The Alphas' Bliss (8 page)

Bliss

I
walked the path down through the garden to my favorite spot, a large apple tree. I’d sit for hours in the summer and read on the bench beneath it. It would drive Mother and Father crazy because they hated me being out in the daylight. But, as I tried explaining to them, if I wouldn’t be able to be out in the sun after my transition, I wanted to absorb as much of it as I could now.

I sat, pulling my knees up to my chin. I felt the now familiar but different buzz run through my blood that told me Devin was near. I sighed. I turned my head to the left, resting my cheek on my knees and there he was, striding up to my bench, like he didn’t have a worry in the world. He reached out, running his thumb across my cheek, lightly, down to my lip where he lingered for a moment before pulling back.

“What are you doing here Devin?”

He sat, crossing one knee over the other. “I came to talk to your guardians. I should have been notified when that mark appeared on your skin.”

“They didn’t know it was your mark,” I defended them.

“No, but they knew the crescent was the sign of the Wolf. They should have contacted me to find out what pack had the sun mark. I would have come for you Bliss,” he sounded sad but also a bit angry.

“I wouldn’t have come willingly with you, Devin. Wolves tried to kill me. I won’t trust them again easily, and that includes you,” I stared at the house where I could see shadows walking to and fro behind the curtains. I wondered if Micha was still fighting with Henry and Bethell.

“Tell me Bliss, when Micha takes you, do your eyes turn blue, do you feel the need to bite?”

I turned to look at him. The question surprised and embarrassed me. I could feel the heat turning my cheeks red. “That’s none of your business Devin Richardson.”

He grabbed my left hand and ran his thumb over the mark that made me his. It was making the buzz in my body stronger and making me pant. I was growing wet between my thighs.

“Oh but it is Bliss. I’d like to know if my mate is half wolf or not.”

I pulled my hand free, getting up from the bench. I paced a few feet away from him. “Will it make a difference if I am?” I didn’t wait for him to answer the question. “Go to the house and speak to my guardians if that’s what you came here for, but I’m not answering that question.”

“What question?” Micha asked coming out from the shadows to stand next to Devin. I looked at them standing so close together. They were opposite ends of a spectrum. One light, one dark. Both devastatingly handsome. Both were going to be the death of my sanity. The buzzing in my blood was in overdrive. It made my skin feel alive. I rubbed my arms to help alleviate the sensation but it wasn’t working. My panties grew wetter, my nipples pebbled. God, what the hell was wrong with me?

Devin gave me that bad boy grin. “I wanted to know if my mate was half wolf, so I asked if when you made love to her, do her eyes turn blue and if she felt the need to bite you. I don’t see any fresh bite marks on you but you guys heal so damn fast I can’t tell.” Devin continued to surreptitiously inspect Micha’s neck. I just shook my head.

“I don’t make love to Bliss,” Micha answered honestly. Again, I felt my face heating up. Jesus, could nothing stay private?

Devin shook his head. “Ok, well, when you fuck her, do her eyes turn blue?”

Before I knew what I was doing, I’d walked up to him and slapped him across the face. My palm print glowed against his skin. “You are a pig, Devin Richardson.” The buzz under my skin picked up tempo and I felt my nails extend. I also felt the prick of my fangs into my bottom lip. I was furious. I wanted to rip him apart. I could feel my heart beating, the tempo loud in my ears. I was shaking with rage.

Micha’s arms came around me, holding me tight, his lips at my temple. Devin smiled at me, his eyes shining bright. “I’ll be damned,” he said quietly, watching me closely.

“Shh, sweetheart, just breathe, calm down. Yeah, he’s a bastard but you don’t have to tear him apart.” Micha whispered huskily into my ear.

I looked down at my hands and black claws tipped each finger. I growled. Did that sound just come from me? I looked over at Devin. His eyes were still that shiny blue and he was still smiling, which infuriated me. “I want to tear your throat out,” I told him angrily but my voice was deeper, more guttural. It didn’t sound like me at all.

“I know baby and it makes me so damn happy.”

