The Alpha Who Saved Me

Chapter 37

Seeing Declan that day made my heart ache all over once again. I wanted so much to stop my car and get out, just to throw myself into his arms, but I knew better. It was enough that he came back to see me once more before I left. Not that I know that that’s the reason he returned, but I like to think it was.

Since that day. I’ve thrown myself into pack business and training once again. There are rumors of another pack attacking other packs in search of this legendary Dire wolf once again. Wasn’t one psychotic pack enough? Now we have to deal with it all over again? The only positive thing about this news is that this pack is in the Midwest and nowhere close to the Eastern side of the states, but we can never be too careful.

It’s been a few weeks since I was at the Storm River pack, and so it’s been a few weeks since the Alpha of that pack became a father. Gavin still visits and we’ve become really close, but it annoys me that he insists on keeping me updated on his cousin’s fatherhood progress. I don’t think he means anything by it, but it still irks me.

Gavin is here visiting with me today, and as we take our usual walk around the border, he surprises me by taking my hand in his. I don’t say anything, and I don’t pull away. It actually feels nice. We walk mostly in silence after he takes my hand, but when we come to the clearing by the lake, he stops and turns to me.

“Quinn, you know how I’ve felt about you since day one,” he begins and I go to cut him off, but he stops me, “Please, just let me say what I want to say and then you can turn me down all you want.” He smiles sadly.

That’s what I like about Gavin, he never took offense of me turning him down in the beginning, and he has remained a true friend to me. I don’t know what Declan has against his cousin, but all I see is a true gentleman and a great friend, so I nod and let him continue.

“Like I was saying, you’ve known how I’ve felt, and I know you were waiting for your mate, so I stepped aside and became your friend instead.” He stares down at my hand in his and runs his thumb back and forth over the top of it before returning his gaze back to me, “It’s been almost a year, and you still haven’t found your mate; most she-wolves find them shortly after. Have you ever thought that maybe you are that minority that the Goddess Selene left to choose their own?

I don’t think of it as that way, just that I was forgotten, but what Gavin says makes sense. I grin, “I never thought of it that way, but still, what if my mate is too busy leading a pack or helping to run one?” Usually, Alpha females are either fated to an Alpha or a Beta with Alpha blood in them, “They may just be too busy to come looking for me.”

“Do you honestly believe that. Quinn?”

My grin fades, I cannot lie to him, so I shake my head, “No, Gavin, I don’t.” It’s my turn to study our hands now, but he lifts my chin back up.

Before I know it, his lips are lightly pressed against mine. They aren’t demanding, only testing, maybe to see what I would do. The thing is, I’ m not sure what I want to do. I know I can’t have who I want, but I know that I am becoming lonely. Do I take a chance with Gavin?

When I don’t push him away, he brings his hand up to cup my face and licks the seam of my lips. Hesitantly, I open my mouth for him, slowly, and his tongue pushes through just as slow. He’s not pushy at all, and because of that, I open myself up to him a bit more.

*his shirt in my hand, I kiss him back. He doesn’t try to take any more than I’m willing to give, and all too soon, he’s pulling away. I open my eyes and stare into his green ones as he looks down at me. His eyes are full of lust, but he keeps himself in check.

‘What are you doing, woman?’ My wolf asks.

‘What does it look like I’m doing?’ I ask with an inward eyeroll.

‘Well, it looks to me as though my human counterpart is a little *!’ Tala snorts.

‘What would you have me do, Tala? Have us live alone our whole lives?’

“No, I want you to go get our man!’ She lectures.

And who would that be, Tala, huh?’

‘You know very well who I am referring to!’ My wolf scoffs at me.

‘And you know very well that he isn’t available! I am not going to be a homewrecker, Tala! Lila has first rights to him. The only one who would have more rights is his true mate and that isn’t us!”

“So, you’re just going to go around kissing every male that you come across?’

“You know that isn’t true! Gavin is only the second male that I have kissed! Besides, I thought you liked Gavin and Mace?’

‘I did when I thought they were only our friend.’

“I’m not saying that this is going to go anywhere, and I won’t have sex with him, just in case our mate does come along, but I’m not going to stand around and be lonely while everyone around me is finding their mates!”

“Fine, whatever! You do whatever you want anyway. I’ll just take a back seat and watch as you * up.’ Tala then turns and shows me her 9*end as she moves to the far back. ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“UGH! Wolves, I tell you!’

