Loribelle Hunt - Once Bitten

“Yes, I was devoted to the pack.” She lifted her hand to stroke the side of his face. “But Caleb, you were at the core of the pack.”

“And when I left?”

She let him see the bewilderment she'd never shown before, never understood before. “I don't get this, Caleb. All the females are devoted to the pack whether they're dominant, beta, or omega.”

He gave her a hard considering look.

“There was nothing else,” she said softly. “I couldn't leave, and I couldn't stay and do nothing.”

“Don't worry, baby. When we get home, I'll give you plenty to occupy your time.” His low sexy voice set her body to a slow burn and damn him, he knew it. He grinned. “You stayed because you hoped I'd come back.” That arrogance, that assumption she'd just fall at his feet, made her teeth ache.

“Watch it, bubba. You won't be able to fit that ego through the door,” she snapped.

Laughing, he kissed her quickly, then pulled back on to the road. “I'm sure you'll keep it in line.”

They hadn't gone far before he pulled off the road and into a motel parking lot.

“I can drive if you need some sleep,” she offered.

“That's gonna be hard to do with my cock inside you.” Crude words but they made her instantly needy. She tried to trample it, control it, while he exited the vehicle and entered the small office. He returned in minutes, drove around the corner of the building, and carried her inside.

“We don't have time for this,” she said breathlessly.

He nudged her towards the bed and fell on top of her. “Can't wait,” he said, his voice low and guttural.

And gods help her, neither could she.

Chapter Nine

Liza was tempted to tug on the collar of her sweater when she entered the house, but knew it wouldn't do any good. Even if no one noticed the marks, they'd be able to smell Caleb and Zach on her.

She heard voices coming from the office down the hall, and led the way, not surprised when Caleb held her back and entered first. Rolling her eyes, she stepped around him to take stock. Alpha, her dad, two others, and Jonas and Baker, looked up expectantly. Their curiosity quickly changed to shock when they took in Caleb. She hid her smirk at the look Jonas and Baker exchanged. They were not happy about Caleb's return. She could feel the animosity rolling off both of them.

Her father stood and smiled, holding his arms out, but Caleb held her back when she tried to step forward. She turned her back on the room to face him. “What are you doing?” she whispered harshly.

He didn't even look at her as he responded. “Protecting what's mine.” She glanced over her shoulder and saw both Jonas and Baker standing. Eyes narrowing, she took in the tense, wide-legged fighting stance both had adopted. “I'll deal with you two later,” she said while shoving Caleb's chest until he stepped back into the empty hall. She slammed the door behind them and almost laughed at his expression. He looked a little shell-shocked that he'd taken her direction. Hell, that was her job. Alpha and beta cared for the pack, and she was the gatekeeper.

“What the hell are you doing? 'Cause until you fire me, I still serve a purpose here. I can handle both those idiots. You don't have to do that for me.” God, she'd forgotten how fast he could move. One minute she was blocking the door, bitching with her hands on her hips, and the next he had her pressed to the wall, wrists held in one of his hands over her head. His hips pressed against her belly, his cock thick and hard, and she forgot what they were fighting about. Leaning forward, he kissed her neck, sucking her skin into his mouth as he growled.

“I outrank you here, baby. I can and will interfere if I feel the need.” Damn it. He was making it impossible to think. She bucked against him, trying to push him away, but he just growled in reprimand. Power filled the air as her anger spiked. When she shoved his chest again, he reluctantly stepped back, a wary expression on his face.

“I think that answers that question.”

“What?” she grumbled, but didn't pay much attention as she struggled to regain control of her magic.

“You don't need sex to access your magic anymore.”

He was right. She'd expected her power to dissipate or get locked up again within a couple hours of having sex, but they'd just spent twelve hours in a car. She probed the power in her mind and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't sex magic after all. Her mother had been right about one day setting it free. She scowled. But she had no idea how to work it, how to mold it to her uses. She'd start practicing tomorrow. For now…

She didn't tell him what she was doing, didn't say another word to him. He didn't try to stop her when she reentered the room, but he couldn't help displaying his dominance. One hand rested on her hip, while he wrapped his arm across the front of her shoulders, pinning her back against his chest. She set her hands on his forearm but didn't try to break his hold. Sometimes it was better to let an alpha male have his way. At least he wasn't trying to stand in front of her anymore.

Grant, the current alpha, looked Caleb up and down slowly before turning his gaze to her.

His voice was dry and full of amusement. “No broken bones or blood. I'm not sure if I should be relieved you let him live or worried he won't survive the night.” Caleb barked a laugh and rubbed his chin on the top of her head. “She likes me enough to let me live at least a couple more days, Pop.”

Her dad grinned and winked at her. “You sure about that, boy? Never known our girl to back down from a fight.”

They hadn't closed the office door, and she might have jumped just a bit when she heard the hard, angry voice behind her.

“What fight?”

Zach entered and Caleb let him pull her away and into his arms. After a short kiss that curled her toes, he stood behind her and put his hands in her front pockets, tugging until she leaned her back against him.

“What fight?” he asked again, softly, leaning close to her ear. His warm breath against her skin made her shiver. She shook her head, forcing her body to behave.

“Nothing. It was a joke.”

“Bad one,” he said, sliding one hand out of her pocket and under her sweater. His palm rested flat against her abdomen. The simple contact was enough to make her heart pound. Her subtle move to extricate herself only garnered a tighter hold and a low growl. She jabbed him with her elbow but didn't try to get free again.

Grant chuckled but didn't tease her about her predicament. Good thing. She was off balance enough as it was. Getting pissed at her alpha wouldn't help matters. Though, she thought, frowning, how exactly was that going to work when Caleb took over? He spoke before she could worry about it.

“Since you apparently have mated with my paladin, I assume you're staying?” Caleb turned to look at her, gave her that slow sultry smile that made her panties melt, before answering. “Actually, I believe she's my paladin now.”

“Not so fast, boyo,” Henry said. “There're a few formalities to take care of first.” Jonas stood and gave her a malicious smile that made her want to bare her teeth. “That there are,” he said, holding her gaze but speaking to her father. His challenge had to go through the pack beta. “I claim challenge rights.”

Zach jerked, but she held onto him and dug her boot heel into his foot. “Still,” she hissed.

Jonas could make a challenge against the new alpha, but it would first go through the existing hierarchy, starting with her.

“The last time you challenged me, you limped out with a broken arm and four shattered ribs,” she reminded him with saccharine sweetness.

Her statement only gave him a moment's pause. “In an alpha challenge, you can't use any weapons.”