I lunged for him, claws extended. If it weren’t for Micha’s iron clad arms around me I would have grabbed Devin and torn into him. His very presence was pissing me off beyond belief. I felt the draw to him but also felt the mistrust. He’d made me angry but I didn’t know why I was so enraged. I just knew I wanted to hurt him or throw him down on the cobblestones and mount him. I turned to Micha.

“What’s wrong with me?” I whimpered. I was scared. I felt crazy. The buzzing in my blood was in hyper-drive. I was so turned on I wanted to scream. Devin was too close. Micha’s touch was soothing but it was just too much at the moment. I pulled away from him pacing away from where he and Devin stood.

“You are okay sweetheart. It’s just hormonal fluctuations with the impending transition. It’ll pass soon. The stress of everything the past few hours isn’t helping either.”

I paced some more, just trying to breathe. I was weakening. I could feel myself becoming exhausted. I stopped pacing, breathing heavily, looking between Micha and Devin. “Why am I so angry at Devin? I want to hurt him. So badly.”

Micha shrugged. “He’s an idiot,” he said with a smile. I couldn’t help but smile back.

Devin approached me slowly. I backed away. “Bliss, baby. You can’t hurt me. We’re mates, you are part wolf. Typically, when a mate’s heat is upon her, the male will just take her to bed and fuck all the aggression out of her. But, you’re an anomaly. You got the raw end of the deal honey. You are going to go through a vampire transition and a wolf’s heat at the same time.”

I shook my head, panting. I was dizzy, the buzzing grew faster, my blood heavier, the need to lash out more demanding than ever. Just as I was going to fall to my knees Devin was there to grab me. “I hurt,” I said just before everything went black.

Micha

I
watched Devin pick Bliss up in his arms and cradle her against his chest. He was ever so gentle with her. “Is there a place we can put her to rest?” he asked with concern.

I nodded. “Follow me,” I led him to the house and through to the billiards room where there was a large leather couch. He gently placed her upon it, slipping one of the soft throw pillows under her head and the fleece blanket over her to keep her warm. He pushed her dark hair away from her face and stared down at her for a moment.

“She’s beautiful,” he said simply.

“She is.” I agreed wholeheartedly. The more I got to know her, the more beautiful she became to me.

“I’ve got to ask you Micha. She’s been with you almost three weeks now. How have you resisted taking her?” he asked as he walked toward me.

I shook my head ruefully. “My wonderful, helpful Aunt filled her head with a bunch of bullshit about what our first time would be like now that she was my submissive. It scared the hell out of her. I’m giving her time to trust me. Believe me, it gets harder by the fucking day to resist her.”

“The wolves who took her, did they…?” He left the question unasked, looking back at her sleeping on the couch.

“No. They threatened her with it endlessly though. But they didn’t. Terrified her with the threat, but they didn’t actually go through with it.”

“Good. That’s good. At least that’s one obstacle I won’t have to overcome with getting her to trust me. Well, let’s go talk to these guardians of hers. I’m interested in what they have to say.”

I laughed, clapping him on the back. “Oh, you are going to be really interested in what my Aunt has to say my friend. Really interested,” I said giving him a light push toward the study. He looked at me quizzically but I wasn’t going to give anything away just yet. I was going to let my Aunt do the talking.

We walked into the study and I made the introductions. My uncle apologized sincerely to Devin about not contacting him about Bliss when the mark appeared. He told Devin how they didn’t mention it to protect her, as they didn’t entirely trust wolves after what’d happened. Of course Devin understood the situation. He didn’t particularly like it, but he understood. He just wanted to find a solution to the problem at hand. That’s when Bethell decided to speak up.

“I think you and Micha should share her,” she announced stoically.

I handed Devin the shot of whisky I’d gotten for him beforehand. His mouth popped open at my Aunt’s announcement. He then downed the whisky in one gulp.

“Excuse me ma’am? What did you say?”

