Moon Kissed: Alpha Seeker, page 16
“After that it’s us, followed by Aruna. Aruna has always been neutral, but that could change.”
“Why are we worrying about this? There’s no evidence…”
“I know that!” Ledger slammed his hand down on the table. “All I know is that we need to be prepared.”
I ran my tongue over my teeth, frustrated by the situation and trying not to picture my mate markless and waiting for me in bed. My whole body tensed at the thought of Pearl naked. I’d had a night and most of the day naked with her, and it wasn’t enough, not nearly enough.
She needed my bite mark on her body, and my cock inside her. Being here was torture.
“All right,” I growled, doing my best to hold in my anger and annoyance. “What have you done so far?”
Ledger explained, in detail, the measures he’d taken to ensure our safety. None of it was going to matter after a certain point because, regardless, guards and anyone else would abandon their posts for some wolf tail.
The Gala hadn’t changed in the past century and a half. It was still a bang fest once the alphas had enough distractions.
“I think that’s the best we can do given the circumstances,” I said, glancing over the plan with new eyes. “We can’t add more to the ranks at the archives, or we’ll weaken the numbers at the cage and the pack house.”
“It just doesn’t feel like enough,” Ledger insisted, going over the plan three more times in quick succession.
“The numbers are what they are; we can’t change them, no matter how many times we do it.”
“There’s got to be more somewhere.”
“If you want to weaken the cage, we can borrow from there,” I conceded, ready to be done with this conversation.
“We can’t show weakness there since we had the only escapee since the fucking thing was built.”
I opened my mouth to reply then snapped it shut just as fast. The reasoning behind this obsession made sense. The other alpha-apparents had been there when Faela was discovered. We needed a show of force, or the other packs would think us weak.
For the first time since I became beta, I didn’t fucking care. I only had one thing on my mind, and protecting this pack wasn’t it. Hell, I was destined to be the alpha to unite every pack, so worrying about one seemed narrow-minded.
Plus, this was the first real gathering that we’d had since I received this title. Which meant I would be introduced as the new beta to the other packs. A few days ago, it had felt like a big deal, but now I was super tempted to skip it.
“I’ll figure something out.” Ledger’s hair was disheveled from being pulled and messed with. “If I don’t find more, I’m gonna need you to gather volunteers.”
“No one will volunteer; it’s Gala night. You know as well as I do that the festivities aren’t just for us.”
I felt stupid reminding him of this since he was always the one who’d sneak out to party with the pack. I went with him a couple times to keep him out of trouble.
Funny how the tables had turned. He hated doing the basics of being an alpha, but now he seemed to have gotten a kick in the ass. Which was suspicious.
“Wait… are you getting pressure from someone?”
“Mostly rumors, but they’ve reached the other packs, and now there’s talk of our weaknesses,” Ledger answered, leaning over the table again.
I frowned, wondering when he started giving a shit about rumors. That seemed like more of my aunt’s thing, but maybe there was something else to it.
Fuck!
“What are the rumors?” I asked him more seriously.
For the next few hours, we went over every rumor that Ledger had heard. Most weren’t based on facts while others seemed outrageous and well in the realm of impossible. Still, there were others that were very close to the truth. Almost too close.
Whispers of an Alpha Seeker had made its way through the packs, and while her appearance should have been a sign of good things to come, it was the opposite. Fear of her and the destruction she’d bring to the packs was believed and spread like wildfire.
Thoughts of returning to Pearl disappeared as the threat to her became apparent. I became just as obsessed with security as Ledger was and refused to rest until I’d found a solution.
I’d protect her no matter the cost. Pearl was the only thing that mattered now.
* * *
That one night turned into a week and a half of planning with my cousin. I was obsessed with making sure the Gala was a safe place for Pearl, but I knew that the safest place for her would be at my side. I reached out to the friends I’d made in other packs about the rumors, but none of them had heard of them, which was reassuring.
I wasn’t sure what else I could do, so I went over the plans, security, and contingencies repeatedly. Early mornings became late nights. I’d crawl into bed every night, my head heavy with exhaustion, only to be up early and go over everything again.
Most nights, I stayed with Pearl, hating that I arrived and she’d be asleep, only to leave before she woke up. Leaving was a battle each time, but her safety was the goal, and I knew she’d understand.
