Kieran watched the scene in front of him play out with a mix of happiness and disgust. He couldn’t decide whose emotions belonged to whom. Was he annoyed, or was it his human host—who should be dead—feeling conflicted? In any case, he took a pull from his beer and tried to not slam his hand into the wall.
His fraternity brothers were paying all kinds of attention to Alexandra just as he’d asked them to do. She giggled at something one of them said and flipped her hair over her shoulder. He’d taught her how to flirt the night before and had been hard as a rock ever since. His balls ached so badly he thought they might fall off. This was a special kind of torture inflicted on the human male. It must have been sent up from hell as some kind of joke.
With another long pull of his drink, he turned his attention to Mellee. She stared at Alexandra with so much hate in her eyes she might explode from it. He knew hate, knew it well. It had been his bread and butter growing up.
A wave of sadness surged through him, and he almost dropped his drink.
Don’t you pity me, human. I’ll defeat you one way or another.
He walked toward Mellee and stood next to her. She smelled of coconut oil, and it made his nose itch. Apparently, Kieran’s human body didn’t enjoy manufactured scents. His head started to pound, and he took a deep breath while he tried to smile. The attempt only brought in more of her scent, which made the headache much worse.
What the fuck? How can she stand it? Werewolves should hate the scent even more than I do.
“Hi.” He tried to ignore how being so close to her made him want to gag. “Having a good time?”
“You’re Kieran, right? You were just elected to the student council, weren’t you?” Mellee eyed him up in the way so many girls on campus did as if he was a spreadsheet, not a person. Brown hair. Check. Green Eyes. Check. Over six feet tall. Check. Good fraternity. Check. Demon…. No, he imagined she had no idea they even existed, let alone that she was talking to one.
“Yep….” He nodded. “Having fun?”
She sipped whatever drink she consumed—it looked girlie and very pink—while her eyes caught Alexandra again.
Obsessed much?
“Not at the moment. You initiated this party, right? You called our social director and set this up. Why?”
She walked right into that. He hadn’t even had to work very hard. “Because I wanted to see Alexandra.” He pointed to her. “Well, everyone in my fraternity did. She’s hot.”
He sauntered away from her. They were werewolves; they shouldn’t care what a bunch of human guys thought, but they were also women, and he’d watched their gender for thousands of years. It would drive her slowly crazy if men thought Alexandra was hotter than she was.
Plant a seed…watch it grow.
Kieran waited for his inner conscience to object, but none came. His human had either died, finally, or he didn’t mind this little power play with Mellee. Only time would tell him which one it was.
***
She knocked, and he opened his door right away. He’d been waiting for her to arrive.
“I got three date offers today. Were they real, or did you tell them to ask me?”
“They were real. I told them to flirt with you, not to ask you out.” He’d called in about a hundred favors, but having people owe him was a useful tool. “Which ones did you take?” So he’d know whose heads he needed to remove from their bodies.
“None.”
He raised an eyebrow. Intriguing. “Why not?”
“Not interested. Too much to do, and I wasn’t sure if any of them were real.”
Kieran leaned against the wall. “How does a girl who looks like you not know how spectacularly attractive she appears? How can you question it?”
She opened and closed her mouth before she spoke again. “Kieran.”
Unable to resist the urge and not willing to question why, he tugged her against him. “You make me desire things I shouldn’t. You make me want to let the other part of me in and embrace it. Do you understand?”
“No.”
He laughed. “Of course not. How could you?”
His mouth pressed down on hers, and she gasped. Did she want this? He was many things, but he wouldn’t push her into sex if she wasn’t interested. No matter how much he craved her.
She softened in his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. His heart rate kicked up. Yes, this would happen. She made small moans, and he plunged his tongue into her mouth. She tasted of cinnamon, and he growled when he pulled her tighter against her.
He jerked back, breathing heavy. Where had his growl come from? It had been he who had made the noise, not her.
“Are you okay?”
He blinked fast, his eyes dry. “Fine.” He yanked her against him again. “Don’t mind me. I’m weird.”
“I like your weird.”
Her mouth was soft, but he kissed her hard, knowing it wasn’t right. She deserved gentleness, easy loving from one of her kind. Instead, she had him. He pulled back, running his thumb down her cheek. “Are you sure you wish this?”
“Are you?” She licked her lips, and his cock jumped. “You’re the one who keeps pulling back. Maybe you don’t lust after a werewolf.”
“Shut up.” He shoved her against the wall and kissed her until he couldn’t see straight, until the world became nothing but their bodies pressed together. He roamed his hands all over her body, stopping at her breasts, squeezing them until he’d memorized them through her shirt.
She squirmed until there was enough space between them she could get her shirt off. He stared at her, and then ran his hands down to her abs. They were sculpted, and he whistled at her until she laughed.
Alexandra tugged on his clothes, and in no time flat, they were both naked. He picked her up and carried her to his bed. He’d love to have had more space to roll her around on a big luxurious king sized mattress, but the twin would have to do.
