Chapter 10: Chapter 10

RAGE

~What are you waiting for?~ my wolf growled. ~Do it. Dammit, do it.~

My wolf was the devil on my shoulder, the bad influence we all had bottled up inside of us somewhere. He never made rational decisions, which was why an alpha wolf needed a rational human.

I was rational. ~Mostly~.

Sometimes I wanted to rip through that shield that held me apart from younger wolves, which helped me make good decisions. Not all wolves had one, but I liked to think mine was thick enough to make a good alpha king one day.

Like now. I had Everlee straddled on my lap, her mouth a hairbreadth away from my own, and my wolf wanted me to make the first move. Well, he wanted me to do a lot more than move.

He wanted me to sink so far into Everlee that she would forget that ~other~ wolf ever existed.

I couldn’t.

I needed her to do it.

Ultimately, when she made her decision, I didn’t want her to think I coerced her into anything. I wanted authentic feelings, one that would root inside of her, and not let go.

The ones that would win me Everlee Allaire, and we could forget about Harlan What’s-His-Name. When her pretty mouth opened, and she whispered, “Word,” my resolve snapped.

I brought her closer, slowly pressing my mouth against hers, though I fought myself on being rough. I wanted to be ~so, so rough~, but I needed to ease her into this.

I’d know if she wanted more. A desperate plea flooded from her mouth in a hushed cry of frustration.

Everlee parted her mouth, rolling her hips into mine, my fingers tightened into her hair, and I involuntarily smacked my palm against her ass, eating the soft groan she dished into my mouth.

She was perfect.

The world melted into mush around me.

My wolf paced in anticipation of meeting hers again.

And my life would never be complete until I had her completely to myself. I hated that I promised not to fight Harlan. I needed to fight him. To wound him. To throw him off her radar. To bring him down a peg, where he belonged. Kissing her, touching her—I knew right then that Everlee had to end up with me.

There wasn’t another option.

I promised my father I wouldn’t fight him, and I had to keep it. Alphas always kept their promises, and better yet, you don’t break a promise to the alpha king.

“Oh God,” she whispered into my mouth.

I smiled into our kiss, helping her roll her hips against mine, and I knew she felt how badly I wanted her, there was no denying it, not with her sweetness resting against the hard bulge lying in-between my legs.

Sliding my tongue into her mouth, she tangled one hand into the collar of my T-shirt, and the other into my hair. The pressure building inside of me felt out-of-control, and everything quickly became so much that I wasn’t sure I could stop.

Everlee kissed me deeper, her thighs squeezing against my hips, rocking back and forth against me. I tugged harder on her hair, suddenly smelling her want, and knowing where everything was going.

Pulling back, I buried my face into her neck, and the scent made my eyes roll back in my head. I pressed a soft kiss to the pulsing vein, and slowly licked up her skin, biting the curve of her jaw, once, twice, and then sliding my tongue over each mark my teeth left on her skin.

She let out a breathy sigh and squeezed her thighs against my waist. “I’m sorry.”

I laughed aloud. “For ~what~?” I asked, searching her perfect hazel eyes. “I only pulled away because if I touched you anymore I wouldn’t be able to control myself. We promised no marking until you choose, and with you like this,” I gestured toward my lap, “I won’t be able to stop myself.”

Everlee blushed as if she hadn’t realized she sat on top of me and carefully climbed down. “Oh God, I’m embarrassed. This is why I was scared to come in here.”

“Hey,” I said, reaching forward and touching her cheek. “No need to be embarrassed. We’re mates. It’s natural for us. My wolf is partly satisfied at the moment, but it won’t last long.”

She nodded quickly. “I know the feeling,” she whispered. “I guess I need to get back to my dorm room. I’m supposed to eat dinner with Bryiar, and study.”

“Is Bryiar your roommate?”

“Yeah, and my best friend.”

“I’d love to meet her.”

Everlee cringed. “Well, Bryiar has been dreaming of mating with the alpha king’s son since birth, pretty much. We were both shocked when you came to me at the party.”

The title of the alpha king was what she wanted. Most of the she-wolves on campus had flung themselves at me once or twice, but it wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t care about the status or the girls. I wanted my luna.

“Maybe we’ll wait a bit then?” I suggested.

She chuckled. “Good idea.” Turning toward the door, she turned back and glanced at me. “Thank you…~for the tour~?”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing at her nerves. She’d just been on my lap, we’d been dry humping each other, and now she was embarrassed. “Right. Here,” I said, pulling out a Post-It from my desk drawer. I scribbled down my number. “You can call me. Text. And just know, I’m ready to see you again already.”

She smiled and tucked the note into her jeans pocket. “Good. I’ll see you soon.”