I lay down next to her the night before the Gala, thinking I could relax, but just like every other time I stayed here, my mate’s scent drove me mad. We hadn’t completed our mating, and I regretted it. The idea of her walking into the Gala without my bite on her neck nearly made my wolf go feral, but the idea of it not being safe was more worrisome.
Pearl was curled on her side, leaving plenty of room for me to slip into the bed. I pulled the covers over me while making sure she was still tucked in. I covered my eyes, and I tried to calm my mind down enough so I could get some sleep.
Pearl shifted beside me, and I held my breath, praying that I hadn’t woken her up. The bed stayed still, and I exhaled, relieved.
Something touched my shoulder. I removed my arm and found Pearl sitting up in bed, but the fact that she was naked held my attention.
“Hey,” she said softly, running her hand down my shoulder.
“Hey,” I parroted, forcing my eyes to remain on her face.
She smiled then got on her hands and knees, crawling over me until she was straddling my hips. My cock was as hard as steel when she settled atop me, her breasts topped with puckered nipples that made my mouth water.
“I missed you,” she whispered, grabbing my hand and pulling it to her chest.
Fuck!
“I’ve missed you too,” I replied, not trying to hide how much.
She bit her lip, like she was uncertain, and my chest vibrated with a suppressed growl. She was fucking perfect, and the only thought in my head was the need to bury myself inside of her. Leaning down, her silvery-white hair curtained her head, looking like an angel. Her lips brushed mine, and I had to consciously order myself not to take over.
Her lips moved to my jaw, kissing her way to my ear, where she hummed lightly. I moved my hand to the back of her head, encouraging her exploration while it felt like the sweetest form of torture.
“I want you, Rylan,” she breathed, making goosebumps appear on my skin.
My hands tightened at her words, and I inwardly groaned. She had no idea the restraint it took not to push up into her and sink my teeth into her flesh.
“Why are you fighting it?” she asked, sounding hurt, and it killed me.
“I won’t be able to stop.” I swallowed, feeling like that was a lame excuse. “You deserve to be loved, and I want to show you properly what you mean to me. I don’t want a quick fuck; I want to take my time and worship you like you deserve.”
“And if I said I didn’t need any of those things?”
“You would be wrong,” I answered with a chuckle.
She pressed her lips to mine, flicking her tongue until I opened to her. She swept in demandingly, determined to conquer me, and I was here for it. I let her claim me the only way she could without biting me. I let myself be swept away until the only thing that existed was her and me.
Pearl groaned when I shifted my hips, letting my cock slide between her slick folds. She shivered when the head rubbed her clit. I grabbed her legs, helping to anchor her while she rode me. Sitting up, her hands pressed to my chest, she ground herself against me making my eyes close.
She felt incredible, gliding over my cock. My mind went blank as I watched her move over me, her head thrown back like this was everything she had ever wanted. Everything she would ever need.
My chest swelled at the thought that I was the only one who could satisfy her and give her what she wanted. My balls started to tingle, and I knew I was close to blowing this whole thing. I gritted my teeth, determined to hold back my release until she had hers first.
I pushed my hips, increasing the pressure while she shuddered. My hand left her leg, reaching up until my palm was full of her breast. My fingers found her nipple, and I flicked the tip, listening to her sharp intake of breath at the new sensation.
Three minutes later, an orgasm crashed over her, making her moan my name over and over as she rode the waves of ecstasy. Wetness coated my dick, making it easier to slip between her folds. I rubbed myself against her, prolonging her pleasure while I sought my own.
I growled as I climaxed, her name on my lips as my balls tightened and my cock spurted.
Pearl hummed with contentment as she lay down beside me, eyes already closed. Her breathing evened out, and I knew that she had fallen asleep. I pulled her closer, tucking the blankets around her so she’d be warm, then relaxed back onto my own pillow, a satisfied smile on my face as I drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Pearl
Waking up with Rylan by my side released a tension that I had felt for over a week now. He didn’t speak about what he was working on so hard with his cousin, and it worried me. It seemed like we would finally make a breakthrough and be on the same page, then something happened to keep us apart.
The Moon Spirit only knew how much I wanted to complete our mating, but Rylan was correct in that, if we started, we wouldn’t be able to stop. Most matings lasted days if not weeks, which was time that we didn’t have at the moment. I understood that we needed to wait, but deep down, a part of me nagged constantly about it.
