Page 3 of Beta's Virgin Bride

“She’s just fine, Simon,” Cyan finally answered, his voice a deep, husky timbre that sent chills skating to all the wrong places.

“How long do you think you’ll be gone?” Simon asked. “In case Bas asks.”

Cyan laughed again. “The only thing he’ll ask is for everyone to steer clear while he claims his mate.” His palm cupped my ass, giving it a squeeze. “A feeling I understand.”

A feeling he…? Oh, hell no! Hell to the no!

“Yeah, that’s a big no from me. Put me down, and trot back inside to heel to your alpha. Better yet, trot back in and drag your alpha out of here. I’ll do the same with Raina, and we’ll all be on our merry way.”

His palm disappeared then fell in a brief smack that had me tensing in surprise. It didn’t hurt, but still. He’d spanked my ass.

“I said put me down!”

His fingers flexed against my bottom, and I growled again. “If you whack me one more time, I’m going to bite you.”

His fingers caressed over the spot he’d smacked, and I shook my head to dislodge the vision of him doing the same when I was naked. Shit! I needed to hold on to my anger and shut away all those goosebumps and lustful thoughts.

“We’ll both do some biting before the night’s over,” Cyan promised. “Now, behave. Simon, stay here, and wait on Bas and Raina. My mate and I will head back to base later.”

“I’m not your mate!” I yelled and slapped his ass a lot harder than he’d tapped me. I heard several snickers and realized belatedly that most of the bar’s patrons loitered in the parking lot. Wolves were interwoven with them, and I realized several of Cyan’s pack mates had shifted into their animal skins. I still read the amusement from them, as well. I bit back the rest of the angry words hovering on my tongue. The last thing I needed was to make a spectacle of myself.

“Yet,” Cyan vowed then continued talking to Simon. “Don’t call me unless it’s an emergency. Understood?”

“Sure thing.” Simon peeked around at me again. “Ma’am.”

Cyan began walking, and I swayed against his shoulder. Asphalt turned to gravel, and I knew we were headed to the back lot, which wasn’t where I’d parked.

“My car’s back there.” I pointed behind us then shook my head at my stupidity. He couldn’t see me.

“You won’t need it.”

“Of course, I’ll need it. When I head home. Which is where I’m going once you put me down and I make sure Raina’s all right.”

“She’s fine.”

“So says you, and your opinion doesn’t matter to me.”

He laughed, the sound deep and rich. I felt the vibration of it in his chest and back. And damn it! It was sexy as hell. Whatever was happening, I needed to end it soon. Very soon. Before I ended up begging him to do something that would change both our lives.

“You’re making me dizzy. Put me down. Please.” I tacked on the last word, hoping it would sway him.

“If I slide you down my body, I’m going to hold you so your only option is to wrap your legs around my waist. Once we get to that point, clothes will come off quickly, and I’ll be balls deep in your tight, little pussy. Though the outcome’s inevitable, I’d rather not put on a show for anyone else to enjoy.”

I bit back the moan ready to spill from my lips. His words shouldn’t make me hot, but they did. It was going to take every bit of my self-control to fight both him and the desire he brought to life inside me.

“No comment to that?” Cyan questioned, but I kept my lips firmly sealed. After that comment, there was nothing I could say that wouldn’t come across as a challenge. At least, that was my assumption. I’d made a point of finding out as much as I could about the James pack as soon as I knew the Rigton elders planned to approach them. I made it a point to know anything that might impact me and my baby sister, Jasmine. Now, I tried to remind myself of several valid points.

A—I was consorting with the enemy right now. After the bullshit my best friend, Raina, had shared with me, this man and his alpha were enemies. It seemed the elders approach to obtaining new leadership for our pack had been to offer Raina on the marriage block, without consulting the woman first. Once upon a time, things like that had happened. Planned matings to form alliances. But not anymore. Not in a long fucking time. And it wasn’t happening this time, either. Raina had come to me for help, and I’d do everything I could to give it to her.

B—Though I knew things about the James pack in general, I knew nothing personal about Cyan. My sex drive was revving high, urging me to lie back, bend over, or fall to my knees, but that was sex. If my mother had taught me anything in life, it was the difference between sex and love. Cyan had mentioned the “m” word. Mate? Me? What the ever-loving hell? Who took one look at another person and decided they were the one? Not a normal person; that was for sure.

C—No matter what my body urged and he desired, I had more than myself to think of. I had Jasmine. My baby sister hadn’t had the best beginning in life, and God knew she’d turned my world upside down from the moment she’d arrived. I wouldn’t have it any other way. From the moment, I’d cradled her in my arms, I’d discovered what true love was, the kind that was unbreakable. From the moment her little hand had wrapped around my finger and held tight, Jasmine had been mine.

I’d been just shy of seventeen when Jasmine had been born, and I’d had no clue how to take care of a baby. Our mother had left shortly after bringing Jasmine home, and my baby sister had needed me. So I’d stepped up, and our alpha, Raina’s brother Rowan, and Raina had been there for me every step of the way. They’d kept me sane at a time when my life had been in complete chaos.

A year later, when Raina had gone off to college, Rowan and I had gotten even closer, mostly out of our misery over missing Raina. Though many had suspected there was more to our relationship, we’d never been anything but friends. No, that’s not true. We’d been family. He’d taken Jasmine and me into his life as if he were our big brother. He’d watched over and protected us. I hadn’t realized just how much until he was no longer there to do so.

Rowan. God, I missed him. We’d lost him far too soon in a freak accident. He’d been checking on some of our elder members when his truck’s back tires had blown. Those who’d been there said it had rolled five times before landing on the roof. Then it had caught fire. It gave me nightmares to think of him dying in such a horrific way. Those thoughts sobered me up, draining the booze and the lust out of me.

---