MY ALPHA FATHER'S BEST FRIEND 2

I ran to the window and watched as Damon’s black Range Rover came to a stop in front of the house. The vehicle suited him, it was expensive, powerful, built to handle rough terrain.

He climbed out and my breath caught in my throat.

He was wearing dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt that stretched across his chest and shoulders in a way that should be illegal. His boots were worn and practical—Alpha boots, meant for shifting and running. His dark hair was slightly messy, like he’d been running his hands through it during the drive.

He moved like a predator. Smooth, controlled, every motion deliberate. Pure dominant alpha male, and my wolf was practically rolling over and showing her belly.

Down, girl.

He grabbed a duffel bag from the back seat and headed for the front door. He had a key, Dad had given him access to the house years ago but I wasn’t about to let him just walk in and find me waiting like some eager puppy.

I positioned myself at the top of the stairs, leaning against the railing in a pose I’d practiced in the mirror. Looking casual. Confident. Definitely not desperately horny.

I heard the door open, heard his footsteps in the entryway—heavy and sure, the walk of a man who’d never doubted his right to take up space.

Then I heard him pause. Scenting the air.

He could smell me. The oil on my skin, the arousal I couldn’t quite hide. Wolves couldn’t lie with their scents, and mine was probably screaming want right now.

“Maya,” he called out, his voice deeper than I remembered. “Where are you?”

“Up here!”

I started down the stairs, taking them slowly, making sure he got a good look at my legs. His eyes tracked upward from my bare feet, over my calves, my thighs, those tiny shorts, the tank top where my nipples were already hard and visible.

His nostrils flared. His eyes darkened.

Got him.

“Hey,” I said, giving him my brightest smile as I reached the bottom step.

“Hey yourself.” His voice was rough, strained. “Your dad said…”

I didn’t let him finish. Just launched myself at him the same way I had a hundred times when I was younger, jumping up to wrap my arms around his neck.

But I wasn’t a kid anymore. And this time, I wrapped my legs around his waist too.

His duffel hit the floor with a heavy thud. His hands went automatically to my hips to catch me, and the second his rough palms touched my bare skin where my tank top had ridden up, we both froze.

The contact sent electricity shooting through my whole body. My wolf howled in satisfaction, pressing closer, wanting more.

I could feel every hard plane of his chest and stomach against me. Could feel the heat radiating off him—wolves ran hot, but dominant Alphas ran even hotter. Could smell his scent wrapping around me, dark and woody with an undertone of something wild.

And I could feel his cock, already getting hard, pressing against my inner thigh.

“I missed you,” I whispered against his neck, breathing him in.

He stood there for a long moment, his hands still on my hips, his whole body tense. I could feel his heart pounding, could hear the slight raggedness in his breathing.

Then he very deliberately set me down and stepped back, putting distance between us.

“Maya.” My name came out rough, almost a growl. “You’re getting too old for that.”

“Too old to hug you?” I stuck my bottom lip out, looking up at him through my lashes. “I haven’t seen you in two months, Damon. I really did miss you.”

Something flickered in his eyes—heat, hunger, something that made my wolf preen—but then he blinked and it was gone.

“I missed you too, kid.” He picked up his bag, avoiding my eyes. “But we need to set some boundaries while I’m here.”

Kid. I tried not to let that word sting, but it did.

He started toward the downstairs guest suite, but I was ready for that.

“Wait!” I grabbed his arm—all hard muscle under warm skin and tugged him toward the stairs. “You’re not staying down there.”

He stopped, one eyebrow raised. “No?”

“No way. That room is tiny and the mattress is like a rock. Dad said to put you in the Alpha suite.”

That was mostly true. Dad had said Damon should be comfortable. I was just… interpreting that loosely.

“Maya, the guest room is fine…”

“The Alpha suite is bigger. Better bed. Better bathroom.” I laced my fingers through his and pulled him toward the stairs. “Come on, I already got it ready for you.”

I felt him hesitate, but he followed me up. His hand in mine was big and warm and callused from years of fighting and training. I wanted to hold it forever.

The Alpha suite was at the end of the hall—the master bedroom my parents used. Biggest room in the house, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the forest, a king-sized bed, and a bathroom that was basically a spa.

Also, it was right across the hall from my room.

I pulled him inside and immediately flopped down on the bed, stretching out on my back and making sure my tank top rode up to show my stomach.

“See? Much better, right?” I bent one knee, letting my legs fall open slightly. Not enough to be obvious, but enough that he’d notice.

Damon’s eyes went dark. I watched his gaze travel over my body—legs, hips, the strip of bare stomach, my breasts where my nipples were hard enough to cut glass through the thin fabric. His jaw clenched and his hands flexed at his sides.

Then he closed his eyes and turned his head away.

“The guest room is fine, Maya. I don’t need…”

“But you’ll be so far away down there.” I sat up, making my voice smaller. “I’ll feel safer with you close. Especially with the full moon in three days.”

That made him look at me. The full moon made all wolves restless, aggressive, harder to control. Unmated wolves especially.

And unmated alpha females? We practically broadcast pheromones that drove unmated males crazy.

He knew that. And he knew my father would want him close enough to protect me if any of the pack’s unmated males got too interested.

I watched him war with himself, saw the exact moment he gave in.

“Fine. Okay. I’ll stay up here.”

“Perfect!” I bounced off the bed, deliberately making everything jiggle. “Oh, and the shower in the Alpha bathroom is broken. Well, not broken, but the water pressure is weird. So you’ll have to use mine.”

His eyes went wide. “I’ll what?”

“Use my bathroom. My shower.” I smiled sweetly. “It’s right across the hall. I don’t mind sharing.”

I could see his throat work as he swallowed hard. Could smell his scent shifting, darkening with arousal.

“That’s… fine. Sure.”

“Great! I’m going to start dinner. Come down whenever you’re ready!”

I walked past him, making sure to brush against his side as I went. His scent flooded my nose—want and restraint and something darker that made my wolf want to bare her throat.

Phase one was complete.