Rylan shifted next to me, drawing my attention away from my gloomy thoughts. His face was relaxed, and for the first time in over a week, he looked at peace. It made my heart lift to see him like this and not the anxious moody beta he’d been lately. Whatever happened tonight would happen, and while I was worried, I also felt confident. I had the Moon Spirit on my side.
“Heavy thoughts so early,” Rylan murmured, his gray-green eyes blinking open while the corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk. “I can give you something else to think about.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled at his insinuation. I bit my lip and looked at him through my eyelashes, watching as his smirk disappeared and was replaced by something darker, sexier.
“Tonight is the Gala,” I said then berated myself for bringing it up.
Stupid.
“It’ll be a night to remember,” Rylan whispered, leaning over and kissing my lips.
“Will you be busy all night?” I tried not to get my hopes up.
“I’m sure I will be,” he muttered, annoyance clear in his voice. “But I hope to have you by my side the whole time.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You’re my mate. Where else would you be?”
It was a valid question, one that I didn’t know the answer to.
“So, you’re still okay with me going and revealing what I am?”
“I’m not okay with it, but who am I to stop you?” He smiled, brushing white hair away from my face and tucking it behind my ear. “We are in this together, so whatever you feel you need to do, I’ll support it. One hundred percent.”
I kissed him, pouring everything I felt into it. It was true that he had changed for the better, and I was excited to see what he would do in the future. I didn’t know what our dynamic was supposed to be, but I assumed we’d figure it out in time.
“I’m happy that it’s you.” I spoke softly but seriously.
It had been a rollercoaster ever since Faela passed on her title to me, and for the first time, I didn’t view it as a curse. It was a new beginning for both of us, and I’d be eternally grateful for the opportunity.
“It’s always been you,” Rylan said, looking deeply into my eyes, showing that he meant every word.
I smiled, ready to face whatever came next. As long as he was by my side, I knew that we’d be all right.
* * *
We stayed in bed as long as we could, then as long as we dared. Neither one of us were willing to leave the other. Rylan was the one to get up and throw some clothes on. I guessed his cousin had gotten more persistent, and he couldn’t make up any more excuses. I tried to help him find one by crawling after him seductively, naked. There was a fight going on behind his eyes, but he managed to fight it.
“I’ll see you there,” he said between kisses.
I kissed him back, managing to deepen it for a second before he pulled away with a smirk on his face. I pouted, and he hesitated for a moment, until steel returned to his green-gray eyes. He looked at me with a promise in his gaze that gave me goosebumps.
He left the house, and my heart went with him. A hollowness entered my chest, and I wasn’t sure if it was his absence or facing what I had to do tonight.
I could feel in my bones that revealing to all the packs tonight that I was the new Alpha Seeker was what the Moon Spirit wanted. It had been a secret until now, but I could feel that the Moon Spirit had done something different, something drastic by choosing me. Fate and the future had been altered, and only time would tell what would happen now.
A knock on my door echoed through the big empty house of my childhood. I grabbed my robe and put it on, wondering who would be coming to visit. Only a couple people knew that I lived here, so I never expected any visitors.
I went to the back door since the front was so overgrown with vines and bushes that it was impossible to make out. I peeked through the window, but no one was there. Cautiously, I opened the door and found a large square box sitting on the step. It was tied with a white bow, and there was a card attached to it.
I glanced around, but no one was there. I picked up the box and hurried back inside. The note was attached with the ribbon, so I pulled the bow free and grabbed the note.
For the moon that controls my tumultuous sea. My light in the darkness.
-Rylan
My heart leapt when I saw Rylan’s signature. He’d gotten me a gift. I touched the edge of the box, my stomach fluttering at his thoughtfulness. Flipping the lid open, I gently moved the white tissue paper so I could see what was hidden inside.
White silk shimmered in the light of my kitchen, making me gasp. I delicately lifted it from the box, finding a breathtaking dress cascade to the floor. It had long sleeves that ended in triangular points at the back of my hands. It was skintight until it reached the knee, where it fanned out, just like the tail of a mermaid. Silver filigree encompassed the fabric, looking like lace was laid gently over the silk to create a true masterpiece.
I had no idea that this type of dress existed.
I sprinted up the stairs then hurried to my room so I could try it on. It slipped over my body like it had been made just for me, special for this occasion. Rylan must have requested this be made, and I was surprised that his measurements were spot on.
