings, but I had never given myself fully to them. I found myself feeling inadequate, and lacking experience, knowing this God of a man deserved better. 

"What do you mean?".

"I mean I've never...I've never done this before... done 'It'. 

To my complete and utter disbelief, the fierce and well feared Alpha Grayson broke out the most radiant smile I had ever seen. His face glowed as he looked down at my confused and slightly embarrassed face, did he find my inexperience funny?

I pouted as he continued to smile at me as if he were frozen in time,

"What?!", I demanded.

"You. You continue to surprise me little one. I thought you moving into this room would be your greatest gift to me today but then you present me with this", he chuckled as I lifted my eyebrows at him, my arms folding over my bare chest. 

"Do not hide yourself from me, embrace yourself and your innocence as I fully intend to. But, not tonight. A gift as lovely as this should be saved for a special occasion, and when you are fully ready". 

Amara and I both whined simultaneously. Disappointment washed over me, yet it left room for a sense of appreciation. I could feel his longing, his self-control was barely holding together, yet he was willing to wait for me. 

As I attempted to sit up and search for a fresh pair of pyjamas, I felt a strong hand guide me back down.

"Now, I said I would wait to take you fully, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy other things". 

I smiled slyly, and to show my appreciation towards the Alpha for his respect, I took control once more and pointed for him to roll over. He obliged, a glint of excitement shined in his eyes. His walls were softly coming apart as I could read more emotion in them now, he was expressing through his proud gaze how excited he was to be the one I had waited for and was eager to see what I had in store for him. 

I straddled his lap and began to kiss his neck, nibbling in the most sensitive spot. His moans only spurred me on more as my nibbles turned into bites. My hands made their way down his bare torso, savouring the touch of each rippling muscle as they made their way down to his sweat pants. My hands ducked inside his waistline and pulled slowly, teasing his thighs as my fingers caressed him ever so softy. I threw his pants across the room, holding on tight to my own self-control as I eyed his underwear. I knelt down in between his legs, my face inches away from his underwear as I pulled those off too. I couldn't help but gasp as his manhood sprung out from underneath the material. I could feel my eyes glaze over, my core burn as I took in every inch of him. My hands began to work slowly at first, building up momentum with long strokes. Grayson's moans turned into growls as he began to buck underneath me. His hands shot up and forced my head to his firm cock, I tasted it greedily, almost struggling to fit his girth inside of me. 

"Oh fuck yeah, Laila. Go deeper baby", he moaned as I attempted to fit more of him inside my mouth. His hips continued to buck as I became more confident, my throat had adjusted to his size and I picked up speed. I began to moan, pleasing him aroused me more than anything I had ever experienced before. My moans vibrated off of his cock, and his warm seed spilled down my throat. Breathless I looked up at Grayson, I could see his chest-pounding, though his face looked serene. 

As I began to get up, I was again stopped by Grayson's huge hands, "Oh no", he said with a devilish look, "It's my turn now...".