Page 35 of Alpha's Promise

Landon's hand brushed against hers as they unloaded her things, each touch sparking an electric current, a connection deeper than she could have imagined. In the privacy of his room, surrounded by the rugged simplicity of his world, Dakota felt a sense of rightness envelop her.

"Ready for the next step?" Landon's eyes held a glint of something wild and untamed as he spoke of shifting, his excitement contagious.

"I think so," Dakota replied, her heart a drumbeat echoing through the quiet room.

“What do you say we go for a run… just the two of us?”

“Do you think we can?”

“I do. First, close your eyes and focus on your own being. Listen to your breathing and the beat of your heart. Find your quiet center and look for your she-wolf. She will be there waiting…”

He guided her through the process of shifting from woman to wolf and back again. His instructions were a soothing cadence that eased her nerves. And then, with the grace of one born to it, Dakota felt her form change, the world reshaping itself as a swirling mist rose up around her and instinct took over.

The sensation was nothing short of miraculous. Her senses sharpened, every scent and sound magnifying. Beside her, Landon shifted, too, his wolf form powerful and majestic. Landon led her out of their room, down the stairs and through the back door, stepping out into the moonlight. With a joyful bark, Landon nipped her flank, play-bowed to her, and then galloped off into the night. Every instinct within Dakota urged her to follow, and she acquiesced, surrendering control to her she-wolf.

The cool night air tingled against Dakota’s fur as she stood on the ridge, her heart pounding from exhilaration. She glanced at Landon, his wolf form towering and sleek, his amber eyesglowing like twin lanterns in the moonlight. For the first time, she truly understood what it meant to feel alive—not just human and alive, but something deeper, primal, and free.

‘Let’s see what you’ve got,’Landon’s voice echoed in her mind, his flirtatious challenge unmistakable. Without waiting for a response, he bolted down the hill, his paws kicking up a spray of loose earth as he disappeared into the dark meadowland below.

Dakota hesitated before following, her movements clumsy at first. She stumbled, adjusting to the unfamiliar balance of four legs instead of two, but the instincts that had been buried deep within her surged to the surface. Within seconds, she was flying across the terrain, her paws gliding over the ground with growing confidence.

Landon slowed just enough to let her catch up, his form a blur of sable and silver weaving effortlessly between the trees. The night came alive around them—the scrunch of leaves underfoot, the distant hoot of an owl, and the scent of pine mingling with the musky aroma of the earth. Every sound, every smell, every sensation was amplified, flooding Dakota’s senses in a way that was both overwhelming and intoxicating.

She barked, a joyful, triumphant sound, and leapt over a fallen log, her body soaring effortlessly through the air. Landon turned his head to glance at her, and she swore there was pride in his gaze.‘Not bad for a first-timer,’she heard him say in her mind.

‘I’m just getting started,’she shot back, the words ringing with newfound confidence.

She charged ahead, her she-wolf cutting through the forest like a shadow. For the first time in years, perhaps her life, she was free of the secrets, the loss, the loneliness. She wasn’t running away from anything tonight. She was runningtoward something: freedom, belonging, and the wild, untamed connection she felt with Landon.

When they finally stopped at the edge of a stream, their breath came out in white puffs, mingling with the mist rising off the water. Landon stepped closer, nudging her shoulder with his muzzle, a silent acknowledgment of her triumph.

‘You’re a natural,’he said, his tone softer now, the teasing gone.

Dakota gazed at the moon’s reflection in the water. She felt the warmth of his presence beside her, the steady thrum of his heartbeat in sync with her own. In this form, she wasn’t just Dakota Westwood, the woman with a past full of unanswered questions. She was something more.

‘I think I was always meant to be this,’she murmured.

‘You were,’Landon replied.‘And now you are.’

The night stretched on, a tapestry woven with threads of mystery and moonlight, the bond between her and Landon growing stronger with every heartbeat. It was an exploration of shadows and understanding, a slow burn of connection that promised more—an uncharted path they would explore together.

As dawn approached, painting the horizon with streaks of amber and gold, Dakota and Landon returned to their room, shifting back, taking a shower, and falling into bed.

She woke to find Landon rolling on top of her, nuzzling her and nudging her legs apart before settling himself between her thighs.

"Claim me," she whispered against his lips, her voice laced with need and certainty. They had been moving towards this since she first arrived at the ranch, two souls inexorably drawn together by a force neither fully understood.

Landon's response was a growl that vibrated through them both, an affirmation that resonated with the depth of hisdesire. His eyes, dark pools of emotion, locked onto hers as he shifted his weight, bracing himself above her. She could feel the intensity of his gaze, piercing and possessive, yet filled with an the promise of protection and belonging.

Dakota’s nipples were pebbled and incredibly sensitive. The callouses on his hands spoke of a life lived working for a living. He was no trust fund college boy. This was a serious cowboy, with serious intentions and what felt like an incredibly serious cock.

“Are you sure?”

Landon kissed her like he couldn’t get enough, nibbling gently on her lower lip before giving it a sharp nip that she felt rocket from her mouth in a straight line to her pussy. He was sex on a stick, and he wanted her… She wanted him in a way she had never wanted what’s his name.

She couldn’t find the words, so she did the only thing she could think to do; she relaxed and melted against him, rubbing herself on the muscled thigh between her legs. Her hands moved up to his shoulders so she could steady herself, but she knew in her soul he would never let her fall. His hand slipped between them.

Her sex was dripping with desire, aching for his touch. He pinned her to the bed and ravished her mouth with his hungry kisses, trailing down her jaw and neck until he reached her breasts. With expert skill, he teased and pleasured her soft flesh, flicking his tongue over her sensitive nipples, causing her body to tremble with need.

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