Bethell sighed. “I think you and Micha should share her. I think the two of you need to protect her, help her through her transition. From what Micha informed us of tonight, she’s part wolf, and we know she’s part vampire. After her transition, she could end up half wolf, half vampire, the first of her kind. That might piss off a lot of Werewolves and Vampires alike. What if it gets out to the Human Hunters that we are cross breeding, then what? She needs her mates to protect her. It’s not fair to either of you, or her, to make her choose. She needs both of you.”

Devin looked over at me. “Is she serious?” he asked.

“As a heart attack,” I said fixing another drink. He got up from his seat and handed his shot glass over. I poured him another shot.

“What, she would live with me six months out of the year then live with Micha six months?” Devin groused heatedly.

“Fuck that.” I shook my head. “Won’t do it.”

“Why couldn’t you all live together? Micha’s compound is more than big enough or build another compound,” Uncle Henry suggested.

Devin and I looked at each other. That wasn’t too terrible an idea. Actually not a bad idea at all.

“Would she go for it?” Devin asked.

I laughed heartily. “Hell no, but it would be up to us to convince her.”

We both looked toward the doorway at the same time. Our connection to her told us our mate was up and about. She looked exhausted. “Micha, can we go home now?” she asked tiredly.

I went to her and tucked her close. “Yeah baby. We can go home.”

Aunt Bethell and Uncle Henry seemed concerned as they said their goodbyes and hugged her tightly. They noticed how weakly she hugged them back. We made quick work of getting into the SUV and headed home. Devin was right behind us in his own SUV.

She leaned her head against me, holding my hand tightly. “I’m wolf aren’t I?” she asked, her voice weak, sad.

I kissed the crown of her head. “Yeah baby. Lucy confirmed it tonight.”

She sniffed. I could smell the tears flowing as she stuttered, “I’m so sorry.”

I turned her to face me. “What? Why? Why would you be sorry? It’s not a bad thing. It will make you stronger, fiercer. It’s not a bad thing baby.”

She shook her head. “It’s horrible,” she sobbed. I pulled her to me and let her cry. Devin and I had a lot of work to do. We had to show her that being part wolf was not some curse, that it was a beautiful gift. That it was a wonderful thing not something to be horrified by or scared of. Maybe Devin could introduce her to some of his pack and show her that not all wolves were like the ones who’d hurt her.

By the time we pulled up to the house she’d cried herself out. She practically jumped out of the SUV and ran for the front door. I let her go. Devin came up to me with a quizzical look.

“She didn’t take the news of being half wolf well. We have a lot of work to do on that front my friend. I was thinking maybe you can bring her to your home, introduce her to some of your pack. Show her that wolves are good people, not something to be feared at all cost,” I said leading him through the front door. We watched her scamper up to the second floor to our suite of rooms.

Devin nodded. “Anything to get that fear out of her eyes,” he watched the stairs long after she disappeared behind the doors.

“Go on up. I’m going to go to the kitchen and order us some dinner. The whole second floor on this side of the house is Bliss and my suite. The double doors will let you into our sitting rooms. I’ll be up shortly.”

I watched Devin climb the stairs and disappear through the double doors. I made quick work of going into the kitchen and ordering dinner for the three of us. When I made my way upstairs and into the sitting room, the shower in Bliss’ room was just shutting off. Devin was at the bar fixing himself a drink.

“Drink?” he asked.

“Yeah, Scotch, please.” I removed my jacket and shoes before heading over to the bar. I took a seat, simultaneously reaching for the glass Devin handed over.

“So what do you think about your Aunt’s suggestion?”

“I think she’s crazy but I also think it’s our best option for this complicated mess,” I said honestly.

“I’m glad you said that. I want to work on getting her to trust me and I think I need your help in doing that.”

I nodded. “What do you need from me?”

“Let me take the lead with her tonight. Reassure her when she needs it but let me work on gaining her trust.”

I lifted my glass toward his. “Here’s to our mate and gaining her trust,” I said. Just as we touched glasses, our beautiful, untrusting, wary, mate entered the room looking at us like we’d grown two heads each. We both just smiled. Tonight would be fun.