Tala shows me an image of a middle finger before she blocks me out completely. –

Without thinking on it anymore, I reach up and pull Gavin’s mouth back to mine. His hand releases mine only to move around my waist and pull me closer, but he still isn’t demanding. I’m not sure how long we stand here kissing, but when I finally pull away, it’s only because I am breathless.

“Well, that went better than I thought it would.” He chuckles.

I tilt my head, “What do you mean?”

“To be honest, I thought I was going to get a slap across the face.”

I smile at him and shrug. “I’m in a generous mood.” I wink and then take his hand in mine once more and continue walking.

“Is it too much to ask for you to have dinner with me tomorrow?” The Alpha heir asks sheepishly.

I giggle at the adorable way that his cheeks flush when he asks, “No…”

“Oh, I see. That’s okay, we can remain friends…”

I stop and grin at him, “I mean no, it’s not too much to ask, silly.”

His eyes light up with the realization that I’m not turning him down, and he hugs me excitedly, “Thank you, Quinn. I promise to be the perfect gentleman.”

I laugh, “I never worry about you not being a gentleman, Gavin. You have always been a great friend, and a very patient male. I can’t promise that this will go anywhere, though, so please don’t be mad if it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to.”

“No worries, Quinn. I’m just happy to be able to have a chance, that’s all.”

Surprisingly, I have no apprehension about going on a day with Gavin. I thought maybe I would, but I’m kind of looking forward to it; my very first date. Declan’s face pops into my mind, and I know it’s Tala doing it, but I still get a pang of guilt, even though there is nothing to be guilty about.

glance at Gavin, “How about we let our wolves run for a bit. Mace and Tala haven’t played for a while.”

“Mace would love that!” Gavin agrees.

step behind a tree to undress and as much *that Tala was doing, she’s all excited to run with Mace. When I question her about it, she ignores me and comes forward, pushing me to the back as she takes over.

When we come out from behind the tree, Mace is already waiting for us. Tala pounces on him and they both go rolling before Tala jumps up and takes off, Mace follows, nipping at her heels. We fly through the forest together, jumping and swerving around trees and boulders. Tala has always been fast but could never keep up with a male. Now, her and Mace are running side by side, and unless Mace is slowing his pace just so we can keep up, Tala has gotten much faster.

We come to a skidding halt when we both get a whiff of blood. It’s not old blood either, this is fresh blood. Lifting my nose into the breeze, 1 take off in the direction in which it’s coming from. Mace isn’t too far behind me, as we run towards the scent. It becomes familiar the closer we get to the spot. When we are right on top of it, we stop and look around, but all we find is a puddle of blood. I happen to glance up, and then gasp.

Hanging upside down from a tree branch is a she-wolf. Her hands tied behind her back and beaten black and blue. The blood is coming from claw marks and a deep *in her abdomen. Tala lets out a howl and I mind link both Spencer and Cam to come, and to bring a hunting party. If the *who did this is still in the area, then hopefully they can find him.

As wolves, we are always changing into wolf form unexpectedly and so there are spare clothes stored throughout the forest. I go searching for the marked areas as Gavin changes back and climbs the tree to cut the poor woman down. I stay close in case the *is still in the area. Only finding one change of clothing, I throw the shirt on, which comes to the middle of my thighs, and bring the basketball shorts back to Gavin

He’s already got the she-wolf down by the time I return, and I toss him the shorts as I kneel beside the woman to check for a pulse. A choked cry erupts when I find no sign of a pulse and tears roll down my cheek. Looking closely at the woman, I move some hair from her face, and both Gavin and I gasp at the same time. We both know the she-wolf, and even though she isn’t part of my pack or his, she was a

member of the Sun River pack, Deke’s pack. She was the Beta’s eldest daughter.

I turn my head away and Gavin pulls me in close, “The *went after a high-ranking family! This is not going to be pretty. We should have your Beta call Deke and let him know so he and his Beta can get here as fast as they can.”

Inod, and then mind link Spencer, telling him to call Alpha Deke and let him know about our findings. Once I’m done, I glance back at the woman. She is actually the same age as I am and I’ve talked to her at plenty of gatherings when I was younger, before my parents died. With all the markings, I wonder if she was sexually assaulted as well. Moving away from Gavin, I go towards her lower half and start to spread her legs but stop as I glance at Gavin. He understands what I’m doing and then turns his head away.

As soon as I have her legs open, though, my hand flies to my mouth and I quickly close her legs back up. Backing away, I stand up and move to the closest tree so I can empty my stomach.