Everlee left the room, and I fell back onto my desk chair, rubbing my face with my palms, trying to shake away the urge to go push her against the wall and kiss her again.

~You stopped,~ my wolf complained. ~I can’t believe you stopped. You had her right there. ~

~You heard the promise I made my dad. I can’t mark her.~

~You could have gone much further than that without marking her. ~

~Bastard,~ I spit. ~Stop pressuring her. ~

Someone walked into my doorjamb and clapped three times. I knew it was Derek before looking. “The alpha king breaking down his mate. I’m shocked. She seemed so ~friendly~ with her other mate just yesterday.”

I stood up slowly, towering over Derek, who never seemed phased. We’d been friends since freshman year when we had to share a room. “Funny,” I said walking over to grab my gym bag. “Do you need something? I need to lift, ease some of this tension.”

He waited for me at the door and followed me down the hallway. “I’m here to do your bidding. All the girls you pulled for me over the years, you deserve some help.”

I chuckled, jogging down the stairs. “Help with ~what~ exactly? I found my mate.”

Derek stepped in front of me once we made it to the lobby. “You’ve found her, but obviously you haven’t hooked her, Rage. You’re just one of two boys she could end up with. Doesn’t that worry you?”

~He had no idea. ~

“I can’t force her.”

He sliced his hand through the air, and shook his head, a strand of chocolate hair fell into his eyes. “Of course not. This has nothing to do with Everlee, and everything to do with your competition.”

I stalled. “What does that mean, Derek?”

He gave me a cheesy smile. “It means I’m going to find a way to tear down your competition. Find his weakness. It’s all we need to push you over the line.”

“Seriously Derek?” I asked. “You think I need you to tear down Harlan to win? Wow, the faith you have in me.” I shoved past him and turned on my heel. “You’re not going anywhere near him. I don’t need your help winning her, and I’m not a cheat.”

Derek sighed dramatically. “Rage. She has ties to this guy. They grew up together. Don’t you get it? She was linked to him before this. You’re already losing. You’ve started in last place.”

My fingers curled around the strap of my bag, and I felt my eyes dilate. My wolf didn’t want to hear any of it. “Ever isn’t the type of girl to go for the guy that had to beat everyone down to get to the top.”

“You just met her.”

“~And~ I already know,” I snapped. “Leave it alone. Don’t make me have to tell you again. I’m tired of it.”

Derek put his palms up in surrender. “Fine. Have fun losing your mate to a lycan.”

My wolf snapped to attention, pushing Derek to the outside of the grand staircase, my forearm against his neck. Derek’s eyes glistened black. “I don’t know what ~the hell~ your problem is,” I said carefully, “but I suggest you get over it quickly.”

“Everything okay out here?” Brett, the alpha’s president, stepped around the corner, from the gym.

I dropped my arm. “Everything is fine,” I said, grabbing my bag from the floor. I stalked toward the gym. Derek took a big breath once I made it a few feet away, and I heard Brett checking on him.

The audacity of the bastard. To question me on cheating my way into winning my mate? I wanted to gain Ever’s trust, her love, and I wouldn’t get it by tearing Harlan down.

As badly as I wanted to tear him down.

I slung my gym bag and sat down to put on my tennis shoes. The door to the gym opened, and Brett walked over. “Everything okay?” he asked.

I didn’t bother looking up. He knew I was pissed. “Yeah, Derek’s trying to persuade me into letting him tear Harlan down, find a weakness. I don’t like that. I can win my mate without making him look bad.”

“I get it, Dude. He was just trying to help. You two are friends.”

I sighed and shoved my other shoes into my bag before tossing it into the corner. “I know.”

Brett sat down on the floor mat in front of me and started stretching. “What are you going to do? I mean, the dude knew her first. What’s your plan?”

I placed both fists on my upper thighs and sighed. “Hell if I know.”

He chuckled. “What’s the alpha king saying about it?”

“Dad expects me to win my mate,” I said matter-of-factly. “There isn’t any losing in his eyes. You know his expectations of me.”

“Exactly,” he said. “Maybe Derek isn’t too far off. You don’t want to tear this Harlan guy down, but you could make a place to woo her.”

“Woo her?” I asked, with a half-hearted laugh. “That’s what I’m trying to do. Be kind, but an alpha.”

He smiled. “~Exactly~. Girls, wolves or not, love a man that takes charge. You have to step up your game and show her you’re the right choice.”

“I’m trying, like you said, she’s linked to Harlan already. They grew up like siblings. She’s comfortable with him.”

Brett stood up and smiled. “Right. Like a brother. She has no indication of you as a sibling. Use that. Use the new factor. The ability to treat her like a lady but draw out everything her wolf wants in a mate.”

“A protector,” I said, standing with him. “A lover.”

“An alpha king.”