Share
Chapter 40
Kaugnay na kabanata
The Alpha's Inferno Chapter 41
Marcus POVThe smell of fresh coffee rouses me from my deep sleep. It’s clear that I’ve slept far longer than I planned when I see the strong midday sunlight streaming in through the windows. The front door to the single-room cabin is open, and I can see Leila’s feet propped up the rustic porch railing.I swing my legs over the side of the bed and tug on my trousers, foregoing the boxers that I don’t intend to keep on for very long, anyway. Padding over to the kitchen area tucked away in the far corner, I can see my wonderful mate has left me some coffee brewing and some pastries to eat. I shove a Danish into my mouth before pouring a mug and heading outside.“Morning, beautiful. And bump,” I say with a little self-satisfied smirk as I press a sticky kiss to the side of Leila's cheek, and slide into the chair beside her. A big grin spreads across her face at my appearance and she flushes a little as she takes in my semi-dressed state and naked torso. It really does a man’s ego good to
The Alpha's Inferno Chapter 42
Leila POVHearing Marcus’s banter with my brothers warms my heart and I feel as though happiness is radiating from me, that everyone around me must be able to see it and feel it. He fits in here. Another powerful shifter, well able to put it up to my family, and strong enough not to be threatened by them.Much as he likes to pretend he doesn’t enjoy spending any more time with people than he absolutely has to, I know he likes them in his own sort of gruff, intolerant way. And he has taken good care of this pack of wolves since he arrived, even though he gives out about them at every opportunity. He and Rex are very alike, stern and serious most of the time, but with a heart of gold. He bonded with Cooper over a mutual protectiveness of Hayley, and I know there is nothing but respect between them over their respective parts in watching over her when she first landed in Grey Ridge.And as for Nathan, I think he finds his antics frustratingly entertaining. It’s like watching the bold beh
The Alpha's Inferno Chapter 43
Marcus POVMy reluctance to leave Leila’s side for even a few moments shocks me. Glancing at her as she gives my hand a gentle squeeze, I sense her contentedness and joy at being back here. No more secrets, no more hiding. As everyone else falls into a light-hearted conversation about Cooper and Hayley’s upcoming nuptials, I press a lingering kiss to Leila’s full lips.“I won’t be long,” I whisper against her ear, “so don’t go far.” It was meant to be a reassurance for her that I would not leave her all alone to face the barrage of questions about the baby, what happened between us and where will we live. And I know these questions are coming. They are being polite now, probably because I am here and would tell them to mind their own damn business, but I know they will want all the juicy details once I’m out of earshot.Instead of putting Leila at ease, she seems to have read something else into my words, a promise of what will happen when I return. Her pupils dilate subtly, her breat
The Alpha's Inferno Chapter 44
Marcus POV“Hayley’s Luna ceremony,” I spit out, speaking the vile conclusion that everyone has come to, but nobody wants to say out loud. It’s either that or the wedding. Cooper snarls in my direction, but there’s no real heat in it. He's pissed off at the situation, not me.“Anyone have any other ideas? Any that don’t involve dangling my human mate in front of him like a carrot?” He brushes a hand back across his messy brown hair and looks at each of us one by one, hoping desperately, but not really expecting, that someone might have come up with a better idea. But he's met by silence and furrowed brows.It’s the best opportunity we have, and he knows it. As Luna of an allied pack, everyone would expect Lucia to attend, along with her father, Alpha Anderson. And what with both Hayley and Cooper there, along with the entire Jones family, surely, it’s too good of an opportunity to pass up. It would be hard to resist trying something while everyone that he hates most are gathered in t
The Alpha's Inferno Chapter 45
Leila POV I can’t see anything except Marcus’s spectacularly firm backside as he carries me through the front door and into his cosy log cabin. His scent is engrained into every surface, and I draw in a big lungful of him. His essence, his smell, his taste. I hum in pleasure as I feel it melt my insides and calm my raging nerves. Marcus is my mate. Some of the suggestions he was taunting me with in the truck are a little outside my comfort zone. I can’t deny they have stirred my interest. My arousal is thick in the air, but would I want to act them out in reality? I’m not so sure. But I know one thing, he would never make me do anything I wasn’t ready for. As I kick and flail in his hold, giggling and trying to get him to let me down, he slaps my ass with enough force that I’m sure I’ll have a large red handprint on that cheek. Which is exactly what he wants. “You brute,” I tease, still wriggling in his iron grasp. He silences me with another stinging slap to my behind, and I gasp a
The Alpha's Inferno Chapter 46
Marcus POV Fairy lights have been draped along every imaginable surface, tree and building around the packhouse, and there are pillars and urns spilling over with masses of pure white flowers. Marie has outdone herself; the lodge and the gardens look magical. The entire pack is patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin, so we slip in the back and hurry to the front row, where the rest of the Jones family is seated. Before we sit, I make a show of pressing a kiss to her forehead and holding her tight, while I scan the area, looking for signs that anything is amiss. Everyone is on edge. I give Leila’s hand a quick squeeze as her anxiousness seeps into the bond. Nobody knows what’s going to happen, even if something is going to happen at all, but we’ve baited the trap as best we can, and now we wait. They’ve purposely left security lighter than they have done over the last few weeks, under the pretence that they want as many wolves present at the ceremony to welcome Hayley officially
The Alpha's Inferno Chapter 47
Leila POVA yawn escapes me before I even know it’s coming and Marcus tucks me into his side, letting me lean some of my weight on him. Between worrying about what would happen today and this cub that is really starting to make its presence known, I am beyond exhausted. Marcus’s soothing presence and his hand rubbing gentle circles on my lower back are making me drowsy, and after a slow blink and one more yawn, I’m ready to throw in the towel. I tip my head towards the dancefloor, and he follows me over to the guests of honour.“I love you, but I’m out. I can barely keep my eyes open,” I say to Hayley and Cooper, who are wrapped around each other on the dancefloor. Cooper has his arms resting on her hips, his head angled so that he can whisper into her ear, and Hayley has her cheek pressed to her chest, letting him lead, but gazing adoringly up at him. They seem completely at peace despite the darkness we thought might threaten tonight. I’m happy for them, even if I would have preferr
The Alpha's Inferno Chapter 48
Marcus POVLeaning back against the bar, I wait for my whiskey. Normally I’m a beer drinker, especially if I'm out in the town that I'm in charge of, but tonight I’m feeling on edge. Hopefully, this will help. The party is getting a little wilder now. These crazy wolves were obviously just pretending to be civilized for the duration of the ceremony. As the moon bathes the wide-open space in its calm reflective glow, the volume of the chatter and laughter rises, getting more and more raucous. I cringe as I see a barmaid filling a tray with shots of tequila and carrying it out to one of the tables. I’m glad I won’t be the one cleaning this mess up in the morning.Cooper strolls over and leans across the bar to place his order. He rests his elbows on the counter and sucks in a deep breath, eyes closed. Steadying himself. He looks exhausted, and this is as close as he’ll get to taking a break from the dancing and the socializing for the rest of the night.“How do you cope with this?” I as
Pinakabagong kabanata