He had condoms in the drawer next to the bed. Humans had to worry about these things, and he didn’t need to screw up his planned future by making big mistakes in the present. These were human problems, and as long as he wore the body, he had to take the precautions.
Kieran took one of Alex’s nipples in his mouth. He sucked until she bucked her back beneath him. He pulled off to smile at her. He’d had sex a few times since he’d taken over his body, but none of them had been this intense for him.
She was so fucking beautiful, curves in all the right places and her pussy covered in manicured dark hair. He couldn’t wait to get closer. She had done something to her hair. It took him a second to realize what it was, and then he grinned, knowing he probably looked a fool.
“Did you wax your pussy to resemble a heart?”
She ran her hands over his chest. “As a lark. Is it good? Bad? Ridiculous?”
“You’re hot as hell.”
“I’m glad you approve.”
He scooted down until his face positioned right on the outside of her pussy. “I think the word I used was hot.”
She gasped when he found her pussy with his fingers. He squeezed the bundle of nerves, loving the noises she made. Her juices coated his fingers, and he took them out to suck on them. “You taste of honey.”
He could be addicted to her taste.
Kieran wanted this woman, and he was going to have her. Right then. The rest could wait until morning.
***
Alex couldn’t believe how well he played her body, as though she were a musical instrument. She’d always liked sex since she’d discovered it at sixteen. Getting to orgasm had never been a problem for her. She could even bring herself to the big O with five minutes alone in her room. But not like this.
Kieran made her body buzz. Every nerve ending called out for more, and he gave it to her as he stroked, pulled, and bit down on her just where she needed him to. Finally, he bent over and licked her clit. She gasped and arched off the bed.
“Wow.”
He laughed, the vibration moving through her. “I aim to please.”
“You sound self-assured, and I’m not willing to complain.”
Kieran didn’t answer with words, replying instead with his body. He moved his head away and replaced it with his cock. She had a second to register how big it was when he dressed himself in the condom before he pushed inside of her, balls deep.
She cried out, taking all of him at once. Her muscles stretched, accommodating him immediately. She dug her fingernails into his back at the new sensations of pleasure travelling up and down her spine.
“Sshhh.” His voice wrapped around her soul, taking hold. If he’d been a werewolf, she would have wondered if he was her mate. She pushed the thought away. Kieran was a human. No amount of musing would make him otherwise. This was great sex, and she shouldn’t be trying to make it more.
“Are you okay?” he whispered in her ear. She could see the strain on his face as his jaw muscles clenched. Was he holding himself back from moving? Did it hurt?
“Yes.” She kissed him gently on the lips. “More please.”
“Gladly.”
He pulled out before thrusting back inside her. She cried out as she lifted her hips to meet his. This was what she needed, what she craved. A true joining with him. These moments, she could be whole; during this time, she could just be with him and shut out the rest of the world completely.
It might have lasted only minutes or perhaps hours. She really didn’t know if time mattered anymore. Their tongues dueled while their bodies joined in a dance she knew millions of couples had engaged in for more time than she could imagine. Yet it felt new to her, as if they’d shared something no one else ever had before.
She came suddenly and without warning. One second, she was enjoying the pleasure Kieran gave to her, and the next, she exploded around him. Stars flashed before her eyes, colors danced on the ceiling, and her core wept. She cried out his name, her muscles spasming again and again.
Yes, this was pleasure. This was right. This was…Kieran.
He called out her name, and she heard it dimly as her mind refused to function properly through her haze of pleasure.
Any time Kieran felt up for sex, she was game.
***
Awareness came back to her slowly. She stared up at the ceiling of Kieran’s frat house room. He lay next to her, not moving, although she knew he was awake because his eyes were open, staring up at the ceiling too.
“I think there’s something wrong?”
She pulled his covers up to shield her breasts. What did he mean wrong. “Come again?”
“With me. There is something off with me.” He shook his head.
Her heart rate kicked up. Had she hurt him during sex? He was human; she was a werewolf. Had she been too rough? She had never engaged in savage sex, but then again, she’d been trying to lose herself in the moment. Maybe she hadn’t held back quite enough.
“Do you need a doctor?”
“No.” He stood up, and she got a good look at his naked ass and the marks she’d made on his back while he crossed the room to put his boxer shorts. “I need to do a little family history on myself. Some genealogy, if you will. Figure out if I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
“You’re not making any sense.” She hated the tears in her voice. “Did I do something wrong?”
His gaze turned to her, and he stayed silent for a second before he answered. “Why would you think you had?”
“Because we just did what we did, and you’re acting…different.”
Kieran shook his head. “Did you need to be held or something?”
Well, shit, that would have been nice. “No, I mean I’m not some sappy girl.” She stood up and grabbed her clothes off the floor. Lucky for her, he wasn’t a werewolf, so he couldn’t tell her scent changed with the lie. “Just forget it. Go get your family history or whatever. I’ve got things to do. Spying on Mellee.”
“Great.” He smiled before he pulled her into his arms. “Come back here, and I’ll make it worth your while. I have lots of positions I’d love to try with you.”
He was so all over the place.
