Page 3 of Cruel Alpha Beast
Before I know it, Sawyer reaches down between us, his hands working quickly to undo the fly of my shorts. Years of torment and tension start slipping away as he touches my tender entrance. I stifle a moan against his jaw, struggling to keep my knees from giving out.
Though I always had an idea that Sawyer was fighting his feelings for me, I never thought I would find myself lying in the grass by the lake, feeling his body move so effortlessly with mine. I never thought he would be the one to take my virginity, nor did I think I could make him howl with pleasure toward the moon.
And yet, moments later, I find myself breathlessly staring up at the sky, Sawyer’s naked form at my side. His body is still hot, despite the cold grass under our bodies. He rolls onto his side and throws an arm over my body.
“Wow,” I whisper, still coming down from the waves of pleasure. “I can’t believe you’re taking me as a mate.”
Sawyer’s body suddenly goes rigid against mine. “What?”
I look over at him, hoping he didn’t hear me. “You just mated with me. I’ve wanted this for years, but I never thought—”
“We’re not mates, Lacey,” he says forcefully. “What just happened was… Well, it was something that needed to happen, but we’re nottogether.”
“S-so, that was…?” I’m so upset, I can’t even string together a sentence. “You don’t…?”
“This wasnothing,” he says plainly.
Mouth running dry, I quickly reach for my discarded clothes. Hot tears fall yet again as I throw my shirt over my head.
“You’re such a dick!” I shout, not caring that my shirt is on inside-out.
I can hear his voice calling out after me as I start running. I don’t even know where I’m going, but I know I can’t stay here. I’ll never be able to face him again. Not after this.
And so, I make a break for the trees, stumbling over rocks and sticks. Low branches whip at my body, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop.
Not until I heard the chanting. Shadows dance over the glow of a fire as I close in on the clearing. A group of young women is gathered here. Some hold hands as they chant, others swirl magical colors from their hands as they twirl before the fire. A young woman with honey-colored hair sits off to the side, merely watching.
For a moment, I forget everything that’s happened. I’m entranced by the sights before me. These must be witches.
“Who are you?”
I turn and find another woman with honey-colored hair coming up to me, a bulb of blue fire in the palm of her hand.
“I-I’m sorry, I—”
But before I can find the words, the other woman, identical to the one with the flame, rises to her feet and walks over.
“Danielle, she’s special,” she says quietly.
Danielle lowers the flame and looks at her twin. “What do you mean, Monroe?”
“She’s a shifter,” Monroe says slowly. “But she’sdifferent. I can feel it.”
I go to explain as best I can, but Danielle stares at me, taking in my face.
“You look distressed.” Her voice is softer now, the bulb of fire extinguished. “There must be something my coven can do to help…”
My whole life, I’ve been taught to stay away from witches. That they’re all evil. But Danielle and her sister have already been kinder to me than anyone else.
I nod my head and take Danielle’s hands, drifting deeper into the clearing.
Chapter 1 - Lacey
Five Years Later
“Ten…nine…eight…” I count down slowly, my fingers woven together over my eyes.
Three sets of feet pitter-patter on the wooden floor of our house. Peeking through the space between my fingers, I can vaguely see the shapes of Danielle and Monroe ushering the small girl toward the nearest curtain.
