Page 4 of Her Grumpy Alpha

I tumbled headfirst into the never-ending abyss of pleasure, drowning in the glorious warmth that was consuming me more by the moment. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t get anywhere near enough air into my lungs, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to feel this gorgeousness forever.

The orgasm truly was overwhelming. I hadn’t ever experienced anything like that before. It completely swept me off my feet, and I never wanted this to end. James tightened his grip on me, holding me close as I convulsed underneath him. My cries filled the room, and he followed suit, letting loose a low, raw groan as he too succumbed to the force of our passion. Together, we collapsed onto the soft couch cushions, our breath still heavy from the most mind-blowing encounter I had ever experienced in my whole damn life.

Wow, I thought headily to myself as I tried to come to terms with that. Just wow…

The morning sun broke through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room, and I couldn’t help but smile as I stretched in bed. The night had been a whirlwind of excitement and chemistry with James at the beach party, and we’d shared a connection that felt electric.

I rose from the bed, taking a moment to appreciate the cozy beachside bedroom where we’d ended up after the party, James’ room. The sounds of the ocean waves and the chirping of birds filled the air, creating a serene which was just wonderful.

I could stay here forever, I thought happily to myself. This is my heaven.

Unfortunately, as James reentered the room, he didn’t look like he had the same thought on his mind. His serious expression was a stark contrast to the charming, laid-back demeanor I’d experienced the night before.

“Morning,” I greeted him with a tentative smile. James acknowledged me with a nod, but the tension in the room was palpable. We had shared passionate kisses and lighthearted laughter, but now it felt like a different story. “Is everything alright?”

“I just…” He sighed heavily. “I wanted a break from everything, and I can’t get it. Even here.”

“From the sawmill?” I asked in confusion, but I could immediately tell that wasn’t it. There was more, and for some reason, he was hesitant to tell me. “Come on, James. We shared a lot last night.” I was trying to lighten the atmosphere, but I didn’t think he was getting it. His frown seemed to deepen if anything. “You can tell me.”

“You don’t understand. understand. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Why?” I snapped, now a little irritated. Who was he to assume that I wouldn’t understand something? “I’m not stupid. If you want to explain something to me, then I’m sure I’ll understand it.”

“I’m not saying that,” James began, his voice tinged with annoyance. “You’re being incredibly stubborn here for no reason. I don’t need to talk about it, that’s all.”

I raised an eyebrow, my own irritation intensifying. “Stubborn? That’s one way to put it. I’d prefer ‘independent.’. Or just not thick. I’m not stupid and I don’t appreciate being treated that way.”

Where was the kind guy that I had met the night before? The one who stared at me adoringly and spoke to me like I was a precious princess? In the cold light of morning, that had all but vanished, and I didn’t know why. I couldn’t put my finger on what had changed, because he was sweet to me on the beach as well.

Unless he’d gotten everything he wanted from me and was done… Urgh.

James let out an exasperated sigh. “It’s nothing to do with you. I don’t need to be challenged when I’m talking about my real life, you know?”

“So, I’m not real life to you?” I guessed he isn’t to me either. It was just a holiday fling, but it still hurt to be treated that way. I started to dress myself in a hurry, regretting everything. “That’s lovely, that is. I wasn’t trying to challenge you, I was trying to help. I was being nice. You ever heard of that?”

“Well, maybe I don’t need help with this, because it's something… strange.”

I grabbed my bag as he threw his hands in the air in frustration. I chucked my panties in there, glad that I at least had my dress on. “Well, good, because you’re not getting my help now. I’m leaving.” I rolled my eyes. “I don’t care how ‘strange’ your life is. Just leave me out of it.”

“You don’t need to be like that,” he called after me, but it was too late. I slammed the door behind me as I stalked out of the room. I was not going to turn back. Mostly because I didn’t want him to see me getting upset. I was not going to cry in front of a man I didn’t know. Just because we slept together, that didn’t have to mean a thing.

But the tears started to fall inside the elevator anyway because I felt stupid. I got so caught up in the magic that I really started to believe that there could be something there. More than just a physical connection. I guess I was so busy looking for a way out of my real life that I would connect to anything, and we really did have fun.

But my judgement was clearly wrong, and he was an asshole, so I couldn’t let this feeling continue. The way he spoke to me then was not on. It was good that we were leaving. Much as I didn’t really want to get back to Memphis, I didn’t want to be in Cancun any longer, either. I was done with all of it. It was too much for me.

Holiday flings were not as fun as movies made them out to be. Thank God there was no way I would ever see James again in my life. His ‘real life’ was worlds away from mine, and I didn’t want anything to do with it. Ever.

TWO

JAMES

The roar of the sawmill engines faded into the distance as I made my way from my workplace toward Maple Creek town for a much-needed lunch break. The weight of my responsibilities as the leader of the Blackpaws was always present in the back of my mind, a constant presence that demanded my attention and focus.

Things had been better recently. The disputes between the clans over territory had momentarily subsided as we all banded together to protect one another and the humans in town as well. But recent events had endangered all of us, and we couldn’t worry about the issues of the past any longer. A rogue wolf had tried to kill us all, and it reminded us that we all needed one another.

As I drove along the winding mountain roads, Abraham, my trusted Beta, sat beside me. He was a man of few words, but his wisdom and support were invaluable to me. I needed someone I could trust, someone who shared my vision for the Blackpaws and the broader clan dynamics.

“Abraham,” I began, breaking the silence that had settled between us. “What do you think is going to happen next? Do you think the treaty will hold because of what happened this year?”

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