***
She walked through the dark, keeping to lighted areas as she went. As a werewolf, she could defend herself, but she kept up her pretenses. Most women stayed alert on college campuses; even the safe locations could be dangerous in the dark.
The longer she knew Kieran, the less he made sense. Frat boy who hated the Greek life. Plotter who would take the time to get his fraternity brothers to flirt with her to pay back Mellee even though it didn’t particularly advance his plan. Hot, caring lover who became a senseless dope the second they were out of bed. What. The. Fuck.
She stared down at her phone. It was a silly impulse, but she had no one else to ask. She texted the ROAR hotline again. Can I trust him?
Not entirely. Came the reply. Or at least not yet. Why don’t you ask him? He’ll have to tell if you do. Tell him you wish to know his true nature. Use those words. Good luck. Not everything is always clear. The future is fluid. –Hui and Min.
Well, she didn’t know who Hui and Min were, but they’d certainly given her something to ponder. What did “not yet” mean, and how did she get him to tell her about his true nature?
Why can’t anything be simple?
Her phone beeped, and she looked at the new message. The best things in life never are.
She gasped. How had they known what she thought?
A few minutes later, she arrived at the sorority house. No one would speak to her, but she had to get some info on Mellee, or Kieran would find her useless. Her stomach tightened. She dreaded the thought. He should want to have her around.
Focus. She gritted her teeth. They were two weeks from the full moon. This had to all be taken care of before then, or she would lose her shit and end up killing Mellee during the shift.
Alex had never killed anyone. She didn’t need to start.
Three of the sisters stood on the steps of the House. They weren’t the ones who followed Mellee around.
“Hey.” A tall blonde named Cara stood up. “Alex.”
Alex took a deep breath. She hadn’t been ready for a fight, which was a mistake. She should always be prepared to go at it. “Hi.”
Two other girls stood up. All three of them had blonde hair. Were there an inordinate amount of werewolves who were blondes? She’d never thought about it before.
“You’re bracing as if we’re about to attack you.” Cara stepped forward. “We’re not. I swear. I actually want to apologize to you.”
“You do?” She didn’t trust this, not for a second. This could all be a play, a game to get her to let them close, and then—wham—they’d hit her when she least expected it. She paused. When had she started thinking exactly the same as Kieran? Other than getting herself to Tide to get into Lambda, she’d never plotted anything in her life. Now, she saw conspiracy everywhere she looked.
“Mellee doesn’t speak for the whole sisterhood. Personally, I had no idea what your mother had done. I asked my mom a few nights ago, and she explained it. The way I see it, if we’re living around humans, then sometimes we’ll behave the same as them. She needed to make her own decisions about her life. I say, ‘good for her.’”
The other two sisters nodded their heads as if they agreed with Cara’s statement.
“Um. Thanks. I’m not my mother. I only want my chance. I’ve never had pack.” Alex looked away before she could get emotional. She didn’t smell anything but the sweet easy scent of truth in the air. It carried with it the faintest aroma of peppermint.
“Right. Well, keep your head up. Mellee is all right. I mean, don’t get me wrong, she’s a really big fucking bitch, but most of the time her heart is in the right place. With you, her issues were bound to be a problem.”
Alex’s heart rate kicked up a notch. “Specifically with me?”
The three women looked at one another. There was something unspoken happening, but Alex didn’t push her luck. Any wrong move and she wouldn’t get the information she needed. “Sure, well, what happened with her mother.”
Alex walked to the steps and stood directly in front of Cara. “What about her?”
“Well, you’re related. She’s your cousin. And when your mother fled pack, she destroyed the standing for the entire family. Things are just finally getting back in order.”
Alex’s feet felt as if they had frozen to the ground. “What? I…I….”
Cara’s eyes widened. “You didn’t know?”
“No. My mother didn’t ever talk about her family. The second she left the pack to be with my father, they disowned her. I have no idea if I have anyone on either side of my family.”
“Really?” Cara put her hands on her hips. “I don’t think Mellee knows you don’t. I think she thinks you are aware of your connection to her.”
A sudden thought dawned on Alex. Did Kieran know this? Could he be aware? She pushed her dilemma away. She’d find out later. She had to gather more information while there was someone around to give it her.
“Should I tell her I didn’t know? Do you think it would help things?”
Cara sucked in her breath. “Maybe I should tell her. Between stressing about you and hiding the fact her parents’ marriage is falling apart—they can’t let anyone in the public eye know—she’s under a great deal of stress.”
She stiffened her spine. Cara had just given her info she could give to Kieran. So why didn’t she feel wonderful about it? Her stomach turned. This was blackmail; this was the deal she’d made. He would help her, and she would give him info on Mellee.
Except Mellee was her cousin. Did it matter? Was Alex the kind of person who could betray family? Could she even consider the horrible woman family?
Mellee certainly didn’t treat Alex with any consideration. Just the opposite, actually.
Alex’s cell phone beeped, and she looked down at it. A message from Kieran waited for her. Come back. I want you again.
Life was always so fucking complicated.